NVIDIA 180.22 driver installation problems

English Hardware
1

Hello all. I am an experienced computer programmer, but a novice linux user. I was running kubuntu for 2 weeks with the nvidia 9800 GX2 and the 180.22 drivers and encountered no problems. I decided to wipe the kubuntu install and go with OpenSuse 11.1 (64-bit) instead.

The first thing after completing installation was install the important updates, and try to install the nvidia 180.22 drivers. First, I tried installing the following using YAST:

nvidia-gfxG01-kmp-default
x11-video-nvidiaG02

Upon reboot, I received a blank screen with a white cursor at the upper left. The system was unresponsive - I could not access the terminal with CTRL+ALT+F1-F6.

I rebooted under failsafe, uninstalled, and tried again. I have now tried the following, with uninstalling and reverting to the default drivers between each attempt:

  1. installing using YAST, rebooting
  2. installing using YAST, followed by “sax2 -r -m 0=nvidia”, rebooting
  3. installing using YAST, followed by “nvidia-xconfig”, rebooting
  4. installing using the hard method, rebooting
  5. installing using the hard method, followed by “sax2 -r -m 0=nvidia”, rebooting
  6. installing using the hard method, followed by “nvidia-xconfig”, rebooting

EVERY attempt results in the same black screen and unresponsive system. For the hard method, I downloaded the 64-bit linux driver for my card directly from nvidia’s website, and followed the instructions for SUSE to the letter - including the installation of gcc/kernel-sources, and the kernel recompiled successfully during installation.

I am at my wits end. In kubuntu the driver installed flawlessly on my first try… I don’t know what else to do. Can anyone provide me with some suggestions or advice? Thanks in advance!

2

For the curious, here’s my xorg log file:

X.Org X Server 1.5.2
Release Date: 10 October 2008
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: openSUSE SUSE LINUX
Current Operating System: Linux linux-lvmo 2.6.27.7-9-default #1 SMP 2008-12-04 18:10:04 +0100 x86_64
Build Date: 03 December 2008 02:40:38PM

Before reporting problems, check [X.Org Wiki - Home](http://wiki.x.org)
to make sure that you have the latest version.

Module Loader present
Markers: (–) probed, () from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: “/var/log/Xorg.0.log”, Time: Mon Jan 19 04:18:43 2009
(==) Using config file: “/etc/X11/xorg.conf”
(==) ServerLayout “Layout[all]”
() |–>Screen “Screen[0]” (0)
() | |–>Monitor “Monitor[0]”
() | |–>Device “Device[0]”
() |–>Input Device “Keyboard[0]”
() |–>Input Device “Mouse[1]”
() Option “ZapWarning” “on”
() Option “AllowMouseOpenFail” “on”
(**) Option “Xinerama” “off”
(==) Automatically adding devices
(==) Automatically enabling devices

– TEXT OMITTED BECAUSE POST WAS TOO LONG –

(II) LoadModule: “nvidia”

(II) Loading /usr/lib64/xorg/modules/updates//drivers/nvidia_drv.so
(II) Module nvidia: vendor=“NVIDIA Corporation”
compiled for 4.0.2, module version = 1.0.0
Module class: X.Org Video Driver
(II) LoadModule: “kbd”

(II) Loading /usr/lib64/xorg/modules//input/kbd_drv.so
(II) Module kbd: vendor=“X.Org Foundation”
compiled for 1.5.2, module version = 1.3.1
Module class: X.Org XInput Driver
ABI class: X.Org XInput driver, version 2.1
(II) LoadModule: “mouse”

(II) Loading /usr/lib64/xorg/modules//input/mouse_drv.so
(II) Module mouse: vendor=“X.Org Foundation”
compiled for 1.5.2, module version = 1.3.0
Module class: X.Org XInput Driver
ABI class: X.Org XInput driver, version 2.1
(II) NVIDIA dlloader X Driver 180.22 Tue Jan 6 09:21:40 PST 2009
(II) NVIDIA Unified Driver for all Supported NVIDIA GPUs
(II) Primary Device is: PCI 04@00:00:0
(II) Loading sub module “fb”
(II) LoadModule: “fb”

(II) Loading /usr/lib64/xorg/modules//libfb.so
(II) Module fb: vendor=“X.Org Foundation”
compiled for 1.5.2, module version = 1.0.0
ABI class: X.Org ANSI C Emulation, version 0.4
(II) Loading sub module “wfb”
(II) LoadModule: “wfb”

(II) Loading /usr/lib64/xorg/modules//libwfb.so
(II) Module wfb: vendor=“X.Org Foundation”
compiled for 1.5.2, module version = 1.0.0
ABI class: X.Org ANSI C Emulation, version 0.4
(II) Loading sub module “ramdac”
(II) LoadModule: “ramdac”
(II) Module “ramdac” already built-in
(II) resource ranges after probing:
[0] -1 0 0xffffffff - 0xffffffff (0x1) MX**
[1] -1 0 0x000f0000 - 0x000fffff (0x10000) MX**
[2] -1 0 0x000c0000 - 0x000effff (0x30000) MX**
[3] -1 0 0x00000000 - 0x0009ffff (0xa0000) MX**
[4] -1 0 0x0000ffff - 0x0000ffff (0x1) IX**
[5] -1 0 0x00000000 - 0x00000000 (0x1) IX**
() NVIDIA(0): Depth 24, (–) framebuffer bpp 32
(==) NVIDIA(0): RGB weight 888
(==) NVIDIA(0): Default visual is TrueColor
(==) NVIDIA(0): Using gamma correction (1.0, 1.0, 1.0)
() NVIDIA(0): Enabling RENDER acceleration
(II) NVIDIA(0): Support for GLX with the Damage and Composite X extensions is
(II) NVIDIA(0): enabled.
(II) NVIDIA(0): NVIDIA GPU GeForce 9800 GX2 (G92) at PCI:4:0:0 (GPU-0)
(–) NVIDIA(0): Memory: 524288 kBytes
(–) NVIDIA(0): VideoBIOS: 62.92.39.00.10
(II) NVIDIA(0): Detected PCI Express Link width: 16X
(–) NVIDIA(0): Interlaced video modes are supported on this GPU
(–) NVIDIA(0): Connected display device(s) on GeForce 9800 GX2 at PCI:4:0:0:
(–) NVIDIA(0): Samsung SyncMaster (DFP-0)
(–) NVIDIA(0): Samsung SyncMaster (DFP-0): 165.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
(–) NVIDIA(0): Samsung SyncMaster (DFP-0): Internal Single Link TMDS
(II) NVIDIA(0): Assigned Display Device: DFP-0
(WW) NVIDIA(0): No valid modes for “1600x1024”; removing.
(WW) NVIDIA(0): No valid modes for “1600x1000”; removing.
(WW) NVIDIA(0): No valid modes for “1600x900”; removing.
(WW) NVIDIA(0): No valid modes for “1440x900”; removing.
(WW) NVIDIA(0): No valid modes for “1366x768”; removing.
(WW) NVIDIA(0): No valid modes for “1360x768”; removing.
(WW) NVIDIA(0): No valid modes for “1280x800”; removing.
(WW) NVIDIA(0): No valid modes for “1280x768”; removing.
(WW) NVIDIA(0): No valid modes for “1280x720”; removing.
(WW) NVIDIA(0): No valid modes for “1280x600”; removing.
(WW) NVIDIA(0): No valid modes for “1024x600”; removing.
(WW) NVIDIA(0): No valid modes for “768x576”; removing.
(II) NVIDIA(0): Validated modes:
(II) NVIDIA(0): “1680x1050”
(II) NVIDIA(0): “1400x1050”
(II) NVIDIA(0): “1280x1024”
(II) NVIDIA(0): “1280x960”
(II) NVIDIA(0): “1152x864”
(II) NVIDIA(0): “1024x768”
(II) NVIDIA(0): “800x600”
(II) NVIDIA(0): “640x480”
(II) NVIDIA(0): Virtual screen size determined to be 1680 x 1050
(–) NVIDIA(0): DPI set to (87, 83); computed from “UseEdidDpi” X config
(–) NVIDIA(0): option
(==) NVIDIA(0): Enabling 32-bit ARGB GLX visuals.
(–) Depth 24 pixmap format is 32 bpp
(II) do I need RAC? No, I don’t.
(II) resource ranges after preInit:
[0] -1 0 0xffffffff - 0xffffffff (0x1) MX**
[1] -1 0 0x000f0000 - 0x000fffff (0x10000) MX**
[2] -1 0 0x000c0000 - 0x000effff (0x30000) MX**
[3] -1 0 0x00000000 - 0x0009ffff (0xa0000) MX**
[4] -1 0 0x0000ffff - 0x0000ffff (0x1) IX**
[5] -1 0 0x00000000 - 0x00000000 (0x1) IX**
(II) NVIDIA(GPU-1): NVIDIA GPU GeForce 9800 GX2 (G92) at PCI:3:0:0 (GPU-1)
(–) NVIDIA(GPU-1): Memory: 524288 kBytes
(–) NVIDIA(GPU-1): VideoBIOS: 62.92.39.00.09
(II) NVIDIA(GPU-1): Detected PCI Express Link width: 16X
(–) NVIDIA(GPU-1): Interlaced video modes are supported on this GPU
(–) NVIDIA(GPU-1): Connected display device(s) on GeForce 9800 GX2 at PCI:3:0:0:
(II) NVIDIA(0): Initialized GPU GART.************************

3

Maybe xorg sees that GeForce as two cards, have You tried sax2 -r -m 0=nvidia 1=nvidia ?

4

You are right that this card actually has 2 GPUs. I tried your suggestion using both YAST and the hard method, and in both cases the result was the same as before. :frowning:

5

nvidia 9800 GX2
…
First, I tried installing the following using YAST:

nvidia-gfxG01-kmp-default
x11-video-nvidiaG02

nvidia-gfxG01-kmp-default - NVIDIA graphics driver kernel module for GeForceFX GPUs

NVIDIA graphics driver kernel module for GeForceFX GPUs
The level of support is unspecified
Highlighted in bold seems to be the source of the problem, you’re trying to use the quadro drivers on a ‘normal’ card? Doubt that’s gonna work unless you flashed the firmware of the card to a quadro (assuming that’s even possible for that card… not been keeping track of hardware recently)

I’d say you’d have better luck with

nvidia-gfxG02-kmp-default - NVIDIA graphics driver kernel module for GeForce 6xxx and newer GPUs

NVIDIA graphics driver kernel module for GeForce 6xxx and newer GPUs
The level of support is unspecified
PS: No idea about what went wrong with the manual install.

6

No the GFX01 is not specifically for quadro cards.

It is simply the previous nvidia driver. 177 series. :wink:

7

By the way, have You tried running nvidia-xconfig after installing drivers from the repo? Also have You tried running x with root privileges. If you can’t what is it saying?

8

I just noticed you said you installed

nvidia-gfxG01-kmp-default
x11-video-nvidiaG02

That would be a mismatch, and I’m not even sure Yast would allow it unless you told it to ignore conflicts, and dependencies.

The drivers you should be installing are

nvidia-gfxG02-kmp-default-180.22_2.6.27.7_9.1-4.1.x86_64.rpm

x11-video-nvidiaG02-180.22-4.1.x86_64.rpm

9

Darn, I thought I had actually made a post with no typos. I did NOT install nvidia-gfxG01-kmp-default, as I am aware that is the incorrect driver.

What I meant to type was:
nvidia-gfxG02-kmp-default
x11-video-nvidiaG02

So they were not mismatched. Sorry about that! I made the post at 5 am after working on this for hours, so forgive me if my brain was a little fried!

10

Yes. Always the same - black screen on startup and unresponsive system.

I’m still somewhat new to Linux. How would I go about doing that?

11

I tried installing again from the repo, then rebooting and starting x with root privileges from run level 3. Same problem as before. Log files didn’t seem to show anything different.

12

Have you tried to install the driver manually?
You can grab it from here: Linux x64 (AMD64/EM64T)
Then put it somewhere where you can find it, go to any terminal (ctrl+alt+f1), log in as root, init 3, go to where it is, sh ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-180.22-pkg2.run, and the rest should be simple.

13

Yes, as I stated in my original post I used the so-called “hard method” (manual install) of the 180.22 64-bit linux drivers directly from nvidia’s website several times, using different methods of configuring x each time. Each attempt produced the same result.

14

It could be that for the “hard way” install using the installer, you did not have the dependencies installed first. IIRC, these include:

kernel source
make
gcc

If the RPM’s you are getting through YAST are still not working, I would remove the drivers YAST installed, install the packages above, and try running the installer again.

To uninstall your previous attempt at using the installer run this command as superuser

nvidia-installer --uninstall
15

Thanks for the suggestions, but I have researched this problem extensively on the forums and done all of this already. I did in fact install the necessary dependencies you listed, and the kernel rebuild was successful, and between every attempt I uninstalled the driver using either YAST or the nvidia installer, depending on which method I had attempted to install with. I have tried every conceivable option, with the same result every time.

I have decided to forget about OpenSUSE and switch back to kubuntu. From what I read on the forums, I am not the only person who has encountered driver problems. If these issues are worked out in future versions, I may consider trying OpenSUSE again.

Thanks again for the help.

16

We sure have been getting a lot of OpenSuse flounces lately, from just-registered members. I’m sensing a definite pattern here.

I’m considering not helping anyone with fewer than 10 posts until this business calms down.

17

Hi
True :wink: I think that a library file or link is left especially if the
user doesn’t remove the rpms installed and vis versa for the install
from the sh file. maybe even rerunning depmod and ldconfig may help?

–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 11.1 x86 Kernel 2.6.27.7-9-default
up 2 days 8:28, 1 user, load average: 0.14, 0.10, 0.14
GPU GeForce 6600 TE/6200 TE - Driver Version: 180.22

18

Installing a driver through YAST is not that hard. I really don’t see what the problem could be unless it was multiple incorrect drivers installed on top of each other.

19

Hi
So true :slight_smile: I think the issue is using the driver but not having
verified the card (read checking pci id) is in the supported list, then
dropping back a version or two, then as you say something
potentially left lurking… sigh

–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 11.1 x86 Kernel 2.6.27.7-9-default
up 2 days 9:07, 2 users, load average: 0.06, 0.05, 0.06
GPU GeForce 6600 TE/6200 TE - Driver Version: 180.22

20

I agree, the process of installing was quite simple - if it had actually worked upon reboot.

Of course, you don’t know me from adam, so I’ll forgive the scepticism. I can absolutely guarantee that wasn’t the case. I was working with a clean install of the OS and I am positive that I selected CORRECT driver for my gfx card the first time (I am careful to read the details of everything I install first). Between installation attempts, the driver was uninstalled. And I exhaustively searched the web and forum posts for similar problems before posting here, to make sure I was doing every single step correctly.

You can believe this was due to user error - but it’s my opinion that there are currently some unresolved issues with installing these drivers in this version of the OS. Other posts on various forums, in my mind, echo this statement. I’m an educated computer scientist, not a novice who clicks the OK button without reading it. Just because you don’t see what the problem could be, doesn’t mean there isn’t a problem - maybe something about my system caused the installation to go awry. And maybe there’s a solution, but it’s certainly not even remotely obvious how to fix it. Half the posts suggesting fixes (while I appreciate the effort) recommended doing fairly obvious things that I had already stated I did in the original post.

I would love to stick around and try and fix this problem (and avoid being an OpenSuse “flounce”), but I needed this computer up and running for work, so I didn’t have the time to devote to hunting down the solution. Kubuntu is up and running and installed the drivers flawlessly. It’s a shame, because there are some lingering stability issues with KDE 4 that I was hoping would have been improved with OpenSuse. Perhaps in the next OpenSuse version / nvidia driver release I will try again and it will work for me.