LinuxQuestions.org - Nvidia driver problem SOLVED! LOOK HERE!

Installing the latest (1.0-4191) rpm drivers from nVidia (From a post on LinuxISO.org = http://www.linuxiso.org/forums/viewt...90fb1a2da17457) (User: SoSolid from the Netherlands)
This is a post from above and I did it step by step after soo much searching of a good tutorial
and it worked!
After two days of spending time in console mode, re-installing Red Hat numerous times and cursing everyone and everything I finally figured out how to install the latest nvidia drivers (1.0-4191) on a fresh Red Hat Linux Professional 8.0 machine.

The commands are almost the same as in other guides here but there are a few parameters that have to be changed in order to avoid conflicts.
Below here I will describe what you have to do:

First of all you have to understand what you need. Probably with Microsoft Windows in the back of your head you expect to download one file and just run it. No way! You always have to download two files. A kernel file and a GLX file. Together (if installed properly) you will have Linux recognize your card properly thus supporting it as much as possible. Don't always expect to receive the support like a Micrsoft Windows would deliver. Your card still can function a bit slower than average using Linux instead of Windows.

Let's get started.
The best thing to do is browsing to this url (http://www.nvidia.com/view.asp?IO=li..._ia32_1.0-4191) where you will find all Linux drivers available for the 32bits enviroment. If you look to the available drivers for Red Hat I imagine that you don't really know which one you need. In case of any doubt so ever download NVchooser. This tool examens your hardware and tells you which files are needed. Just download it to any directory, open a terminal, head for the directory in where you downloaded the file and use the command: bash <filename>
Now you know which files are needed return to the website and download these files.

When you have the two files (kernel and GLX) logout. In order to correctly install the drivers you can't have X working. If X is working while installing the drivers older driver files won't be deleted because they are in use. Below the log-in screen you'll see the word session. When clicking it you see a number of options. Remember the drivers must be installed in console mode which in this case means you may NOT startup anything related to X and graphical. Choose Failsafe. This option enables console mode. Next you have to log-in as root. That's the best thing to do since you will have all rights and permissions.

Now we approach the most difficult part. Don't get me wrong, installing drivers isn't so hard if you know what kind of parameters you have to use in your commands. But finding out is much harder.
As I told you before this guide assumes Red Hat is just installed and no other videocard related drivers have been (tried) to installed. Maybe this way of installing also works with other system conditions but I haven't tested something else at the moment.
This is very important. We are actually not going to install the both files. We are going to upgrade the kernel and install the GLX.

So you are in console mode. Head for the directory where the two files are downloaded. You will see these files:
- NVIDIA_GLX-1.0-4191.???.rpm
- NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-4191.???.rpm
??? stands for your architecture. i386 is for the normal recent pentiums, i586 is for the old pentiums and i686 is for athlon.

First we start with the kernel. We are going to upgrade it. To do this we type the following command in your console:
rpm -Uvh NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-4191.???.rpm
After it's complete you will see a sort of summary.

Now it's time to install the GLX file. First we are going to check if there aren't any old GLX files. To check this type the following command:
rpm -e NVIDIA_GLX
Don't forget we are going to install the GLX drivers, not upgrade. Upgrading GLX will cause the system to delete some files which are of great importance. The -e command will only delete the necessary files to complete a new installation without conflicts.
The following command will install the GLX files:
rpm -ivh NVIDIA_GLX-1.0-4191.???.rpm
??? stands for your architecture. i386 is for the normal recent pentiums, i586 is for the old pentiums and i686 is for athlon.

This was the most most difficult part. It only gets easier from now. Since the new drivers require some other parameters to work with we have to edit the XF86Config file located in the directory /etc/X11
There is one important thing you may not forget. Yes, you have installed the new drivers but X still works on old settings and scripts. So if you reboot the system before editing the file prepare yourself for re-installing Red Hat.

So you are still in console mode. Type 'exit'. The system will log you out and the log-in screen will appear again. Then click on Session and select Gnome. After this log in as root user and open the directory 'root's home' located on the desktop. In the address bar type the path that will lead you to your XF86Config file. The path is usually /etc/X11.
There you will see the file. Right Click on it, select edit and then a program that you will use as an editor.

Make sure that you delete the line containing this sentence in the module section of the file:
- Load "dri"

Also make sure that the next sentence is included in the module section of the file:
- Load "glx"

In the driver section of the file you will find a line containing one of the following sentences:
- Driver "vesa"
- Driver "nv"
Replace this line by:
- Driver "nvidia"

When done save the file and restart your system. When the system has rebooted it might be possible for you to see a configuration screen appear. Just follow it and change whatever you want.
That's all to it.