tried tried failed nvidia hell

[ArgPirate]

i tried all the steps to install the rpm and they seemed to work but the nv tool says that the module isnt there. but the rpm installed whats the deealy yo?

[bwkaz]

Which distro and version?

Did you run the NVchooser.sh script from the download page, and grab the version that it told you to?

Otherwise, what are you typing, and what's it telling you, exactly?

[Master0ne]

sorry for the copy and paste the link is (not sure if it will break on this forum eventualy)

link is http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?postid=45407#post45407

all the FAQ's ive read on how to install NVIDIA DRIVERS are pretty much right, but id like to add one comment for RH8.0 users, this might effect other systems aswell....


This Was Posted by STEEL1, because im lazy and dont feel like retyping everything ill just add my comments in this form /#

Step 1> Download the following from NVidia's site. (Note that the NVIDIA_kernel is the **src.rpm** rpm file and the NVIDIA_GLX is a **rpm**):
NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-3123.src.rpm
and
NVIDIA_GLX-1.0-3123.i386.rpm
/# i used NVIDIA_GLX-1.0-3123.src.rpm

Step 2> Make sure you have the kernel headers installed along with all other dev tools - these are needed along with other dependencies. The best way to ensure that you have all dependencies is to just go start menu > system settings > packages > and in the development section choose the Kernel development packge and install the whole thing.

Step 3> In a gnome terminal window do a "rpmbuild --rebuild NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-3123.src.rpm" to create drivers for the RH 8.0 kernel. (This will create the binary RPM in "/usr/src/redhat/RPMS/i386/NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-3123.i386.rpm")
/# i did everything in console without X running
/# for my i686 archetecture i had to use these lines
/# rpmbuild --rebuild NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-3123.src.rpm --target=i686
/#(This will create the binary RPM in "/usr/src/redhat/RPMS/i686/NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-3123.i386.rpm")
/# i also had to rpmbuild --rebuild NVIDIA_GLX-1.0-3123.src.rpm --target=i686
/# this will also be in /usr/src/redhat/RPMS/i686/
Confirm this.

Note: "rpm --rebuild" does not work with newer versions of rpm so use "rpmbuild --rebuild".
Also do the rebuild in "X" in a gnome terminal. I dont know why but I had problems doing the rebuild and especially installing the kernel on command line. when I did this in a Gnome terminal in a runing Xserver it works fine. So do it in a gnome terminal.

STEP 4> Installed this new (NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-3123.i386.rpm)
"rpm -ivh /usr/src/redhat/RPMS/i386/NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-3123.i386.rpm"
/# i had to change filenames for my archeture NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-3123.i686.rpm

Note: It is important that you do this step also in a gnome terminal in a xserver session and not on command line. When doing through a command line the rpm install hanged and did not complete, I had to restart my computer. (I dont know why). But it works great in a terminal window in gnome and completes fine.
The rpm after installation may complain that the nvidia_kernel is export tainted. This is OK ignore it. To read more on export tained and what it means:
http://www.tux.org/lkml/#export-tainted

/# I did everything in CONSOLE (because my drivers wernt working ;-) seemd to work fine in console...)

Step 5>Now log out of gnome and go to the command line. Install the GLX (NVIDIA_GLX-1.0-3123.i386.rpm)
"rpm -ivh NVIDIA_GLX-1.0-3123.i386.rpm"
/# i had to change filenames for my archeture NVIDIA_GLX-1.0-3123.i686.rpm

Note: I did this on the command line outside of gnome and it works so just do it guys the same way :-)

Step 6> Edit the /etc/X11/XF86Config file and make a backup copy of the original:

- Remove the Load "dri" line.
/# i did not find this line Load "dri" line
- Change the Driver line from "nv" to "nvidia"
/#this is IMPORTNANT

Happy UT2003 playing.......
I am so so happy. Hope this helps you guys. Its working yeah !!!

[ArgPirate]

Bam i figured out what it is. I tried to build from the tarball and it tells me.../usr/include/linux/modversions.h:1:2: #error Modules should never use kernel-headers system headers,
/usr/include/linux/modversions.h:2:2: #error but rather headers from an appropriate kernel-source package.
/usr/include/linux/modversions.h:3:2: #error Change -I/usr/src/linux/include (or similar) to
/usr/include/linux/modversions.h:4:2: #error -I/lib/modules/$(uname -r)/build/include
/usr/include/linux/modversions.h:5:2: #error to build against the currently-running kernel.
make: *** [nv.o] Error 1
which means i dont have the kernal source headers. just bins i guess. so i just need to install the kernal src. how would i go about doing that?
redhat 7.3 Geforce 256 i have the right rpms/tarballlllllssss.

[bwkaz]

You do it by seeing what uname -r tells you, then installing the kernel-source-<output of uname -r> package, probably off your distro CDs or off RHN if that's where you updated your kernel from (if you did indeed update your kernel).

After that, you look around in the /usr/src/linux/configs directory for a config file that matches your hardware, and copy it to /usr/src/linux/.config. Then go back to /usr/src/linux, and run make mrproper oldconfig dep and try the NVIDIA_kernel again.

[ArgPirate]

umm i used kpackage to unpack the src but looks like it just installed in /lib/modules/ what else do ineed to do there is nothing in /usr/src/ at all

[bwkaz]

Which files did it put into /lib/modules?

[ArgPirate]

it installed....2.4.18-3 and in there is....
build modules.dep modules.isapnpmap modules.pnpbiosmap
kernel modules.generic_string modules.parportmap modules.usbmap
misc modules.ieee1394map modules.pcimap pcmcia

there is more in the varios dirs of course now the thing is is that nvidia wants that build and the build points to /usr/src/linux-2.4.18-3 which does not exsit. :) also there is a 2.4.18-10 in the modules dir with only only actual file NVdriver. dont know how it got there. tried to place it in the 2.4.18-3 dir and it didnt help. suprise suprise. this is stumping me. but im not to quick so...

[bwkaz]

OK. You did not install kernel-source if the build symlink doesn't point to anywhere valid.

However, the reason the NVdriver is in 2.4.18-10 is because either you installed the 2.4.18-10-specific RPM (my guess) or you were running 2.4.18-10 when you built the .tar.gz driver.

However, you seem to be (though I'm not positive) running 2.4.18-3.

So. Start over. ;)

What does uname -r tell you? You need to install that version RPM if you install from RPMs. If you don't install from RPMs, you will need that version of kernel-source installed (which means you need a /usr/src/linux-<that version> directory).

Actually, what does running the NVchooser script tell you? Download it from the 3123 driver download page and run it with sh NVchooser.sh.

[ArgPirate]

hrrm i fixed it upgraded to rehat 8.0 and bam it worked...cool thanks.