Confused about Nvidia in Slackware64 13
 

In the past I has always installed Nvidia by running the binaries and editing xorg.conf by hand. Now I have done it by installing nvidia-kernel and -driver packages from slackbuilds. I am not getting an nvidia splashscreen. How can I be sure that the driver is working? Do I need org.conf as suggested by http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...32#post3662132

I have no idea what slackbuilds does with this package.

You can install the Nivida driver from a terminal as root:
and at the end let the Nvidia installer generate a new xorg.conf,
or use the lines you posted from that link. You will need
what is posted in that link at a minimum. Some setups need
more, and some need no more.

There is no need for a Nvidia Slackware package.

Yes if you use the binary driver you need a xorg.conf. Otherwise the xorg server will pick up the open source driver.

Actually, the advantage of using the NVIDIA SlackBuild script from slackbuilds.org to create a package for the binary driver, is that this package comes with an easy uninstall/re-install script. If you ever tried to upgrade Slackware's xorg-server or mesa packages while a binary NVIDIA driver was installed you will know that the hardware acceleration no longer works because afterwards some of the NVIDIA libraries have been overwritten.
Using the package makes it easier to cope with this.

Eric

Well the actual answer to my question appears to be that something (?the slackbuild) has generated a xorg.conf file which references the Nvidia driver and the Nvidia tools program runs. Still no splashscreen but who needs that?

Please, let me know how to install nVidia driver on Slackware64 13. I did it by running sh NVIDIA...sh but as I can see, nvidia slackbuild is better. What should I do to install it properly on Slackware64? Should I uninstall nvidia driver before with sh NVIDIA...sh --uninstall?

Thanks and sorry for asking this inside your post.

I've used both methods on 12.2, and only the NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-185.18.36-pkg2.run on Slackware64 13.0. Both methods worked OK, it's a matter of personal preference. Yes, uninstall before using the SlackBuilds.

What about after compiling a new kernel. Previously I have always had to re-install the nvidia driver.

You need to rebuild it. That will never change.

I had to generate an xorg.conf file by running nvidia-xconfig after doing the Slackbuild and installing the packages. After that it worked fine. I had to change the xorg.conf file though to include the higher resolution I wanted for my display. I did that by hand but very likely I could have run nvidia-settings and saved.

Well, the one in the slackbuilds didn't work for me either in slack13 and so I'm using the Nvidia run file istead and works perfect. I installed the 190.32 Beta driver and it works fine. :)

A note about xorg.conf
 

slackware 13 uses a new version of the x server that does not require an xorg.conf file.

This file should only be used for things that are not auto configured the way you want it.

The only thing that should be in the xorg.conf are things that need to be manually configured.

e.g. this is my entire xorg.conf
IF you include a keyboard and mouse section, you need to use some special options to disable auto configure. At the moment I can't remember these options.

Additionally, if you used the slackbuild scripts, it couldn't hurt to ensure the nvidia drivers are installed by running 'nvidia-switch --nvidia'

Interesting. I tried a shortform xorg.conf and it didn't work. I got a complaint that there wasn't a "Screen" section or some such. But now it does. I had run nvidia-switch a couple of times in the interim though.

BTW, if you run nvidia-settings and save to xorg.conf you'll get something much longer. You can delete the sections that just repeat the default settings and it will still work. Dunno if that matters.