I just downloaded Mandriva 2005 (Mandrake). I can't seem to get the drivers for RIVA TNT2 Model 64 to get installed - primarly do to this being my fist time with a Linux system (being primarly confused and frustrated). Basically what I have figured out on my own (this being the first day ever using linux) is that there is a driver out ther for all the NVIDIA cards out there. So I downloaded this file called NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1.run and ran it however it said I can't run the file cuz I'm not root. So being confused as heck I did some research which didn't help me out so much cuz all the explanations was like reading another lanuage, so I did some trial and error and found that I could log in as root by simply typing in root for the name and the password I set for it (it will give you a message suggesting that you should not do this which I ignored). Any ways I than ran the file but it said something about x being started. So I tried: stop X (didn't work) end X (didn't work) and a series of other failed attempts. Breathing in through the mouse and out through the nose I decided to do some more research and found that I could type ctrl + shift + f1 and than log in and than type init 3 and the GUI interface went away so I gathered X must be the GUI interface or sumthin like that. I ran the file again and found my self jumping up and down with excitment cuz the file was running, but to my dismay I got error messages telling me it wouldn't work. Which brings me here - I would like to say what the error messages were but if I end X and run the file to find out again I will lose all of this page I am writing (on account of me not knowing how to start x again!!!).

In other words, please help (and use english).

You want the older driver less than = 7174 IIRC that card is on the unsupported list with the newer drivers you need better than a Geforce2 MX something now.

I run it and its telling me sumthis is wrong with my kernel (pocorn???). Any ways it asks me if I want to update my kernel by dowloading it and I say yes but it can't find the right popcorn for my system (it must prefer extra butter). Anyways I tell it that it can make its own Kernel or sumthin like that and than it tells me the installation failed.

I wish I could display it word for word but "x" can't be running and I am pretty sure that is the GUI interface.

HELP!!!!
thanks

You need the kernel headers for your running kernel and a C compiler installed you should install both.

Edit: To find the correct version number for the headers use uname -r then install the headers with that in the name.

I ran that uname -r command and it returned 2.6.11-mdk
Now how do I install a header and a C-compiler, and what exactly does that mean?
thanks

It has been a few years since I used Mandrake but they had a package installer in the Control Center I am thinking. Just go into it and search on the kernel and install the kernel headers package that matches for the C compiler I believe you need to look for the C development tools.