I'm now trying Linux for the 3rd time.
The 1st time I tried linux (Mandrake 8.1), I didn't know jack about what I was doing and really didn't care.
The 2nd time I tried Suse 9.1. I couldn't get the ATI drivers to work at all, eventually gave up after running into millions of issues.
Now I'm trying Mandrake 10, AMD64 bit edition.

My system specs:
AMD 64 2800+
1 GB DDR 2700 RAM
Geforce 6800 (here's the trouble :-\)
Chaintech VNF3-250 motherboard


My issue is that when I attempt to install the nVidia drivers, it fails when it tries to create the Kernel module.

First it gives me a Rivafb module error message, it continues to create the module and after that it tells me that creating the module failed.
I'm a real newbie at all of this, so if anyone could help me, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks folks

Supplying the exact error message is a lot more helpful :-)

I'll see what I can do
I'll see if I can find the log.
I installed the package included with Mandrake 10.

Here it is:


nvidia-installer log file '/var/log/nvidia-installer.log'
creation time: Wed Feb 2 11:17:12 2005

option status:
license pre-accepted : false
update : false
force update : false
expert : false
uninstall : false
driver info : false
no precompiled interface: false
no ncurses color : false
query latest driver ver : false
OpenGL header files : false
no questions : false
silent : 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
force tls : (not specified)
force compat32 tls : (not specified)
X install prefix : /usr/X11R6
OpenGL install prefix : /usr
compat32 install prefix : (not specified)
installer install prefix: /usr
utility install prefix : /usr
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 : /root/tmp
ftp mirror : ftp://download.nvidia.com
RPM file list : (not specified)

Using: nvidia-installer ncurses user interface
-> License accepted.
-> 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 (ftp://download.nvidia.com)? (Answer: No)
-> No precompiled kernel interface was found to match your kernel; this means
that the installer will need to compile a new kernel interface.
-> Kernel source path: '/lib/modules/2.6.3-11mdk/build'
-> Performing CC test with CC="cc".
-> Performing rivafb check.
-> Performing rivafb module check.
WARNING: Your kernel was configured to include rivafb support as
a loadable kernel module.

The rivafb driver conflicts with the NVIDIA driver; the
NVIDIA kernel module will still be built and installed,
but be aware that the NVIDIA driver will not be able to
function properly if the rivafb module is loaded!
-> Cleaning kernel module build directory.
executing: 'cd ./usr/src/nv; make clean'...
rm -f -f nv.o nv-vm.o os-agp.o os-interface.o os-registry.o nv.o nv-vm.o os-
agp.o os-interface.o os-registry.o nvidia.mod.o
rm -f -f build-in.o nv-linux.o *.d .*.{cmd,flags}
rm -f -f nvidia.{o,ko,mod.{o,c}} nv_compiler.h *~
rm -f -rf .tmp_versions
-> Building kernel module:
executing: 'cd ./usr/src/nv; make module SYSSRC=/lib/modules/2.6.3-11mdk/bui
ld SYSOUT=/lib/modules/2.6.3-11mdk/build'...
Your kernel was configured to include rivafb support as
a loadable kernel module.

The rivafb driver conflicts with the NVIDIA driver; the
NVIDIA kernel module will still be built and installed,
but be aware that the NVIDIA driver will not be able to
function properly if the rivafb module is loaded!

*** Failed rivafb module sanity check, but continuing! ***


NVIDIA: calling KBUILD...
make CC=cc KBUILD_VERBOSE=1 -C /lib/modules/2.6.3-11mdk/build SUBDIRS=/root
/tmp/selfgz2324/NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-6629-pkg2/usr/src/nv modules
make -f scripts/Makefile.build obj=scripts
make -f scripts/Makefile.build obj=scripts/genksyms
*** Warning: Overriding SUBDIRS on the command line can cause
*** inconsistencies
mkdir -p .tmp_versions
make -f scripts/Makefile.build obj=arch/x86_64/kernel arch/x86_64/kernel/asm
-offsets.s
make[3]: `arch/x86_64/kernel/asm-offsets.s' is up to date.
CHK include/asm-x86_64/offset.h
make -f scripts/Makefile.build obj=/root/tmp/selfgz2324/NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-
1.0-6629-pkg2/usr/src/nv
echo \#define NV_COMPILER \"`cc -v 2>&1 | tail -n 1`\" > /root/tmp/selfgz232
4/NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-6629-pkg2/usr/src/nv/nv_compiler.h
cc -Wp,-MD,/root/tmp/selfgz2324/NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-6629-pkg2/usr/src/
nv/.nv.o.d -nostdinc -iwithprefix include -D__KERNEL__ -Iinclude -D__KERNEL
__ -Iinclude -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -Wno-trigraphs -fno-strict-aliasing
-fno-common -mno-red-zone -mcmodel=kernel -pipe -fno-reorder-blocks -Wno-s
ign-compare -fno-asynchronous-unwind-tables -funit-at-a-time -O2 -I/root/tm
p/selfgz2324/NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-6629-pkg2/usr/src/nv -Wall -Wimplicit -
Wreturn-type -Wswitch -Wformat -Wchar-subscripts -Wparentheses -Wpointer-ari
th -Wno-multichar -Werror -O -fno-common -mno-red-zone -MD -Wno-cast-qua
l -Wno-error -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -mcmodel=kernel -D
NTRM -D_GNU_SOURCE -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -DNV_MAJOR_V
ERSION=1 -DNV_MINOR_VERSION=0 -DNV_PATCHLEVEL=6629 -DNV_UNIX -DNV_LINUX -
DNV_INT64_OK -DNVCPU_X86_64 -DNV_64_BITS
-UDEBUG -U_DEBUG -DNDEBUG -DNV_REMAP_PAGE_RANGE_5 -DNV_CHANGE_PAGE_ATTR_PRES
ENT -DNV_PCI_DISABLE_DEVICE_PRESENT -DNV_CLASS_SIMPLE_CREATE_PRESENT -DMODU
LE -DKBUILD_BASENAME=nv -DKBUILD_MODNAME=nvidia -c -o /root/tmp/selfgz2324/N
VIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-6629-pkg2/usr/src/nv/.tmp_nv.o /root/tmp/selfgz2324/N
VIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-6629-pkg2/usr/src/nv/nv.c
In file included from include/asm/dma-mapping.h:4,
from include/linux/dma-mapping.h:13,
from include/asm/pci.h:305,
from include/linux/pci.h:724,
from /root/tmp/selfgz2324/NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-6629-pkg2
/usr/src/nv/nv-linux.h:75,
from /root/tmp/selfgz2324/NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-6629-pkg2
/usr/src/nv/nv.c:14:
include/asm-generic/dma-mapping.h: In function `dma_map_page':
include/asm-generic/dma-mapping.h:75: warning: pointer of type `void *' used
in arithmetic
In file included from /root/tmp/selfgz2324/NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-6629-pkg2
/usr/src/nv/nv.c:14:
/root/tmp/selfgz2324/NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-6629-pkg2/usr/src/nv/nv-linux.h
:86:75: linux/syscalls.h: No such file or directory
make[3]: *** [/root/tmp/selfgz2324/NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-6629-pkg2/usr/src
/nv/nv.o] Error 1
make[2]: *** [/root/tmp/selfgz2324/NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-6629-pkg2/usr/src
/nv] Error 2
NVIDIA: left KBUILD.
nvidia.ko failed to build!
make[1]: *** [module] Error 1
make: *** [module] Error 2
-> Error.
ERROR: Unable to build the NVIDIA kernel module.
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 www.nvidia.com.

yeah i had some nvidia drivers and card problems too. and im not very good, an advanced newbie.

but try this : http://transgaming.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1543

and then try this : http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=282607



for me it worked, but i dont have the same card as you do.

oh and maybe you can find something on this : http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=284311

hope this helps

Thanks, I'll give that a try. Unfortunately I don't think I have enough time now, but I will give it a shot. Thanks again

I'll be extremely happy if I can finally get a working linux distro :-\

your missing linux/syscalls.h (see your error log) which is located in the kernel source directory. what kernel version is it? You might have a bad (or incomplete knowing Mandrake) kernel source package.

For a start, start mandrake without framebuffer support - ie use the non fb start or take the vga lines out of lilo/grub... Then run the nvidia driver install... IF you still get the errors you are going to have to check you installed the kernael source correctly... This is usually not a big problem to do this...

I had a problem along time ago when the installer couldn't find the sources it needs. I ran...

you'll have to substitute your kernel name though..

The message
kernel name : (not specified)
kernel include path : (not specified)
kernel source path : (not specified)
kernel output path : (not specified)
kernel install path : (not specified)

means you will need to find the kernel source code or headers from the installation discs or from urpmi servers. Usually the kernel source code will be in /usr/src.

It does help to have the Xorg or XFree86 source code installed.

The kernel version that came with my distro is 2.6.3. I haven't updated or changed it.
I'll give this a shot.
EDIT: No help
This didn't help :-\
I have the source code installed, it's located in /usr/src.


Still giving me the same message after attempting to install.

in a console try:

substitute xxx with the version you have in /usr/src and see if you get any output. if the file is not in there, then you probably have a bad kernel source package.

EDIT: also, make sure the following command:

has the above build directory pointing back to /usr/src/linux-<version> (you will see an arrow followed by a directory) if it shows up red in color then that would be your problem

Alright, I'll give that a try and post back the results.
EDIT: Alright, the build directory points back to /usr/src/linux, but the first part of your post, doing that doesn't get any results.
So I guess I have bad source code...could someone tell me where to get a good package?

*bump*
Surely someone knows where to find a kernel source package!

I get mine from kernel.org and compile those... The mandrake kernels have been glitchy of late... In my case, tho, I compile the kernel, then have to reinstall the nvidia driver do it builds a module to suit that kernel...

are you shure that you have installed the kernel-source- package? Install kernel-source-(version of your kernel) and you shouldn't have any problems to compile nvidia driver...