help to install Zotac GeForce GT430 video card driver

English Hardware
#1

opensuse 11.3 KDE 4.4.4 “release 3”

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL

I installed a new video card (nVidia)(Zotac GeForce GT430).
Had no problems, machine rebooted fine and display was ok, but, of course,
nVidia driver was not installed.
I went here:

[nVidia Driver via Repo in 11.3 & 11.4 - Guide]](http://forums.opensuse.org/english/information-new-users/unreviewed-how-faq/443104-nvidia-driver-via-repo-11-3-guide.html#post2197050)

and followed instructions.

I made sure nVidia repo was avaiable.
I discovered the nomodeset was already in /boot/grub/menu.lst.
In Yast > System > etc/Sysconfig editor go to System > Kernel > NO_KMS_IN_INTRID was already YES.
But, when I opened Yast > Software > Software Management there was no preselected to install.
I rebooted and tried again, but it was the same.

I did a search thru Software Management under nVidia and got a listing of about 10 different things re: nVidia.
I am guessing the “NOUVEAU” driver is installed [snapshot paste]
Which one do I choose and do I have to uninstall the nouveau driver 1st?

SUSE Paste

I Checked this out:

http://forums.opensuse.org/english/information-new-users/advanced-how-faq-read-only/438705-opensuse-graphic-card-practical-theory-guide-users.html

cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | grep '('II')'' 'NVIDIA

cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | grep '('II')'' 'VESA
    16.112] (II) VESA: driver for VESA chipsets: vesa

cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | grep '('II')'' 'NOUVEAU  
    16.110] (II) NOUVEAU driver 
    16.110] (II) NOUVEAU driver for NVIDIA chipset families

Unfortunately I not sure what that tells me, except that nVidia is not installed, I am sure.

I have downloaded the driver from the nvidia site “NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-290.10.run” but, the nvidia site recommends that I follow the openSuse installation instructions. [re: 1st site I went to][nVidia Driver via Repo in 11.3 & 11.4 - Guide]

Although the driver that is being used now [vesa/nouveau] seems to be working, I would really like to get the nVidia driver installed.

Why don’t the instructions [nVidia Driver via Repo in 11.3 & 11.4 - Guide] work for me?
Am I not doing something correctly?

Thanks

#2

You have to install the nvidia-gfxG02-kmp-YOURKERNELFLAVOR package. That contains the driver and will probably pull in some other packages. Uninstall the nouveau package. Then reboot. If all is well you’ll see the NVIDIA logo just before the login screen.

#3

Unfortunately I not sure what that tells me, except that nVidia is not installed, I am sure.

I have downloaded the driver from the nvidia site “NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-290.10.run” but, the nvidia site recommends that I follow the openSuse installation instructions. [re: 1st site I went to][nVidia Driver via Repo in 11.3 & 11.4 - Guide]

Although the driver that is being used now [vesa/nouveau] seems to be working, I would really like to get the nVidia driver installed.

Why don’t the instructions [nVidia Driver via Repo in 11.3 & 11.4 - Guide] work for me?
Am I not doing something correctly?

Thanks

And as another option, you can install the video driver the hard way (which is not hard). To see how, check out these two blogs:

Installing the nVIDIA Video Driver the Hard Way - Blogs - openSUSE Forums

LNVHW - Load NVIDIA (driver the) Hard Way from runlevel 3 - Version 1.20 - Blogs - openSUSE Forums

Thank You,

#4

thanks Knurpht and jdmcdaniel3

Because of an unrelated issue, I find myself having to upgrade to 11.4,
but I imagine your advice will still hold true for getting a proprietary nVidia driver installed on 11.4.
I will wait until I install 11.4 to deal with the video driver.

Just curious:
Is there any advantage to installing “the hard way”?

#5

The advantage is three fold, but not for everyone, that is for sure.

  1. You can get the very latest release when it comes out from nVIDIA and no need to wait for it to make its way to the repository.
  2. Its the best way to go if you compile and install the very latest kernel, outside of YaST.
  3. It is possible to load any released version should there be a reason to do so and not located in the repository.

So, if you don’t need the latest driver version or a specific version and stick with kernel versions you can find in YaST, then using the repository nVIDIA is the least amount of trouble. Every time you update the kernel, you must reload the nVIDIA driver. If you use YaST to load it, its done automatically for you and nothing more to do but restart, load your updated kernel and get the repository nVIDIA driver reloaded automatically for you. If you load the nVIDIA driver the hard way, you must reinstall the driver manually when you update the Linux kernel. Of course with my lnvhw script and my fastboot script, it is not all that much trouble, but the hard way is not for everyone. You asked and now you know.

Thank You,

#6

yes jdmcdaniel3

I asked and it doesn’t seem to be that much trouble
Only when one has the right info can one make the best choices…

Thanks All