Help with installing Nvidia drivers in linux

[DarkKnight]

I'm new to linux and I'm trying to install the latest nvidia drivers, but I cant install it because Mandrake has not given me permission to access root (i guess it doesn't want me to screw it up). How can I access to root directory?

 

[cleverhandle]

I doubt it's a directory that you're after. You probably need to become the root user. Try typing su - at a console or xterm.

 

[DarkKnight]

when I try to install the drivers it says I need binutils. where do i get that and how do I install it?

 

[cleverhandle]

Choose "Install Software" from the Configuration menu. Or run rpmdrake at a command line.

 

[civad]

originally posted by: cleverhandle
Choose "Install Software" from the Configuration menu. Or run rpmdrake at a command line.

Ah! Good ol' Mandrake and its series of 'drakes'

go to RPMFind and look for binutils for your distribution. I am assuming you know how to install rpms.

 

[cleverhandle]

Originally posted by: civad
go to RPMFind and look for binutils for your distribution. I am assuming you know how to install rpms.

Why do that? Binutils is part of the distro, so there's no need to hunt it down.

Now that I think of it, doing urpmi binutils at a command line is the simplest choice of all, though it's good to be familiar with the GUI packager as well.

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

"Access" is kind of vague. On a unix system, you normally only have permission to write to your home directory, and /tmp.

 

[civad]

It is sometimes easier to look for the package on RPMFind than the cd itself..
And I guess I overlooked thefact that the distro cd might have it

 

[cleverhandle]

Originally posted by: civad
It is sometimes easier to look for the package on RPMFind than the cd itself..

On RH yes. But urpmi is like apt - all you need is the package name, and it will handle locating the file.

And I guess I overlooked thefact that the distro cd might have it

 

[xSauronx]

the distro has it, cd 3 iirc but itll prompt you for the right one

i think youll have to run the driver install not only as root, but with the CLI (no x server can be running)
im a n00b, so i set it to reboot without the graphical environment since i couldnt easily get it to stop x...(under one of the mandrake control center panels is a boot config thing)

reboot into the cli, login as root

run the driver installer
edit /etc/X11/xf86config4

you can do this from the CLI while youre there (i used vi, read the vi help so you can get around in it ok, not newbie freindly)
or you can use a graphical editor (open it in the kde superuser/root file manager, or startx as root so you have permission to edit it)

the line you need to edit will probably say

drivers "nv"

youll want to change "nv" to "nvidia"
save the changes and exit, then restart x

the nvidia logo will show up when X starts so you know youve done it properly

 

[DarkKnight]

I have no idea how to open the xf86config-4 to edit it. Can you give me detailed instructions on how to open it? This is my first day of using linux. Also, can u guys tell me how to install programs. i downloaded the quake3 area demo, which is in .sh format, but i have no idea how to install it in linux.

 

[DarkKnight]

actually i figured out the xf86 editing. but how do i install the quake demo?

 

[spamsk8r]

type this in the directory where quake is: sh quake3-demo-whatever.sh

substituting for the real name. Make sure you have installed 3D drivers for your video card, or it ain't gonna work too good.

 

[xSauronx]

you can also right click on the file where you downloaded it, and there should be a place under its properties where you can check "executable" then apply/ok it and just double click it

i had a feeling youd figure out how to edit the x config, not hard, just not what use windows users are accustomed to