NVIDIA drivers install - RIVAFB conflict
 

Hi, I am trying to install the NVIDIA drivers for my GeForce FX5500.

The install runs but soon says:
No precomplied kernel interface was found to match your kernel; would you like to attempt to download an interface from the NVIDIA ftp site?

When I click Yes, it cannot find one for me and advises that the installer will need to compile a kernel interface for my kernel. I tell it to go right ahead.

Then I get this:

ERROR: Your kernel was configured to include rivafb support!

Now I have searched these forums, and it looks like a common issue, usually dealt with a kernel recompile disabling rivafb support.

Thing is, I have no idea how to do a kernel recompile (I know what the kernel does and what recompiling will do). Any help?

If your card is an Nvidia Riva then you'll have problems (iirc) but if it's a later model there should be no problem.

I've got various nvidia cards, from g-force 4 to g-force 6 and though I've seen that error message I've never had any problems.

Yeah mine is a GeForce FX5500. People say to just continue with the install, but mine doesn't give that option, it just quits after the final message.

Maybe I should try an older driver?

This happened to me running debian testing... everytime the nvidia installer asks to download from the net choose "no".
Did you upgrade your kernel? did you upgrade gcc? Check if the file "linux" in your /usr/src/ folder points to the kernel you are trying to install the nvidia drivers to. Also check: ls /usr/bin/gcc* and watch if you have more than one gcc version. If you do, just before running the installer try this: "export CC=gcc-3.3.6" (no quotes) or any other version you may have. Hope it helps. Good luck

My kernel is the one that was installed with Slackware, 2.4.31.

EDIT: I have no file called "linux" in that folder. There is a folder called /linux in there though

When I tried ls /usr/bin/gcc * I get three things:

/usr/bin/gcc
/usr/bin/gcc-3.3.6
/usr/bin/gccbug

I tried that export command and I wasn't asked about the rivafb, but I got a different error. It says the GCC version check failed because ./usr/src/nv/conftest.sh: line 19 gcc-3.36: command not found

I chose to ignore that message. And it says it cannot find the kernel source files. I am not sure where mine are kept, I assume it would be at some default place. I'll look.

EDIT: I think that gcc error was my fault. I may have missed a full stop (period), when I retype the export thing with 3.3.6 in it I still get that rivafb error. :(

I wonder if blacklisting rivafb might help. It's worth a shot in my opinion ;).

Install the 2.6 kernel.
It's on Cd2 in it's own folder on 10.2, on other vrsions it's on CD2 in a folder called Testing.
Just pop the cd in, mount it, cd to the 2.6 kernel folder and install everything therein.
Don't forget to add it to lilo.conf and run lilo before rebooting into the new kernel.

That might help the nvidia situation.

hmmm... make sure you have the kernel-source installed. http://slackware.it/en/pb/browse.php?q=10.2/slackware/k
I'm using 2.6.13, here's some info, may help to check your symbolic link
If you want to make a symbolic link to 2.4.31 type ln -s linux-2.4.31 linux

hey this is easy! All you NEED to do is to change the config of the Kernel you're using and took off the nvidia riva fb. the you recompile. I'll sugest you to install kernel 2.6 it has some good new features. If you need any help on how to compile your kernel just ask. I have already had those problens but the solution is very easy. Post what you decided to I'll help you.

Peace! Same happened to me the third time I compiled 2.6.12 ! Seems that RIVAFB is compiled directly in the kernel and not as a module so you can't unload it. Just recompile without riva (or whatever says nvidia). Generic framebuffer support should be enough. Then make the mistake to install Nvidia's crashware like I did. After a few deadlocks you'll get rid of nvidia's modules like I'm going to do soon.

I have the Kernel source installed - it was K I believe. The only thing I didn't install was that KDEI.

Anyhoo, I wanted to try changing the config or the kernel as mirto suggested. I might upgrade the kernel to 2.6, but I would like to know how to change the kernel to remove stuff beforehand, as a future reference?

Mirto, if you could give me some pointers as to where to go from here with regards to removing the Riva fb from the kernel, I would be much appriciated. I have no idea how to recompile the kernel with or without things!

When the time comes that I feel I can upgrade the kernel, I can look at that pinned thread in this forum :) Thanks for your help guys :)

hey the first thing to do is to decompres the files.
In case you downloaded the linux-2.6xxx.tar.bz2 you go to /usr/src ant do tar jxvf /where_is_your file. Well I'm not going on how to configure the kernel cause there is a lot of tutorials on how to do that. then you enter on the new folder created and type make menuconfig. this will show a menu to configure your new kernel. now you go to Device Drivers (first screen), then Graphics Support then you Select the first option as built in(Support for frame buffer devices). Whatch the legend on the top of the screen! Remove everything less VESA VGA graphics support. next you go down Console Display driver support > select as built in the first five options. back the last menu you can put up that Tux logo select so Logo configuration then just the last one (Standart 224 color...).
Well this is all you need to have the nvidia proprietary working. of course you need to compile this new kernel and install AFTER the nvidia driver. ps don't forget to select as built in the device file system that you're using (like reiserfs).

ok, I am just downloading the new kernel, 2.6.15, from kernel.org. Unfortunately with the downloading of slackware and other such large files I've gone over my monthly quota and have had my 24mb line shaped to 64kb. This will take all day to download :(

Thanks for the quick reply mirto, I'll be sure to post here again if I get it work, but more likely, when I need more help with this!

from hsimahdont do useless stuffs man please dont go for new kernels i can help u i had done it in slack 10.2 with 2.4 kernelit is a max 10 min job
i had done it, in their read me file they specifically said u have to remove the rivafb module if it is loaded, it will conflict so remove the loaded module ..


for installing the driver (this is an earlier post i am just copying it )
u have to download the installer from nvidia if u r usinf 2.4 kernel u have to install its source first(it will install it, if u want u can c in the /usr/src/linux dir, if not it is there in slackware 1st cd .. slackware/k/kernel-source-2.4.31-noarch-1.tgz
do an #installpkg)

i am just pasting the earlier o post of mine
----1st---
this is the problem, nvidia driver yu have to install it first and if needed edit the xorg.conf file.

go to nvidias site, it is a good script it will even edit the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file (i have the thing but it is 11 mb, its name is NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8174-pkg1.run )and get the file it is an installer (*.run file) they r also giving a help file.
before runing u need the kernel source to installed in ur machine
(it wil b there in ur /usr/src/)

when u run the installer (#sh installer.run i think)from the root
it wil edit the conf file, so need to worry after that u can c ur X
----2nd--
i managed to get the link now http://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/L...-8174-pkg1.run

what u want to do is
#wget -c http://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/L...-8174-pkg1.run

(copy paste above link hi :^))
$cd /to/the/directory/where it is downloaded
# sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8174-pkg#.run

it will ask for editng the conf file press ok

this part is editing xorg.conf by hand if needed only from their site.(it will automatically edit xorg.conf file if not u do this.)
-------------------
If you have a working X config file for a different driver (such as the “nv” or “vesa” driver), then simply edit the file as follows.

Remove the line:

Driver "nv"
(or Driver "vesa")
(or Driver "fbdev")

and replace it with the line:

Driver "nvidia"

Remove the following lines:

Load "dri"
Load "GLCore"

In the Module section of the file, add the line (if it does not already exist):

Load "glx"
------------------

i think after this only u could even use alsaconf ok
best of luck and regards
__________________

before doing ask and search(in nvidia site) dont do waste thingsfrom this link u can get other links of the help pages http://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/L...l/part-01.html
regards

Thanks for posting all that, the problem is I didn't know how to disable the rivafb from the kernel. The driver will not install while it is enabled. From what I gather you cannot just remove the module, you have to reconfigure the kernel.

With the 2.4.31 kernel how can I configure the kernel to disable the support? mirto said to make menuconfig and then go to device drivers, but there is no device drivers in the screen that comes up when I type make menuconfig.

rkrishna don't mess the things here!! You tell him how to configure the ALREADY installed driver. THE problem is not to configure it's to install! Is better to upgrade to 2.6 since have mor options for usb and so. If he don't want to upgrade he will need to recompile the 2.4 the same way cause the modules that conflict with this kernel are loaded on the boot. So you must to remove the modules on the kernel 2.4 or above otherwise it not compiles.
I hv an nvidia vga and this is tha way it works. After installing the driver you can configure your X with yours configs above.

Thanks mirto, I thought thats what he was talking about. Right now I am up to the "make" stage of my new kernel. All instructions have been followed both from the Upgrade to 2.6.0 thread (stickied here) and your previous ones. Here is hoping it works. I can't believe how nervous this makes me, my hands are actually shaking!!

EDIT: Le sigh. I did all that but when I reboot it says I am using Linux 2.4.31. I ran the NVIDIA installer again, and nothing. I wonder what I am doing wrong?

hey tell me exactally what you did. by the way those instruction I gave you were to kernel 2.6, 2.4 are a little different but if you wanna use the 2.4 I can help you.

Well, I followed this thread: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...d.php?t=127095 including the link to the other, older thread, though the line wasn't what line they said it would be on. I also did not have a .config file.

Other than that I followed what it says there to a T, and then followed your instructions when I was in the menuconfig for the kernel. I saved the kernel config and it spent a good while listing things it was doing, then I did the rest of what that thread says to do, and finally rebooted. I haven't received any errors, it just says at login: Welcome to Linux 2.4.31 (tty1).

If I wanted to just stick with the 2.4.31 kernel, do I just undo everything I have done, and re-link /usr/src/linux with /usr/src/linux-2.4.31 using that ln line? Also, if I did that could you help me reconfigure the 2.4.31 kernel?

Sorry to be such a bother, it just doesn't seem to like me. I'd like to get these drivers working, then figure out about kernel upgrading.

well to compile the kernel I just use make mrproper (!! atention that this is just to clean a old compile, and it delete your config .config), then 'make', make modules_install, and last make install. After that you can reboot. If you will try again I sugest you 'mv .config .config.bak" and do a make mrproper, then mv .config.bak .config
Did you make a link to your linux kernel? ln -s?
That is good cause some applications rely on that.

OK, I did that make mrproper and in one of the lines it prints it said .../linuc-2.6.15 so it is reading from the source I downlaoded and extracted from kernel.org. Also the make menuconfig is different from when I did it with 2.4.31. Right now it is "make"ing. Will update asap!

ok, well if you want to this with the 2.4 kernel the steps make ... are different and I did it only once. did you ln -s linux-2.6.15 linux? It is good and easy to enter in the current kernel folder. btw how did you set up your config you get a prebuilt one or did it yourself?

YES! I upgraded my first kernel. And you will want to slap me for this... I went back into lilo.conf just to take a look... I had changed vmlinux to vmlinuz.old. A quick change to linuX and a reboot, and the three kernel compiles I just did (I'm assuming) were a waste of time!

The Nvidia drivers are building as I type this... Done.

Well, KDE has launched and the refresh rates etc are updated and I can move windows around with a lag to them. I think we have successfully helped hsimah 1) upgrade his kernel; 2) configure his kernel to his unique system; 3) install those bloody drivers.

Thank you so much mirto, you have no idea how much you have helped me.

One last question though, how do I change the resolution higher than 1024x768? I think its in xorg.conf.

EDIT scratch that. xorg.conf edited, and now I have my 1280x1024 res back in KDE.

a good thing it to look for your monitor manual on the google thera are the refresh rata the it uses. but you got 1280 that fine, I did that once with the monitos manual but my desktopp was strange the things where too big (1280x1024), then I find my manual and chaged the refresh rates and voila!
btw with your nem 2.6 kernel you can give excution permission to the udev 'chmod +x /etc/rc.d/rc.udev' then /etc/rc.d/rc.udev this will clean all those thing on /dev if you plug a usb flash drive will be only /dev/sdxx.
CU

I was almost forgotting try on lilo boot 'name_you_gave_to_your_linux vga=794' if it boots you hv a 1280x1024 console. then you can edit lilo conf with vga=794

Ah nice, I was just about to Google for how to change the resolution of the console. Cheers buddy!

As I can remeber rivafb conflicts with the nvidia driver even if it's compiled as a module.

In what way is installing the 2.6 kernel a waste of time?

// EDIT: I shall look more carefully.

It wasn't a waste of time, I made a typo in lilo.config and I am assuming thats why it wasn't working, so I tried to upgrade the kernel three times instead of just once :)

Though now I don't have any sound. Not even the internal speaker beeps when I make an error in the command line. When I start KDE I get this error message:

Sound server informational message:

Error while initializing the sound driver:

device /dev/dsp can't be opened (No such device)

The sound will continue, using the null output device

Weird. I looked at my configured kernel and I have selected to install all the defaults. My soundcard, a Soundblaster Live! Value, isn't specifically listed like other cards are, so I didn't do anything. When I run alsaconf, it tells me there is no supported PCI or PnP cards found. Hum, any ideas, or should I start a new thread? I think I've don something wrong when configuring my new kernel.

What are you talking about...??

# make menuconfig

Device Drivers > Sound > Alsa
PCI Devices > EMU10k1 (SBLive!,..)

Yeah, I got that from a friend over IRC. Just popped back to say I got it working. Thanks for posting though, Xian!

*please ignore*