Hi,
I'm not really thattt much of a linux newbie, I've just been baffled by what is probably a basic issue.

I have FC5 installed with all the headers and source and xorg-sdk rpm and all that jazz, and I've been trying to install the nvidia drivers for my 6800gt after finally getting my wireless to work with ndiswrapper.

I get the correct driver from the nvidia.com (the latest one) and I try to apply the patch that is supposed to make it work on 2.6.16 kernels and FC5.

When I patch:
from inside the directory where i've extracted the drivers (the dir with ./nvidia-installer in it.

I get absolutely nothing. PC doesn't freeze, but the console just sits there, looking like its thinking, but doing nothing. It just does a carriage return, and nothing happens. I have to interrupt the command with ctrl-z.

It isnt patching because when I go on and try to install the nvidia driver anyway, i get Error, unable to build module, at the end of the install process.

Any help would be appreciated,
thanks.

Here's the nvidia-installer log file:

nvidia-installer log file '/var/log/nvidia-installer.log'
creation time: Tue Mar 28 21:47:01 2006

option status:
license pre-accepted : false
update : false
force update : false
expert : false
uninstall : false
driver info : false
no precompiled interface: true
no ncurses color : false
query latest driver ver : false
OpenGL header files : true
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 : /tmp
ftp mirror : ftp://download.nvidia.com
RPM file list : (not specified)

Using: nvidia-installer ncurses user interface
-> You appear to be running in runlevel 1; this may cause problems. For exampl
e: some distributions that use devfs do not run the devfs daemon in runlevel
1, making it difficult for `nvidia-installer` to correctly setup the kernel
module configuration files. It is recommended that you quit installation no
w and switch to runlevel 3 (`telinit 3`) before installing.

Quit installation now? (select 'No' to continue installation) (Answer: No)
-> License accepted.
-> Not probing for precompiled kernel interfaces.
-> Performing CC test with CC="cc".
-> Kernel source path: '/lib/modules/2.6.16-1.2078_FC5/source'
-> Kernel output path: '/lib/modules/2.6.16-1.2078_FC5/build'
-> Performing rivafb check.
-> Performing nvidiafb check.
-> 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 -f stprof stprof.o symtab.h
rm -f -rf .tmp_versions
-> Building kernel module:
executing: 'cd ./usr/src/nv; make module SYSSRC=/lib/modules/2.6.16-1.2078_F
C5/source SYSOUT=/lib/modules/2.6.16-1.2078_FC5/build'...

NVIDIA: calling KBUILD...
make CC=cc KBUILD_OUTPUT=/lib/modules/2.6.16-1.2078_FC5/build KBUILD_VERBOSE
=1 -C /lib/modules/2.6.16-1.2078_FC5/source SUBDIRS=/home/chris/Desktop/NVID
IA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv modules
make -C /lib/modules/2.6.16-1.2078_FC5/build \
KBUILD_SRC=/usr/src/kernels/2.6.16-1.2078_FC5-i686 \
KBUILD_EXTMOD="/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv
" -f /usr/src/kernels/2.6.16-1.2078_FC5-i686/Makefile modules
mkdir -p /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/.tmp_
versions
make -f /usr/src/kernels/2.6.16-1.2078_FC5-i686/scripts/Makefile.build obj=/
home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv
echo \#define NV_COMPILER \"`cc -v 2>&1 | tail -n 1`\" > /home/chris/Desktop
/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv_compiler.h
cc -Wp,-MD,/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/.
nv.o.d -nostdinc -isystem /usr/lib/gcc/i386-redhat-linux/4.1.0/include -D__
KERNEL__ -Iinclude -Iinclude2 -I/usr/src/kernels/2.6.16-1.2078_FC5-i686/incl
ude -include include/linux/autoconf.h -I/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x8
6-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv -Wall -Wundef -Wstrict-prototypes -Wno-trigraphs
-fno-strict-aliasing -fno-common -ffreestanding -Os -fomit-frame-pointer -g
-pipe -msoft-float -fno-builtin-sprintf -fno-builtin-log2 -fno-builtin-puts
-mpreferred-stack-boundary=2 -march=i686 -mtune=pentium4 -mregparm=3 -I/usr/
src/kernels/2.6.16-1.2078_FC5-i686/include/asm-i386/mach-default -Iinclude/a
sm-i386/mach-default -Wdeclaration-after-statement -Wno-pointer-sign -I/hom
e/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv -Wall -Wimplicit -
Wreturn-type -Wswitch -Wformat -Wchar-subscripts -Wparentheses -Wpointer-ari
th -Wno-multichar -Werror -O -fno-common -MD -Wsign-compare -Wno-cast-qual -
Wno-error -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -DNTRM -DNVRM -DDYNAMI
C_SLI -DNV_MAJOR_VERSION=1 -DNV_MINOR_VERSION=0 -DNV_PATCHLEVEL=8178 -UDEBUG
-U_DEBUG -DNDEBUG -DNV_MULTIPLE_BRIDGE_AGPGART_PRESENT -DNV_CHANGE_PAGE_ATTR
_PRESENT -DM
ODULE -D"KBUILD_STR(s)=#s" -D"KBUILD_BASENAME=KBUILD_STR(nv)" -D"KBUILD_MOD
NAME=KBUILD_STR(nvidia)" -c -o /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178
-pkg1/usr/src/nv/.tmp_nv.o /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg
1/usr/src/nv/nv.c
In file included from include/linux/list.h:7,
from include/linux/wait.h:23,
from include/asm/semaphore.h:41,
from include/linux/sched.h:20,
from include/linux/module.h:10,
from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/nv-linux.h:47,
from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/nv.c:14:
include/linux/prefetch.h: In function ‘prefetch_range’:
include/linux/prefetch.h:62: warning: pointer of type ‘void *’ used in a
rithmetic
In file included from include/linux/dmapool.h:14,
from include/linux/pci.h:522,
from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/nv-linux.h:71,
from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/nv.c:14:
include/asm/io.h: In function ‘check_signature’:
include/asm/io.h:258: warning: wrong type argument to increment
In file included from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/nv.c:14:
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv-linux.h:677
:2: warning: #warning "conftest.sh failed, assuming remap_page_range(4)!"
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv.c: At top l
evel:
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv.c:296: warn
ing: initialization from incompatible pointer type
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv.c: In funct
ion ‘nvos_get_agp_device_by_class’:
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv.c:502: warn
ing: implicit declaration of function ‘pci_find_class’
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv.c:502: warn
ing: assignment makes pointer from integer without a cast
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv.c:516: warn
ing: assignment makes pointer from integer without a cast
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv.c: In funct
ion ‘nvidia_init_module’:
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv.c:1305: war
ning: implicit declaration of function ‘pm_register’
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv.c:1305: war
ning: assignment makes pointer from integer without a cast
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv.c:1423: war
ning: implicit declaration of function ‘pm_unregister’
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv.c: In funct
ion ‘nv_kern_mmap’:
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv.c:1979: war
ning: implicit declaration of function ‘remap_page_range’
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv.c: In funct
ion ‘nvos_count_devices’:
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv.c:3641: war
ning: assignment makes pointer from integer without a cast
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv.c:3647: war
ning: assignment makes pointer from integer without a cast
cc -Wp,-MD,/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/.
nv-vm.o.d -nostdinc -isystem /usr/lib/gcc/i386-redhat-linux/4.1.0/include -
D__KERNEL__ -Iinclude -Iinclude2 -I/usr/src/kernels/2.6.16-1.2078_FC5-i686/i
nclude -include include/linux/autoconf.h -I/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux
-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv -Wall -Wundef -Wstrict-prototypes -Wno-trigrap
hs -fno-strict-aliasing -fno-common -ffreestanding -Os -fomit-frame-pointer
-g -pipe -msoft-float -fno-builtin-sprintf -fno-builtin-log2 -fno-builtin-pu
ts -mpreferred-stack-boundary=2 -march=i686 -mtune=pentium4 -mregparm=3 -I/u
sr/src/kernels/2.6.16-1.2078_FC5-i686/include/asm-i386/mach-default -Iinclud
e/asm-i386/mach-default -Wdeclaration-after-statement -Wno-pointer-sign -I/
home/chris/D
esktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv -Wall -Wimplicit -Wreturn-t
ype -Wswitch -Wformat -Wchar-subscripts -Wparentheses -Wpointer-arith -Wno-m
ultichar -Werror -O -fno-common -MD -Wsign-compare -Wno-cast-qual -Wno-error
-D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -DNTRM -DNVRM -DDYNAMIC_SLI -DNV
_MAJOR_VERSION=1 -DNV_MINOR_VERSION=0 -DNV_PATCHLEVEL=8178 -UDEBUG -U_DEBUG
-DNDEBUG -DNV_MULTIPLE_BRIDGE_AGPGART_PRESENT -DNV_CHANGE_PAGE_ATTR_PRESENT
-DMODULE -D"KBUILD_STR(s)=#s" -D"KBUILD_BASENAME=KBUILD_STR(nv_vm)" -D"KBUI
LD_MODNAME=KBUILD_STR(nvidia)" -c -o /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.
0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/.tmp_nv-vm.o /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0
-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv-vm.c
In file included from include/linux/list.h:7,
from include/linux/wait.h:23,
from include/asm/semaphore.h:41,
from include/linux/sched.h:20,
from include/linux/module.h:10,
from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/nv-linux.h:47,
from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/nv-vm.c:14:
include/linux/prefetch.h: In function ‘prefetch_range’:
include/linux/prefetch.h:62: warning: pointer of type ‘void *’ used in a
rithmetic
In file included from include/linux/dmapool.h:14,
from include/linux/pci.h:522,
from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/nv-linux.h:71,
from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/nv-vm.c:14:
include/asm/io.h: In function ‘check_signature’:
include/asm/io.h:258: warning: wrong type argument to increment
In file included from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/nv-vm.c:14:
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv-linux.h:677
:2: warning: #warning "conftest.sh failed, assuming remap_page_range(4)!"
cc -Wp,-MD,/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/.
os-agp.o.d -nostdinc -isystem /usr/lib/gcc/i386-redhat-linux/4.1.0/include
-D__KERNEL__ -Iinclude -Iinclude2 -I/usr/src/kernels/2.6.16-1.2078_FC5-i686/
include -include include/linux/autoconf.h -I/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linu
x-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv -Wall -Wundef -Wstrict-prototypes -Wno-trigra
phs -fno-strict-aliasing -fno-common -ffreestanding -Os -fomit-frame-pointer
-g -pipe -msoft-float -fno-builtin-sprintf -fno-builtin-log2 -fno-builtin-pu
ts -mpreferred-stack-boundary=2 -march=i686 -mtune=pentium4 -mregparm=3 -I/u
sr/src/kernels/2.6.16-1.2078_FC5-i686/include/asm-i386/mach-default -Iinclud
e/asm-i386/mach-default -Wdeclaration-after-statement -Wno-pointer-sign -I/
home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv -Wall -Wimplici
t -Wreturn-type -Wswitch -Wformat -Wchar-subscripts -Wparentheses -Wpointer-
arith -Wno-multichar -Werror -O -fno-common -MD -Wsign-compare -Wno-cast-qua
l -Wno-error -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -DNTRM -DNVRM -DDYN
AMIC_SLI -DNV_MAJOR_VERSION=1 -DNV_MINOR_VERSION=0 -DNV_
PATCHLEVEL=8178 -UDEBUG -U_DEBUG -DNDEBUG -DNV_MULTIPLE_BRIDGE_AGPGART_PRESE
NT -DNV_CHANGE_PAGE_ATTR_PRESENT -DMODULE -D"KBUILD_STR(s)=#s" -D"KBUILD_BAS
ENAME=KBUILD_STR(os_agp)" -D"KBUILD_MODNAME=KBUILD_STR(nvidia)" -c -o /home
/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/.tmp_os-agp.o /home
/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/os-agp.c
In file included from include/linux/list.h:7,
from include/linux/wait.h:23,
from include/asm/semaphore.h:41,
from include/linux/sched.h:20,
from include/linux/module.h:10,
from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/nv-linux.h:47,
from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/os-agp.c:24:
include/linux/prefetch.h: In function ‘prefetch_range’:
include/linux/prefetch.h:62: warning: pointer of type ‘void *’ used in a
rithmetic
In file included from include/linux/dmapool.h:14,
from include/linux/pci.h:522,
from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/nv-linux.h:71,
from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/os-agp.c:24:
include/asm/io.h: In function ‘check_signature’:
include/asm/io.h:258: warning: wrong type argument to increment
In file included from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/os-agp.c:24:
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv-linux.h:677
:2: warning: #warning "conftest.sh failed, assuming remap_page_range(4)!"
cc -Wp,-MD,/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/.
os-interface.o.d -nostdinc -isystem /usr/lib/gcc/i386-redhat-linux/4.1.0/in
clude -D__KERNEL__ -Iinclude -Iinclude2 -I/usr/src/kernels/2.6.16-1.2078_FC5
-i686/include -include include/linux/autoconf.h -I/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDI
A-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv -Wall -Wundef -Wstrict-prototypes -Wno-
trigraphs -fno-strict-aliasing -fno-common -ffreestanding -
Os -fomit-frame-pointer -g -pipe -msoft-float -fno-builtin-sprintf -fno-buil
tin-log2 -fno-builtin-puts -mpreferred-stack-boundary=2 -march=i686 -mtune=p
entium4 -mregparm=3 -I/usr/src/kernels/2.6.16-1.2078_FC5-i686/include/asm-i3
86/mach-default -Iinclude/asm-i386/mach-default -Wdeclaration-after-statemen
t -Wno-pointer-sign -I/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/us
r/src/nv -Wall -Wimplicit -Wreturn-type -Wswitch -Wformat -Wchar-subscripts
-Wparentheses -Wpointer-arith -Wno-multichar -Werror -O -fno-common -MD -Wsi
gn-compare -Wno-cast-qual -Wno-error -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -D__KERNEL__ -DMO
DULE -DNTRM -DNVRM -DDYNAMIC_SLI -DNV_MAJOR_VERSION=1 -DNV_MINOR_VERSION=0 -
DNV_PATCHLEVEL=8178 -UDEBUG -U_DEBUG -DNDEBUG -DNV_MULTIPLE_BRIDGE_AGPGART_P
RESENT -DNV_CHANGE_PAGE_ATTR_PRESENT -DMODULE -D"KBUILD_STR(s)=#s" -D"KBUILD
_BASENAME=KBUILD_STR(os_interface)" -D"KBUILD_MODNAME=KBUILD_STR(nvidia)" -
c -o /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/.tmp_os-i
nterface.o /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDI
A-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/os-interface.c
In file included from include/linux/list.h:7,
from include/linux/wait.h:23,
from include/asm/semaphore.h:41,
from include/linux/sched.h:20,
from include/linux/module.h:10,
from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/nv-linux.h:47,
from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/os-interface.c:26:
include/linux/prefetch.h: In function ‘prefetch_range’:
include/linux/prefetch.h:62: warning: pointer of type ‘void *’ used in a
rithmetic
In file included from include/linux/dmapool.h:14,
from include/linux/pci.h:522,
from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/nv-linux.h:71,
from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/os-interface.c:26:
include/asm/io.h: In function ‘check_signature’:
include/asm/io.h:258: warning: wrong type argument to increment
In file included from /home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv/os-interface.c:26:
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/nv-linux.h:677
:2: warning: #warning "conftest.sh failed, assuming remap_page_range(4)!"
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/os-interface.c
: In function ‘os_set_mlock_capability’:
/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/os-interface.c
:1375: error: ‘struct task_struct’ has no member named ‘rlim’
make[4]: *** [/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr/src/nv/
os-interface.o] Error 1
make[3]: *** [_module_/home/chris/Desktop/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1/usr
/src/nv] Error 2
make[2]: *** [modules] Error 2
NVIDIA: left KBUILD.
nvidia.ko failed to build!
make[1]: *** [mdl] 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.

Hi.

'patch' takes its input from standard in. Try 'cat NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-8178-U012206.diff.txt | patch -p0' instead.

Dave

You should redirect the patch into the source directory (note the "<" symbol):

Also if the patch file is not in the current directory you have to run:
Replace /path/to with the real path to the patch file.

I can confirm that the patch works, as I presently use the patched 8178 Nvidia driver with kernel 2.6.16 running.

Thanks guys for your prompt response.
ilikejam, your suggestion worked. Nvidia drivers up and running beautifully.

What do you mean by so that i don't make the same mistake again with something else...

I really appreciate that you all gave your time to help me. It just goes to show how ...good... linux and its community is!
!

stdin is basically the keyboard. If you want patch to take its input from a file, you need to pipe the output from cat like 'ilikejam' suggested. The other alternative is to use redirection like 'bathory' suggested.

If you're new to the Linux CLI, here's a good primer:

http://www.linuxsa.org.au/tips/io-redirection.html

HTH

you can also simply "yum install kmod-nvidia" from Livna