How do I switch to Nvidia driver?

JosephS · 03-19-2011, 07:47 PM

Using Debian Squeeze

I installed the Nvidia installer: NVIDIA-Linux-x8~.86.14-pkg1.run
I configured the xorg.conf file and changed the driver from nv to nvidia.
I also removed "load dri"

When I use startx I get this error and it won't give me a desktop:
(EE) Failed to load /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/nvidia_drv.so
(EE) Failed to load module "nvidia" (loader failed, 7)
(EE) No drivers available

This is all I remember doing with Lenny. Apparently there is something else I need to do with Squeeze?

Thanks

John VV · 03-19-2011, 08:58 PM

you might want to post the xorg.conf

there is a section for adding the PATH to the driver

also informing us as to your nvidia card will help

also "NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-260.19.36.run" is the current for a new card on 64 bit platform

"86.14-pkg1.run"????????
IF AND A VERY BIG IF my guess is right this 86.14 is for a very very old LEGACY agp gforce5 card
NVIDIA-Linux-x86-71.86.14-pkg1.run

that very old nvidia card WILL need the xorg.conf wrote by hand
PLEASE read the readme for that driver the FULL instructions on the "xorg.conf" options and settings is in there
ftp://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Li....86.14/README/

sgrayban · 03-20-2011, 03:24 AM

I assume you are using squeeze now....

The newest version is NVIDIA-Linux-x86-260.19.36.run

There is one last step that sets up xorg.conf -- did you go through that ?

JosephS · 03-20-2011, 07:55 PM

Quote:

you might want to post the xorg.conf

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "X.org Configured"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
InputDevice "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "Files"
ModulePath "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi"
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
FontPath "built-ins"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "glx"
#Load "dri"
Load "dbe"
Load "record"
Load "dri2"
Load "extmod"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard0"
Driver "kbd"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse0"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "auto"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5 6 7"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "Monitor Vendor"
ModelName "Monitor Model"
EndSection

Section "Device"
### Available Driver options are:-
### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz"
### [arg]: arg optional
#Option "SWcursor" # [<bool>]
#Option "HWcursor" # [<bool>]
#Option "NoAccel" # [<bool>]
#Option "ShadowFB" # [<bool>]
#Option "VideoKey" # <i>
Identifier "Card0"
Driver "nv"
VendorName "nVidia Corporation"
BoardName "NV6 [Vanta/Vanta LT]"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Card0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 1
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 4
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 8
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 15
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 16
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

The above file is the one I generated with Xorg -configure, and have tried the instructions in the article you posted that follows. It worked with the nv and the nouveau drivers.

Quote:

If you already have an X config file working with a different driver
(such as the 'nv' or 'vesa' driver), then all you need to do is find
the relevant Device section and replace the line:

Driver "nv"
(or Driver "vesa")

with

Driver "nvidia"

In the Module section, make sure you have:

Load "glx"

You should also remove the following lines:

Load "dri"
Load "GLcore"

if they exist.

Quote:

there is a section for adding the PATH to the driver

I checked the path in the xorg.conf file: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers
The drivers for nvidia are in there: nouveau_drv.so, nv_drv.so, nvidia_drv.so
The only difference is that nvidia_drv.so is executable.

Quote:

also informing us as to your nvidia card will help

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV6 [Vanta/Vanta LT] (rev 15)

I know this is an old card. I don't need the 3D. I thought the nvidia driver would work better than the nv. What else would I need to do to get Squeeze to choose the nvidia driver?

Thanks

John VV · 03-20-2011, 09:18 PM

the " nv " driver is theold 2d ONLY
the "nouveau" driver is the Open source 3d driver
and the Nvidia.run is the "binary blob" from nvidia.

Vanta
http://www.nvidia.com/page/vanta.html
that thing is old
a press release from 1999
http://www.nvidia.com/object/IO_20020109_4288.html
the "71.86.13 " is the driver

-------------
try this
rename the current xorg.conf to xorg.conf-old
then reboot and let the system remake the file
if it dose not auto make a new one then from text boot run
"nvidia-xconfig"
PS. you will need to be root to run that

and if that dose not do it i see one problem
this
/usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/nvidia_drv.so --- notice the "/drivers" folder
then the path in the conf "/usr/lib/xorg/modules" NO "/drivers" folder
add a second listing for "/usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers"

Code:

Section "Files"
ModulePath "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
ModulePath "/usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc"