Hi !!

i've got a problem for the installation of the nvidia driver. I want to install the "Linux Display Driver - AMD64" driver. i thought it was what I needed, as I've got an AMD Athlon Xp 2100 +. But I don't know what they meant by "64". The driver download is at the following address : "http://www.nvidia.com/view.asp?IO=linux_display_amd64_1.0-4180". I do everything they say, until I have to run "make install" for the "kernel" tar file (detared). When I do this, The installation looks normal, but the console says "code model `kernel' not supported in the 32 bit mode". A little later, it says "nv.c:2756: warning: cast from pointer to integer of different size".and then it says "make: *** [nv.o] Erreur 1". I did'nt try yet, but it doesn't seem to have worked as they tell me there's an error. Is the 32 bit thing in relation with the "AMD64" thing ? What should I do ?

Thanks

vic

well first off you got the wrong driver, the ia64 is for 64 bit processors, whereas yours is a 32bit processor....so you should of gotten the ia32 driver and try again :P

thanks man.
I tried to run the IA32, (I downloaded the script, and ran it). But my big problem is that they then ask me to exit X server, and I don't know how. Do you ?

Thanks

vic

Long life to Linux

well the way i go about it is to edit the inittab file just in case a problem occurs....you will edit the file /etc/inittab and you will see a line that says "id:5:initdefault" change the 5 to a 3..
5 = boot to graphical mode
3 = boot to text mode
so when you reboot your computer (or kill X server, whatever you choose) you will boot directly to console mode and the x server will not start....then you su to root and install the drivers, and make the necessary changes in the xf86config file like it tells you...when you do all this switch back to your normal user, and type "startx" to load up X windows, and if you want to change back your fstab then do so....
the reason i do it this way is because if a problem occurs in the setup then when you reboot it will bring you back to text mode for you can troubleshoot it...if you don't change the fstab then if a problem occurs then it will still keep trying to load GUI mode which will just be an annoyance...

Thanks man I'll try to do it tomorrow (I'm pretty tired). I wish I knew as much things as you do. How long have you practiced Linux ? what books have you read? How did you learn ?

See you

vic

Long life to Linux

Or simply do CTRL-ALT-F1, login as root and do "init 3", run the installer, then do "init 5" to get back to X.

/etc/fstab? Um, how about, no . He's dead on about the other stuff, but the file you need to do the changes to in order to boot to text mode is /etc/inittab.

/etc/fstab is used to control the mounting of hard drive partitions at boot up.

Personally, I find it easier to install NVidia drivers without rebooting - the X respawn thing only happens about 5 times before it's caught and dumps an error message - 10 seconds at most. But the reboot can work just as well.

lol thx very much for pointing that out Obi, i just finished replying to a post about the fstab file, and it was stuck in my head....sorry if you tried doing what i said already vic, that was my bad, i meant inittab....so make the changes to /etc/inittab..
thx again obi *slaps forehead*

ok sidboyce yes it can be done like that, but i can tell vic is new, and this would be so much easier for him to do it the way i mentioned....
like i said if your x fails to start its just as easy to reboot and boot back to init 3 to troubleshoot the problem....
if you keep it at init 5 it will obviously fail everytime and you will have to take additional steps to resolve the problem....
nvidia drivers causing black screens and crashing at x bootup is a very common occurance, so its a precautionary step to edit the inittab for you can avoid another problem if a problem should occur with the drivers......

....and now my story....
when i started, i never used it for regular everyday use but the first time i experienced it was about 5 years ago when i had i book that came with slackware 3.x don't remember the exact version but it was 3 something.....but at the time, it just scared me away instantly and i took it off, but then the last couple years i had it installed on old pc's just in text mode no gui, and just played with them trying to setup a linux router with ipmasq and that stuff....but now at the present time, i just use rh8 as my OS and i haven't read any books...i just read stuff on the web, or the man pages and whatnot...i pretty well only have to do something once/twice and i'll remeber...the information just sticks with me.....
don't worry, if you stick with it, once you type a command a couple times it will stick in your head...

I've realised I've got a last problem :

I'm even more new to commands type. To log as a user or as root, do I just need to type : su victor, then my password ?
But my biggest problem is to edit the xf86config file in text mode. I really don't know how to open it, edit it and save it.

By the way, is there a dictionnary of commands or something? Where can I find something like that ?

Thanks

vic

Long life to Linux

ok lets start off by saying, to change to root all you type is "su" and then the password, NOT "su victor"....

next, since i have no idea what distro your using, then i will tell you to use vi to open the file....just copy down the steps you'll take before you get into the text mode + text editor....
steps to consider writing:
the things you'll change in the file from nvida readme
what command to issue to open the file.
where is the file located.
how do i type in the file with vi.
how do i exit vi and save the file.
now, i am not going to explain anything about vi, but i will give you this link...
VI
this link will give you the shortcut keys to press for saving, exiting and whatever else you wish to know...
second, i am going to give you a link to show you the basic commands of everyday use....such as copy, move, delete, just to name a couple..it also shows what its eqivelant is in the DOS world...
linux<-> dos commands
these two links should be well enough to get you through what you want to do...there is not much reading and plus you dont' have to read it all...just how to do specific things..... such as
vi /etc/X11/XF86Config will open the file for editing....the file is called XF86Config and is located in the /etc/X11 folder....
or if you wanted to navigate there you could type
cd /etc/X11 and then type vi XF86Config , and if by chance your using mandrake your file will be called XF86Config-4 so if you end up navigating to "cd /etc/X11" type "ls" to see what your file is called... (ls in linux = dir in dos).....
so take that info along with what you'll read and you'll get along fine..

Thanks man, everything looks a lot easier to me now. but in the readme file, they say I have to "compile with my kernel" the AGPGART module, the one who's gonna suport my card. How can I do this. Plus, they say after, that I have to "rebuild and reinstall the new driver". What are they talkin' about ? Why new? Do they mean I just need to reinstall the *.run driver ?

Plus (but you can't answer all questions) they ask me to edit the XF... file, but they don't say at what line I have to write the options. (GODDAMIT). If I momentarily don't write these options, will my video card work anyway ? (Cause right now I am typing faster than it appears on screen). Thanks


see you

vic

Long life to Linux

Two other things :

I don't understand : Do i have to write all the list of options or just a section ?

Can't I launch back Xserver after installing and edit the file after ?


Thanks

There's a readme that should come with the driver that tells you how to edit the Xconfig file. If you don't have it, there's a link to the instructions on the page you downloaded the driver from. You just have to remove a couple of references, add something, and change the driver reference - it's quite simple. The driver won't work if you don't do this, however.

If the NVidia installer can't install into your kernel, it will tell you it has to recompile itself. In order to do this, it needs the RH kernel source. You have to install this if you don't have it - run the Add/Remove Applications app, and select Kernel Development.

Run the driver setup script, and it should all work.