Hi all. I've been using Debian only since 4.0 came out, previously I've only really used Slackware. I'm liking Debian a lot but when reinstalling I'm encountering some problems (I re-reinstalled it this morning but broke down the process with a couple of reboots to try and avoid getting the error message again (reinstalled last night) as I thought I was maybe just trying to do too much at once). I set the sources & apt-get update first then set about installing some stuff:

$ apt-get install linux-image-2.6-k7 nvidia-kernel-2.6-k7 nvidia-settings nvidia-glx

Reboot.

$ apt-get install w32codecs libdvdcss2 flashplayer-mozilla totem totem-mozilla realplayer kaffeine

Reboot.

$ apt-get install gimp knetdockapp adept openoffice.org-calc openoffice.org-writer

All is ok until the last one, it gives the following messages:

[HTML]Setting up ttf-opensymbol (2.0.4.dfsg.2-5etch1) ...
Updating fontconfig cache...
/usr/share/fonts: failed to write cache
/usr/share/fonts/X11: failed to write cache
/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi: failed to write cache
/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi: failed to write cache
/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1: failed to write cache
/usr/share/fonts/X11/encodings: failed to write cache
/usr/share/fonts/X11/encodings/large: failed to write cache
/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc: failed to write cache
/usr/share/fonts/X11/util: failed to write cache
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dustin: failed to write cache
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/kochi: failed to write cache
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/sjfonts: failed to write cache
/usr/share/fonts/truetype/ttf-dejavu: failed to write cache
/usr/share/fonts/type1: failed to write cache
/usr/share/fonts/type1/gsfonts: failed to write cache
/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts: failed to write cache
/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/encodings: failed to write cache
/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/encodings/large: failed to write cache
/usr/local/share/fonts: failed to write cache
/var/lib/defoma/fontconfig.d: failed to write cache
/var/lib/defoma/fontconfig.d/B: failed to write cache
/var/lib/defoma/fontconfig.d/C: failed to write cache
/var/lib/defoma/fontconfig.d/D: failed to write cache
/var/lib/defoma/fontconfig.d/E: failed to write cache
/var/lib/defoma/fontconfig.d/I: failed to write cache
/var/lib/defoma/fontconfig.d/J: failed to write cache
/var/lib/defoma/fontconfig.d/K: failed to write cache
/var/lib/defoma/fontconfig.d/M: failed to write cache
/var/lib/defoma/fontconfig.d/N: failed to write cache
/var/lib/defoma/fontconfig.d/P: failed to write cache
/var/lib/defoma/fontconfig.d/S: failed to write cache
/var/lib/defoma/fontconfig.d/U: failed to write cache
/var/lib/defoma/fontconfig.d/W: failed to write cache
/var/lib/defoma/fontconfig.d/f: failed to write cache
/var/lib/defoma/fontconfig.d/p: failed to write cache
dpkg: error processing ttf-opensymbol (--configure):
subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 35
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of openoffice.org-core:
openoffice.org-core depends on ttf-opensymbol; however:
Package ttf-opensymbol is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing openoffice.org-core (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of openoffice.org-calc:
openoffice.org-calc depends on openoffice.org-core (= 2.0.4.dfsg.2-5etch1); how ever:
Package openoffice.org-core is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing openoffice.org-calc (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of python-uno:
python-uno depends on openoffice.org-core (= 2.0.4.dfsg.2-5etch1); however:
Package openoffice.org-core is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing python-uno (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of openoffice.org-writer:
openoffice.org-writer depends on openoffice.org-core (= 2.0.4.dfsg.2-5etch1); h owever:
Package openoffice.org-core is not configured yet.
openoffice.org-writer depends on python-uno (>= 2.0.4.dfsg.2); however:
Package python-uno is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing openoffice.org-writer (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Errors were encountered while processing:
ttf-opensymbol
openoffice.org-core
openoffice.org-calc
python-uno
openoffice.org-writer
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
zippy:/home/murray# [/HTML]

Any ideas, I was even taking a note of the recommended & suggested packages to install them afterwards? I was hoping debian would take care of all dependency stuff magically, but there are messages about 'dependency problems' in that message.

Thanks.

This reconfigures the fontconfig package that's giving you problems. If it fails, use the force option: apt-get -f (no args)

Thanks Duch Master, it looks like that did the job. I then re-ran the last apt-get line and it did the configuration part without any errors.

Thanks.

I hope you realize there's more to getting the nvidia drivers running that just installing those packages. In the "Configuring Debian Etch" section on the left of the page link below is a link to a good tutorial.
http://www.debiantutorials.org/

Junior Hacker, 62.1FPS in DOOM3 says it does work. Beyond installing the above packages, all I need to do further is edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf as follows: change Driver "nv" to "nvivdia" & comment-out the line Load "dri" bit. I'm somewhat perplexed how all the nvidia guides I find for Debian are so lengthy. In Slackware its just a matter of running the nvidia .run file & then configuring xorg.conf, maybe reinstalling it if I've been playing with a new kernel but that's rare. I say my way is miles easier than most debian tutorials, although that one you pointed out seems marginally shorter than most. I don't appear to have nvidia-setting or glxinfo or glxgears, but they don't really do anything useful anyway & I'm refraining from chasing new driver versions (I did in Slackware) as ver.8776 works good for me.

Then again maybe I'm totally missing the point of that tutorial?

EDIT: oh, nvidia-settings is installed, just not in KDE menus.

Hmmm!
Odd, that tutorial mentions using module assistant, maybe that has something to do with not ever having to do anything else when upgrading the kernel. If I remember correctly, I also ran 'dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg' to get everything right in xorg.conf including proper monitor settings. That tutorial also shows how to install the binaries from NVIDIA which is allot simpler. Below is my xorg.conf after going through 'dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg'. Not sure what the last section about DRI Mode does. (Number of the beast).

I don't think I'd want to run 'dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg', if its anything like that xf86config program I remember. I learnt to avoid any automagical X setup stuff & do it myself in xorg.conf, its easy enough. Note the CursorShadow bit I like to add, I can't live without it. Well I quite probably could, I don't want to test it though, but you know what I mean.

[HTML]
Section "Device"
Identifier "nVidia Corporation NV40 [GeForce 6800]"
Driver "nvidia"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
Option "CursorShadow" "1"
EndSection
[/HTML]

NOTE: DRI 0666 is a special Linux variable for 'Devil Requires Ice-cream', often referred online to as the 'Speed Demon - Catcher of the Fry', to stop the graphics card from running so fast that it'd whoop the backside of the Window$ graphics system, unfortunately melting in the process. Hence the requirement for Ice-cream, rum & rasin preferrably. That's why Linux rarely matches Window$ graphics speeds.

The dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg asks you what are the settings (it does makes some suggestions but you have to choose the suggestions -or whatever is a better option.)

It's not like the X - xconfig or whatever it is. I know what you are talking about.

Sarge had x-free86, so probably this one --->dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86

If you ever decide you have a use for glxinfo, just install the mesa-utils package.

There's nothing that says you can't just install the nvidia blob the way you did on Slackware btw, the only catch being whenever X.org or your kernel is updated, you'll have to (remove it first, then) install it again. If you're running Etch though, that shouldn't be too often.