Hi, I am a newbie to linux, a long time Windows Geek, so I am familiar with the more technical aspect of O/S's.
However, I am having a problem installing an nVidia driver for my GeForce 6800 GT.
It says I need to boot out of X-Server into a console to install the driver. How do I do that?

I have Fedora Core 3 with kernel 2.6.9.
nVidia Geforce 6800GT OC
Pentium 4 2.4ghz
Intel D845PESV MOBO

type init 3 as root, and that will take you to multi-user mode no X running.

Make sure you have all the instructions first, either printed out or written out, as you won't be getting back to an X session until everything is done ( a 2nd computer helps too )

type init 3 as root:
navigate to the directory that contains the nvidia file and run the following:

sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-6629-pkg1.run

Following on screen instructions. After the install type the following:

modprobe nvidia
cp -a /dev/nvidia* /etc/udev/devices

Hope this helps.

i have the 6800 ultra and it comes up saying that my kernel is wrong or something..

or you can just use a text browser (eg, lynx) in another console to view the nvidia readme, etc.

Can you post the actuall message?

i bet it goes something like "cant find kernel sources" or "kernel was kompiled with a diferent gcc version"

yes thats it.. what do i need to do??

if you are using SuSe you can download the nvidia driver and install it using Yast Update feature.
I think that it is even recommended by NVIDIA to install it via Yast Update.

its not the most up to date version.. my hardware isn't supported under the older version, i think it is supported under the newer..

1) Kernel sources must be installed and configured. Usually this means
installing the 'kernel-source', 'make' and 'gcc' packages with YaST2.
Update it - if not already done - via YaST2 Online Update (YOU).

2) Use the nvidia installer for 1.0-6629.

a) kernel-default:
sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-6629-pkg1.run -q

b) kernel-smp/kernel-bigsmp:
sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-6629-pkg1.run -q -n

3) Configure X.Org with

sax2 -m 0=nvidia (0 is a digit, not a letter!)

NOTE: There is no need to try to enable 3D support. It's already
enabled, when the nvidia driver is running.

ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/i386/sup...taller-HOWTO#1

Hope this helps!

Well, I'm half-way there now. The driver is installed (I can tell because the fan control kicks in and 3d apps are accelerated), but as soon as I reboot, the system hangs while trying to load X-Server and the only way to boot successfully is to revert back to the generic VESA driver (and then all the acceleration goes away and the fan starts whirring up a tornado again).

I did get a message telling me that the NVIDIA driver conflicts with "RivaFB" but I do not know how to disable "RivaFB". How do you do that?

(Am I even going in the right direction, or is there some other crucial step I am missing?)

what do you mean by both of those.. sorry im a n00b..

Run the one of the commands depending on the kernel that you are running.
In other words if you are running default kernel run sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-6629-pkg1.run -q

You can determine what kernel you are running by typing in a terminal.

Have you run the following commands after the install?