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

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

#161 Post by bluesdog »

Job wrote:So I killed xserver. Any way to recover? dpkg-reconfigure xserver-org is not working :evil: .
This is squeeze.
Yes, it's normally not difficult to fix X

Does X fail silently?
What error message do you see in /var/log/Xorg.0.log?
Since you're running testing, It's pretty safe to pull in the nvidia stuff from Sid. Probably safer than mixing it with stable..

If you need more help fixing X, please check the forum for one of many existing threads on X recovery.

Once you have a working X, try the nvidia build again.

I've always built a custom kernel, and then the matching nvidia. It always seems to work better
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Re: Nvidia driver - Debian way, custom (or not) kernel.

#162 Post by Job »

Thank you for your reply. System is all cleaned and Nvidia is up and running. :mrgreen:
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Re: Nvidia driver - Debian way, custom (or not) kernel.

#163 Post by Job »

How do you check that glx is working?
My xorg.conf below

Code: Select all

# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig:  version 1.0  (buildmeister@builder75)  Tue Dec  8 21:04:28 PST 2009

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen      0  "Screen0"
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Unknown"
    HorizSync       28.0 - 33.0
    VertRefresh     43.0 - 72.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    Option "XAANoOffscreenPixmaps" "true"
    Option "AllowGLXWithComposite" "true"
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
        Option "Composite" "enable"
EndSection

Section "Module"
        #Load "dri"
        #Load "GLcore"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
    EndSubSection
EndSection
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Re: Nvidia driver - Debian way, custom (or not) kernel.

#164 Post by bluesdog »

Job wrote:How do you check that glx is working?

Code: Select all

aptitude update
aptitude install mesa-utils
glxinfo | grep direct
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BrainCheese
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Re: Nvidia driver - Debian way, custom (or not) kernel.

#165 Post by BrainCheese »

I have tried this how to and several others on the internet and still getting no luck with the Nvidia driver. I'm about an average user with Linux, probably below average with Debian. I'm running Squeeze and have a 9800 GTX Nvidia board. Here is the error I'm getting. I've tried other things in other posts but still no luck

Code: Select all

/usr/bin/make  -f debian/rules clean
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel'
# select which makefile to use.
rm -f /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/Makefile || true
if [ 6 = 6  ]; then \
	     ln -s Makefile.kbuild Makefile ; \
	fi
if [  6 = 4  ]; then \
	     ln -s Makefile.nvidia Makefile ; \
	fi
if [ -e patch-stamp ]; then \
	   dpatch deapply-all ; \
	   rm -rf patch-stamp debian/patched ; \
	fi
if [ -f /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/debian/control.template ]; then \
		cp  /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/debian/control.template /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/debian/control; \
	fi
dh_testroot
rm -f build-stamp configure-stamp
/usr/bin/make clean SYSSRC=/lib/modules/2.6.32-trunk-amd64/build -C /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/ -f Makefile 
make[2]: Entering directory `/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel'
make[2]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel'
rm -f /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel//Makefile || true; 	
rm /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel//gcc-check
rm /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel//cc-sanity-check
dh_clean
rm /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/debian/control
rm /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/debian/dirs
rm /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/debian/override
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel'
echo "ROOT_CMD = "
ROOT_CMD = 
/usr/bin/make  -f debian/rules binary_modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel'
# select which makefile to use.
rm -f /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/Makefile || true
if [ 6 = 6  ]; then \
	     ln -s Makefile.kbuild Makefile ; \
	fi
if [  6 = 4  ]; then \
	     ln -s Makefile.nvidia Makefile ; \
	fi
if ! gcc-4.3 -v 2> /dev/null  ; then \
	   echo "Compiler gcc-4.3 does not exist on the system" ; \
	   exit 1; \
	fi   
if [ -f /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/debian/control.template ]; then \
		cp  /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/debian/control.template /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/debian/control; \
	fi
if [ "x86_64" = "x86_64" ]; then \
		cp /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv-kernel.o.x86_64 /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv-kernel.o ; \
	fi
touch configure-stamp
dh_testdir
dh_testroot
PATCHLEVEL = 6 
Kernel compiler version : 4.3.4
Detected compiler version : 4.3.4
Using compiler gcc-4.3 version 4.3.4
touch /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel//gcc-check
touch /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel//cc-sanity-check
## Main Make ##
IGNORE_CC_MISMATCH=1 CC="gcc-4.3" /usr/bin/make -C /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/ -f Makefile SYSSRC=/lib/modules/2.6.32-trunk-amd64/build   KBUILD_PARAMS="-C /lib/modules/2.6.32-trunk-amd64/build SUBDIRS=/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel" module;
make[2]: Entering directory `/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel'
NVIDIA: calling KBUILD...
make CC=gcc-4.3 -C /lib/modules/2.6.32-trunk-amd64/build SUBDIRS=/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel modules
make[3]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.32-trunk-amd64'
  Building modules, stage 2.
  MODPOST 0 modules
make[3]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.32-trunk-amd64'
NVIDIA: left KBUILD.
nvidia.ko failed to build!
make[2]: *** [module] Error 1
make[2]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel'
make[1]: *** [build-stamp] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel'
make: *** [kdist_image] Error 2

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

#166 Post by bluesdog »

Check the nvidia build log file located at /var/cache/modass

Are you building for a stock kernel?

What nvidia-kernel-source are you using?

173.14.09-5 won't build correctly against the 2.6.30 kernels

You can safely use the nvidia-kernel-source 190.53-2 from sid, and the matching nvidia-glx driver.

Add Sid non-free deb and deb-src to your /etc/apt/sources.list, but remove it later

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

#167 Post by BrainCheese »

That was it. I used Sid for the drivers and everything installed correctly. Thank you very much!!!!!!

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

#168 Post by Hadret »

Any luck with nvidia drivers from repositories (or not) and kernel 2.6.33 (experimental, sidux or liquorix)?

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

#169 Post by mzilikazi »

Hadret wrote:Any luck with nvidia drivers from repositories (or not) and kernel 2.6.33 (experimental, sidux or liquorix)?
Try this one:

Code: Select all

echo deb http://frickelplatz.de/debian/ sid main contrib non-free > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/frickelplatz.list
apt-get update
apt-get install frickelplatz-keyrings
apt-get install nvidia-kernel-source
m-a a-i -t nvidia
apt-get install nvidia-glx

Code: Select all

# apt-cache policy nvidia-kernel-source nvidia-glx
nvidia-kernel-source:
  Installed: 190.53-2+c0.towo.1
  Candidate: 190.53-2+c0.towo.1
  Version table:
 *** 190.53-2+c0.towo.1 0
        500 http://frickelplatz.de sid/non-free Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     190.53-1 0
        500 http://mirrors.xmission.com sid/non-free Packages
     173.14.09-5 0
        500 http://mirrors.xmission.com stable/non-free Packages
        500 http://mirrors.xmission.com testing/non-free Packages
nvidia-glx:
  Installed: 190.53-1
  Candidate: 190.53-1
  Version table:
 *** 190.53-1 0
        500 http://mirrors.xmission.com sid/non-free Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     173.14.09-5 0
        500 http://mirrors.xmission.com stable/non-free Packages
        500 http://mirrors.xmission.com testing/non-free Packages
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AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor TK-55 / 1.5G
Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual CPU T2390 @ 1.86GHz / 3G

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

#170 Post by TheExplorer »

Excuse me since I'm new on this forum as I have switched from 'evil ubuntu' to debian and loved it really much :)

I used to do the following steps, either with stock or custom kernels in Ubuntu:

Install linux headers and other needed packages like xserver-xorg-dev etc.
Alt+F1
# /etc/init.d/gdm stop
./NVIDIA-xxx.pkg1.run
# /etc/init.d/gdm start

That's it!

Should I really make all these manipulations in order to install official Nvidia driver???
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Re: Nvidia driver - Debian way, custom (or not) kernel.

#171 Post by julian67 »

TheExplorer wrote: Should I really make all these manipulations in order to install official Nvidia driver???
If the advantages of doing it the Debian way are valuable to you, then yes. Otherwise, there's not really any point. I don't. I find using the installer from nvidia's ftp reliable, easy and quick. Like you I log out (though I don't use a log in manager), log into a console as root and run the script. A two minute job.
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Re: Nvidia driver - Debian way, custom (or not) kernel.

#172 Post by bluesdog »

dkms makes nvidia module/driver installation/update ridiculously simple

Only available in Squeeze (or Sid), but when Squeeze goes stable, I expect the number and frequency of nvidia install related posts will drastically decrease

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

#173 Post by startgame412 »

Hello I'm currently using ubuntu 10.04 but I don't like it because it is not stable on my computer. I would like to switch back to debian squeeze for it's stability but I can't install the non free driver for my nvidia card because the nvidia-kernel-legacy-96xx package is not in squeeze. I need this package because it has the drivers for my nvidia geforce mx 440 card. I am able to install this in lenny without a problem but this does not seem to work in squeeze. Is there something I can do to get this to work in squeeze? I would be using the debian squeeze kernel which is 2.6.32 at the moment. Want to ditch ubuntu for debian's stability. Thanks.

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

#174 Post by bluesdog »

startgame412 wrote:... the nvidia-kernel-legacy-96xx package is not in squeeze....
The package is available in Sid/unstable.

Code: Select all

$ apt-cache policy nvidia-glx-legacy-96xx
nvidia-glx-legacy-96xx:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 96.43.16-1
  Version table:
     96.43.16-1 0
        500 http://ftp.us.debian.org sid/non-free Packages
$ apt-cache search nvidia-kernel-legacy-96xx
nvidia-glx-legacy-96xx-ia32 - NVIDIA binary Xorg driver (96xx legacy version)
nvidia-glx-legacy-96xx - NVIDIA binary Xorg driver (96xx legacy version)
nvidia-kernel-legacy-96xx-source - NVIDIA binary kernel module source (96xx legacy version)
nvidia-kernel-legacy-96xx-2.6-amd64 - NVIDIA binary kernel module for 2.6 series compiled for amd64
nvidia-kernel-legacy-96xx-2.6-openvz-amd64 - NVIDIA binary kernel module for 2.6 series compiled for openvz amd64
nvidia-kernel-legacy-96xx-2.6.26-2-amd64 - NVIDIA binary kernel module for Linux 2.6.26-2-amd64 (legacy version)
nvidia-kernel-legacy-96xx-2.6.26-2-openvz-amd64 - NVIDIA binary kernel module for Linux 2.6.26-2-openvz-amd64 (legacy version)
You could try temporarily adding the Sid repo to your sources, then do a simulation to see what else besides the module the package would pull in.

eg.

Code: Select all

aptitude update
aptitude install nvidia-glx-legacy-96xx -s
If you go this route, remember to remove or comment out the Sid repo afterwards!

startgame412
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Re: Nvidia driver - Debian way, custom (or not) kernel.

#175 Post by startgame412 »

Thanks but what about a package for nvidia-kernel-legacy-96xx-2.6.32.2 which I think is the current kernel in squeeze. Wouldn't I need a package such as this if this is the kernel I will be using in squeeze? Will the nvidia-kernel-legacy-96xx source package make make the nvidia-kernel-legacy-96xx-2.6.32.2 package? Thanks.

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

#176 Post by bluesdog »

startgame412 wrote:Thanks but what about a package for nvidia-kernel-legacy-96xx-2.6.32.2 which I think is the current kernel in squeeze. Wouldn't I need a package such as this if this is the kernel I will be using in squeeze? Will the nvidia-kernel-legacy-96xx source package make make the nvidia-kernel-legacy-96xx-2.6.32.2 package? Thanks.
Yes, a module build may be necessary. Module-assistant should do the job, I think. Run module-assistant w/o any switches to invoke interactive mode, and see what's available

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

#177 Post by craigevil »

[nvidia dkms] For Squeeze users. Ensure you have <non-free sources> added.
"aptitude install linux-headers-2.6-`uname -r | sed 's,.*-,,'` nvidia-glx nvidia-xconfig && nvidia-xconfig -o /etc/X11/xorg.conf"
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Re: Nvidia driver - Debian way, custom (or not) kernel.

#178 Post by bugsbunny »

with dkms, as long as you're installing recommends (and if you're not you should override on the command line to do so for this) all you need to do is:

Code: Select all

aptitude install nvidia-kernel-dkms
I recommend adding nvidia-settings to that, but everything else you need will get pulled in. The one possible exception is the kernel-header package, since if you have multiple kernels installed and a header package for ANY of the kernels the dependency will have been fulfilled. The solution to that is to make sure that you always install a header package in conjunction with a kernel image.

Actually the following will ensure that you install recommends no matter what you're settings and is all that's needed.

Code: Select all

aptitude -r install nvidia-kernel-dkms nvidia-settings
Note that I recommend you pull from unstable, even if you're running primarily testing. testing is still at -1, while sid is up --4. The -2 version added recommends for vdpau (which won't automatically get pulled in with -1). For more see the changelog: Debian Changelog current nvidia-graphics-drivers

nvidia-xconfig tends to add a bunch of cruft. I recommend you not use, or even install, it except as a measure of last resort. With current setups all you should need in most cases is the Device section in order to specify the driver. You can also specify driver specific options in there. Here's my current one (including some commented out settings, and some I could esaily delete since they';re set to the default value):

Code: Select all

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Default Device"
	Driver		"nvidia"
	Option		"NoLogo"	"False"
#	Option		"DPI"	"133 x 133"
	Option		"Coolbits"	"5"
#	Option		"ModeDebug"	"False"
EndSection

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

#179 Post by Job »

In my situation I want to only install nvidia-kernel-dkms and leave behind everything else the package is pulling. I was reading about the "hold" command but I am not certain about its usage.
Is there a straight way to tell aptitude not to install something else coming with a package?
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Re: Nvidia driver - Debian way, custom (or not) kernel.

#180 Post by bugsbunny »

Job wrote:In my situation I want to only install nvidia-kernel-dkms and leave behind everything else the package is pulling. I was reading about the "hold" command but I am not certain about its usage.
Is there a straight way to tell aptitude not to install something else coming with a package?
Job
Can you explain exactly what you're hoping to accomplish? nvidia-kernel-dkms by itself, with none of it's dependencies, is worthless and won't really do anything. Generally speaking hard dependencies (as opposed to recommends or suggests) have to get pulled in, otherwise you end up with broken packages.

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