nvidia AMD64 howto - worked for me

[Ross D]

Hey,

Thanks for the detailed procedure you took.  Unfortunately, even after
running all of the apt-get's that you did, and installing the source
code, I still could not get the nvidia installer to run successfully. 
I love Ubuntu in the little time I've had it, but I'm about to give up
on it if I'm stuck in vesa.  I have included the log below, if anyone
can save me from ditching this promising distro, please help me!

Ross

nvidia-installer log file '/var/log/nvidia-installer.log'
creation time: Thu Oct  7 15:03:22 2004

option status:
  license pre-accepted    : false
  update                  : false
  force update            : false
  expert                  : false
  uninstall               : false
  driver info             : false
  no precompiled interface: false
  no ncurses color        : false
  query latest driver ver : false
  OpenGL header files     : false
  no questions            : false
  silent                  : false
  X install prefix        : /usr/X11R6
  OpenGL install prefix   : /usr
  Installer install prefix: /usr
  kernel source path      : (not specified)
  kernel install path     : (not specified)
  proc mount point        : /proc
  ui                      : (not specified)
  tmpdir                  : /tmp
  ftp site                : ftp://download.nvidia.com

Using: nvidia-installer ncurses user interface
-> License accepted.
-> No precompiled kernel interface was found to match your kernel; would you li
   ke the installer to attempt to download a kernel interface for your kernel f
   rom the NVIDIA ftp site (ftp://download.nvidia.com)? (Answer: Yes)
-> No matching precompiled kernel interface was found on the NVIDIA ftp site;
   this means that the installer will need to compile a kernel interface for
   your kernel.
ERROR: Unable to find the kernel source tree for the currently running kernel. 
       Please make sure you have installed the kernel source files for your
       kernel; on Red Hat Linux systems, for example, be sure you have the
       'kernel-source' rpm installed.  If you know the correct kernel source
       files are installed, you may specify the kernel source path with the
       '--kernel-source-path' commandline option.
ERROR: Installation has failed.  Please see the file
       '/var/log/nvidia-installer.log' for details.  You may find suggestions
       on fixing installation problems in the README available on the Linux
       driver download page at www.nvidia.com.


On Thu, 07 Oct 2004 19:30:51 +0200, Leon Vismer <leonv at picturenet.co.za> wrote:
> Hi
> 
> I though I would document how I installed the nvidia driver for an AMD64
> single processor.
> 
> 1. Download the NVIDIA package
> $ wget
> http://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86_64/1.0-6111/NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-6111-pkg2.run
> 
> 2. Made sure I had the latest kernel image and kernel headers
> $ sudo update
> -- still the same as of 2004/10/07
> $ sudo apt-get install linux-image-2.6.8.1-3-amd64-generic
> $ sudo apt-get install linux-headers-2.6.8.1-3-amd64-generic
> $ sudo apt-get install linux-headers-2.6.8.1-3
> 
> 3. Rebooted my machine for new kernel to take effect
> 
> 4. At the GDM login screen I got to a console (One cannot install the
> driver while X is running) by pressing
> CTRL-ALT-F1
> -- you should be at a prompt now, login using your user details and
> $ sudo killall gdm
> 
> 5. Run the NVIDIA application from step one
> $ sudo ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-6111-pkg2.run
> -- Go through the menu options, saying yes to install and accept the
> license, said no to try and download stuff from nvidia as kernel module
> did not exists. The setup program picked up I had the correct headers
> for the kernel and built the driver. It then proceeds to try and install
> the linked modules in /usr/lib64 however it fails with some messages. Do
> not abort here and just continue through the messages, and continue not
> to abort the process. At the end you should have a completed message
> coming back.
> -- To check one should have
> /lib/modules/2.6.8.1-3-amd64-generic/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia.ko
> 
> 6. Add nvidia to /etc/modules
> $ sudo gedit /etc/modules
> -- move to the bottom of the file and add nvidia
> 
> 7. Update the X config file
> $ sudo gedit /etc/X11/XF86Config-4
> -- In the Section "Module" part of the file make sure you comment out
> (#)
> Load "dri"
> Load "GLcore"
> -- and make sure that
> Load "glx"
> -- is in this section
> 
> -- Then change the graphics device in the relevant section
> -- It would most probably be
> Driver "nv"
> -- which should changed to
> Driver "nvidia"
> 
> 8. Reboot the machine and hope for the best ;-)
> 
> --
> Leon
> 
> --
> ubuntu-users mailing list
> ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
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>