Debian

[Mallec]

Hi Friends!

I installed recently the Debian (bf2.4 flavor) linux in my system. So to install the nvidia driver I, beforehand, installed the kernel-sources package with the command "apt-get install kernel-source-2.4.18". Afther that I noted that the kernel sources was installed in a tar file in the /usr/src directory, so I unpacked it with the "tar -xvjf kernel-source-2.4.18.tar.bz2" command. Then I tried to install the driver using the --kernel-include-path pointing to the /usr/src/kernel-source-2.4.18/include directory but it was unable to install the driver because one file called modversions.h

So, I included the nvidia install log file. Thanks in advance.

[Max3D]

go into that kernel source dir and:
make menuconfig (exit, save changes), then:
make dep,
make clean,
(see if that creates the modversions.h file), if it dont, do a:
make bzImage, that should do it for ya, been using debian here for a few years, seems the nvidia driver installer needs a built kernel everytime cause there is no .debs from nvidia for pre-built kernels.

try

make install SYSINCLUDE=/usr/src/kernel-source-2.4.18/include
from the NVIDIA_kernel... dir also.

[Mallec]

It seems that it resolved only part of the problem. Now the installer said that the headers are of another version than that of my system. What I must do now?

[Max3D]

Ok, sorry didnt work out for u first time, I see why now, your kernel sources are not bf like the debian kernel your currently booted up to

do this:

cd /usr/src
ln -s kernel-source-2.4.18 linux
cd linux
make mrproper
vi Makefile

notice at top, should be like this:
VERSION = 2
PATCHLEVEL = 4
SUBLEVEL = 18
EXTRAVERSION = -bf2.4

save Makefile and exit vi.

make
menuconfig,
dep,
clean,
bzImage.

make install SYSINCLUDE=/usr/src/linux/include
from the NVIDIA_kernel... dir.

this help?

[Mallec]

Not worked. I think it produced the same error.

[Max3D]

ah well, time to build your own kernel then bootup to it before running the nvidia installer again, hope you've done this before and know your hardware?

BTW: leave all AGP OUT of kernel and let the nvidia video drivers take care of that.

some things you should do first

dpkg -l|grep kernel

apt-get remove any kernel header packages as they wont be needed when you build your own.

[doughrama]

I was having the exact same issue. And was able to fix it last night.

I started out with a cd install woody and imediately upgraded to 2.4.20.

In any case I kernel compile was necessary, but once that was done I was set.

Thanks for keeping such detailed posts. Helped me a lot.

[Mallec]

I recompiled the kernel using make-kpkg to create a .deb file (It's the only way that I know). So the driver works now. But, after I recompiled the kernel the system doesn't shutdown automatically neither permits to install UnrealTournament 2003 (It ask to put the cdrom, when I put the cd, it mount and umount the device but not go on)

[Max3D]

Originally posted by Mallec
after I recompiled the kernel the system doesn't shutdown automatically

This because you do not have standard APM built in kernel and apmd not running as a service, this a good one to have for X also so your monitor can enter some power save modes...etc

[Mallec]

So, what I must do?

[zander]

You need to configure your kernel to include support for APM (Advanced Power Management). As an aside, make menuconfig won't configure an unconfigured source tree such that it matches the configuration of the running kernel, it will configure it with the default configuration. The configuration file for the running kernel needs to be used to properly configure unconfigured source trees; Debian GNU/Linux typically installs the configuration file for a given kernel in /boot.

[Mallec]

Well, when I configured the new kernel i put the APM and the running kernel shutsdown perfectly. So, what must be done in this case?