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Old 10-09-2008, 08:37 AM   #1
mark165
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Oct 2008
Distribution: Ubuntu
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Installing nVidia Graphics card


First of all, i'm new to Linux, and i'm running Slax Linux from a USB key, mainly to get used to it all first, then i may think of installing a full HDD distro.

Secondly, i have successfully managed to get my wireless adapter card working to connect to the internet. My next problem is my Graphics card drivers.

I have an nVidia 8600GT graphics card, and i have downloaded the latest drivers from nVidia (x86-173.14.12).

In konsole i type in telinit 3, to get me to the text based mode, then i type sh nvdia-drivers-here.run, with obviously the correct filename :P

It fails to install, and this is the log file i get:

nvidia-installer log file '/var/log/nvidia-installer.log'
creation time: Thu Oct 9 13:17:06 2008
installer version: 1.0.7

option status:
license pre-accepted : false
update : false
force update : false
expert : false
uninstall : false
driver info : false
precompiled interfaces : true
no ncurses color : false
query latest version : false
OpenGL header files : true
no questions : false
silent : false
no recursion : false
no backup : false
kernel module only : false
sanity : false
add this kernel : false
no runlevel check : false
no network : false
no ABI note : false
no RPMs : false
no kernel module : false
force SELinux : default
no X server check : false
no cc version check : false
force tls : (not specified)
X install prefix : (not specified)
X library install path : (not specified)
X module install path : (not specified)
OpenGL install prefix : (not specified)
OpenGL install libdir : (not specified)
utility install prefix : (not specified)
utility install libdir : (not specified)
doc install prefix : (not specified)
kernel name : (not specified)
kernel include path : (not specified)
kernel source path : (not specified)
kernel output path : (not specified)
kernel install path : (not specified)
proc mount point : /proc
ui : (not specified)
tmpdir : /tmp
ftp mirror :
RPM file list : (not specified)

Unable to map destination file '/tmp/nv-XXJqzB' for copying (No such device)
Using built-in stream user interface
-> License accepted.
-> Installing NVIDIA driver version 173.14.12.
-> No precompiled kernel interface was found to match your kernel; would you li
ke the installer to attempt to download a kernel interface for your kernel f
rom the NVIDIA ftp site (*had to take out URL as its my first post* (Answer: Yes)
-> No matching precompiled kernel interface was found on the NVIDIA ftp site;
this means that the installer will need to compile a kernel interface for
your kernel.
-> Performing CC sanity check with CC="cc".
-> Performing CC version check with CC="cc".
-> Kernel source path: '/lib/modules/2.6.24.5/source'
-> Kernel output path: '/lib/modules/2.6.24.5/build'
-> Performing rivafb check.
-> Performing nvidiafb check.
-> Performing Xen check.
ERROR: Unable to determine the NVIDIA kernel module filename.
ERROR: Installation has failed. Please see the file
'/var/log/nvidia-installer.log' for details. You may find suggestions
on fixing installation problems in the README available on the Linux
driver download page at *had to take out URL as its my first post*

Can anyone help me? I've asked on the Slax forums too, but i'm having no luck as of yet.

Thanks in advanced!
 
Old 10-09-2008, 02:15 PM   #2
bathory
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Quote:
Unable to map destination file '/tmp/nv-XXJqzB' for copying (No such device)
I think that your problem is that there is no /tmp, where the driver could be extracted and built. Create /tmp and see if it works.
 
Old 10-09-2008, 03:53 PM   #3
mark165
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Registered: Oct 2008
Distribution: Ubuntu
Posts: 28

Original Poster
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I had a look, and i do have a /tmp folder :S

It's not because it's running from USB is it? It shouldn't be as i'm sure people have installed nVidia drivers, to make the nVidia modules that are available for Slax.

I did get a little further with installing modules however. I found version 167.12, for kernel 2.6.24.5, which is what Slax 6.07 is running.

Instructions state to add the module, then in text based mode, type "nvidia-xconfig" for it to setup the xorg.conf file for nVidia drivers, then type starx to load X server back up.

When i type this though, i get this error:

Using X configuration file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf".

ERROR: Unable to map destination file '/etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup' for copying (No such device)

Any ideas?

/etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup does exist, as i've had a look.

I start Slax in normal KDE mode, i dont need to start it in VESA mode do i?
 
Old 10-10-2008, 03:33 AM   #4
bathory
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Quote:
It's not because it's running from USB is it?
Most likely it is.
Read this where you can find a link to d/l the slax nvidia module.
 
Old 10-10-2008, 05:20 AM   #5
mark165
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Registered: Oct 2008
Distribution: Ubuntu
Posts: 28

Original Poster
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I found driver version 167.12, for kernel 2.6.24.5, which is what Slax 6.07 is running.

Instructions state to add the module, then in text based mode, type "nvidia-xconfig" for it to setup the xorg.conf file for nVidia drivers, then type starx to load X server back up.

When i type this though, i get this error:

Using X configuration file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf".

ERROR: Unable to map destination file '/etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup' for copying (No such device)

Any ideas?

/etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup does exist, as i've had a look.

I start Slax in normal KDE mode, i dont need to start it in VESA mode do i?

When i do start in VESA mode, the drivers load, however i only get a resoltuin of something like 640 by 400. I'm guessing that this is because its in VESA mode, therefore it's not loading the xrog.conf file for all the nvidia settings.
 
Old 10-10-2008, 06:24 AM   #6
bathory
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Quote:
I start Slax in normal KDE mode, i dont need to start it in VESA mode do i?
IIRC in kde mode it uses the generic nv driver that comes with xorg.
You can edit by hand xorg.conf and make the necessary changes in order to use the nvidia module.
 
Old 10-10-2008, 07:11 AM   #7
mark165
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Registered: Oct 2008
Distribution: Ubuntu
Posts: 28

Original Poster
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I started from scratch.

I placed the correct module file, into the modules folder for Slax. I then started Slax in VESA mode, so it would bypass auto-config of my graphics card. In /etc/x11, i edited GUI.conf, and on the line where it says "SKIP_XCONF=", i added the value "yes" so it will leave any changes i make to the xorg.conf file, and not configure each boot up.

I then rebooted, and started in Text Mode, to try install the driver module.

Typing nvidia-xconf still gave me that error, so i just typed startx.

I noticed my display settings refresh rate had changed, so i opened up xorg.conf and in the display section it had:

Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480", which had never been there before, so i added "1280x1024", pressec ctrl-alt-backspace, and the resoluton changed! That's half the battle complete, as i wanted my display to that resolution.

Now i just need to change xorg.conf to use the nvidia module, as currently it's using VESA. Is there a way i can run "nvidia-xconf", but get it to output the generated xorg.conf file somewhere else, so i can use it to replace the one thats being used now?
 
Old 10-10-2008, 07:28 AM   #8
bathory
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You can use the -o option to specify the config file destination:
Code:
nvidia-xconfig -o /path/to/xorg.conf
 
Old 10-10-2008, 07:36 AM   #9
mark165
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Registered: Oct 2008
Distribution: Ubuntu
Posts: 28

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 15
Thank you for that.

Nvidia X Server settings now works!

I don't have a choice to use 60hz for my monitor however, I have the choice of 75hz and 85hz, so i use 75hz as my monitor doesn't suppot 85hz

A quick question, which is confusing me. In the nVidia settings, as i said, i have two settings 75hz, and 85hz, but in the Controll Center, under Peripheralls and then Display, it says i have 55hz, 50hz and 66hz.

In the nVidia settings, i'm using the 75hz option, but in the standard display settings, it says its on 54hz.

Can you explain?

Last edited by mark165; 10-10-2008 at 08:11 AM.
 
Old 10-10-2008, 09:00 AM   #10
bathory
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Quote:
A quick question, which is confusing me. In the nVidia settings, as i said, i have two settings 75hz, and 85hz, but in the Controll Center, under Peripheralls and then Display, it says i have 55hz, 50hz and 66hz.
In the nVidia settings, i'm using the 75hz option, but in the standard display settings, it says its on 54hz.
Can you explain?
Well I can't. I think that there is something wrong with the way kde calculates the vsync.
 
  


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