I have a Lenovo Y580 Laptop with Centos 6.4 version on it. The original kernel is 2.6.32. I compiled a newer version kernel 3.4.53. And I used the newer version all the time.

Recently, I decided to install nvidia driver on my Centos 6 system, and be able to switch between integrated video card and nvidia video card. I used "yum install bumblebee" to install all the dependencies. However, I encountered several difficulties.

1. The bbswitch module cannot be found. It turned out yum install the bbswitch and nvidia modules into /lib/modules/2.6.32-xxx... instead of /lib/modules/3.4.53/. I searched online, I think the reason is that the kernel header is still 2.6.32 even I am using 3.4.53. I cannot find 3.4.53 version of kernel header by something like "yum install kernel-devel-3.4.53". So I have to switch back to 2.6.32.

2. The new problem is the nvidia driver doesn't work. I tried both ways: install xxx.run from downloaded from nvidia.com direclty and blacklist nouveau; or install nvidia.ko using yum install kmod-nvidia. It will automatically blacklist nouveau driver. But after I reboot system, I cannot login, it will stuck in booting stage.

3. Another way I tried is to remove all the nvidia configuration file and remove blacklist of nouveau, so I can login using nouveau driver. I can also turn on bbswitch: tee /proc/acpi/bbswitch <<<ON. But when I try to load nvidia.ko by "modprobe nvidia" OR use "optirun glxgear", my computer will freeze forever. I have to push power off for several seconds to shut it down.


2 ~ 3 indicate that I didn't get nvidia driver installed correctly. So my questions are: (1) Is there a way to install correct kernel version when I use 3.4.53, so that I can use yum install to get the correct kernel module place.(2) More importantly, how can I enable nvidia,ko without crash the system.

Hi:

I found the kernel-devel-3.4.53-8.el6.centos.alt.x86_64.rpm and kernel-headers-3.4.53-8.el6.centos.alt.x86_64.rpm here:

http://bay.uchicago.edu/centos-vault...6_64/Packages/

I think your right so....
Installing the kernel-devel and the kernel-headers and that should solve that problem.

As far as the Nvidia and Bumblebee issue that you have going on, I don't for one, understand why it's not working for you. Also I don't have experience with Nvidia cards.

Maybe (I'm guessing here) check in your BIOS and see if there is a option to enable or disable the Nvidia card?
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Your-Nvid...rking-on-Linux

Hope that helps-

Thank you! I have checked the BIOS, it has two options. One is for integrated card only, the other one is switchable card. Since my laptop is dual boot (CentOS+Windows7). I can use Nvidia GPU in Win7 system. So it's not because of the BIOS setting.

Your very Welcome:-

-:-Let us know how how things go with the kernel-devel and kernel-headers.-:-

Cent dose not support OLD minor versions
CentOS 6.4 and 6.5 are BOTH unsupported

upgrade the the current and only supported version ASAP
CentOS 6.6 ( soon to be 6.7 )


cent ships with the Nouveau driver and the boot image is built WITH the nouveau driver
to install the .run
you first have to uninstall nouveau

then REBUILD!!! the boot image
then reboot and in the text only boot
login as root and cd to the NVIDIA.run

and install

or

better yet use the kmod-nvidia
https://www.centos.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7303

If you're looking for Bumblebee support though you can only use nouveau.

I installed the kernel-devel for 3.4.53. But still, yum install will compile the nvidia and bbswitch module under the folder /lib/modules/2.6.32.

I use "cat /etc/issue" to check, my version is CentOS 6.4. But if I use "cat /etc/redhat-release", my version is CentOS 6.6(Final). So I think 6.6 is the correct version.


So blacklist nouveau is not enough? I have followed the similar steps as above link, but not work. I will try it again.