Installing Old Nvidia (TNT and others)Driver

michalng · 04-03-2006, 11:32 PM

I was trying to enable 3D acceleration for my very OLD Nvidia TNT and so was searching the forums. Noticed that this seems to be a common topic and many is unable get it to work.

After days of running in circles, I finally got it up running and would like to share with all.

The steps that I've taken is as follows:

01. login as normal user
02. go to http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux_d..._1.0-7174.html and download the driver
03. use a word processor and edit /etc/udev/static_devices.txt . Add the following:

nvidia0 c 195 0 666
nvidia1 c 195 1 666
nvidia2 c 195 2 666
nvidia3 c 195 3 666
nvidia4 c 195 4 666
nvidia5 c 195 5 666
nvidia6 c 195 6 666
nvidia7 c 195 7 666
nvidiactl c 195 255 666

04. additionally you need to make sure that /etc/modprobe.d/nvidia does not exist and remove it if it does. Otherwise the nvidia kernel module cannot be loaded.
05. if you do not have kernel source installed, install it now. If you are using OpenSUSE, it is in the 5 CD. Just use YAST, no extra download needed

06. press "alt-f2"and type "konsole"
07. type "su" and password for root access.
08. type "init 3"
09. login as "root" and password for root access, for those who are not familiar, the password is same as in 6 above.
10. change to the directory where you had downloaded the nvidia driver.
11. type "sh ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-7174-pkg1.run"
12. follow through the installation process as normal.
13. type "sax2 -m 0=nvidia" , note that 0 is the number zero and not the alphabet O.
14. configure as you please.
15. type "exit" to exit root.
16. login as normal user
17. type "startx"
18. you can start sax2 again to confirm your 3D acceleration is enabled.
19. shutdown.
20. restart and if you can get back into your normal eye candy, CONGRATULATIONS.
21. install Tuxracer and enjoy!!!

Actually all this is stated in the document (http://www.suse.de/~sndirsch/nvidia-...ler-HOWTO.html) that is available when you download the driver . The only problem is that this is list in item 20, almost the last few pages of a long document

Hope this is useful to all !!!!