I installed slackware 10.0, and then tried installing the Nvidia drivers. It compiles them alright, but then fails to load nvidia.o. It is a brand new, very clean slackware install (ie. no crap installed yet, just my personal files in the homdirectory), right from the CDs. Kernel is 2.4.26. Is there a known issue with slackware and nvidia? a friend of mine who just installed the nvidia drivers on a new Mandrak install said he had very little trouble at all.

when does that failure occur??

did you properly modify the "driver" section of /etc/X11/xorg.conf to "nvidia"??

i am successfully using nvidia drivers on slack 9.1 and 10.0...

I will assume that you installed the kernel sources also.
AND that those sources MATCH your running kernel.
If the installed sources don not match the running kernel AND if they are not properly configured then the nvidia drivers will not build or install.

To properly configure the kernel sources after a fresh install to the source for waht you are booting...

1. cd /usr/src/linux
2. make mrproper
3. cp /boot/config-kernel_you_are_using /usr/src/linux
4. make oldconfig
5. make dep

Once you have done this the kernel sources will match the runnning kernel and can now be used to build against.

Nichole_knc: yeah i installed the source for the kernel, and yeah it was the same one, but just to be safe, I ran your steps too (not completely sure what they mean though). but it didn't seem to work.

Here's the log, maybe it will help:


nvidia-installer log file '/var/log/nvidia-installer.log'
creation time: Sun Sep 5 20:04:05 2004

option status:
license pre-accepted : false
update : false
force update : false
expert : false
uninstall : false
driver info : false
no precompiled interface: false
no ncurses color : false
query latest driver ver : false
OpenGL header files : false
no questions : false
silent : false
X install prefix : /usr/X11R6
OpenGL install prefix : /usr
Installer install prefix: /usr
kernel source path : (not specified)
kernel install path : (not specified)
proc mount point : /proc
ui : (not specified)
tmpdir : /tmp
ftp site : ftp://download.nvidia.com

Using: nvidia-installer ncurses user interface
-> License accepted.
-> No precompiled kernel interface was found to match your kernel; would you li
ke the installer to attempt to download a kernel interface for your kernel f
rom the NVIDIA ftp site (ftp://download.nvidia.com)? (Answer: Yes)
-> No matching precompiled kernel interface was found on the NVIDIA ftp site;
this means that the installer will need to compile a kernel interface for
your kernel.
-> Kernel source path: '/lib/modules/2.4.26/build'
-> Performing cc_version_check with CC="cc".
-> Performing rivafb check.
-> Performing rivafb module check.
-> Cleaning kernel module build directory.
executing: 'cd ./usr/src/nv; make clean'...
rm -f nv.o os-agp.o os-interface.o os-registry.o nv-linux.o nv_compiler.h *
.d NVdriver nvidia.o
-> Building kernel module:
executing: 'cd ./usr/src/nv; make module SYSSRC=/lib/modules/2.4.26/build SY
SOUT=/lib/modules/2.4.26/build'...
echo \#define NV_COMPILER \"`cc -v 2>&1 | tail -n 1`\" > nv_compiler.h
cc -c -Wall -Wimplicit -Wreturn-type -Wswitch -Wformat -Wchar-subscripts -Wp
arentheses -Wpointer-arith -Wno-multichar -Werror -O -fno-common -UDEBUG -
U_DEBUG -DNDEBUG -MD -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -DNTRM -D_G
NU_SOURCE -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -DNV_MAJOR_VERSION=1
-DNV_MINOR_VERSION=0 -DNV_PATCHLEVEL=6111 -DNV_UNIX -DNV_LINUX -DNV_INT
64_OK -DNVCPU_X86 -DREMAP_PAGE_RANGE_4 -DNV_CHANGE_PAGE_ATTR_PRESENT
-I. -I/lib/modules/2.4.26/build/include -Wno-cast-qual -Wno-error nv.c
cc -c -Wall -Wimplicit -Wreturn-type -Wswitch -Wformat -Wchar-subscripts -Wp
arentheses -Wpointer-arith -Wno-multichar -Werror -O -fno-common -UDEBUG -
U_DEBUG -DNDEBUG -MD -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -DNTRM -D_G
NU_SOURCE -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -DNV_MAJOR_VERSION=1
-DNV_MINOR_VERSION=0 -DNV_PATCHLEVEL=6111 -DNV_UNIX -DNV_LINUX -DNV_INT
64_OK -DNVCPU_X86 -DREMAP_PAGE_RANGE_
4 -DNV_CHANGE_PAGE_ATTR_PRESENT -I. -I/lib/modules/2.4.26/build/include -Wn
o-cast-qual -Wno-error os-agp.c
cc -c -Wall -Wimplicit -Wreturn-type -Wswitch -Wformat -Wchar-subscripts -Wp
arentheses -Wpointer-arith -Wno-multichar -Werror -O -fno-common -UDEBUG -
U_DEBUG -DNDEBUG -MD -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -DNTRM -D_G
NU_SOURCE -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -DNV_MAJOR_VERSION=1
-DNV_MINOR_VERSION=0 -DNV_PATCHLEVEL=6111 -DNV_UNIX -DNV_LINUX -DNV_INT
64_OK -DNVCPU_X86 -DREMAP_PAGE_RANGE_4 -DNV_CHANGE_PAGE_ATTR_PRESENT
-I. -I/lib/modules/2.4.26/build/include -Wno-cast-qual -Wno-error os-interfa
ce.c
cc -c -Wall -Wimplicit -Wreturn-type -Wswitch -Wformat -Wchar-subscripts -Wp
arentheses -Wpointer-arith -Wno-multichar -Werror -O -fno-common -UDEBUG -
U_DEBUG -DNDEBUG -MD -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -DNTRM -D_G
NU_SOURCE -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -DNV_MAJOR_VERSION=1
-DNV_MINOR_VERSION=0 -DNV_PATCHLEVEL=6111 -DNV_UNIX -DNV_LINUX -DNV_I
NT64_OK -DNVCPU_X86 -DREMAP_PAGE_RANGE_4 -DNV_CHANGE_PAGE_ATTR_PRESEN
T -I. -I/lib/modules/2.4.26/build/include -Wno-cast-qual -Wno-error os-regi
stry.c
ld -r -o nv-linux.o nv.o os-agp.o os-interface.o os-registry.o
ld -r -o nvidia.o nv-linux.o nv-kernel.o
-> done.
-> Kernel module compilation complete.
ERROR: Unable to load the kernel module 'nvidia.o'. This is most likely
because the kernel module was built using the wrong kernel source files.
Please make sure you have installed the kernel source files for your
kernel; on Red Hat Linux systems, for example, be sure you have the
'kernel-source' rpm installed. If you know the correct kernel source
files are installed, you may specify the kernel source path with the
'--kernel-source-path' commandline option.
-> Kernel module load error: ./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol
__get_free_pages_Rsmp_4784e424
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol pci_read_config_byte_Rsmp_3ccefab4
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol iomem_resource_Rsmp_9efed5af
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol free_irq_Rsmp_f20dabd8
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol pci_unregister_driver_Rsmp_e8061e13
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol pci_find_device_Rsmp_c584f4e3
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol strncpy_from_user_Rsmp_24428be5
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol smp_call_function_Rsmp_0014bfd1
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol securebits_Rsmp_abe77484
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol __request_region_Rsmp_1a1a4f09
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol register_chrdev_Rsmp_7febfaa8
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol init_mm_Rsmp_b78c0191
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol del_timer_Rsmp_fc62f16d
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol mod_timer_Rsmp_1f13d309
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol __tasklet_schedule_Rsmp_ed5c73bf
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol change_page_attr_Rsmp_e94415fe
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol pci_set_master_Rsmp_99cc7ae2
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol iounmap_Rsmp_5fb196d4
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol
inter_module_get_request_Rsmp_b69f826b
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol mem_map_Rsmp_3830ffb7
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol irq_stat_Rsmp_a18a615a
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol
__generic_copy_to_user_Rsmp_d523fdd3
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol pci_release_regions_Rsmp_32f6b833
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol pci_write_config_byte_Rsmp_364fc2a2
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol unregister_chrdev_Rsmp_c192d491
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol pci_enable_device_Rsmp_1bc741d2
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol __vmalloc_Rsmp_79995c5b
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol pci_read_config_dword_Rsmp_0bf170e2
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol pci_register_driver_Rsmp_1e536d21
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol sprintf_Rsmp_1d26aa98
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol
pci_write_config_dword_Rsmp_77f7f940
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol schedule_timeout_Rsmp_17d59d01
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol __ioremap_Rsmp_9eac042a
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol pci_write_config_word_Rsmp_f23d8795
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol pci_find_class_Rsmp_643cfa42
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol __wake_up_Rsmp_127fda83
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol kfree_Rsmp_037a0cba
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol printk_Rsmp_1b7d4074
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol inter_module_get_Rsmp_f6a0ce24
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol boot_cpu_data_Rsmp_4a8db2ac
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol remap_page_range_Rsmp_69d01e73
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol create_proc_entry_Rsmp_2c8334b0
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol vsprintf_Rsmp_954cbb26
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol free_pages_Rsmp_9941ccb8
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol kill_proc_Rsmp_932da67e
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol inter_module_put_Rsmp_6b99f7d8
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol vfree_Rsmp_2fd1d81c
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol pci_find_slot_Rsmp_391edc78
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol kmalloc_Rsmp_93d4cfe6
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol __pollwait_Rsmp_da787b31
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol remove_proc_entry_Rsmp_a0138fb7
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol __const_udelay_Rsmp_eae3dfd6
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol smp_num_cpus_Rsmp_3b86334d
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol __udelay_Rsmp_9e7d6bd0
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol high_memory_Rsmp_8a7d1c31
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol
__generic_copy_from_user_Rsmp_116166aa
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol jiffies_Rsmp_0da02d67
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol pci_read_config_word_Rsmp_923654cb
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol request_irq_Rsmp_0c60f2e0
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol proc_root_driver_Rsmp_3e575e1d
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol __release_region_Rsmp_d49501d4
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: unresolved symbol do_gettimeofday_Rsmp_72270e35
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o:
Hint: You are trying to load a module without a GPL compatible license
and it has unresolved symbols. The module may be trying to access
GPLONLY symbols but the problem is more likely to be a coding or
user error. Contact the module supplier for assistance, only they
can help you.
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.

Well reading the above still seems to indicate you are running a kernel that is not that of the sources that the driver is compileing against.

The steps that I listed above do the follow...
"make mrproper" Cleans and "straightens" out the kernel source to prepare for a compile.

"cp /boot/config /usr/src/linux/.config" Copys the current running kernel configure file to the source .config file for the kernel build. I failed to point out to you that the /boot/config-* should be copied to /usr/src/linux/.config
"make oldconfig" Sets the source build files
"make dep" Sets the depends for the source build

Without these steps the kernel sources WILL NOT match a kernel loaded from the Slack disk as the sources are "virgin". They must be properly configured as the "running" kernel source BEFORE any mods can be compiles against them..

If you follow these sets the nvidia driver should build correctly.
I have not had any trouble with them at all on several machines.

well I tried it again, this time with the corrected Copy step (cp /boot/config-* /usr/src/linux/.config) and again, it did not load the module!

The log is different this time. It does not have all those unresovled symbol errors.


nvidia-installer log file '/var/log/nvidia-installer.log'
creation time: Mon Sep 6 11:38:29 2004

option status:
license pre-accepted : false
update : false
force update : false
expert : false
uninstall : false
driver info : false
no precompiled interface: false
no ncurses color : false
query latest driver ver : false
OpenGL header files : false
no questions : false
silent : false
X install prefix : /usr/X11R6
OpenGL install prefix : /usr
Installer install prefix: /usr
kernel source path : (not specified)
kernel install path : (not specified)
proc mount point : /proc
ui : (not specified)
tmpdir : /tmp
ftp site : ftp://download.nvidia.com

Using: nvidia-installer ncurses user interface
-> License accepted.
-> No precompiled kernel interface was found to match your kernel; would you li
ke the installer to attempt to download a kernel interface for your kernel f
rom the NVIDIA ftp site (ftp://download.nvidia.com)? (Answer: Yes)
-> No matching precompiled kernel interface was found on the NVIDIA ftp site;
this means that the installer will need to compile a kernel interface for
your kernel.
-> Kernel source path: '/lib/modules/2.4.26/build'
-> Performing cc_version_check with CC="cc".
-> Performing rivafb check.
-> Performing rivafb module check.
WARNING: Your kernel was configured to include rivafb support as
a loadable kernel module.

The rivafb driver conflicts with the NVIDIA driver; the
NVIDIA kernel module will still be built and installed,
but be aware that the NVIDIA driver will not be able to
function properly if the rivafb module is loaded!
-> Cleaning kernel module build directory.
executing: 'cd ./usr/src/nv; make clean'...
rm -f nv.o os-agp.o os-interface.o os-registry.o nv-linux.o nv_compiler.h *
.d NVdriver nvidia.o
-> Building kernel module:
executing: 'cd ./usr/src/nv; make module SYSSRC=/lib/modules/2.4.26/build SY
SOUT=/lib/modules/2.4.26/build'...
Your kernel was configured to include rivafb support as
a loadable kernel module.

The rivafb driver conflicts with the NVIDIA driver; the
NVIDIA kernel module will still be built and installed,
but be aware that the NVIDIA driver will not be able to
function properly if the rivafb module is loaded!

*** Failed rivafb module sanity check, but continuing! ***

echo \#define NV_COMPILER \"`cc -v 2>&1 | tail -n 1`\" > nv_compiler.h
cc -c -Wall -Wimplicit -Wreturn-type -Wswitch -Wformat -Wchar-subscripts -Wp
arentheses -Wpointer-arith -Wno-multichar -Werror -O -fno-common -UDEBUG -
U_DEBUG -DNDEBUG -MD -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -DNTRM -D_G
NU_SOURCE -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -DNV_MAJOR_VERSION=1
-DNV_MINOR_VERSION=0 -DNV_PATCHLEVEL=6111 -DNV_UNIX -DNV_LINUX -DNV_INT
64_OK -DNVCPU_X86 -DREMAP_PAGE_RANGE_4 -DNV_CHANGE_PAGE_ATTR_PRESENT
-I. -I/lib/modules/2.4.26/build/include -Wno-cast-qual -Wno-error nv.c
cc -c -Wall -Wimplicit -Wreturn-type -Wswitch -Wformat -Wchar-subscripts -Wp
arentheses -Wpointer-arith -Wno-multichar -Werror -O -fno-common -UDEBUG -
U_DEBUG -DNDEBUG -MD -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -DNTRM -D_G
NU_SOURCE -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -DNV_MAJOR_VERSION=1
-DNV_MINOR_VERSION=0 -DNV_PATCHLEVEL=6111 -DNV_UNIX -DNV_LINUX -DNV_INT
64_OK -DNVCPU_X86 -DREMAP_PAGE_RANGE_4 -DNV_CHANGE_PAGE_ATTR_PRESENT
-I. -I/lib/modules/2.4.26/build/include -Wno-cast-qual -Wno-error os-agp.c
cc -c -Wall -Wimplicit -Wreturn-type -Wswitch -Wformat -Wchar-subscripts -Wp
arentheses -Wpointer-arith -Wno-multichar -Werror -O -fno-common -UDEBUG -
U_DEBUG -DNDEBUG -MD -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -DNTRM -D_G
NU_SOURCE -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -DNV_MAJOR_VERSION=1
-DNV_MINOR_VERSION=0 -DNV_PATCHLEVEL=6111 -DNV_UNIX -DNV_LINUX -DNV_INT
64_OK -DNVCPU_X86 -DREMAP_PAGE_RANGE_4 -DNV_CHANGE_PAGE_ATTR_PRESENT
-I. -I/lib/modules/2.4.26/build/include -Wno-cast-qual -Wno-error os-interfa
ce.c
cc -c -Wall -Wimplicit -Wreturn-type -Wswitch -Wformat -Wchar-subscripts -Wp
arentheses -Wpointer-arith -Wno-multichar -Werror -O -fno-common -UDEBUG -
U_DEBUG -DNDEBUG -MD -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -DNTRM -D_G
NU_SOURCE -D_LOOSE_KERNEL_NAMES -D__KERNEL__ -DMODULE -DNV_MAJOR_VERSION=1
-DNV_MINOR_VERSION=0 -DNV_PATCHLEVEL=6111 -DNV_UNIX -DNV_LINUX -DNV_INT
64_OK -DNVCPU_X86 -DREMAP_PAGE_RANGE_4 -DNV_CHANGE_PAGE_ATTR_PRESENT
-I. -I/lib/modules/2.4.26/build/include -Wno-cast-qual -Wno-error os-registr
y.c
ld -r -o nv-linux.o nv.o os-agp.o os-interface.o os-registry.o
ld -r -o nvidia.o nv-linux.o nv-kernel.o
-> done.
-> Kernel module compilation complete.
ERROR: Unable to load the kernel module 'nvidia.o'. This is most likely
because the kernel module was built using the wrong kernel source files.
Please make sure you have installed the kernel source files for your
kernel; on Red Hat Linux systems, for example, be sure you have the
'kernel-source' rpm installed. If you know the correct kernel source
files are installed, you may specify the kernel source path with the
'--kernel-source-path' commandline option.
-> Kernel module load error: Warning: loading ./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o will taint
the kernel: non-GPL license - NVIDIA
See http://www.tux.org/lkml/#export-tainted for information about tainted
modules
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: init_module: No such device
./usr/src/nv/nvidia.o: Hint: insmod errors can be caused by incorrect module
parameters, including invalid IO or IRQ parameters.
You may find more information in syslog or the output from dmesg
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.

Never heard of jumping through the hoops listed above. Let's be certain what you are doing. You did a full install of Slack 10. You didn't pick and choose and leave out packages that you didn't know what they were so you didn't install them. Then you followed these instructions AND downloaded the driver linked on the page. You did the install of nvidia as root.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux_d..._1.0-6111.html

I did a full slackware 10 install. The only packages I left out were the KDE International packages, because I didn't really want 100+ (or something) dictionaries and libraries installed. I installed the few I wanted AFTER the CD installation.

I downloaded the Only driver available from the nvidia website. I read through the instructions and followed them. Yes, I ran it as root. The installer will let you know if you are NOT running as root, and also if you have X running. So I changed inittab and rebooted.

I found an interesting note in the FAQ which I thought at first would help me:

"Q: I cannot build the NVIDIA kernel module, or I can build the NVIDIA
kernel module, but modprobe/insmod fails to load the module into
my kernel. What is wrong?

A: These problems are generally caused by the build using the wrong kernel
header files (ie header files for a different kernel version than
the one you are running). The convention used to be that kernel
header files should be stored in "/usr/include/linux/", but that
is deprecated in favor of "/lib/modules/`uname -r`/build/include".
The nvidia-installer should be able to determine the location on your
system; however, if you encounter a problem you can force the build
to use certain header files by using the --kernel-include-dir option.
Obviously, for this to work, you need the appropriate kernel header
files installed on your system. Consult the documentation that came
with your distribution; some distributions do not install the kernel
header files by default, or they install headers that do not coincide
properly with the kernel you are running."


but the --kernel-include-dir option is unknown. There's another option, --kernel-include-path, but this is deprecated to --kernel-source-path "for kernel 2.6 compatibility" (or something) and has no effect on the install, since it SEEMS to be finding the correct paths without help from me... or maybe I just don't know which path to give it. The README seems a version or two out of date, in places.

1. Reinstall the kernel-headers and kernel-source packages.
2. Go to the Slackware CD1 and find the config file for the kernel you chose to run during installation.
3. Copy that to /usr/src/linux/.config
4. Rerun the Nvidia setup.

what's the easiet or best way to do this? off slackware CD1 or download a tgz and install it over the old kernel?

./NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-6111-pkg1.run -x

cd NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-6111-pkg1/

./nvidia-installer --kernel-name=2.4.26 -K

You don't need the headers for this. It just installs to the 2.4.26 modules... useful for running multiple kernels with the drivers as well.

When the installer asks you following:
Hit 'NO'. This will solve your problem. Of course, you will need kernel source installed.

Sir_Oliver: That did not work, because there ARE no modules available for downlad. so whether I answer yes or no to this question, the result is the same: it MUST be compiled.

lupin_the_3rd: it sort of worked. It did not work the -K option because this requires a driver to already be installed. So I tried it without the -K option and then it gave the appearance of installing correctly. I modified xorg.conf so that the nv driver was changed to nvidia, I made sure that "load glx" was there and "load dri" and "load GLCore" were not there, then restarrted X.org, and... it didn't start. the module wasn't loaded (did not exist, I think was the error).

The exact error I am getting is that the nvidia kernel module failed to initialize.
The module nvidia.o does exist; it is in /lib/modules/2.4.26/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia.o

When I try to modprobe this module, I get:

# modprobe nvidia
Warning: loading /lib/modules/2.4.26/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia.o will taint the kernel: non-GPL license - NVIDIA
See http://www.tux.org/lkml/#export-tainted for information about tainted modules
/lib/modules/2.4.26/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia.o: init_module: No such device
/lib/modules/2.4.26/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia.o: Hint: insmod errors can be caused by incorrect module parameters, including invalid IO or IRQ parameters.
You may find more information in syslog or the output from dmesg
/lib/modules/2.4.26/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia.o: insmod /lib/modules/2.4.26/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia.o failed
/lib/modules/2.4.26/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia.o: insmod nvidia failed

and insmod gives:

# insmod nvidia
Using /lib/modules/2.4.26/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia.o
Warning: loading /lib/modules/2.4.26/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia.o will taint the kernel: non-GPL license - NVIDIA
See http://www.tux.org/lkml/#export-tainted for information about tainted modules
/lib/modules/2.4.26/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia.o: init_module: No such device
/lib/modules/2.4.26/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia.o: Hint: insmod errors can be caused by incorrect module parameters, including invalid IO or IRQ parameters.
You may find more information in syslog or the output from dmesg


The output from dmesg complains that it can't find an IRQ for the Nvidia card. It also suggests turning of rivafb support.
1) What is an IRQ and why can't one be found?
2) what the hell is rivafb support (I sure don't rememeber turning it on) and how do i turn it off?

IRQ routing is just your bios/mobo/whatever assigning device "channels" for lack of a better word for your hardware.It is an interupt request, see here:

http://whatis.techtarget.com/definit...214042,00.html

I get the rivafb error too but my nvidia modules loads perfectly.

Just for kicks try and run the Nvidia installer with the --uninstall option and then retry with the --kernel-version=2.4.26 again... I think that your IRQ parameters may be quarky or something... can you assign an IRQ to the card in your bios? If it's a PCI card can you try a different slot?