Is it better to use the driver that comes w/the distro or should I use the driver script that nVidia provides?
Whatever, the answer, I’m going to need help making sure they don’t conflict. I’m pretty sure the latest script I ran was the 319.23 version, but glxinfo | grep version reveals
server glx version string: 1.4
client glx version string: 1.4
GLX version: 1.4
OpenGL version string: 3.3.0 NVIDIA 304.88
OpenGL shading language version string: 3.30 NVIDIA via Cg compiler
and the “304.88” makes me think it was overwritten by an RPM update.
So again, the question is, which is better? Script or RPM and how do I get rid of the other one?
I’m running openSUSE 12.2 64-bit and have a nVidia GeForce GTS 250.
Is it better to use the driver that comes w/the distro or should I use the driver script that nVidia provides?
yes or no
it depends on what you are doing
how much experience you have
and how much much work you want to do
and what might be habit
for me that is using the current
“NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-325.08.run” driver
mind you the .run HAS TO replace some system files and headers
the upshot is if source code is built with the mesa “GL.h” it needs mesa
if it was built with the nvidia version of it “GL.h” then the nvidia driver must be used
there is no real answer to " what is better"
it is yes and no
You should either install the driver using the .run script OR from the RPMs, but not BOTH!
As you have recognized, an update to the G02 RPMs you have installed overwrote the files of the driver you installed using the .run script.
What’s even worse, you may have a mixture now of both versions!
And it is NOT possible to install different versions of the driver at the same time (ie. G02 and G03)!
So the best thing to do now, is:
uninstall the 319.23 driver by running “nvidia-installer --uninstall”
uninstall all nvidia driver rpms using yast or zypper
install the driver again with one of the two methods
Advantages/disadvantages of both methods:
The RPMs only work with the kernel included in openSUSE, if you want to use a different kernel, you have to use the .run script
When using the run script, you have to reinstall the driver after every kernel update! The RPMs take care of that.
With the RPMs you automatically get updates to the driver
With the RPMs you are restricted to the driver versions that are provided in the repo. If you want to use a different version (the beta version maybe) you have to download and install the .run script
When installing using the .run script, you may have to prevent the nouvea kernel module from loading. When using the RPMs they do all the necessary stuff.
Personnally, I would prefer the RPMs, the driver itself is exactly the same.
If you want to install the latest stable driver using the RPMs, just type (after uninstalling everything nvidia related):
sudo zypper in x11-video-nvidiaG03 nvidia-computeG03 nvidia-gfxG03-kmp-desktop
And uninstall that nvidia-settings rpm, that is useless! It doesn’t work with current driver versions, and the driver package contains “nvidia-settings” anyway!
Ok, I went w/using the RPM, since I’m not an overclocker or anything like that. It seemed a little strange, using scripts to install something like drivers in this heavily distrized era, but it seemed that every time I installed a new distro, it was either using nVidia’s custom drivers or going w/640x480x8. Thanks.
Depends on yout hardware and you needs/wants. nouveau works ok with many NVIDIA cards but not all. Also the Proprietary driver has better 3D acceleration. So it all depends. If you have no need for special/newer kernels use the RPM method it will simply update all when a kernel is updated. If you use the run method you must have the kernel source installed and must rerun after any kernel update.
Actually, we are dealing w/a problem that I still haven’t managed to solve. I’m trying to run this game in Wine which seems to be applying the totally wrong textures for things. When the guy in the Wine thread found out that I had these conflicting drivers, he told me to come here. Applying your solution to clean the scripted driver and reinstall the RPM one didn’t clear up the problem. Could the solution still be in the driver?
In the end, it turned out to be entirely a Wine issue. It was probably a good thing that I’m straightened out in terms of where I get my driver from, but the issues I was facing were corrected by attacking the issue through Wine directly.
Thanks.
>
>>
>> Is it better to use the driver that comes w/the distro or should
I
>> use the driver script that nVidia provides?
> yes or no
>
> it depends on what you are doing
> how much experience you have
> and how much much work you want to do
>
> and what might be habit
>
> for me that is using the current
> “NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-325.08.run” driver
> mind you the .run HAS TO replace some system files and headers
> the upshot is if source code is built with the mesa “GL.h” it
needs
> mesa
> if it was built with the nvidia version of it “GL.h” then the
nvidia
> driver must be used
>
>
> there is no real answer to " what is better"
> it is yes and no
>
>
John have you tried the 325.08 driver with 13.1 ? I have not tried
it with 13.1 since its not installed yet.
I’ve been using it since Saturday with 12.3, No problems.
>
> upscope;2577596 Wrote:
>> John have you tried the 325.08 driver with 13.1 ? I have not
tried
>> it with 13.1 since its not installed yet.
>>
> According to this there finally is an nvidia driver available
(325.15)
> that’s working with kernel 3.10:
> http://tinyurl.com/lbp4e6n
>
Installed the new driver (325.15)yesterday and it does work on 12.3.
Will be installing 13.1 hopefully later today. Will post results.
I can confirm that the new driver (325.15) installs perfectly on kernel version 3.10 …
Installing the Nvidia driver is necessary if one wants to install newer kernels from different repositories (other than the default one) …