Slackware 9: Nvidia installer couldn't find matching kernel

[3777]

Also couldn't find a kernel file to download from nvidia....... this was the message given in the installer. I was also unable to build a driver from the extrated folder that I obtained from the program.

Solution: I downloaded the 2 Tar.GZ files and installed without a hitch........ but this is yet another reason Nvidia should continue to offer the Tar.gz files .......the rpm's never worked, but the Tar.gz source files are very important for the many Linux distros out there......

[Andy Mecham]

There should be no difference between the installer and the tarballs - the installer is simply a wrapper to the tarballs in the cases where it can't find a precompiled module.

Post your installer log.

--andy

[3777]

Originally posted by Andy Mecham
There should be no difference between the installer and the tarballs - the installer is simply a wrapper to the tarballs in the cases where it can't find a precompiled module.

Post your installer log.

--andy

Hi,

I was in the directory that was extracted from the installer, and when I typed "make" in terminal, it just said bad/unrecognized command. Then I downloaded the Tar.gz files and went to those directories, typed make, and it made the drivers without a problem:confused: I dunno maybe I screwed something up the first time, it's my first day using Slackware:D Don't have log to show since it wouldn't recognize the make command.

[bwkaz]

Post the log from when you ran the installer, is what Andy meant. ;)

Otherwise, what was the exact error that came back when you did a make? Full output, please, would also be good. :)

[3777]

Originally posted by bwkaz
Post the log from when you ran the installer, is what Andy meant. ;)

Otherwise, what was the exact error that came back when you did a make? Full output, please, would also be good. :)

I will post the installer log....... any idea where I can find it?:D

[Andy Mecham]

/var/log/nvidia-installer.log

--andy

[3777]

Thanks, here is what it said:

nvidia-installer log file '/var/log/nvidia-installer.log'
creation time: Wed Apr 9 03:44:56 2003

option status:
license pre-accepted : false
update : false
force update : false
expert : false
uninstall : false
driver info : false
no precompiled interface: false
no ncurses color : false
query latest driver ver : false
no OpenGL header files : false
no questions : false
silent : false
XFree86 install prefix : /usr/X11R6
OpenGL install prefix : /usr
Installer install prefix: /usr
kernel include path : (not specified)
kernel install path : (not specified)
proc mount point : /proc
ui : (not specified)
tmpdir : /tmp
ftp site : ftp://download.nvidia.com

Using: nvidia-installer ncurses user interface
-> License accepted.
-> No precompiled kernel interface was found to match your kernel; would you li
ke the installer to attempt to download a kernel interface for your kernel f
rom the NVIDIA ftp site (ftp://download.nvidia.com)? (Answer: Yes)
-> No matching precompiled kernel interface was found on the NVIDIA ftp site;
this means that the installer will need to compile a kernel interface for
your kernel.
ERROR: Unable to find the kernel header files for the currently running kernel.
Please make sure you have installed the kernel header files for your
kernel; on Red Hat Linux systems, for example, be sure you have the
'kernel-source' rpm installed. If you know the correct kernel header
files are installed, you may specify the kernel include path with the
'--kernel-include-path' commandline option.
ERROR: Installation has failed. Please see the file
'/var/log/nvidia-installer.log' for details. You may find suggestions
on fixing installation problems in the README available on the Linux
driver download page at www.nvidia.com.

[bwkaz]

What kernel are you running? Is there a /lib/modules/<kernel version>/build symlink? There should be; it should point at the base of your kernel source directory tree.

[3777]

Originally posted by bwkaz
What kernel are you running? Is there a /lib/modules/<kernel version>/build symlink? There should be; it should point at the base of your kernel source directory tree.

Yes, Slackware 9.0 kernel version 2.4.20

[bwkaz]

Hang on, I now see this when I tell the .run file -A:

--kernel-include-path=[KERNEL INCLUDE PATH]
The directory containing the kernel header files that should be
used when compiling the NVIDIA kernel module. When not
specified, the installer will use '/usr/lib/modules/`uname
-r`/build/include/', if that directory exists. Otherwise, it
will use '/usr/src/linux/include'. Umm... these defaults are WRONG. It should not be using /usr/lib/modules, it should be using /lib/modules. Andy, why is it using a path that doesn't exist?

3777 -- you should be able to tell it --kernel-include-path=/lib/modules/$(uname -r)/build/include; that should work. I was under the impression that this was the default (it always was used in the Makefiles), but I guess not.

[Andy Mecham]

It's a typo in the help info - it looks in /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build first, unless SYSINCLUDE or --kernel-include-path is set.

I'll fix the typo.

--andy

[bwkaz]

Ahh, OK. Umm... do you know why it's not finding the sources?

[Andy Mecham]

That's a good question. It should have.

3777: Are you sure your kernel sources are in /usr/src/linux, and there's a /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build symlink pointing it to it?

--andy