Nvidia Drivers and Linux Mandrake

[Blayze]

Guess I should put all my Linux questions in one thread, but anyway

I have installed the latest drivers (both RPMs) and have edited my x86config-4 file to include "nvidia" and "glx" lines...

When I boot up the machine it displays a Nvidia logo before loading up KDE. Does this mean that my driver install worked?

My OpenGL screensavers still do not work... any ideals?

 

[AkumaBao]

If the logo shows, it's usually fine. Although, did you use the RPM's, or did you build with the tarballs? Did you put a "#" in front of the lines, "DRI" * "GLcore", in 'XF86Config-4"?

 

[Blayze]

I used the RPMs from the Nvidia site, and I did not add in # in those lines

I downloaded the RPMs and clicked on them to run the install. I am a super newbie at this so I may have done something wrong.

I don't even see those lines. Where are they located in the file?

 

[AkumaBao]

You might want to put the "#" in front of those lines. That's what allows the rendering to take effect. If you're running a kernel newer than 2.4.7-21, you might also want to uninstall the RPM's, and install via tarballs. It's easier than it sounds.

Oops. If the lines aren't with the "glx" command at the top, don't worry about it.

 

[Blayze]

Sorry this is going to be pretty long, but here is my file. Im lost...


# File generated by XFdrake.

# **********************************************************************
# Refer to the XF86Config(4/5) man page for details about the format of
# this file.
# **********************************************************************

Section "Files"

RgbPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb"

# Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (they are concatenated together)
# By default, Mandrake 6.0 and later now use a font server independent of
# the X server to render fonts.

FontPath "unix/:-1"

EndSection

# **********************************************************************
# Server flags section.
# **********************************************************************

Section "ServerFlags"

# Uncomment this to cause a core dump at the spot where a signal is
# received. This may leave the console in an unusable state, but may
# provide a better stack trace in the core dump to aid in debugging
#NoTrapSignals

# Uncomment this to disable the <Crtl><Alt><BS> server abort sequence
# This allows clients to receive this key event.
#DontZap

# Uncomment this to disable the <Crtl><Alt><KP_+>/<KP_-> mode switching
# sequences. This allows clients to receive these key events.
#DontZoom

# This allows the server to start up even if the
# mouse device can't be opened/initialised.
AllowMouseOpenFail

EndSection

# **********************************************************************
# Input devices
# **********************************************************************

# **********************************************************************
# Keyboard section
# **********************************************************************

Section "InputDevice"

Identifier "Keyboard1"
Driver "Keyboard"
Option "AutoRepeat" "250 30"

Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"

EndSection

# **********************************************************************
# Pointer section
# **********************************************************************

Section "InputDevice"

Identifier "Mouse1"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/usbmouse"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
# Option "Emulate3Buttons"
# Option "Emulate3Timeout" "50"

# ChordMiddle is an option for some 3-button Logitech mice

# Option "ChordMiddle"

EndSection



Section "Module"

# This loads the DBE extension module.

Load "dbe"
Load "glx"


# This loads the miscellaneous extensions module, and disables
# initialisation of the XFree86-DGA extension within that module.

SubSection "extmod"
#Option "omit xfree86-dga"
EndSubSection

# This loads the Type1 and FreeType font modules

Load "type1"
Load "freetype"
EndSection

# **********************************************************************
# Monitor section
# **********************************************************************

# Any number of monitor sections may be present

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Sony|Sony CPD-200ES"
VendorName "Sony"
ModelName "Unknown"


# HorizSync is in kHz unless units are specified.
# HorizSync may be a comma separated list of discrete values, or a
# comma separated list of ranges of values.
# NOTE: THE VALUES HERE ARE EXAMPLES ONLY. REFER TO YOUR MONITOR'S
# USER MANUAL FOR THE CORRECT NUMBERS.
HorizSync 30.0-70.0


# VertRefresh is in Hz unless units are specified.
# VertRefresh may be a comma separated list of discrete values, or a
# comma separated list of ranges of values.
# NOTE: THE VALUES HERE ARE EXAMPLES ONLY. REFER TO YOUR MONITOR'S
# USER MANUAL FOR THE CORRECT NUMBERS.
VertRefresh 50.0-120.0


# This is a set of extended mode timings typically used for laptop,
# TV fullscreen mode or DVD fullscreen output.
# These are available along with standard mode timings.

# Sony Vaio C1(X,XS,VE,VN)?
# 1024x480 @ 85.6 Hz, 48 kHz hsync
ModeLine "1024x480" 65.00 1024 1032 1176 1344 480 488 494 563 -hsync -vsync

# 768x576 @ 79 Hz, 50 kHz hsync
ModeLine "768x576" 50.00 768 832 846 1000 576 590 595 630
# 768x576 @ 100 Hz, 61.6 kHz hsync
ModeLine "768x576" 63.07 768 800 960 1024 576 578 590 616


EndSection



# **********************************************************************
# Graphics device section
# **********************************************************************

Section "Device"
Identifier "Generic VGA"
Driver "vga"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "NVIDIA GeForce2 DDR (generic)"
VendorName "Unknown"
BoardName "Unknown"
Driver "nvidia"
# VideoRam 32768
# Clock lines


# Uncomment following option if you see a big white block
# instead of the cursor!
# Option "sw_cursor"

Option "DPMS" "on"
EndSection



# **********************************************************************
# Screen sections
# **********************************************************************


Section "Screen"
Identifier "screen1"
Device "NVIDIA GeForce2 DDR (generic)"
Monitor "Sony|Sony CPD-200ES"
DefaultColorDepth 24
Subsection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x400"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
Subsection "Display"
Depth 32
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
EndSection


Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "layout1"
Screen "screen1"

InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer"

InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

 

[AkumaBao]

Ok. Looks good. What kernel are you using?

 

[Blayze]

the one that comes with Mandrake 8.1 I haven't updated it.

My Screensavers quit working before I installed the driver and also the "Tux Racer" Game was all screwed up and want load. I may have messed up something else before I installed the drivers.

This is kinda my test install before I setup my dual boot later this week. Just wanted to see if I could get everything working.

 

[AkumaBao]

That helps actually. Aperently the drivers are not working at all. Try the tarballs. You can get them off the same page as the RPM's. That might be part of your problem. Also do a kernel update. I'm not sure which one comes with Mandrake, but I'm sure you'll need a better one. Does Mandrake have an Update Agent? Should be under "System" in KDE.

 

[Blayze]

I ran the MandrakeUpdate but it didn't do anything.

I have no ideal how to uninstall these RPMs and install the Tarballs either.


here is some information from the Mandrake Control Center.

XFree 4.1.0

Keyboard layout: us
Mouse type: IMPS/2
Monitor: Sony|Sony CPD-200ES
Graphic card: NVIDIA GeForce2 DDR (generic)
Graphic memory: 32768 kB
XFree86 server: SVGA
XFree86 driver: nv



I noticed it says XFree86 driver: nv, but in the xfree86-4 file I changed that to say nvidia. wierd.

 

[AkumaBao]

Don't worry about the xfree saying "nv". No worries. Go to the Package Manager, ( If Mandrake has one ) in "system" in KDE. Click on 'file', 'find package', and type 'nv'. It should go straight to the NVDIA_GLX.RPM, and right below it should be the NVIDIA_1.0-2314_i386.RPM. ( or whatever it's called ) Click the button that says "uninstall".

 

[NorthenLove]

Add the changes in the parts I changed ( the bold parts ) in your XF86Config-4 file ( located in /etc/X11 ) and see what happens. Do this via the command line so you will know how to change it if something goes wrong and you are stuck in the CLI. Use any CLI based text editor like Vi, Emacs, or Pico.



# **********************************************************************
# Graphics device section
# **********************************************************************

#Section "Device"
#Identifier "Generic VGA"
#Driver "vga"
#EndSection


Section "Device"
Identifier "NVIDIA GeForce2 DDR (generic)"
VendorName "Unknown"
BoardName "Unknown"
Driver "nvidia"
# VideoRam 32768
# Clock lines


# Uncomment following option if you see a big white block
# instead of the cursor!
# Option "sw_cursor"

Option "DPMS" "on"
EndSection



# **********************************************************************
# Screen sections
# **********************************************************************

 

[Blayze]

Just tryed that and it didn't seem to do anything.

I have noticed that a program in the taskbar says "alarmd" and it has an hourglass over it for a sec and then disappears when I boot up is this normal?

 

[AkumaBao]

Yes. That and autorun.

 

[Blayze]

thanks for everyones help tonight.

I am going to try the uninstall rpm and the install tarball files.

what commands would I need to run to install the tarball files? I kind of think I have messed something up in my install and hopefully when I reinstall this with my dual boot this week everything will be alright. Some of the games dont work. Don't know if this is the drivers or not.

On another note my system is going to be Windows XP and Mandrake on two seperate drives (one is primary and one is secondary, Windows will be on the 30gig primary/master, and Mandrake will be on the 20gig/slave). should I use the boot manager on the mbr or on a floppy. Will this setup work alright?

 

[AkumaBao]

Your setup should work fine. To do the tarballs, you just put them in a empty directory. The two you need are: NVIDIA-1.0-1313_i386.tgz, ( not sure the #'s are right just make sure the "i386 is at the end) and NVIDIA-1.0-1314_GLX.tgz. There should only be one of the GLX .tgz files, and the other kernel .tgz has 'src' in front of it. ( The one you don't want.) Expand them both and they will make their own directory. go into the 'kernel' directory first, and type "make install". Then go into the GLX directory, and do the same. That's it. Of course you have to tweak the XF86Config-4 file. If you have any problems, check this link. Good luck!