I've recompiled 2.6.18 again without the rivafb and nvidiafb driver modules. When I run the nvidia driver install script, these are the error messages I get at the end. This has something to do with my system's current inability to load the i2c modules, and I haven't been able to figure out why they aren't loading.
The error messages:
NVIDIA: left KBUILD.
-> done.
-> Kernel module compilation complete.
ERROR: Unable to load the kernel module 'nvidia.ko'. This happens most
frequently when this kernel module was built against the wrong or
improperly configured kernel sources, with a version of gcc that differs
from the one used to build the target kernel, or if a driver such as
rivafb/nvidiafb is present and prevents the NVIDIA kernel module from
obtaining ownership of the NVIDIA graphics device(s).
Please see the log entries 'Kernel module load error' and 'Kernel
messages' at the end of the file '/var/log/nvidia-installer.log' for
more information.
-> Kernel module load error: insmod: error inserting './usr/src/nv/nvidia.ko':
-1 Unknown symbol in module
-> Kernel messages:
eeprom: Unknown symbol i2c_smbus_write_byte
eeprom: Unknown symbol i2c_smbus_read_byte
eeprom: Unknown symbol i2c_smbus_read_i2c_block_data
eeprom: Unknown symbol i2c_del_driver
eeprom: Unknown symbol i2c_detach_client
eeprom: Unknown symbol i2c_smbus_read_byte_data
eeprom: Unknown symbol i2c_attach_client
i2c_core: Unknown parameter `i2c_debug'
i2c_isa: Unknown symbol i2c_adapter_dev_release
i2c_isa: Unknown symbol i2c_adapter_driver
i2c_isa: Unknown symbol i2c_bus_type
i2c_isa: Unknown symbol i2c_adapter_class
w83627hf: Unknown symbol i2c_isa_add_driver
w83627hf: Unknown symbol i2c_isa_del_driver
w83627hf: Unknown symbol i2c_detach_client
w83627hf: Unknown symbol i2c_attach_client
i2c_core: Unknown parameter `i2c_debug'
i2c_core: Unknown parameter `i2c_debug'
i2c_core: Unknown parameter `i2c_debug'
nvidia: module license 'NVIDIA' taints kernel.
nvidia: Unknown symbol i2c_del_adapter
nvidia: Unknown symbol i2c_add_adapter
i2c_core: Unknown parameter `i2c_debug'
nvidia: Unknown symbol i2c_del_adapter
nvidia: Unknown symbol i2c_add_adapter
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.