Noob needs help

[brummie]

Today is my first day with linux and i must say everything is going smoothely so far. :D

But i dont know which drivers to install for my graphics card.

I have a nvidia geforce 3 ti500, asus a7n8x deluxe and i am using Mandrake 9.0

On the nVidia download page there is 3 packages to download and i dont know which one i should be using, can someone please help me out.

Thanks in advance,

brummie.....

[LordMorgul]

What to download depends on what distro of linux you are using (in particular the exact kernel version you have!), in short:

nvidia supplies a script titled "nvchooser.sh", get it:
ftp://download1.nvidia.com/XFree86_40/1.0-4191/NVchooser.sh

run it with:
sh nvchooser.sh

and it will tell you the exact names of files to download and install. You must get 1 GLX file, and 1 kernel module file. The script will inform you which. Follow the directions laid out in the readme supplied by nvidia at the bottom of the drivers page.

You may choose which version you want to use, 31.23 works very well as does 41.91.. altho 41.91 has some specific problems with slow 2d rendering as you can see by reading a few threads here.

USE THAT SCRIPT... however these files *should* be the correct ones for you.

(this is to help you verify and recognize the correct files from the script! not to avoid using it)

http://download.nvidia.com/XFree86_40/1.0-4191/NVIDIA_GLX-1.0-4191.i386.rpm

http://download.nvidia.com/XFree86_40/1.0-4191/NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-4191.mdk90up.i586.rpm

[brummie]

i have downloaded the nvchooser to my temp folder, how do i run it?
It associates with vi???

EDIT: Dont worry i figured it out thanks!

[brummie]

Done all that now thanks! :D

But now i've lost my GUI :( boots straight into DOS like login

Any idea's?

[LordMorgul]

The answer to that depends on why it changed. That can be found in two files, (provided as I think.. that mandrake uses this file) the first:
/etc/inittab

in the lines
# Default runlevel. The runlevels used by RHS are:
# 0 - halt (Do NOT set initdefault to this)
# 1 - Single user mode
# 2 - Multiuser, without NFS (The same as 3, if you do not have networking)
# 3 - Full multiuser mode
# 4 - unused
# 5 - X11
# 6 - reboot (Do NOT set initdefault to this)
#
id:3:initdefault:

if the 3 in the last line is a 3.. then you start in terminal mode, if it is a 5.. then you had an error which caused you to 'revert' to terminal mode.

If an error occurred, then check:
/var/log/XFree86.0.log

For any possible error messages or warnings.

In the meantime, the command 'telinit x' will change this user mode while the machine is running, replace x with the number you want to change to.

[brummie]

Thanks for your helpm8 :)
I have now sorted it out.

I forgot to put the nvidia where nv is in the config file you have to enter :rolleyes:

I ahve a fully working system now - well nearly, just need a 3com driver :)


Thx again

brummie.....

[bwkaz]

3Com driver?

Do I hear anyone yelling "3c59x!"?

Yeah, it's me.

;)

(Of course, this only applies if you have a PCI 3Com card, but I'd think you do)

[brummie]

Thx m8

but how do i go about installing it? I cant figure it out. :(

[bwkaz]

You shouldn't need to install it. Every kernel since (I'd guess) 2.4.0 has had it supported.

Try /sbin/modprobe 3c59x and see what (if anything) happens. If you don't get any errors in your logs, then you've got a card that that driver can support.

Mandrake's installer should have set this all up for you, though...

[Cheshiremackat]

What do you need the 3com driver for? Are you using a 3com ethernet card? Why not just use the one on your A7N 8X delux board...

If you need the ethernet driver you need to get the
nforce platform driver (nvidia website) for mandrake and install it... you will then be able to use the ethernet port on the motherboard

_CMK

[brummie]

Mandake installer didnot install it for me :(

I cant even see it listed in the hardware manager.
Nvidia on is working fine but i need the other 3com working too for ICS.

Would it just be easier to buy a PCI LAN card you think?

Final note: should i put this in the other linux section :D

cheers

brummie.....