Installing nVidia Drivers?

[Graeme43 0]

How do you install nVidia drivers in Redhat 9? For a Geforce FX?

 

Im new at linux and i noticed www.mandrakelinux.org seems to have changed ;(

 

Thanks

[Admiral LSD 0]

Installing the nVidia drivers is easier now than it has been in the past. nVidia recently changed the way the drivers install to not only make them more distribution independent (no more RPMs, yay!) but you can also update them with a single command (nvidia-installer --update). Full instructions on how to install them are on the nVidia site:

 

http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux_display_ia32_1.0-4496.html

 

README/Install Notes:

ftp://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/1.0-4496/README.txt

[Zuti 0]

You can also download drivers from the nVidia site. You will get a *.bin file.

You will also need kernel source.

 

Tip: read the nvidia FAQ

Good luck

[iamroot 0]

I'm a noob to nux and i dun really think i m able to install the drivers. Any rpms seen yet?

[danleff 0]

I just installed the NVIDIA drivers on my Mandrake 10 test box in under 30 minutes. The process is actually very easy. The new run files are a snap to install and if you do not have the proper modules installed, the installer will search the web and find them for you. I can write a short how-to, if anyone would like.

 

BTW, the NVIDIA site clearly states that there are no rpm´s written, as the new installer is independent of this need.

[iamroot 0]

I would really appreciate it if u cld post a how-to on istalling the nvidia drivers.

[danleff 0]

This will assume an install on a Mandrake system. Directions for Fedora would be similar, but differences will be noted.

 

1.Get the NVIDIA package from the web site. Assuming you have a 386 – 586 based system, get the latest Linux IA32 based package, which will be 1.0-5336. Download this file to your home directory. Take a look at the install (README) directions on the download page, while you are there, for reference. This is always a good idea.

 

2.Make sure that you have the kernel-source package installed for your kernel version. The latest driver will work for both the 2.4 and 2.6 kernels. If you can't find the kernel source on your Mandrake install cds, or you have installed an updated kernel-image rpm, the NVIDIA installer will attempt to find the needed files from the web.

 

3.Go to a konsole signed in as root. Type in init 3 and you will exit KDE to a command prompt. The NVIDIA drivers need to be installed at a command prompt. The init 3 command works in Mandrake, but not in Fedora. In Fedora, I found that I had to change the /etc/inittab file by hand to init level 3 and reboot to get a command line to do the install.

 

4.If you downloaded the NVIDIA file to your home directory, you are ready to type in your command to open the run file. If not, navigate into the directory that you saved the driver file to. Type in sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-pkg1.mun and hit enter. The installer will guide you through the process. If this is successful;

 

5.This is where experience comes in. I used vi to edit my XF86Config-4 file to change settings. So, vi /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 opens up the file for editing. In Mandrake 10 CE, the only setting I needed to change was the video card. Under section “device” “driver” you will see the entry “nv.” Change this to “nvidia.” Save your changes.

 

6.NOTE: In other distros or versions, take note that you may need to comment out the entries in XF86Config-4 (or XF86Config, if your distro does not have the XF86Config-4 file), such as “load DRI” and “load GLCore.” Fedora, for example, uses a LOAD DRI entry that needs to be commented out (by putting a hash mark # before the entry, on the line that the entry resides on.

 

7.Once you exit vi and are back at the command prompt, change to regular user. I typed in “login” at the command prompt and logged back in as normal user, not root. Then, I typed in startx. If you are lucky, you will see the NVIDIA splash screen and kde will load. Your done! The only catch, is that when you log out of kde, you will be back at the command prompt and need to change to root to execute the halt or reboot to get out of the init 3 session.

 

If the gui fails, just go back into XF86Config-4 or XF86Config and edit the "nvidia" entry that you changed back to "nv" and uncomment “load DRI” and “load GLCore”, if applicable.

 

[dimkin 0]

nv tries to download kernel, but fails - can`t find it

where can i find it (my os - mandrake 10 community), where i must copy it?

[danleff 0]

The kernel-source package is on your Mandrake disks.

 

First, make sure you know what kernel that you are running. At a console, type in uname -r. If you have done a regular install and not updated the kernel, it should read 2.6.3-4mdk.

 

Go to start-->configure-->configure computer...

 

This will bring you to the Mandrake Control Center.

 

Then...Software Management-->Install. Type in kernel-source.

 

Choose that kernel, from the result that you got from the uname command and allow the install of the kernel source.

 

Then go back and install the nvidia driver.

[SoulNothing 0]

there is one thing i have to say when i installed my nvidia drivers under kde major issues

why because for some odd reason the kernel source is not under kde switch to gnome kernel source is so it seems like any errors listed is what i got under kde

another thing is u tell it start in command prompt instead of the x server the kernel source still cant be found this causes some problems i havent been on linux in quite some time but this is what happened to me when installing nvidia drivers.

[dimkin 0]

I install kerner, then - nvidia drivers. all- succesfully. after install openGL doesn`t work at all ;(

[danleff 0]

Did you read the readme file for a solution?

 

From the nvidia readme file;

 

"X starts for me, but OpenGL applications terminate immediately.

 

A: If X starts, but OpenGL causes problems, you most likely have a

problem with other libraries in the way, or there are stale symlinks.

See Appendix C for details. Sometimes, all it takes is to rerun

'ldconfig'.

 

You should also check that the correct extensions are present;

'xdpyinfo' should show the "GLX", "NV-GLX" and "NVIDIA-GLX" extensions

present. If these three extensions are not present, then there is

most likely a problem with the glx module getting loaded or it is

unable to implicitly load GLcore. Check your XF86Config file and make

sure that you are loading glx (see "Editing Your XF86Config File"

above). If your XF86Config file is correct, then check the XFree86

log file for warnings/errors pertaining to GLX. Also check that all

of the necessary symlinks are in place (refer to Appendix C)."

 

[iamroot 0]

Are the NVIDIA drivers for Fedora Core 2 out already?

[Dapper Dan 0]

I've been wondering the same thing. Since they changed to X-org rather than Xfree86, I wonder if we'll be able to install the nvidia modules in the same manner.

[monsieurpixie 0]

Where is it that the source for the kernel is supposed to be located? I wasn't able to get it off the CDs or through any automatic methods, but I downloaded it. Now I only need to know where to put it! Thanks.

[danleff 0]

Well, that all depends on what Distro you are using. What distro is it and where did you get the source? Are you referring to the kernel-source RPM's for Fedora...Mandrake...?

 

Make sure that you have the right package for your current kernel.

[monsieurpixie 0]

Alright, well when I go into the "Configure computer" it finds a source file but isn't able to install it. I found that same file online in a rpm and I have it on my computer. I tried installing it so I'll see if this works (I used to just have a tar.gz but I just found the RPM).

[monsieurpixie 0]

Alright, well I've found how I can manually tell it where to go for the source but I don't know exactly where to point it. I don't know where the RPM installed to and when I tried to go to the path of my tar.gz extraction it said it was unable to determine what to use. Any help is appreciated.

[danleff 0]

OK, let's back up a bit. You are speaking of both source and RPM.

 

Just unpacking the source kernel gz or bz files from, say, Kernel.org will not work, if this is what you did. The kernel will need to be compiled from either of these packages for the necessary kernel headers, links and modules to be installed properly.

 

When you install the kernel source RPM from the distro that you are using, then the files are extracted and built automatically, usually to/from /usr/src/linux. This should be where you are pointing the NVIDIA installer to. If the installer can't find viable kernel source/headers, it will attempt to download and use one from it's own database, assuming that you have an internet connection.

 

Again, what distro and version are you using? It appears that it is Mandrake?

 

What does the command uname -r show as the kernel version?

 

As mentioned above, if this is Fedora Core 2, I have no idea if this will work with the new x.org x-windows interface, which is new to Fedora Core 2. Fedora Core 1 still uses the XFree86 x-window interface, which the installer will work with.