Installing NVIDIA drivers in Debian

[Redwolf]

Okay, just got the latest version of Debian installed (used the Jigsaw method). But now I have the first problem of my Debian experience. I downloaded the nvidia installer (nice), but it won't install anything (not nice ). So here's what I did.

Noticed Kernel source was missing (I didn't run dselect but to check dependencies). Opps. So I used apt-get to install kernel-source . (Yay!) But it didn't extract the source, just gave me a big tar.bz2 file in /usr/src (boo!). So I extracted it and made a symlink to the directory called /usr/src/linux (yay!). Still didn't work... Tried manually entering the kernel modules path (as /usr/src/linux/include). Still didn't work (boo!). So I manually exctracted the fine and ran 'make install'. Now it says there are 'unresolved symbols' in nvidia.o (in some directory, I forgot it, as I'm running windows now and nrglected to save the log file ). I need this driver to run xfree. How do I get it running?

[pbharris]

hello redwolf,
if the stuff you downloaded does match the kernel you are running then you should get that one, it is possible apt grabbed off a wrong one. also try depmod -a

[SpookyEddy]

What kernel version are you running (uname -a to check) and what version of the kernel source did you install?

Regards

eddy

[Redwolf]

Okay, srry bout that. I fixed one problem, but now have another problem.

I am using the bf2.4 kernel. My problem was I frogot to install the headers (opps...:smack head But now it works, jsut fine too. Only with one little detail:

IT DOESN'T WORK!

Okay, this time it tells me I have no usable screen. I'll post my Xfree log...hold on a sec:

(II) Setting vga for screen 0.
(II) Loading sub module "vgahw"
(II) LoadModule: "vgahw"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libvgahw.a
(II) Module vgahw: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.1.0.1, module version = 0.1.0
ABI class: XFree86 Video Driver, version 0.4
(**) NVIDIA(0): Depth 24, (--) framebuffer bpp 32
(==) NVIDIA(0): RGB weight 888
(==) NVIDIA(0): Default visual is TrueColor
(==) NVIDIA(0): Using gamma correction (1.0, 1.0, 1.0)
(--) NVIDIA(0): Linear framebuffer at 0xD0000000
(--) NVIDIA(0): MMIO registers at 0xE4000000
(EE) NVIDIA(0): Failed to initialize the NVIDIA kernel module!
(EE) NVIDIA(0): *** Aborting ***
(II) UnloadModule: "nvidia"
(II) UnloadModule: "vgahw"
(II) Unloading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libvgahw.a
(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 submit@bugs.debian.org.

[thronka]

you need to edit your xfree config and change the drive to nv.o

[Redwolf]

I renamed the driver to "nvidia" like in the readme. Is that what you're refering too?

[thronka]

yes. Did you remove the GL line as specified as well? Is it loading the kernel drivER?

[thronka]

hey remove that vgahw. I think its interfearing with the kernel driver.

[Redwolf]

I already removed GLCore and DRI. I'll try removing vgahw next...

[Redwolf]

There is no vgahw. Here is my XConfig file (XConfig-4):

### BEGIN DEBCONF SECTION
# XF86Config-4 (XFree86 server configuration file) generated by dexconf, the
# Debian X Configuration tool, using values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the XF86Config-4 manual page.
# (Type "man XF86Config-4" at the shell prompt.)
#
# If you want your changes to this file preserved by dexconf, only make changes
# before the "### BEGIN DEBCONF SECTION" line above, and/or after the
# "### END DEBCONF SECTION" line below.
#
# To change things within the debconf section, run the command:
# dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86
# as root. Also see "How do I add custom sections to a dexconf-generated
# XF86Config or XF86Config-4 file?" in /usr/share/doc/xfree86-common/FAQ.gz.

Section "Files"
FontPath "unix/:7100" # local font server
# if the local font server has problems, we can fall back on these
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "bitmap"
Load "dbe"
Load "ddc"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "pex5"
Load "record"
Load "speedo"
Load "type1"
Load "vbe"
Load "xie"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "keyboard"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
Option "XkbModel" "pc104"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Generic Video Card"
Driver "nvidia"
Option "UseFBDev" "true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
HorizSync 50-60
VertRefresh 43-75
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Generic Video Card"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
EndSection

#Section "DRI"
# Mode 0666
#EndSection

### END DEBCONF SECTION