please provide .deb packages for driver releases

[martini]

hi nvidia!

is it possible to provide .deb packages (nvidia-glx-*** and nvidia-***-kernel-***) for an easier installation of nvidia drivers e.g. on ubuntu systems? i'd like the idea of 'klick & install' the driver without stopping the x-server and without typing anything into a console.

it's often anoying to do the same things again and again (stopping the x-server, reinstallation of driver on new kernel version, etc.)

thx, martin

[slanbarn]

Debian has the nvidia driver in their package repository, including VDPAU-libraries...

I never use them tho, I use the driver-package from nvidia.com...

edit: btw, would it really work to reload the driver without restarting X?

[martini]

of course, you'll have to restart the x-server. but this can also be done by "logging out" and logging in again (assuming that the kernel driver is reloaded at x-server restart and that the x-server really restarts on logout) or restarting the computer.

i think it's just annoying for users to stop the x-server and installing the driver manually.
another reason is that a "dpkg -i nvidia-*" would result in a more clean system cz. the files are managed by the package management avoiding conflicts with existing packages in the repository.

(ubuntu has also nvidia drivers in their repositories but not the newest ones)

[laryllan]

A way better sollution would be to simply start an official Ubuntu PPA.

[Dragoran]

Originally Posted by martini

hi nvidia!

is it possible to provide .deb packages (nvidia-glx-*** and nvidia-***-kernel-***) for an easier installation of nvidia drivers e.g. on ubuntu systems? i'd like the idea of 'klick & install' the driver without stopping the x-server and without typing anything into a console.

it's often anoying to do the same things again and again (stopping the x-server, reinstallation of driver on new kernel version, etc.)

thx, martin

Q. Why does NVIDIA not provide RPMs anymore?

A. Not every Linux distribution uses RPM, and NVIDIA wanted a single solution
that would work across all Linux distributions. As indicated in the NVIDIA
Software License, Linux distributions are welcome to repackage and
redistribute the NVIDIA Linux driver in whatever package format they wish.

Also applies to .deb

[mocharhw]

There's plenty of un-official PPAs with all kinds of nvidia driver versions available.

[Watto]

I guess since your asking the question then you haven't found this:
JYA’s Ubuntu Media Playing Packages
Just click the link and it will all be answered.

[wantilles]

Originally Posted by martini

is it possible to provide .deb packages (nvidia-glx-*** and nvidia-***-kernel-***) for an easier installation of nvidia drivers e.g. on ubuntu systems? i'd like the idea of 'klick & install' the driver without stopping the x-server...

If you had some basic Linux knowledge, you would know that this is impossible without stopping the x-server since the old kernel module has to be unloaded and the new one to be loaded.

But then again, since when K/X/E/Ubuntu users were computer-literates?

[martini]

Originally Posted by wantilles

If you had some basic Linux knowledge, you would know that this is impossible without stopping the x-server since the old kernel module has to be unloaded and the new one to be loaded.

as i wrote before, it's possible to install the driver without x-server restart. i never mentioned that it's possible to use it immediately....

i dont think it's a problem for usual users to logout after installing the driver to use it (as the solution with the .deb packages could be), but it's a problem to logout, stop the x-server, install the driver in the console and to restart x (and maybe fix problems like gcc conflicting versions, etc.)

[martini]

Originally Posted by Watto

I guess since your asking the question then you haven't found this:
JYA’s Ubuntu Media Playing Packages
Just click the link and it will all be answered.

thx

thx for the link, but i would prefer a "direct solution" (like a ppa) from nvidia.

[martini]

Q. Why does NVIDIA not provide RPMs anymore?

A. Not every Linux distribution uses RPM, and NVIDIA wanted a single solution
that would work across all Linux distributions. As indicated in the NVIDIA
Software License, Linux distributions are welcome to repackage and
redistribute the NVIDIA Linux driver in whatever package format they wish.

@nvidia: is it possible to create a new command line parameters for the driver installation .run file to create the '.deb' packages? this wouldn't break the "cross-distro-compatibility" to other distributions.

[wantilles]

Originally Posted by martini

i dont think it's a problem for usual users to logout after installing the driver to use it (as the solution with the .deb packages could be), but it's a problem to logout, stop the x-server, install the driver in the console and to restart x (and maybe fix problems like gcc conflicting versions, etc.)

Who said that you need to stop the x-server in order to install the driver packages?

Serious distributions (Arch & Gentoo), provide standard packages with the latest nvidia drivers (with the kernel module) so you do not need special treatment.

Perhaps you should move to a serious distibution.