Exiting x-server and completing a command
 

What is the best way to exit x-server and install the following program using a terminal? the program: NVIDIA-Linux-x86-304.88.run located in the home folder.

Advice elsewhere suggests I do: ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86-304.88.run after exiting x-server and becoming root or using sudo or su-?

I seem to be getting close, but still am missing something and have been unable to install the NVIDIA program.

I appreciate any suggestion. My system is Linux Debian and I am running a GeForce 6200 pci graphics card.

jb rivers

If you have kdm (for example you are using KDE), then in menu on logon screen you can choose option to exit X server. If you are using gdm (or GNOME), then switch to virtual console by CTRL+ALT+F1, login and invoke command then Xorg should stop, and you can install NVIDIA drivers.

Please be more specific. Some error messages shown or you can not find application? You should known where is your program downloaded, for example if you downloaded drivers to "/home/someusername/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-304.88.run" then doTo go back to desktop, you can invokeMake sure you have no running important applications and you saved your work, all desktop programs will be terminated when you quit X server.

Is there a reason you want to install from the nVIDIA package rather than the repositories? Otherwise the easiest way to get nVIDIA drivers is use the packages in the repositories:
http://wiki.debian.org/NvidiaGraphic...n-free_drivers
The basic method being install the kernel headers and DKMS then install the nVIDIA drivers.
If you must use the download from nVIDIA for some reason then to stop X press Ctrl+Alt+F1 and log in as root, then if you run Gnome typeIf you run KDE typeThen run the installer. You will need to have the relevant kernel headers and build tools installed but you'll be prompted by the nVIDIA driver if they're missing and it should let you know what to install.

Thanks for the responses. I have printed everything out and will try again to install the package from the NVIDIA website. Perhaps repositories would have been a better option, but since I've gone this far by one method, I will try to see it through. I didn't know you could get NVIDIA packages from repositories.

In terms of error messages, I have trouble with terminals and knowing where I'm at in directories, so I get messages like: not in this directory or no such command. Sometimes, I get nothing or once I crashed my computer; thank God for Clonezilla.

When I get time to follow-up on this, I will post my experience, but thanks anyway.

When using a terminal the command will tell you where you are at the moment.
will allow you to move around from one directory to another.
with no arguments will instantly take you back to your home folder (/home/<your username>)
Run the following command as root or use sudo:
and then the command
will let you find the path to any file on your system! Awesome, eh?
It's not exactly rocket science.
jdk

As I was having trouble logging into root after exiting x-server, I was able to locate the following script on the internet which allowed me to make the changes following the script and rebooting, which avoided the necessity of exiting x-server. I just had to answer "y" a couple of times to complete the installation. The script is named as follows:

nvidia-installer-squeeze.sh and the procedure is as follow:

Download debian 6.0 nVidia drivers shell Script: http://www.debianadmin.com/how-to-in...0-squeeze.html


Once you have nvidia-installer-squeeze.sh script, login as root
Change the script permissions using the following command

chmod +x nvidia-installer-squeeze.sh

Run the script using the following command

./nvidia-installer-squeeze.sh

That was all I had to do to complete the process.

I think it worth mentioning that the script you used is imply following the procedure I linked to to install the drivers "the Debian way" using the drivers in the non-free Debian repository.
Not saying it's not useful, as I think it is, just letting you know in case you weren't aware.