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Correct way of installing latest NVIDIA driver


drbenway
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HI.

 

I am quite accustomed to getting my Nvidia driver working in many distros - I nearly always compile my kernel from source in gentoo, opensuse, ubuntu,, etc.

 

However on mandriva (like opensuse) I would usually

-download make gcc kernel-source then install the driver from Nvidia.com .

 

This didn't work - complained about missing files in kernel source (I couldn't really see as the screen in console mode screwed up when starting to install the driver - all the text goes into one paragraph and overwrites itself - I have attached screen shot.

 

After compiling my own kernel from the mandriva kernel source package I managed to install driver - the text was still screwed (see sreenshot)

 

Btw - I took the screen shot in KDE (hence the message (you cant really see)) - howver it was the same in a console windows - i.e ctrl + alt + F1 - init3

- Note that the general text is o.k in console its just when I start the nvidia driver install...

 

- it installed by was really slow - much slower than normal / mandriva driver. - copied same xorg.conf ...

- May this possible be due to KDE4 settings the mandriva driver initiates ?

 

My question is - what is the correct procedure to install nvidia driver (i.e to stop Mandriva trying to install the (BETA) nvidia driver it comes with.

 

I don't want to use the RPM version - I perfer to use the official nviida one - that way when the next one comes out you dont have to wait for your distro package maintainer - i.e like now - on opensuse / ubuntu I installed normally...........

 

Mandriva 2009 - amd64

Athon X2 64

nvidia geforce 8500

 

 

- just realised - theres no image upload in this forum...........

Edited by drbenway
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You don't need to compile your own kernel.

All you need to do is install the kernel-development that matches the exact version number of the kernel you are currently booted into.

Then enter a console as root and type init 3. Then type in root and then root password. Type in cd /"where you have the Nvidia driver located" then enter (note the space after cd). Type in sh NVI (note the space after sh) then press tab and the driver should complete its name. Press enter and then follow through. When completed, type in reboot and press enter.

 

Why make a simple process difficult when it doesn't need to be ?.

 

Cheers. John.

 

I just noticed that you are using 2009 so the above will likely not work. I have never been able to get the proprietary driver to install despite trying just about everything known.

In 2009, even installing the Mandriva driver is useless. It installs but basically changes nothing and is thus more than useless. Gl screensavers and gl based applications such as mahjongg-3D just don't work. I have 2009-kde3 setup and not kde4 (the less said about it the better at this time).

 

JB

Edited by AussieJohn
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Hi,

 

The same thing happens when using kernel-devel - ie completely unreadable text when installing the nvidia driver - if i didn't know the nvidia installer I would never have been able to install the driver. i.e I choose the options - i.e 32 bit support from memory

 

- It should work if i've compiled my own kernel or not

- this only occurs on amd64 version not i586 mandriva one 2009

 

Also official driver is so slow on both mandriva 2009 versions - there has to be certain pre-existing config files thats effecting the driver - the same driver version works fine on gentoo, ubuntu, opensuse and arch linux.... I have tried on madriva 2009 free - which had no nvidia driver installed...

 

Its completely unusable

 

I have also had the following issues - to install from mandriva 2009 i586 the livecd just came up with black screen - i had to

 

ctrl+alt+F1

login as root

drakxconf - choose nv (so as not to confuse driver,...)

/etc/init.d/dm restart

 

- this was just to make livecd boot

 

- also on amd64 kde4 seems to crash (generally kicker) all the time

- opengl desktop effects still hard lock my nvidia card - this is not a madriva issue - happens with all kde4 versions..- i.e windows style crash....

 

Years ago the first distro i use was mandriva - if I had been a newbie and this had been my first linux experience I wouldn't be coming back........

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The proprietary nvidia driver had issues with KDE4 and desktop effects enabled. There was some argument if it was a KDE or nvidia bug, but anyway- the latest nvidia driver (177-80) works well with KDE4.

Just follow AussieJohn's instructions, they should do the trick without much fuss.

Just get sure you are not using kernel-server (which is the default if you installed from the ONE disk), as it can't be used the proprietary nvidia driver.

Edited by scarecrow
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I have just installed the 64 version of 2009-Official. What I found was that the driver you need for NVIDIA must be a 64 version as well. This is why I wasn't able to install the Nvidia driver I had downloaded, it was a 586 version.

 

Cheers. John.

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