2960 drivers, redhat 7.3, kernel

[normanpang]

Hi,

I've installed the NVIDIA drivers on my DELL Inspiron 8100 laptop; which is running Redhat 7.3. The linux kernel version is 2.4.18-5. The NVIDIA video card is GeForce2 Go.

I've used NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-2960.rh73up.i686.rpm and the tarball NVIDIA_GLX-1.0-2960.tar.gz.

I also can't run modprobe NVdriver.

When X-windows starts to run, the screen flickers and I end up with the message :

Id "X" respawning too fast

If there is no solution, how can I uninstall the GLX driver?

thanks,

Norm

[Thunderbird]

When you use kernel 2.4.18-5 you can't use the kernel rpm for Rh 7.3 at all since that one was made for 2.4.18-3.

[normanpang]

thanks for the advice - I've now installed the NVIDIA kernel using the src RPM. What happens now is that when I start Redhat I see the NVIDIA logo flicker on and off continuously, for at least five minutes. Being a linux newbie, I'm unable to stop this happening except using CTRL-ALT-DEL. This means I can't get into my OS to examine the XFree log - any suggestions.

Can I boot into redhat without kicking off the Xserver?

[thebunny]

Your machine boots into runlevel 5 which means that it will start X automatically. If you don't want to start X automatically boot into runlevel 3 for instance. The runlevel you boot into is controlled by the file /etc/inittab. You will find a line in there looking like this:

id:5:initdefault:

All you have to do is to switch the '5' to a '3' and it will not try to start X automatically. Now it sounds like your machine didn't really lock up completely so you can get out of X to a terminal by hitting Ctrl+Alt+F1 (or F2,F3..F6). At that point you can edit /etc/inittab (using vi, pico, nano or whatever your favorite editor is). You can also kill X at any point by hitting Crtl+Alt+Backspace. Note that X will be respawned automatically if you are in runlevel 5.

As to your oroginal problem, I am sure someone will be able to help once they have the log.

HTH

[normanpang]

thanks for the advice but I still can't get into the terminal mode. I've tried a combination of CTRL-ALT-F1, F2... but to no avail. Only CTRL-ALT-DEL will stop X from flasjhing the NVIDIA logo screen but this results in the OS being rebooted.

Fustrated!

[othos]

When GRUB loads read the text at the bottom if you have a password set press p and entrer it if not I think you press e to edit the load commands. Look for the one that says kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18-5 ...
at the end of it put a space then 3
press enter and then press b too boot. this will get you into runlevel 3 so you can see what is going on.

[normanpang]

thanks - managed to boot into terminal mode now. Resolved the problem - /dev/mouse was not loading. A mouse device wasn't connected - didn't recognise my touchpad as a mouse until I connected a proper mouse.

thanks for all you help - now I have to figure out how to change the resolution.