Linux neophyte here...

As a preface let me digress a moment and tell you I have downloaded and burned ISO's for most of the recent Linux installs avail from Suse. The only one I could get to install without error was 9.1 i386. This is a 32bit version OS even though I am running an AMD Athlon 64 3500+. For some reason the FTP version of the 64bit OS doesn't install properly even after what I consider proper network configuration and valid FTP addresses. I am getting the feeling there a lot missing and I am wondering if buying the full 9.2 profession install disks would make my life easier...all these evals and mini installs seem incomplete.

If that's not enough, another reason i think buying would be better - this NVIDIA 6800 GT driver install - I read the dirvers are not on the suse distro on another post here, but it may be the path of least resistance; which brings me to the real problem.

I need a little reassurance or guidance regarding what I think is happening. According to the Nvidia install readme, I need to exit xserver and run from the root, which I managed to get to by booting with "init 3" and navigating at the command line. By running at the command prompt the install program proceeded it's furthest yet, but unfortunately failed to download a matching kernel from nvidia and needed to recompile the kernel. To recompile I needed GCC and CC in my path. It looks like the ISO I installed from did not include GCC, so I downloaded and began to read the installation instructions for GCC. Now, I want to shoot myself...lol, j/k. Too much, too fast.

Is there a way YAST can use the NVIDIA drivers and avoid the kernal rebuild? All the talk of make bootstrap, configuring for the build and changing my path has my head spinning. I used to be a diehard Command Line Interface guy way back, and I am willing to get back into it, but too much Linux Jargon for this newbie. I guess in time this will be easier, but I need th epath of least resistance, now. I will figure out the details later, but getting past them is turning out to be a task itself.

I will search other threads but some answers I need questions too include:

Where is the make command?

How do I modify my path?

Is configuring GCC really not appropriate for a newbie?

Everything else seems to be working great!! I love how smoothly Linux runs Java apps!! Anyway thanks for lending your ear.

Scalla

64 vs. 32 bit. most of this is the kernel itself (the options it is compiled with) as most apps are compiled 32 bit unless specifically told otherwise (with a gcc -march=athlon64).

anyway, make is usually in /usr/bin

to modify you path in a shell type the following (for bash and related shells):
PATH=/<whatever dir you want to add>/:$PATH
this sets the above mentioned dir to the beginning of your path for the current session only
If you want a permanent change add the above line to /etc/profile

If you install gcc the programs that want to use it will know what to do with it. You can install it from source and its not too hard if you know what you want and which commands to use, but Yast should be able to get the one that came with your distro without any problems (go with this one).
If you do decide to build it from source, you will have to rebuild the kernel also unless you get the same gcc that was used to build the kernel. Also, www.nvidia.com/drivers has a how-to for suse so check that out.

Thank you. That is a great help.

Yast says there is a gcc preprocessor and a runtime library file is that all i need installed?

Maybe i just need to find them and d them to the path?

By the way, i used the nvidia instructions to get to this point.

thanks again.

No problem. Post back if you need anything else

only make command in usr/bin/make_fakewindows

is it possible my distro is missing pieces?

Sorry I overlooked the fact that you did not have gcc. Make and gcc are two different things, but come in the development section of packages in most distro's. So check with Yast and look for the development subset of packages (like gcc, make , autconf, automake etc..). You do not need to be root to use make or any of the development tools. The only thing you need to be root for (devleopment wise) is the actual installation "make install" of packages but most things you should be able to get from Yast.

Yeah. I think my distro does not have the development packages. I see avail for download and have gotten gcc extracted to a directory, but perhaps i need to get make as well.

Anyway...I think I will just buy a complete distro and install everything from the start. You think that will help?

I have gone through this a few years ago when i ran a packet sniffer on a linux box for an online game. I earned some, but I got very discouraged with the incredible amount of manual configuration. I see things have improved some, like with YAST but still I have a hard time wrapping my mind around Linux. I have had a few recent breakthroughs, though, so I am excited . I am doing everything I can to avoid using windows. All i need are a few key apps ported to Linux, and i can say good bye forever .

Thank you for you help, again!!!!

Maybe I am missing something with Yast?

can Yast Update me to new version the develpoment packages? New version of the OS?

Performing massive patch right now. Looks promising.

I've never used suse before but There has got to be a development tools section of packages somewhere. These are common tools every distro provides in some way or another. As far as installing gcc, the source will not help you at the current moment since you do not have gcc installed (have to have gcc to compile gcc).

I'll check the suse site and see what that list and let you know in a min.

suse ftp go to pub->suse->i386->9.1->suse->i586
has gcc packages at a (bare) minimum I would recommend :

autoconf
automake
m4
binutils (might already be installed - try 'ld' (no single quotes) in a console and see if there is output)
gcc
gcc-c++
gettext
kernel-headers
make
and perl (again this is an absolute minimum and more may be required)

Try to mess around with Yast and see if you can find a development tools section with these in there and install whatever it recommends you install.

Go to YSAT and to software ad or remove and see what is on your computer for package groups. In there it will give you a list of what is installed. I used YSAT to install my NVIDIA drivers on my new dell laptop which id duel boot SuSe 9.1 and XP.... all works quite well.... hope this helps...

Well it's a new day and I will continue on my quest to get this installed properly.

Thanks for the additional information. Regarding installing NVidia driver under Yast, I see the list, but there is no profile for the 6800GT just up to FX 5950.

After patching a bunch of things through yast frm a mirror - including some dev tools - I still dont see a valid GCC.

Does the GCC need to be compiled for my specific hardware?

Keep you posted!!

Scalla

Update: Grabbed a Retail Box SuSE 9.2 Professional and installed off the DVD 1, Running 64bit now and the Nvidia 6800 GT driver installed without a hitch. Guys at CompUSA matched Amazons Price, best money I ever spent on and OS. Looking forward to curling up with the manuals if I can get out of my computer chair.

For the record GCC was not defaulted to install - I opted to install everything. 6gigs of stuff, hehe. Runs very nice.