MDK 9.1 + GF4 4800 SE, cannot startx

[delta_fermat]

Hi, I've successfully installed the latest nvidia driver (1.0-4496 for IA32) but failed to get X started.
Im using Mandrake 9.1 and My sys info is:
- P4 2G on ECS P4S5A/DX+
- GeForce4 4800 SE

I've changed 'nv' to 'nvidia' in XF86Config-4 and have checked that there's a "Load glx" line. There're no "Load dri" and "Load GLcore".

When I typed 'startx' it failed with something "/dev/nvidia0 (Input/Output Error)" . And when I did a 'more /dev/nvidia0' it said the same message.
I've tried to uninstall and re-install and reboot many times but still ended up with the same error.
I've been fooling with this for the whole day and hope someone would give me a hand. Thanks much!

PS: I've attached the XFree86 log file.

[XoD]

Your log file says it didn't find or initialize properly you linux kernel gateway module.
You must load this linux module before you start X with the nvidia drivers. Usually you do so with the following command line:
"modprobe nvidia" if everything was installed properly.

[delta_fermat]

Thx for the reply. I did the 'mobprobe nvidia'. It only warned about the driver is no-GPL and it installed. I used 'lsmod' and nvidia is there.
However, when I 'startx' again I got the same error on screen:

============================

XFree86 Version 4.3.0
Release Date: 27 February 2003
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 6.6
Build Operating System: Linux 2.4.21-0.13mdksmp i686 [ELF]
Build Date: 12 March 2003
Before reporting problems, check http://www.XFree86.Org/
to make sure that you have the latest version.
Module Loader present
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/XFree86.0.log", Time: Tue Aug 26 11:27:48 2003
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/XF86Config-4"
Using vt 7
NV: could not open device /dev/nvidia0 (Input/output error)
NV: couldn't map fb (0xd0000000, 134217728M) on /dev/nvidia0 (No such device)
hint: there may be a ulimit restricting the amount of
virtual memory available to XFree86. It may be a good
idea to check your startup scripts for something like

ulimit -v <number>

and either boost this value or remove the line.
(EE) NVIDIA(0): Failed to initialize the NVIDIA kernel module!
(EE) NVIDIA(0): *** Aborting ***
(EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.

Fatal server error:
no screens found

When reporting a problem related to a server crash, please send
the full server output, not just the last messages.
This can be found in the log file "/var/log/XFree86.0.log".
Please report problems to xfree86@xfree86.org.

XIO: fatal IO error 104 (Connection reset by peer) on X server ":0.0"
after 0 requests (0 known processed) with 0 events remaining.

============================

I've also checked that '/dev/nvidia0' and '/dev/nvidiactl' exist. I attached the XF86Config-4 just in case it's helpful.
Thank you.

[delta_fermat]

Oh. I forgot to mention that I tried 'ulimit' and it said unlimited.

Thanks.

[Thorsten Lange]

Are the r/w-permissions on /dev/nvidia* correct?

[delta_fermat]

I dont know if it's correct but I typed 'll /dev/nvidia0' which gave me the follows:

crw-rw-rw- 1 root root 195, 0 Dec 31 1969 /dev/nvidia0

[XoD]

Indeed, check out the existence/access rights of /dev/nvidia*.
If they do not exist, extract the files from the nvidia drivers package with the following command:
"NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-4496-pkg2.run --extract-only"
Then goes in NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-4496-pkg2/usr/src/nv and as root, run makedevices.sh
In theory, it will create the needed entries in /dev.

[delta_fermat]

I did what you suggested but still the same error message and couldnt startx.

[XoD]

Try to run everything as root, even when starting X

[delta_fermat]

Oh yes. I forgot to mention above that I login as root and did everything as root.

I've tried to install the MDK9.1 again (several times too) and then install the nvidia driver. I tried the .run package from nvidia and the rpm packaged by the mandrake folks. They gave me the same error. But when I tried to change back to use 'nv' and I could start the KDE.

Does it mean the current nvidia driver is not compatible with GF4 4800 SE and MDK9.1? Or Im just out of luck



Thank you.

[XoD]

Did you load the linux agp kernel module?

[delta_fermat]

How do I check if I've loaded the AGP kernal module?
And if I havent , how do I load it?

Thanks!