Hello,
I am very new to the Linux world. I have 12 years in Windows, and I have to say I'm quite happy with that world. However, I'm intrigued by Linux and would like to learn it. I have no animosity to either system, but I really want to make Linux work for me, so I'm giving it a go (again).

I am running into a problem with my Mandrake 10.0 Official and the latest nVidia drivers. I have had this problem every single time I've installed Mandrake 10. It's getting extremely frustrating, and gives me reason to want to abandon the whole concept altogether. But I'm not likely to give up so easily, as I'm sure there's an answer here.

Anyway, the problem is this. After installing the new drivers (I have done everything the instructions on nVidia's web site state - including editing the XF86Config-4 file). I have no problems with the driver after the installation. The problem happens if I have to reboot.

Yes, I actually reboot Linux. I'm running it on a Dell Inspiron 8200 laptop and I don't like to let it run on a constant basis like I do my desktop.

Anyway, after installing the drivers and running the system for a while, I'll shut it down. When I bring it back up, I can't get into the KDE GUI. I get an error very similar to the following:

XFree86 Version 4.3.0.1
Release Date: 15 August 2003
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 6.6
Build Operating System: Linux 2.6.3-3mdkenterprise i686 [ELF]
Build Date: 24 March 2004
Module Loader present
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++)from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE)error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/XFree86.0.log", Time: Sun Jul 4 20:22:26
2004
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/XF86Config-4"
Using vt 7
(EE) Nvidia(0): Failed to initialize the NVIDIA kernel module!
(EE) NVIDIA(0): ***Aborting***
(EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.

Fatal server error:
no screens found

The only way to fix the problem is to re-install the nVidia driver. After which, everything's honkydorey again until I have to reboot.

As I mentioned, my system is a Dell Inspiron 8200 laptop. I have 512 MB system memory and nVidia GeForce4 440 with 32 MB video ram.

I have searched this forum for similar situations, but nothing exactly like what I'm experiencing comes up. There appears to be plenty of people having trouble installing the driver, but I'm not having that problem. The driver installs fine.

I look forward to your answers.

Thanks.

Schadeboy

Hello!
How about "modprobe nvidia" as root, after that errormessage? Can you start KDE after this?
If the answer is yes, one solution is put nvidia in your /etc/modprobe.preload file. You just write nvidia in the file as root.
Hope this helps.

I'll give it a shot, but I'm not sure why the problem started up to begin with. I wasn't having this problem when I initially installed everything (including the driver). I've had this thing going for a good 4 days before I had the pleasure of this frustration. And yes, I've rebooted plenty of times during that timeframe. I have not touched anything in my configurations. I prefer to let things alone of they are working (which begs the question - if my Windows install was working, why did I try switching to Linux?). Anyway, I'll give it a shot when I get home from work tonight.

Schadeboy

Hello again!
I'm not sure, but maybe there is some troubles between /etc/modules and /etc/modprobe.preload files. First file is for kernel 2.4 and second is for 2.5 and above; well, this is just quess...
If you kernel is 2.4, right file for nvidia is /etc/modules and if you use 2.6, then /etc/modprobe.preload..