problem installing Ubuntu nvidia drivers

[moa]

Hi all,
I am new with Linux , I just installed my first Ubuntu (7.10) and wanted to activate the visual effects (now set to NONE). It looks that i can't do it, then i thought that may be i have to install the graphic card drivers. In the Ubuntu HELP it speaks about using RESTRICTED DRIVERS MANAGER to install and get them, but if i go to ADD/REMOVE APPICATION and double-click on RESTRICTED DRIVERS MANAGER it says:

" The list of applications is not availabe

Click on 'Reload' to load it. To reload the list you need a working Internet connection."

I do have an internet connection, and it's working...

I click REFRESH and it says:

"Downloading package information"

and then it comes back to the starting point, and the application (RESTRICTED DRIVERS MANAGER) doesn't show up in the SYSTEM drop-menu.

I don't really understand...

can somebody help me?

infinite thanks...

[fgt]

Hi moa

Just installed a 8800GT on ubuntu 7.10.
I did a manual install of the newest nvidia drivers 169.07 (http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux_d...32_169.07.html)

After visiting different forums I found this is working for me...

1. Download the driver to your desktop
2. Check that build-essentials are installed (if not you can install them with
sudo aptitude install build-essential)
3. CTRL+ALT+F1 (to console)
4. sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop (stop display manager)
5. cd Desktop (or where you have saved the driver)
6. sudo sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-169.07.pkg1.run
(Now the NVIDIA installer asks to accept licence an other things you should accpet or say yes)
7. sudo gdm (start display manager again)

E volià, you should have the newest drivers running.

Well, probably now your fan is on topspeed. This is a bug in the newest nvidia drivers. To keep it again calm you can use nvclock (http://linuxhardware.kerseyfamily.com/nvclock/)

To install nvclock you can do this(Installed from cvs)
1. sudo aptitude remove nvclock
2. sudo aptitude install cvs automake
3. cd /usr/local/src
4. sudo cvs -z3 -d:pserver:anonymous@nvclock.cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/nvclock co -P nvclock
5. cd nvclock
6. sudo sh autogen.sh
7. sudo ./configure
8. sudo make
9. sudo make install
10. nvclock -i (see information about your nvidia card)
11. nvclock -f -F auto (will adjust your fan speed automaticly)

If you have errors i configure or make you have probably missing X11 libraries.
You can install them with synaptic (had to install package libx11-dev and libxext-dev)

NOTE: After a restart you have to call nvclock -f -F auto again. (Well you could put it into your init scripts).

Hope this helps
Patrick

[moa]

hi fgt,

first of all thanks for your help.

following your steps, i stopped the gdm from the console and I started the installer.

after accepting the LICENSE, it reads:

"No precompiled kernel interface was found to match your kernel; would you like the installer to attempt to download a kernel interface for your kernel from the NVIDIA ftp site (ftp://downloads/nvidia.com)?"

press OK, it reads:

"No precompiled kernel interface was found to match your kernel; this means that the installer will need to compile a new kernel interface."

press OK, it reads:

"ERROR: You do not appear to have libc header files installed on your system. Please install your distribution's libc development package."

OK again:

ERROR: Installation has failed, bla bla bla see the file bla bla bla for details...

What did I do wrong?
I think may be I don't have the build-essentials...

when I type
sudo aptitude install build-essentials

after reading
"building tag database...Done"
it reads:
"Couldn't find any package whose name or description matched "build-essentials"
No packageswill be installed, upgraded, or removed.

Anyway, if it can help, my system:
Asus F3jv - NVIDIA GEFORCE GO 7600
1GB RAM
INTEL CORE DUO

thanks again

[zanjue]

Thanks fgt for that. I'm a complete linux newb as well but that helped alot.

moa, if you're having trouble with the driver install, try using Envy. I used Envy to install the new 169.07 drivers and it worked out fine. I used fgt's instructions for nvclock to slow the fan down on my 8800gt.

[moa]

I've tried this but I find problems here as well.

it says I don't have the super user privilege.

the easiest way looks using RESTRICTED DRIVERS MANAGER, but if I go to ADD/REMOVE and I try to tick the box it tells me:

"The list of applications is not availabe

Click on 'Reload' to load it. To reload the list you need a working Internet connection."

It doesn't work.
does anybody know why?

[fgt]

Sorry there was a typo.
To install the build-essentials you have to type:

sudo aptitude install build-essential

the s at the end was too much.