Hello this is my first post in this forum. I've been using Mandrake 10.0 for a week now and have been a little frustrated. I've been searching for about 3 days on how to install Nvidia drivers. i found an excellent post on this site that explained everything in 'normal' terms. i would post the link but i can't since i'm new.

I understand how to do everything that's listed in that post but I have no idea how to do the first thing which is put the downloaded driver file(s) in the /root directory. when i go to the root folder it has a lock on it and says that i can't access it. i've tried to mess around with the user permissions and such with no luck. I've searched on multiple linux forums with no answers. And even if I had come across an answer i wouldn't be able to understand it becuause the 'advanced' users just talk in linux speak and I have no freakin' clue what they are saying. so could someone just please give me some info in simple 'newbie speak' on how to put the file in the root directory.

thank you

First the NVIDIA drivers do not need to be in the root directory to be installed, but for this purpose we'll use that directory.

This is exactly what I do...

1.Open a terminal, in your window manager.

2.You need root access so type

(Enter your root password)

3. Now you should be able to move the driver file

4. Now you need to close out of X window type

5. Log in as root

6. Now cd into the directory you placed the file in

7. Your ready for install

8. Follow the instructions on the screen.

9. Now your installation should be done, so you need to edit your xorg.conf

While in the vi editor, scroll down to the graphics device section and change nv or vesa to nvidia (to make changes in the vi editor you need to push i for insert before any changes can be made). After you've made the change you need to save the file. To save it type

10.Logout out of your root account

11.Login as your user

12. Start X window

If you follow this, you shouldn't have any problems.

Oh back up your xorg.conf file, before you do this!

The /root directory is only for root. You don't want to mess with the perms on this folder for security reasons.

At the console if you type 'su -' followed by the root password when it asks for it you will be in the root idrectory.
From here you will be able to move things to and from this directory.
You didn't show the directions so I am not sure what you are talking about, but in all likelihood there is no reason to put thie drivers there. When I installed the drivers I had just put them in my home directory then ran the installer as root. If I remember right you may want to be at the copmmand prompt rahter than in X to install though. to do that in the console as root type 'init 3' and you will exit X. I may be wrong on this though. I would read the README that came with the file you got though.

You cannot access the /root directory because you are not root. You have to run a console window and type "su" su lets you switch between users. In this case, you're switching to root. Once you enter the correct password and everything, you can use the "cp" command to coppy the file into that directory. Use "man cp" to find out more about man.

If you don't want to bother with command line stuff, you can run "konqueror /root &" (I assume you're using KDE because you're running Mandrake) and drag and drop the file there. I usually use "su" and then "cp" if i'm doing something like that. You'll probalby be asked to run the file in which case you probably need to be root and use terminal anyway. Also, the nvidia drivers don't want you to be in a windowed environment while installing this stuff because X will be running. You'll end up doing more steps trying to install the drivers graphically. If mandrake has made such things as installing nvidia drivers easy, then I could be wrong and you might be able to do it graphically. I'm betting on not being able to do it graphically though.

Just learn some command line, it's quite useful.

Unless you already did this: if you go to nvidia's website, they have linux drivers. Just download the two files, and run them. The instructions are very easy and the most complicated thing is editing one config file (changing a line or so).

wow, i just want to say thank you to everyone who responded and helped me out! everything worked perfect! excellent instructions all of you.

and the best part is i learned how to do something yaaaaaaaaay! ok enough lameness, thanks again

It's funny how we all responeded within 4 seconds of each other.