Nvidia Drivers Won't Load

[palsyboy]

I'm working on my dad's computer with a new 11.1 installation and an AGP Nvidia GeForce 6800 XT, and I've never run into such difficulty enabling 3D support.

I've run the one-click installer for the drivers, and it changes the xorg "driver" line to "nvidia," which crashes X upon restarting the server.

I've tried running "sax2 -r -m 0=nvidia" as root from runlevel 3, and the same thing happens.

I can get back into GNOME by manually changing the "driver" line to either "nv" or "vesa," but I have no acceleration.

I've also looked through some troubleshooting posts regarding a kernel mismatch and having PAE installed, but everything seems to match correctly.

Can anyone help me out? I'd like for my dad to be able to use Google Earth, as he's a real enthusiast for it.

Here's my xorg.conf:

# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig:  version 1.0  (buildmeister@builder63)  Fri Aug 14 17:54:58 PDT 2009

# /.../
# SaX generated X11 config file
# Created on: 2009-10-27T22:33:52-0500.
#
# 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           "freetype"
    Load           "extmod"
    Load           "glx"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
    Option         "AllowMouseOpenFail" "on"
    Option         "ZapWarning" "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" "Logitech USB Optical Mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "explorerps/2"
    Option         "Vendor" "Sysp"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Modes"
    Identifier         "Modes[0]"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor[0]"
    VendorName     "GATEWAY"
    ModelName      "VX900T"
    UseModes       "Modes[0]"
    DisplaySize     352    264
    HorizSync       30.0 - 96.0
    VertRefresh     48.0 - 120.0
    Option         "CalcAlgorithm" "XServerPool"
    Option         "DPMS"
    Option         "PreferredMode" "1280x1024"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device[0]"
    Driver         "nv"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA"
    BoardName      "GeForce 6800 XT"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen[0]"
    Device         "Device[0]"
    Monitor        "Monitor[0]"
    DefaultDepth    24
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       15
        Modes      "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1280x800" "1152x864" "1280x768" "1280x720" "1024x768" "1280x600" "1024x600" "800x600" "768x576" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       16
        Modes      "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1280x800" "1152x864" "1280x768" "1280x720" "1024x768" "1280x600" "1024x600" "800x600" "768x576" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1280x800" "1152x864" "1280x768" "1280x720" "1024x768" "1280x600" "1024x600" "800x600" "768x576" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       8
        Modes      "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1280x800" "1152x864" "1280x768" "1280x720" "1024x768" "1280x600" "1024x600" "800x600" "768x576" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
    Option         "Composite" "on"
EndSection

[alibab]

Hi palsyboy,
I've the same NVidia Card and the same problem here.
So far (almost 1 + 1/2 years) I could not manage my nvidia card to work.

Seems "Nvidia 6800" is not supported by the driver.

[caprus]

I've never had any luck using "one click" to install drivers for an NVIDIA gpu, and I get the impression from reading these forums that nobody else has either.

The more successful method is really easy. I never use any method other than " "the hard way" to install NVIDIA drivers. It's really not hard at all. It only takes about two minutes, and I think it's easier than any alternative.

here's how I do it:

1. go to NVIDIA Driver Downloads - Advanced Search and find and download the driver for your card. Make sure to remember where you stored the file.

2. ctrl-alt-f1

3. login as su

4. # init 3

5. # cd (the path to the downloaded file)
(I do it this way so I can now run # ls if needed to verify the name of the file for the next step)

6. # sh (the driver file) -q

7. sax2 -r -m 0=nvidia

8. then I reboot just to be conservative

Good luck

[caprus]

Originally Posted by alibab

Seems "Nvidia 6800" is not supported by the driver.

According to NVIDIA, no problem, it's supported.

[oldcpu]

Further to caprus post, ... I also use the "hardway", ... but if one is going to go that route, first ensure you:

• under yast > software > software management select the pattern "base development" and install those associated packages, and
• install kernel-source, kernel-syms and linux-kernel-headers (note kernel-source and kernel-syms MUST be of same version as your kernel).

Those are needed to build your driver when one does it the "hardway" (which is not hard).

[alibab]

thx all for the kind reply,
@caprus: I already use this way of installing nvidia drivers.
It just doesn't work with this card.
On my laptop with "nvidia 7800 GO" your solution worked immediately. But on my desktop PC with "nvidia 6800" I just can not get this card working. It seems I'm not the only one ...

[oldcpu]

Originally Posted by alibab

On my laptop with "nvidia 7800 GO" your solution worked immediately. But on my desktop PC with "nvidia 6800" I just can not get this card working. It seems I'm not the only one ...

Hmmm ... which openSUSE versions did you try? Which nVidia graphic card versions/files did you try?

Have you tried to get help on the nVidia Linux forum? I find it very good:
NVIDIA Linux - nV News Forums

Have you raised a bug on the driver on the Nvidia web site?

[Lachrymose]

I have this problem too. I'm not sure how to get into gnome to change this. I'm new to openSuse and not much Linux experience in general.

All I get is a terminal prompt while booting with some display errors. This all happened after the "one click install" for nvidia, lol.

I appreciate any help and am grateful that this thread is active when I need it!

EDIT: I want to do this: get back into GNOME by manually changing the "driver" line to either "nv" or "vesa,"

[oldcpu]

Originally Posted by Lachrymose

I have this problem too. I'm not sure how to get into gnome to change this. I'm new to openSuse and not much Linux experience in general.

All I get is a terminal prompt while booting with some display errors. This all happened after the "one click install" for nvidia, lol.

I appreciate any help and am grateful that this thread is active when I need it!

EDIT: I want to do this: get back into GNOME by manually changing the "driver" line to either "nv" or "vesa,"

If you can boot to a text mode, and if you have a nvidia card, then switch to root permissions (you can do that by typing "su" without specifying a user and enter root password) and then type:

sax2 -r -m 0=vesa

or

sax2 -r -m 0=nv

then restart with

shutdown -r now

Thats assuming only one graphic device.

If more than one you may need to change the "0" to "1".

[Lachrymose]

Thanks for the reply! I was able to boot into gnome. But now when I try to download the driver, there are no results on the nvidia sit for my drivers (Geforce 7000M). I'm not really sure what to do now.