Well, I've just recompiled my RH8 kernel, and had to reinstall the latest nvidia video drives from source. Got a whinge about tainting the kernel but I've ignored that for now as I heven't gotten around to looking up what that means . The snag:

On starting X at boot time, the screen goes blank (and occasionally flickers between the black of "no signal" and the black of "actual black screen being displayed"). For ages. We are talking 2-3 _minutes_. Then the X login prompt pops up as though nothing was wrong, and everything works fine.

My old setup with the previous drivers used to pause for a few seconds on startup, but this is utterly ludicrous. Has anybody seen anything like this, or can offer clues as to why the thing just stops and thinks for so long?

TIA,

Matt.

I had the same problem when I installed the nvidia drivers. I am running redhat 8.0. The only difference was that my screen would be blank and flicker for less time than yours, something like 15-20 seconds. I dont use any OpenGL applications on Linux, so I rolled back to the default geforce4 drivers that come with the distro, and it loads up faster now.

I also installed the drivers from source, compiled them locally. The installation when without a hitch, too.

I've seen lots run into issues with this...
My sure fire solution to nv drivers and glx issues

1: Re-install Mesa - gets all your base glx libraries and headers into X11 for software based opengl
2: build and install the nvidia-kernel and nvidia-glx stuff. The glx should overwrite most of the stuff installed by mesa, most important is to make sure the header files from the nv glx stuff are copied to your X11R6/include/GLX (thats from memory, have a look around) dir as well.
3: go into your xf86config(-4) file and a) ensure glx is defined, b)that the driver name is nv
4: edit /etc/modules.conf and put in the required params there
(can't remember them, stuck in solaris land here today :-) )

You should see the screen flash for a second or two before running the nvidia splash screen... then its into X for much gameage (make sure to run up a copy of RTCW or UT2k3 and blow your windows mates away :-) )

Thanks for the pointers.

I was under the impression that th "nv" driver was the one shipped by RH, and that the actual nvidia drivers were referrred to as "nvidia"? Are you suggesting I use some hybrid of the new glx and the old main driver (which I'll happily try if it might help), or is this a typo?

Better go off and find out what mesa is - never had to play with that...

Thanks,

Matt.

Yeah, definitely install mesa first. The name of the driver that loads with RH is "nv" and when you've finished the kernel and glx install of NVidia drivers, do change it to "nvidia". Also: Big also I made this mistake. Do not do this with X open.

Yeah that was an oops ;-) Checked when I got home