help kill x server to install nvidia drivers

beeblequix · 12-22-2005, 07:57 AM

I'm trying to install the latest nvidia drivers on my "Old Betsy" PIII 866 + geforce 4 ti 4600 system.

Debian Sarge. kernel 2.6./8-2-686. WDM + GNOME.

The error I get:
ERROPR: You appear to be running an X server; please exit X before installing. For further details, please see the chapter "Installing the NVIDIA Driver" in the README available on the Linux driverdownload page at www.nvidia.com."

I've tried <ctl><alt><backspace> to restart X then <ctl><alt><f1>. A crude mouse cursor shows that the Xserver is still running.

Do I just boot into failsafe mode and install it from there?

jbetten · 12-22-2005, 08:02 AM

Try running "init 3" from the console as root.

farslayer · 12-22-2005, 08:21 AM

when you start up the machine (or logout) to get to gdm login screen...
press CTRL+ALT+F2 to get to a console login prompt

Login as root and enter
/etc/init.d/gdm stop

that will shut down gdm, and since you haven't logged in yet, X shouldn't be running at this point so you should be set to install your nvidia Drivers.

heres a nice HOW-TO for installing nVidia drivers in Debian.

http://home.comcast.net/~andrex/Debian-nVidia/

Once your drivers are installed you can /etc/init.d/gdm start

BinJajer · 12-22-2005, 05:35 PM

Jesus, what happened to killall X ??!!??

killall x is the easiest way.

BinJajer · 12-22-2005, 05:45 PM

And yes, booting into failsafe should allow you to install the drivers.

beeblequix · 12-24-2005, 01:11 PM

found this for me.
http://www.linuxquestions.org/linux/...n_5_EASY_Steps

How come when I type "init 3" I can still use my mouse? I've done that via GNOME + terminal logged in as root then inputting 'init 3', as well as <ctl><alt><backspace> <ctl><alt><f2> logged in as root then typing 'init 3'.

farslayer · 12-24-2005, 02:18 PM

Because Debian doesn't use the init levels like the other distros..

from my experience a lot of other Distros:
Runlevel 3 = Multiuser login no GUI
Run level 5 = GUI

In Debian everything is started in Runlevel 2 including the GUI (typically gdm kdm, or xdm), so switching to run levels 3, 4, or 5 don't have any effect unless YOU have made changes to the init scripts..

The original reply telling you to switch to run level 3 would work in RedHat, or Mandrake and the GUI woiuld have been shut down, but will have pretty much no effect in Debian.