NVIDIA driver not being used; failed to load NVIDIA kernel

[crmrhm]

The NVIDIA driver I installed apparently is not being used with OpenSuSE 10.3. I put in a GeForce 7200GS card. Monitor is Samsung SyncMaster 712N. Latest driver for this card is Version 180.51. YaST has the NVIDIA repository http://download.nvidia.com/opensuse/10.3. In YaST software management, I selected "x11-video-nvidiaG02 - NVIDIA graphics driver for GeForce 6xxx and newer GPUs". YaST autoselected "nvidia-gfxG02-kmp-bigsmp - NVIDIA graphics driver kernel module for GeForce 6xxx and newer GPUs" and "kernel-bigsmp - Kernel with PAE Support". They installed and I rebooted with the new kernel.

(This dual boots with Window$ XP. The new card installed and runs correctly in XP, so there is no hardware problem.)

Problems:
1.The window is shifted right about 1/4 inch in the monitor screen. There is a black bar at the left edge of the screen, and the right 1/4 inch of the window is off the screen. I tried to fix this with YaST and SaX2. In Xfine2, I move the window to the correct position and click save, but on restarting Xserver, the position is unchanged.

2. Going to Applications -> System -> Configuration -> Configure NVIDIA X Server Settings, brings up the NVIDIA X Server Settings window, with a warning window stating: "You do not appear to be using the NVIDIA X driver. Please edit your X configuration file (just run `nvidia-xconfig` as root), and restart the X server." I followed those instructions, and on trying to restart Xserver, got the following error messages:
"(II) Module already built-in
FATAL: Error inserting nvidia (/lib/modules/2.6.22.19-0.2-bigsmp/updates/nvidia.ko): No such device
(EE) NVIDIA(0): Failed to load the NVIDIA kernel module
(EE) NVIDIA(0): ***Aborting***
(EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a useable configuration
Fatal server error:
no screens found
giving up
xinit: Connection reset by peer (errno 104): unable to connect to X server
xinit: No such process (errno 3): Server error"

I renamed the files to get the backup restored, and Xserver started. /lib/modules/2.6.22.19-0.2-bigsmp/updates/nvidia.ko does exist.

The original xorg.conf file that works is:
Quote
# /.../
# SaX generated X11 config file
# Created on: 2009-05-23T22:34:44+0900.
#
# Version: 8.1
# Contact: Marcus Schaefer <sax@suse.de>, 2005
# Contact: SaX-User list <https://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/sax-users>
#
# Automatically generated by [ISaX] (8.1)
# PLEASE DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE!
#
Section "Files"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/local"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/URW"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/Speedo"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/PEX"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/latin7/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/baekmuk:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/japanese:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/kwintv"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/truetype"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/uni:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/CID"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/misc/sgi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/xtest"
FontPath "/opt/kde3/share/fonts"
InputDevices "/dev/gpmdata"
InputDevices "/dev/input/mice"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "AllowMouseOpenFail" "on"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "glx"
Load "type1"
Load "extmod"
Load "dbe"
Load "freetype"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "kbd"
Identifier "Keyboard[0]"
Option "Protocol" "Standard"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
Option "XkbModel" "microsoftpro"
Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "mouse"
Identifier "Mouse[1]"
Option "Buttons" "5"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Name" "ImPS/2 Generic Wheel Mouse"
Option "Protocol" "explorerps/2"
Option "Vendor" "Sysp"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Option "CalcAlgorithm" "XServerPool"
DisplaySize 338 270
HorizSync 30-81
Identifier "Monitor[0]"
ModelName "SAMSUNG SYNCMASTER"
Option "DPMS"
VendorName "SAM"
VertRefresh 43-75
UseModes "Modes[0]"
EndSection

Section "Modes"
Identifier "Modes[0]"
Modeline "1280x1024" 108.00 1280 1344 1456 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066
EndSection

Section "Screen"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600"
EndSubSection
Device "Device[0]"
Identifier "Screen[0]"
Monitor "Monitor[0]"
EndSection

Section "Device"
BoardName "GeForce 7300 SE"
BusID "1:0:0"
Driver "nv"
Identifier "Device[0]"
Screen 0
VendorName "NVidia"
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Layout[all]"
InputDevice "Keyboard[0]" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Mouse[1]" "CorePointer"
Option "Clone" "off"
Option "Xinerama" "off"
Screen "Screen[0]"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Group "video"
Mode 0660
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
EndSection

Unquote

The xorg.conf file modified by nvidia-xconfig that does not work is:

Quote
# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig: version 1.0 (buildmeister@builder63) Thu Apr 16 19:36:29 PDT 2009

# /.../
# SaX generated X11 config file
# Created on: 2009-05-23T21:06:12+0900.
#
# Version: 8.1
# Contact: Marcus Schaefer <sax@suse.de>, 2005
# Contact: SaX-User list <https://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/sax-users>
#
# Automatically generated by [ISaX] (8.1)
# PLEASE DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE!
#

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Layout[all]"
Screen "Screen[0]" 0 0
InputDevice "Keyboard[0]" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Mouse[1]" "CorePointer"
Option "Clone" "off"
Option "Xinerama" "off"
EndSection

Section "Files"
InputDevices "/dev/gpmdata"
InputDevices "/dev/input/mice"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/local"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/URW"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/Speedo"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/PEX"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/latin7/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/baekmuk:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/japanese:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/kwintv"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/truetype"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/uni:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/CID"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/misc/sgi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/xtest"
FontPath "/opt/kde3/share/fonts"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dbe"
Load "type1"
Load "freetype"
Load "extmod"
Load "glx"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "AllowMouseOpenFail" "on"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard[0]"
Driver "kbd"
Option "Protocol" "Standard"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
Option "XkbModel" "microsoftpro"
Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse[1]"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Buttons" "5"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Name" "ImPS/2 Generic Wheel Mouse"
Option "Protocol" "explorerps/2"
Option "Vendor" "Sysp"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Modes"
Identifier "Modes[0]"
ModeLine "1280x1024" 108.00 1280 1360 1472 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor[0]"
VendorName "SAM"
ModelName "SAMSUNG SYNCMASTER"
UseModes "Modes[0]"
DisplaySize 338 270
HorizSync 30.0 - 81.0
VertRefresh 43.0 - 75.0
Option "CalcAlgorithm" "XServerPool"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Device[0]"
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "NVidia"
BoardName "GeForce 7300 SE"
Screen 0
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen[0]"
Device "Device[0]"
Monitor "Monitor[0]"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600"
EndSubSection
EndSection
Unquote

What do I need to do to shift the window and get the NVIDIA driver functioning?

Thanks,
Howard

[caf4926]

If I drill down the ftp of that nvidia dir. I don't see a PAE kernel module.

I think you will need to delete all the nvidia stuff and remove the repo. Then download the driver from nvidia
Follow this:

Alright so here is how to install the nvidia driver manually, in case the one in the repo doesn't work or u just want to use the latest.
Go to Yast>Software>Software Management
Search for and install if you don't have these:
make
gcc
kernel-source

Now download the latest Nvidia driver:
Place the file in your /home/username
Now restart and at the boot screen, pause the boot by moving the down button, then move back up and clear any text in the boot arguments by holding backspace. Then just type the number: 3
At the login
Type "root" then enter and then your root password and press enter.
now type
cd /home/username
*Now remember you can use the {TAB} key to auto complete
so type:
sh NVIDIA{TAB}
and the whole file name should auto complete
eg: sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-180.**.**-pkg1.run
Follow the installer and let it compile the kernel module for you.
Say Yes to everything
Use TAB to move around
reboot

[crmrhm]

Thanks, caf4926. Your instructions were just what I needed. The installer compiled a new kernel module, installed it, and wrote a new xorg.conf file. On starting X, it uses the new driver, the "NVIDIA X Server Settings" application works, and the desktop is in the correct place on the monitor screen. I appreciate the guidance.
Best regards,
Howard

[caf4926]

Originally Posted by crmrhm

Thanks, caf4926. Your instructions were just what I needed. The installer compiled a new kernel module, installed it, and wrote a new xorg.conf file. On starting X, it uses the new driver, the "NVIDIA X Server Settings" application works, and the desktop is in the correct place on the monitor screen. I appreciate the guidance.
Best regards,
Howard

Happy it worked out for you