kernel recompiling breaks drivers...

[deputyjim]

I installed the current 3123 drivers onto my Toshiba laptop, which has a GeForce 4. Didn't have much of a problem, although I had to do a little tweaking. However, I wanted to upgrade my kernel to address laptop functionality and when I tried to load the new kernel, the drivers no longer worked (couldn't startx (unable to locate NVdriver - no devs in /dev, but reinstalling didn't put them there). I tried reinstalling, modprobe, depmod, all to no avail. Has anyone gone through this process successfully and if so, how have you done it? I'd really like to get my new kernel working. Thanks in advance for the help.

Jim

[bwkaz]

Every different kernel that you use has its own module directory. This is because modules built for one kernel version will not work under any other kernel version.

You're installing from RPMs, right? If so, you can't. If you use a non-distro kernel, or an updated kernel that doesn't have an RPM built specifically for it, then you have to build from source. The RPM installation will put the NVdriver kernel module file in /lib/modules/<your old kernel version>/kernel/drivers/video, not in /lib/modules/<your current kernel version>/kernel/drivers/video, which is where it should go. Building from source fixes this problem.

How did you upgrade your kernel? From source, or via something like up2date? What distro & version?

[deputyjim]

I downloaded the laptop-modified (ACPI-enabled) kernel from mandrake's web site. They have an updated kernel that is compiled as an rpm. Side note: I tried compiling another kernel yesterday (I tried to build the module into my existing kernel via a patch) and, although I was successful, it broke my video driver anyway. So what I'm trying to figure out is how to reinstall the NV drivers to account for the new kernel. I've kinda given up for now unless I get some help or stumble across some other information.

If I read your email correctly, I have to recompile the video drivers? I originally got them as .src.rpm, then I --rebuild them into .rpm, then rpm -ivh. Do you mean I need to do that whole thing again while booted into my new kernel? Your help is much appreciated.

Jim

[bwkaz]

Yes, you have to do all that again. However, you will have to rpm -e the old packages (which are probably named NVIDIA_kernel and NVIDIA_GLX -- no version, no .i386, no .rpm) before you install the new ones.

If you were to go with the .tar.gz version, you wouldn't have to do that, but whatever.