Need explanation of options for NVIDIA driver install

[stanmc]

I have used the install instructions from mjmwired.net to install 8178 under 2.6.14-1.1656_FC4 and 2.6.15-1.1830_FC4 (with slight modification). It suggested using -a after the command e.g. sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1.run -a. I also found a website (fedoranews.org/mediawiki) suggesting that upgrades be done using ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1.run -aqn. This failed as I had not extracted the files, so I extrapolated/guessed that I should use sh .... -aqn which worked after my update to the 1830 kernel. All is fine and everything works as expected. However, I cannot find the explanations of -a or -aqn.

Any hints where they are.

[Chris97b]

./NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1.run --advanced-options

NOTE: sh <file> and ./<file> are basically the same thing, but using ./ requires that the file permissions be executable (chmod +x <file>)

as far as the options, -aqn basically just speeds up the process by removing some of the questions the installer would normally make you answer.

Remember, you can almost always run <command> --help to get more info regarding options, in this case --help points you to --advanced-options for the complete list

  -a, --accept-license
      Bypass the display and prompting for acceptance of the
      NVIDIA Software License Agreement.  By passing this option
      to nvidia-installer, you indicate that you have read and
      accept the License Agreement contained in the file
      'LICENSE' (in the top level directory of the driver
      package).


  -q, --no-questions
      Do not ask any questions; the default (normally 'yes') is
      assumed for all yes/no questions, and the default string is
      assumed in any situation where the user is prompted for
      string input.  The one question that is not bypassed by
      this option is license acceptance; the license may be
      accepted with the commandline option '--accept-license'.


  -n, --no-precompiled-interface
      Disable use of precompiled kernel interfaces.

[stanmc]

Thanks for the speedy response. Very well done. I'm just a casual garden variety user of Linux (since RH 5.2), so I just issue the commands given in instructions unless I have problems. The instructions that suggested ./ did not say to chmod, and therefore I didn't issue that command first. I've now learned a few more things. I got it running under 1830 without a hitch. I see some others are having extreme problems with certain things relating to 1830 and nvidia drivers and certain modules. Haven't had any of that yet

Thanks again

This morning, 8 Feb 06, there is a new kernel and with the info above on --advanced-options I let yum update the kernel then logged out and rebooted the new kernel and logged in as root but did not issue startx. Using the -K option I ran sh NVIDIA....pkg1.run -K -a and only made a kernel module so that I could boot into 1830 or 1831 and have the NVIDIA driver. Now I'm off to pay Quake4. This is slick!!!