1. I am a total noob when it comes to Linux.
2. Installing Mandriva 2006 (3-cd set)
3. Downloaded twice, burned twice, just to make sure.
4. Discovered that there are a BILLION references to Linux troubles on the internet, and so far, none of them has been very helpful.
5. Headache, sore butt, and eyes are hurting.
6. Frustration level: 9.5
7. What I want to do:
My video goes bad if I use the nvidia drivers that came with the download (hence the second download). Video card is a FX-5200, 128Meg Vram.
Finally ran something called "drakx11" and set it to Vesa, 800x600. Which apparently defaults to 60 HZ on the monitor. But at least I get to a GUI without locking the machine.
Have downloaded the latest and greatest nvidia driver, but can NOT get it to install...
Among the assorted responses I get are:
No manual entry for nvidia-xconfig
No precompiled interface was found to match your kernel.
Could not compile gcc.version.

Additionally, I tried to download and install Opera.
I followed their install instructions, and got no error messages.
However, I also got no shortcut anywhere to be found.
And, 2x clicking the Opera executable in konqueror does... NOTHING!

I've re-downloaded the nvidia drivers, and the opera install file.
Everything I can find tells me that I have downloaded the proper files.
But NOTHING I find tells me why they don't work, or why I can't figure out how to make them work.

Is there a walk-through anywhere that will tell me, in simple keypress-by-keypress steps, how to make these 2 things work?

Thanks.

The nvidia drivers should come with an installation text file and if I remember rightly it guides you through the installation process. I think there is also a link to that file on the same page you download the driver from.

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

Assuming you will be using the IA32 driver...

http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux_d..._1.0-8762.html

Thx, rojon. Tried that... that's how I got to "no precompiled interface..."

Been a long time since I installed the nvidia driver. Doesn't it give you the option of letting it continue when it warns you about not having a pre-compiled interface? The installation then goes ahead and does what it needs to do.

Yes, it lets me continue, which in turn gives me "could not compile..."
and then "installation failed"



No other help on their site was useful.

Use this guide. It is step by step how to get the nvidia drivers working for 3d acceloration etc. I used the guide below when I ran mandriva with the exact same card. I would find that without these driver if i was using rh nv driver then the whole system would lock up, not just x, everything. Anyway this will get you sorted.

http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/...ake.2FMandriva

I do think on mandriva you should use whatever package manager it has and update/install your nvidia drivers. something to do with urpmi and a media manager. sorry i can't be more specific but i'm not a mandriva user... just some things i've seen in the past on this forum.... maybe you should ask the question in the Linux Distributions - Mandriva forum !

to get pre compiled bianries for nvidia/ati drivers on mandriva you have to pay to be a mandriva club member, or have purchased mandriva. If you obtainted the free version or do not wish to become a meber you have to sue the nvidia installer, the precedure is done step by step in the link i posted above.

I would guess what is happening is that the NVidia installer is looking to compile a kernel module, but you either don't have the kernel source (likely) or you don't have the C compliers (not as likely as the first, but quite possible).

Use urpmi or whatever package manager you have to make sure you have the full kernel source, (also possible that you just need the headers), and that you have a C compiler. I know way back when I installed RH9 as my first linux that it didn't include the ability to compile C by default, you had to enable it.

The kernel source and the ability to compile in C are all the NVidia installer needs to get rocking. Once you have those things present, the installer will be able to build the NVidia kernel module and you'll be in fine shape.

Peace,
JimBass

That actually rings a bell now that it has been mentioned. I think I had that same problem once and the reason was I didn't have the kernel source. It was so long ago I failed to recall it...sorry!

Cheers

Wow!
http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/...ake.2FMandriva seemed to have 80% of the info I needed... Drivers installed, and running pretty well. However, I cannot edit the X11 config file... it's read only.
Or maybe I don't need to... All I get is 1024x768 mode; no other options. And the config file only lists 1024x768. I'm assuming I can add 1280x1024?
Does anyone know how to change this?
Or is this the default (and only) supported mode?

And, (not to be greedy), any suggestions on installing Opera?

Thanks!

The nvidia driver can go well over 1024x768. Use the mandriva control centre to choose the appropriate resolution you need.

to install opera head over to the opera site http://opera.com/download/?platform=linux choose mandriva as the distribuion and download it for mandriva 10.1. Once its finnished downloading simply clikc on it and a gui will open about installing it.

This is assuming you have set up the repositories for mandriva instea dof installing things from the cd. If you have not done already follow the instructions at this site:

http://easyurpmi.zarb.org/

check all of the boxes to enable all of the repositories. OOpera may even be available in one of the repositories this will give you, it however is unlikely to be the latest version, going direct to opera is the best bet. You will also be able to get a new openoffice.org from these repositories then what is inlcuded on the install cd's.

You should be able to get a higher resolution than 1024x768 assuming your monitor supports it. You may have to rerun DrakX11 or edit your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file though. Which configuration file did you see that did not have it?

As for Opera, to install it download the tar.gz from Opera's site, extract it with tar -xzvf <name of tarfile> (this is on the command line). It will extract a new directory. Cd into this directory and run the install.sh file. Then type the full path to the Opera binary to launch it (you can add a shortcut on your desktop so you don't have to type on the command line to start it). That's a rough overview of the process -- post here if you have trouble with any of it. Edit: this assumes you get the generic tar.gz -- there may be an easier to install version for Mandriva as Michael_aust suggests...

That config file is read only because only root is allowed to edit it, to stop casual users borking it

You can log in to root by then edit the /etc/X11/xorg.conf

There are sections in it called "display" there are several for different colour depths, you will notice different res' there, it will try for the first and sue it if it can, so add the res you want infront.

"to install opera head over to the opera site http://opera.com/download/?platform=linux choose mandriva as the distribuion and download it for mandriva 10.1. Once its finnished downloading simply clikc on it and a gui will open about installing it."
Been there, done that... It acts like its installing something, it even says something like "installation complete", but nothing else... no shortcuts or icons, the 2xclicking the executable does nothing at all.

As for the video, this card was running winXP at 1280 and higher resolutions with no trouble, on this exact machine, 9-1/2 hours ago.
The config file (xorg.conf) was changed to "vesa" this morning, to keep the machine from hanging.
After installing the nvidia drivers, it still says "vesa".
no matter what I do, if I change any attribute - vesa/nvidia, rez, or depth, either by editing this file, or by running drakx11, the machine locks up tight.

Is this a typical installation, or am I just using incompatible hardware somewhere, or do I need to try a fresh download?