Hey everybody. Long time reader, first time poster.

I am a newb to Linux. I'm using it for experimental use and I was recommended to use Topologilinux at topologilinux.com. I'm sure a lot of you are familiar with it, but few have tried it. It's basically a distro that easily installs alongside Windows on the same partition for a dual-boot system. I like the concept, only I'm having one major problem.

I have an nVidia card. A GeForce FX 5200 to be exact, but that doesn't really matter so much. The problem is installing the driver. The support forums over at Topo's website are dead, but from the information I got there, I have edited Xorg to say dri="nvidia" and all that jazz.

I go into the installer. It says it can't find the kernel and will go online to look for one. Okay, but it can't find one online so it tries to compile its own. Okay, but now it can't compile the kernel for whatever reason.

This is preventing me from launching x, and I can't work on the strict command-line atmosphere.

Since I can't exactly relay the error messages I get, I have to ask if anybody has any suggestions on how to set it up. I see that there are "patched" nVidia drivers, but I'm not sure if I want/need to go that route yet. Does anybody know a good outline or step-by-step of how to install nVidia drivers? Should I try an alternative driver or does anybody know where the installation can look for my kernel in this particular distribution? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks a lot guys.

I suspect what's missing is the kernel source directory.

I assume you know where these packages are kept, but have a rummage around on CD-1 if you don't.

Just so we're clear, it's not looking for the kernel, it's looking for a kernel wrapper that acts as a link between your kernel and the binary nvidia driver. Since you don't have a kernel that *it* knows about (ie: has a precompiled wrapper for) it needs to make its own.

Patched nvidia drivers won't help in this case, you will still need the compiled wrapper =)

Good luck and let us know how it goes,
- Piete.

I'm not familiar with this Topologilinux, but is it Slackware based ? Does it uses the Slackware package manager ? Cause if it doesn't, then what piete said is out of the question.

Luckily I checked their site, http://topologilinux.com/ before posting a slackware specific response ...

Hurrah for doing your own research =)

Haha, why else would I post in the Slackware forum? I'm not that much of a newb, now.