How to build .deb packages from nvidia installer .run
 

i want to build .deb packages from the official nvidia installer (one for the driver and one for the kernel module). How can I do it?

You can't. nVidia provides binary drivers only, no source. That's a commercial choice from the commercial vendor. Accept it, don't go brawling around like an (drunken) elephant in the porciline shop and destroy the goodwill from nVidia towards the Open Source movement...

Either do it the Debian way using m-a a-i or cheat like I do and use smxi.

Graphics: Card nVidia G96 [GeForce 9400 GT] X.Org 1.7.4 Res: 1280x1024@50.0hz
GLX Renderer GeForce 9400 GT/PCI/SSE2 GLX Version 3.2.0 NVIDIA 190.53 Direct Rendering Yes

@Dutch Master: the nvidia driver is closed source, it's true...but I CAN create a deb package that installs it: infact in slackware there is a slackbuild (a shell script that creates a tgz package [official of slackware]) from the run file.

@craigevil: I've a custom kernel (2.6.32-custom on lenny), and module-assistant doesn't work with that kernel (the driver 173 can't build a kernel module with kernel >2.6.30)

Being new to Debian, I am interested in a solution too.

As mentioned, there is a SlackBuild script that takes the final compiled NVidia binaries and merges that into a Slackware package. So there should be a straightforward method to create a simple deb package. As this deb package would be used locally by individuals, there is no need for most of the usual Debian packaging requirements or to build from source. After all, when creating a typical Debian package, that process takes the final compiled binaries and merges into the package.

The NVidia installer script can be run to compile the binaries but not install. So at that point all that is needed is some Debian experience with package making to massage those binaries into a local package. I don't yet have that experience.

The goal is not to dampen the good will of the NVidia folks. The goal is to create a package that is more easily managed than an installation script.

I asked a similar question about Firefox. I would like to take the final binaries and merge into a simple package. For my own use, not for distribution. Likewise for the NVidia drivers.

Thanks.

You could kludge together a binary Debian package containing the drivers but you would probably* be violating the license of the drivers. This is why you often just get "installer" type packages for non free software. All the package does is download the driver.

Evo2.

* I've never read the nvidia license since I've never had need to use their drivers.

Let me ask this question:

What does the following do:

apt-get install nvidia-kernel-common
m-a auto-install nvidia-kernel${VERSION}-source

More specifically, if I use that "Debian Way" method to install the drivers, can I later easily remove the same packages and modules to install a newer version?

I have had good success with version 180.29 on one machine and version 185.18.x on another. I'd like to keep using those versions, not the older 173.x series. I have been less fortunate with the 190.x series and I want to avoid that version. Hence my interest in rolling a deb package, or to use a preferred Debian method to install the drivers.

Compiles the nvidia kernel driver, puts it in a debian package and then installs the debian package.

Yes! I f you run the above commons again when there is a newer driver it will repeat the compilation, package creation process, and then again install the new package and automatically uninstall the old one. ...at least thats how it works with other drivers installed using the same method.

Evo2.

Okay, I just tried installing. Worked okay and dpkg reports nvidia packages. So far so good.

Unfortunately, the process installed the 173.x version. I am using the 2.6.30 kernel from backports, but I'd like to use the 180.x or 185.x version of NVidia. How can I use those versions the "Debian Way"?

I do not find those versions available. :(

Thanks. :)

I've a question for you: in the Debian repositories (all: stable, testing, unstable) there are some non-free packages as nvidia-glx and nvidia-kernel-source: they are .deb packages, and debian developers made them from the official .run installer. Do you think that the Debian developers violated the licence of the drivers?
And, if you don't think that, why a debian developer should be allowed to build that package and I should not?

Please note the work "probably" and the * next to it, and the text at the bottom of my post.

Evo2.

As I said I don't use the nvidia drivers, so you may find more useful information here:

http://wiki.debian.org/NvidiaGraphicsDrivers

Cheers,

EVo2.