Nvidia driver - Debian way, custom (or not) kernel.

Message

Eck · #101 Post by **Eck** » 2008-03-27 17:31

Ooh, Lenny's getting the 2.6.24 Kernel upgrades today/tomorrow, whenever it gets to the mirrors. They even made a transitional linux-image-2.6-k7 package to switch us k7 users over to the 686 kernel stuff.

This should be an interesting experience. I'm hoping that OP suggestion on Kernel upgrades goes smoothly. I'm planning on something like:

Reboot after the Kernel upgrade into the single user mode option.

su -
rmmod nvidia
aptitude update
aptitude search linux-headers-2.6 (to check what happened during the upgrade. Although I'll likely do that before the reboot so I can see the whole screen and write down the exact package name if I need to install the newer one myself.)
aptitude purge the older linux-image and linux-headers stuff (unless the headers had already been upgraded. I do have the meta-package so it's possible that it would already have removed the 2.6.22 headers and installed the 2.6.24 ones.)
aptitude install linux-headers whatever, if I need to.
m-a update
m-a prepare
m-a a-i nvidia (that worked the last time so I hope for good things again.)
Not sure if I'll need to do aptitude install -t unstable nvidia-glx nvidia-glx-dev since it's already installed from before.
dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg
editor /etc/X11/xorg.conf (to see that the composite extension is still there.)
shutdown -a -r now
hope for the best!

Eck · #102 Post by **Eck** » 2008-03-28 22:02

That worked, but since nvidia-glx and the dev remained unchanged I didn't need to do dpkg-reconfigure anything.

The Kernel upgrade did get rid of the ability for the KDE system audio notifications to play. Sound works perfectly otherwise and nothing in my mixer or the KDE sound configuration has changed. They just won't play, except for the sound test in the KDE KControl itself. Clicking the notifications tab and testing those do not work.

Maybe the new Alsa in the Kernel got rid of the interface with the arts stuff, which I guess still plays the KDE notifications. I have it set to Alsa, just like before. No clue. They always disappeared when I turned on Compiz, but now they don't work with kwin either. Even the login sound, which plays fine on the audio test page but not on the system notifications page where nothing plays. Weird.

By the way, the Debian way works on the Knoppix DVD 5.3 and 5.3.1 too!

NVidia and Linux on the go! Cool.

I'll post in a more appropriate section regarding the KDE notification sounds.

drokmed · #103 Post by **drokmed** » 2008-04-03 20:28

DOH! Kernel upgrade killed my video driver, so followed Eck's notes:

Eck wrote:su -
rmmod nvidia
aptitude update
m-a update
m-a prepare
m-a a-i nvidia
reboot

Did the trick for me! Video back to normal. Thanks

Job · #104 Post by **Job** » 2008-04-07 00:46

Code: Select all

apt-get update && apt-get install nvidia-kernel-source module-assistant nvidia-settings nvidia-xconfig

I get

Code: Select all

Package nvidia-kernel-source is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package nvidia-kernel-source has no installation candidate

sources.list below

Code: Select all

# deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux testing _Lenny_ - Official Snapshot i386 NETINST Binary-1 20071008-09:05]/ lenny main

#deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux testing _Lenny_ - Official Snapshot i386 NETINST Binary-1 20071008-09:05]/ lenny main

deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian/ lenny main
deb-src http://ftp.debian.org/debian/ lenny main

deb http://security.debian.org/ lenny/updates main
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ lenny/updates main

##deb http://download.tuxfamily.org/osrdebian unstable compiz-fusion-git

## Multimedia
deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org lenny main

deb http://ftp.nl.debian.org/debian sid main 
deb-src http://ftp.nl.debian.org/debian sid main 
deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ lenny main non-free contrib
 
#deb http://debian.three-dimensional.net/debian-multimedia/ unstable main 
#deb-src http://debian.three-dimensional.net/debian-multimedia/ unstable main
#deb http://debian.dc-uoit.net/debian-multimedia/ unstable main

#deb http://gulus.usherbrooke.ca/pub/distro/debian/debian-multimedia/ unstable main
#deb-src http://gulus.usherbrooke.ca/pub/distro/debian/debian-multimedia/ unstable main

#deb ftp://gulus.usherbrooke.ca/debian-multimedia/ unstable main
#deb-src ftp://gulus.usherbrooke.ca/debian-multimedia/ unstable main

#deb http://ssl.spaggiari.org:81/ unstable main
#deb-src http://ssl.spaggiari.org:81/ unstable main

#deb http://mirror.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/debian-multimedia/ unstable main
#deb-src http://mirror.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/debian-multimedia/ unstable main

#deb ftp://mirror.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/debian-multimedia/ unstable main
#deb-src ftp://mirror.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/debian-multimedia/ unstable main

as you can see i enabled sid for this exercise. any idea?
thank you,

roadnottaken · #105 Post by **roadnottaken** » 2008-04-07 02:21

The debian mirror at ftp.nl.debian.org is missing several packages, including nvidia-kernel-source. Try using a different mirror.

didi · #106 Post by **didi** » 2008-05-05 00:12

Using this HOW-TO, I've just installed the nvidia drivers (169.12-1) on my server and my work laptop and upgraded my workstation ... all using the Debian way

Excellent, thanks!

Debian Lenny and set APT::Default-Release "testing"; according to rickh's HOW-TO

mojoman · #107 Post by **mojoman** » 2008-07-27 13:41

I've been doing a new Lenny 64-bit install after buying a new HDD. I'm pretty much sticking to Lenny, save for the few packages from Sid that are *really* needed. Today (2008-07-27) the nvidia-kernel-source and nvidia-glx packages are not available in Lenny. I installed nvidia-kernel-source from Sid, unpacked it in /usr/src, used module-assistant to compile it and then installed glx from Sid, all as has been advised earlier in this thread (although for previous versions of the nvidia packages). It worked like a charm for the current versions too.

Thanks!

jongi · #108 Post by **jongi** » 2008-10-01 22:03

when i run m-a prepare && m-a a-i nvidia:

http://www.uploading.com/files/MWOX5POW ... g.txt.html

Telemachus · #109 Post by **Telemachus** » 2008-10-01 22:05

jongi wrote:when i run m-a prepare && m-a a-i nvidia:

http://www.uploading.com/files/MWOX5POW ... g.txt.html

For a simple text file, please use a pastebin rather than a download site.

jongi · #110 Post by **jongi** » 2008-10-01 22:19

In OOo, the log file is 137 pages long and doesn't seem to want to post on pastebin.

Telemachus · #111 Post by **Telemachus** » 2008-10-01 22:21

jongi wrote:In OOo, the log file is 137 pages long and doesn't seem to want to post on pastebin.

Ah, well fair enough. On the other hand, most people aren't going to be willing to read a 137 page log, so that raises a different problem.

jongi · #112 Post by **jongi** » 2008-10-01 22:29

that thought did pass my mind i will admit

EDIT: I notice I forgot to mention that this happens with a kernel i compiled. However, apart from the real time kernel options, the config file is one from 2.6.26.1-amd64 (the latest debian kernel if i have the number wrong).

EDIT2: Just noticed I had unticked the option with Paravirtualisation by mistake. Recompiling now. Pretty sure this will fix the error.

jongi · #113 Post by **jongi** » 2008-10-02 19:45

I was sure the below would work. but no go.I must be missing something.

I compiled kernel-2.6.26.5 from kernel.org with relevant patches. I used the config file from 2.6.26.1-amd64 and enabled the real time options (as I have done on a number of previous kernel builds that have had no problem). yet the nvidia driver fails to compile when i run m-a a-i nvidia.

btw the process worked on kernel-2.6.26.1.

mzilikazi · #114 Post by **mzilikazi** » 2008-10-02 22:18

jongi wrote:I was sure the below would work. but no go.I must be missing something.

I compiled kernel-2.6.26.5 from kernel.org with relevant patches. I used the config file from 2.6.26.1-amd64 and enabled the real time options (as I have done on a number of previous kernel builds that have had no problem). yet the nvidia driver fails to compile when i run m-a a-i nvidia.

btw the process worked on kernel-2.6.26.1.

Fails with what error?

Telemachus · #115 Post by **Telemachus** » 2008-10-02 23:35

mzilikazi wrote:
jongi wrote:I was sure the below would work. but no go.I must be missing something.

I compiled kernel-2.6.26.5 from kernel.org with relevant patches. I used the config file from 2.6.26.1-amd64 and enabled the real time options (as I have done on a number of previous kernel builds that have had no problem). yet the nvidia driver fails to compile when i run m-a a-i nvidia.

btw the process worked on kernel-2.6.26.1.
Fails with what error?

I think it's on page 125 of the error log he posted.

I know that's unhelpful, but some nights, you just can't resist.

jongi · #116 Post by **jongi** » 2008-10-03 17:36

Good one Telemachus.

mzilikazi - the log file produced by m-a a-i nvidia is 374k long.lems.

it's strange coz i've done this a number of times without problem. i've compiled 2.6.26.5 without a rt-patch and followed the process again and it works.

mzilikazi · #117 Post by **mzilikazi** » 2008-10-03 18:43

jongi wrote:Good one Telemachus.

mzilikazi - the log file produced by m-a a-i nvidia is 374k long.lems.

it's strange coz i've done this a number of times without problem. i've compiled 2.6.26.5 without a rt-patch and followed the process again and it works.

Oh sorry I forgot about the nvidia problem w/ rt kernels. Read the last post here.

jongi · #118 Post by **jongi** » 2008-10-03 23:42

Thanks for that.

You should possibly add that to the opening post of the thread. Will compile overnight and put that to use. Sad I deleted the debs.

mzilikazi · #119 Post by **mzilikazi** » 2008-10-04 02:16

jongi wrote:Thanks for that.

You should possibly add that to the opening post of the thread.

Done.

estus · #120 Post by **estus** » 2008-10-17 13:30

i have very big problem when i type "/etc/init.d/gdm restart i get only black screen, and nothink work, i try ctrl+alt+f2 dont work alt+f2 dont work only work ctrl+alt+del

pls help me