[PlanetCCRMA] Re: nvidia driver

[Tracey Hytry]

Axel Thimm <Axel.Thimm at atrpms.net> wrote:

> If you are using the rpms, you need more than the kernel-module, you
> also need nvidia-graphics6111 and nvidia-graphics6111-libs, as well as
> nvidia-graphics-switch. Easiest way to go rpm is to use apt with
> 
> apt-get install kernel-module-nvidia-graphics6111-`uname -r`
> apt-get install nvidia-graphics6111
> 
> An nvidia ready config file will be placed under xorg.conf.nvidia or
> XF86Config.nvidia respecitively. After inspecting the changes you can
> remove the ".nvidia" suffix.
> -- 
> Axel.Thimm at ATrpms.net


Before the planet I used to complile alsa against the kernel I was using.  Then the planet showed up and I found that I could use prepackaged rpms that matched a decent kernel.  What I really liked about that setup is that I could easily check on what was to be installed before installing, and was able to uninstall cleanly if needed.

After I upgraded this machine to fedora because the old rh7.3 didn't support the new nvidia card I put in it;  I went to Axel's site and grabbed ALL of the rpms that were needed.  I then inspected where they went and what was to be changed before I installed them via an rpm command line.

I read nvidia's stuff on installing their way and their big list of new files it wanted to toss on this machine that I'm trying to keep reasonably clean.  That's why I went the apt/rpm route; to be able to clean it up if the drivers didn't work the way I wanted them to.

I had no difficulty insatlling Axel's rpms, but was a little suprised when X didn't start.  I checked /etc/moduals.conf and that modified file was reansonable.  I then checked what had happened in the /etc/X11 directory and saw that the new XF86Config was closer to a brand new file then to my old XF86Config.  I needed to fix the XF86Config up a bit because of the monitor I'm using, and it was easy to do a diff on the old and new files to find what was needed from the original.  After that, it was pretty easy to start X with and without the nvidia excelerated drivers.

Tracey