Driver Installation Problem

[ACE8080]

I've been using Linux for about 3 days now. I've installed Red Hat version 7.3 Got it working well and went to install drivers for my GeForce 4 MX 440. I downloaded the right files. Installed the NVIDIA_GLX-1.0-3123.i386.rpm then installed NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-3123.rh73up.athlon.rpm (I have a 2000+ XP Althlon.) Everything seemed to go well, but when I went to start X server the screen just went black and it wouldnt start KDE. After a few minutes it went back and I got this error:

INIT: Id "x" respawing too fast: disabled for 5 minutes.

I then checked the XFree86 log file. Here is the error it had in it:

(EE) Failed to load module "GLcore" (module does not exist, 0)

I don't know how to uninstall the GLX so I dont have any type of GUI. I would like to get this fixed and the drivers installed. Any help would be great. Thanks.

[bwkaz]

Well, it appears that you haven't read the nVidia README file. In there, it details the changes you have to make to your XFree86 configuration file after you install the rpm (or the .tar.gz, actually) drivers.

In a nutshell, you have to comment out Load "GLcore", comment out Load "dri", uncomment or add Load "glx", and change Driver "nv" or Driver "vesa" to Driver "nvidia".

Now you get to learn the wonders of a text-mode text editor in order to make these changes. ;) Boot to text mode (by editing the kernel command line when your bootloader is running -- add a 3 at the end of it). Now wait for it to boot, and log in like normal. The editor you'd use is based a lot on personal preference, but I'd suggest trying vim if you have it installed... once you figure out how it works, it gets really fast. But anyway, figure out what your config file is named (in RedHat 7.3, I believe it's named /etc/X11/XF86Config-4), and then vim that_filename. vim will open in command mode. Move the cursor to where you're going to make changes, and hit the i key to get into insert mode. Make the appropriate changes then, and hit the Esc key to go back to command mode. When in command mode, :wq and enter will save and exit. After you've made the appropriate changes and exited, try to startx, and see if you get any errors in your log file then.

[ACE8080]

Thanks. I got it working.