Nvidia drivers, installation from RPM

Ok, I'm lost now. I downloaded the newest drivers from Nvidia
NVIDIA_GLX-1.0-2960.i386.rpm

I have a P4 system and so I also downloaded the

NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-2960.rh73up.i686.rpm

since it's an 686 system.

Now I installed both RPM's, rebooted system, and when it trys to hit Xwindows it keeps on flickering, and is not able to hit the gui.

I read on Nvidia site, something about recompiling. I'm not sure if I need to do that. I just thought it's just installation of the RPM's and thats it.

My other question is on the Nvidia site, it says to download the architecture the kernel and driver itself. I didn't see GLX distro for 686, should I have downloaded the 386 kernel instead? And if so, what do I next? Can anyone give me the steps to get updated graphix? Reason why is because the RH7.3 distro driver is hella slow, I was playin some games and it's hella laggy. My vid card is a Geforce 2 MX 100/200 type.

System specs are a P4 1.8 Ghz, 512 rambus, 100 gig WD SE/w 8 meg cache.

you will need to get two rpm files from the nvidia site. One will have 'kernel' in its name and the other one will have 'GLX'. The 'GLX' one is the OpenGL bit for the driver.

When it talks about getting the right rpm for your kernel it means that it has to match your distribution and type of kernel. Those two files you got are the right ones. Using the package manager install the two packages (if you don't know how to do that then just tell us) and then you should be sorted.

Next you need to edit your XF86Config file. Open a console/terminal window and change into root ('su' and then the password) and then open up a text editor. Try typing 'pico' since its easy to use and will do what you want easily without you needing to learn a thousand different commands.

now go down the file until you come to a bit which says:

# This loads the GLX module

under this is a line which will need to read

Load           "glx"

then go down to the section which holds info on your graphics card. it should look something like this

Section "Device" Identifier "Nvidia Gefore" Driver "nv" #VideoRam 67108864 # Insert Clocks lines here if appropriate EndSection

After the Driver bit it may say something else but it will need to say nvidia now so it will look like

Driver     "nvidia"

That should be everything sorted

if this looks a bit of a drag keep in mind that the graphics should fly once its up and running.

hth

Alex

P.S. you may want to change the default run level temporarily until this is all done. so that the computer login will be in the command console rather than starting up X when you switch it on to logon. This way if the X server is screwed you can still fiddle in linux easily. To start x from the command line just type 'startx'.

P.P.S. if that don't work i suggest screwing the rpms and compile from source.

I see on in etc/X111/
and other in usr/X11/lib/X11/

which to choose?

oh, sorry, you want the one in /etc/X11

Alex

Oh ok, found it, but at the moment I havent' installed the RPM's yet. I wanted to view this file first and see what I'm heading into. Not a chicken, hehehehe, but will that glx line be added after the install of the RPM? Also how do I set the level? I remember reading about a file to edit.

i doubt that the rpm will change it but don't hold me to that, i never use the things.

to set the level you need to (as root) edit the /etc/inittab file, at the top should be a section saying something similar to

# Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6)
id:3:initdefault:

This is for slackware so im not sure if this is the way you want it. In slackware level three is the multi user console mode (the one you want to be for this procedure). It should say at the top of the file what levels correspond to what type of system, graphical, single user, restart, shutdown etc.. If it don't then the documentation or a search of the web/forum should yield the info.

HTH

Alex

Ok I'm totally given up on the RPM, I did everything that you told me to do, and read thoroughly the readme on Nvidia's site:

http://download.nvidia.com/XFree86_4...960/README.txt

and it still didn't work. Screw it, webtoe, can you or anyone else show me how to compile the driver?

I read the Nvida readme, and I editing the XF86Config-4 not the XF86Config file. Did I edit the right one? Reason why I didn't just do the XF86Conifg is because it didn't have the other lines by default, so I checked XF86Conifg-4 and those lines you mentioned were there.

Ok, scratch the RPM driver version, I do the other package, can someone show me how to compile the newest nvidia driver?

If you read the docs on nvidia site it is all there, get the NVIDIA_kernel and NVIDIA_GLX in tar.gz archives, unpack them
tar xfvz NVIDIA_kernel-blah.blah.tar.gz
tar xvfz NVIDIA_GLX-yada.yada.tar.gz
switch to runlevel3
cd NVIDIA-kernel
make install
cd ../NVIDIA_GLX
make install
then edit /etc/X11/XF86Config-4
remove
Load "dri" # if it is there of course
add
Load "glx"
Load "GLcore" #if it is not there yet
change
"nv" to "nvidia" in driver section

I just did the same thing this afternoon. I installed the two RPM's from nvidia and modified my XF86Config-4 file as stated in the README that came with the RPM.

You might try checking the the driver module gets loaded:
# modprobe NVdriver

Ok i did the install by compiling the tars, everything went smooth, until i was at root and typed startx. It gave me an error something like "screens 0 found, but no configuration usable" I was like hmmmm, next I read the readme on NVIDIA's site. Did a lsmod and yup it wasn't showing then did a modprobe NVdriver, then it would load. startx next, GUI showed up, started chromium up, and sure enough graphix were flying like nuts. But now my problem is the error of the screens not found, is this monitor related now or something? How come it doesn't load automatically the first? I have to modprobe it which takes all the fun away? Someone please help, I feel this is a minor issue.

Open up /etc/X11/XF86Confog-4 in your favortite editor.

In the first section comment out the line Load "dri"

Then go to the bottom of the file and coment out

Section "DRI"
MODE 0666
End Section

That should end the screen not found problems.

Also if you had been to RedHats uptodate and updtaed your kernel that would account for the initial problems with the rpm files.

I had the same problem and just followed the nvidia readme and rebuilt the rpm for my kernel. Worked like a charm. There are allot of features available if you go through the readme that are not configured by default.

Laff, I did download the readme, and wasted paper by printing it out. I would assume I would be needing this for future ref, I really would like to be a supporter of Linux, so far so good from all you great folks out there. I really have to commend on the open software community and there supporters. I give mad props to everyone who has helped with my questions. Answers have been very appaulding. I've always believed in giving back, and that means since I'm doing the time, I'll be the next one to help the next joe newb. Been supportin MS products for a long time, now moving on to some serious business. ) I know how it is with support, and I have alot of patience, and it seems you all do as well. I'm surprised, hehehehe....

In order to get a module to *automagically* load, you need to place it in the /etc/modules.conf file. I have to agree, these folkes do a great job at what they do, and this is just their hobbies not money paying jobs as tech support. Very commendable.

*leached from finegan*

Cool