NEWBIE - how is linux structured..?
 

Alright, I have to install some Nvidia drivers for my video card - but I have no idea how to do it. Someone told me that I should go to Livna.org and follow the directions, but I can't find them anywhere..

I don't know any commands for linux, and apparently with livna.org you need to use "yum" to install the packages or something?

I tried using the kmod-nvidia-97xx whatever.rpm file through runlevel 5, and after it checks dependencies it asks me to install kmod-nvidia-common which I have no idea how to get, and I cn'at find anywhere.

How does linux install kernals? What programs do it? How is it structured? Is there a tutorial out there that explains it? I am using Fedora Core 6 - and I am losing my mind lol

I am such a windows guru that this is driving me crazy, since I am not used to knowing absolteuly nothing about an operating system - any help would be great.

Thanks guys

This is for FC5, but *should* work with FC6.

http://www.stanton-finley.net/fedora...es.html#nVidia

Introduction to Linux.

http://tldp.org/LDP/intro-linux/html/index.html

Here is a link to instructions on how to get NVidia drivers to work on Fedora Core:
http://www.fedorafaq.org/#nvidia

Let us know if that doesn't work.

Alright guys, I install yumex and then went into the terminal according to the tutorials you linked me too...

And when I type in "yum install kmod-nvidia" this is what I get...

Dependencies Resolved

=============================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
=============================================================================
Installing:
kmod-nvidia i686 1.0.9746-1.2.6.19_1.2895.fc6 livna 2.3 M
Removing:
kernel i586 2.6.19-1.2895.fc6 installed 44 M
Installing for dependencies:
kernel i686 2.6.19-1.2895.fc6 updates 16 M
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia i386 1.0.9746-7.lvn6 livna 4.9 M

Transaction Summary
=============================================================================
Install 3 Package(s)
Update 0 Package(s)
Remove 1 Package(s)

Total download size: 24 M
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
Running Transaction Test
Finished Transaction Test


Transaction Check Error: package kernel-2.6.19-1.2895.fc6 is already installed

How do I get past this?

The significance of "Windows guru" is mixed.
First, if you are heavily invested in Windows, you know that it does not come overnight. Take it one step at a time. For example, at the outset, you have no need to be installing kernels. (Bet you never did this in Windows, either...;)

Second, because of the open nature of Linux, you will find the true gurus to be much more knowledgable than the average Windows guru. (Don't take this personally) The fact is that Windows experts tend to know, well, Windows. Linux experts are much more likely to know Computers.

Finally, we welcome someone with your background and motivation and hop to be learning from you within weeks.

I agree with that - knowing windows can be a bit of a hinderance really - because your always thinking...

"wasnt this bloody hard in windows"

but after only a day of using linux - its amazing what it can do
........
its the getting it to do it first ;)

Linux was designed in the engineering department.
Windows was designed in the marketing department.

Linux (as with the various Unices) is a real operating system.
Windows is---um, er----Windows

by the way... I've figured out (via the livna link) that you're using fedora,
if one time you got a file missing, don't hesitate to run (as root)

yum -y install filename
or in your case :
yum -y install kmod-nvidia-common


It wouldn't work always since there aren't all the files in yum... but it will work in most of the cases in known files (it will also work on stuff like yum -y install amule, or wxgtk, or some other installations.).

If it doesn't find something, go google it, rpm should be available to fedora anywhere.




GOOD LUCK!

wow.... kinda not what I wanted
 

lol whoa guys... i only said "windows guru" to show how much of a newbie I really am - I don't disagree with you on the Window vs. Linux question - I understand its a great operating system, I just need to figure out how it works


And about the engineering department comment - its probably better that I am trying to use linux anyway, since I go to school for engineering

The fact is, for some reason yum will not let me install kmod-nvidia because it seems to want to uninstall and then install a kernel I already have, anyone have any ideas?


Thanks

Alright - here is a related problem. I applied a bunch of security updates with "pup" last night, and now I have another kernel of linux that I can boot to through GRUB. When I go to install kmod-nvidia (which should be what I need, I think) it gives me this error:

Transaction Check Error: package kernel-2.6.19-1.2895.fc6 is already installed
file /boot/System.map-2.6.19-1.2895.fc6 from install of kernel-2.6.19-1.2895.fc6 conflicts with file from package kernel-2.6.19-1.2895.fc6
file /boot/config-2.6.19-1.2895.fc6 from install of kernel-2.6.19-1.2895.fc6 conflicts with file from package kernel-2.6.19-1.2895.fc6
file /boot/symvers-2.6.19-1.2895.fc6.gz from install of kernel-2.6.19-1.2895.fc6 conflicts with file from package kernel-2.6.19-1.2895.fc6
file /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.19-1.2895.fc6 from install of kernel-2.6.19-1.2895.fc6 conflicts with file from package kernel-2.6.19-1.2895.fc6

So, apparently this kernel is already installed somewhere else. But - I have tried to install this same thing while booting to the other option in my menu - and instead my error message is

Transaction Check Error: package kernel-2.6.19-1.2895.fc6 is already installed

Got any ideas on how to get past these errors?
And - can I read data from my NTFS formatted file systems? If so, what should I install? Thanks.

You can download the complete package from NVidia.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/unix.html

They have instructions.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux_d..._1.0-9746.html

That page is for the 32 bit drivers.

I didn't put that page in my original answer because you are using Fedora and I found the instructions for Fedora so I provided that. However, the more general instructions may be more useful. I don't use Fedora Core. If you find that Fedora Core is too much of a pain then you should at least know that there are other distros that are easier to use and are in other ways more user friendly. This is particularly true if you want to play MP3 files on your computer or do other naughty things. Fedora/Red Hat, and SuSE go out of their way to prevent this sort of mischief. Other distro creators have a more libertarian point of view and make it easy to play MP3s and commerical DVD movies on their distros.

Actually your second post seems to indicate that you have succeeded but may need instructions to make the NVidia driver active. I would expect the instructions that you need to be in the same place that had the instructions to run yum. All the same since I don't use Fedora I don't know the answer off hand. I've heard that Fedora Core and Red Hat have some GUI administrator application. Using that may be the next step.

I want to mention because you may not be aware of this: Fedora Core is a development distribution. That means that some things may not work at the moment and an update may enable one thing to start working while it breaks something else. I would expect that a newbie would want a more stable platform on which to start using any software. It seems to me that you are asking for problems when your first distribution is a development distribution.

Fair enough, what is a good distribution for a more casual user? (Easier to use, better for media playback)?

Fedora should be OK. However, I always suggest Ubuntu for new users. It tends to work better out of the box, and I have found it to be more stable. For media playback, you will still need to install the codecs for proprietary formats, and Nvidia drivers (if you want 3D). See the Ubuntu Wiki for howto.

--Ian

Can I install Ubuntu over Fedora through the installation program (formatting and reparitioning, etc) will I be able to use the same GRUB bootloader so I don't lose my windows xm MBR loader?

You can just install Ubuntu straight over Fedora. It will detect Windows, and set GRUB up appropriately for you. Install GRUB to the MBR, and you will be able to choose Linux or Windows.

If you created a separate /home partition, tell the Ubuntu installer to use that for /home and you won't lose your documents (backup first anyway). If not, I suggest creating a separate /home partition.

--Ian