OpenSUSE 12.1: Unable to setup nvidia drivers in any way (64 bit)

English Hardware
1

Hello. I have a desktop PC with an ASUS M2N MX SE PLUS motherboard installed (onboard GeForce 6150 and nForce 430). I had OpenSUSE 11.3 installed and everything was ok by then with graphics acceleration and sound. Since lately I could not retrieve any updates for packages I decided to migrate to 12.1. Installation went ok and I added the nvidia repositories as I had done with 11.3. However, after I login as regular user the screen blacks out and a failure warning regarding akonadi and nepomuk indexing appears. Then nothing else happens. On logging as a superuser in X mode (I know it is not recommended but needed to test that) I can use graphics acceleration (at least tested with torcs). Weird enough. I blacklisted the nouveau kernel but still continues to load. modprobe gives command gives nothing. I followed the wikis on the OpenSUSE webpage (at least I think I did all the things as stated there). I tried installation by the “hard” way using nvidia proprietary drivers downloaded from nvidia server and recompiling the kernel and also adding the nvidia repos to my repo list and downloading the nvidia kernel and drivers for my architecture and card (that would be g02). Neither way works to let me use X screen and graphics acceleration as a non-admin user.
Any help to solve this issue will be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Regards,
Gerardo

2

You did not mention having added in the nomodeset kernel load option which is required to install the nVIDIA driver properly. I have a few blogs you could look at on the subject:

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

LNVHW - Load NVIDIA (driver the) Hard Way from runlevel 3 - Version 1.30 - Blogs - openSUSE Forums

And to look at your loaded modules such as nvidia, look at this:

S.K.I.M. - SuSE Kernel Installed Modules - A lsmod replacement- Creates Alphabetized Module Listing - Blogs - openSUSE Forums

Thank You,

3

Hello again,

I quote: You did not mention having added in the nomodeset kernel load option which is required to install the nVIDIA driver properly. I have a few blogs you could look at on the subject.

Right, I didn’t mention that. May be I didn’t explain all the facts. When I added nomodeset option everything was/is ok for admin user. I downloaded some games that require graphics acceleration (TORCS, gl-117) and work ok.

However, I cannot log on as regular user: the screen blacks out and a warning regarding nepomuk pops out: Nepomuk indexing agent has been disabled. Then the screen blacks out again. I hear the log on music but the screen remains black.

This is it:

Details: Executable: nepomukservicestub PID: 4574 Signal: segmentation fault (11)

Application: Matriz de servicio Nepomuk (nepomukservicestub), signal: Segmentation fault

[KCrash Handler]
#6 0x00007fe840c0cfda in ?? () from /usr/lib64/kde4/nepomukstorage.so
#7 0x00007fe840c0d0fc in ?? () from /usr/lib64/kde4/nepomukstorage.so
#8 0x00007fe840c0d1d9 in ?? () from /usr/lib64/kde4/nepomukstorage.so
#9 0x00007fe8409b48a7 in Soprano::Server::ServerCore::~ServerCore() () from /usr/lib64/libsopranoserver.so.1
#10 0x00007fe840c0bdfc in ?? () from /usr/lib64/kde4/nepomukstorage.so
#11 0x00007fe840c0bea9 in ?? () from /usr/lib64/kde4/nepomukstorage.so
#12 0x00007fe84f6a9465 in QObjectPrivate::deleteChildren() () from /usr/lib64/libQtCore.so.4
#13 0x00007fe84f6aea09 in QObject::~QObject() () from /usr/lib64/libQtCore.so.4
#14 0x00007fe840c0b113 in ?? () from /usr/lib64/kde4/nepomukstorage.so
#15 0x00007fe84f6a9465 in QObjectPrivate::deleteChildren() () from /usr/lib64/libQtCore.so.4
#16 0x00007fe84f6aea09 in QObject::~QObject() () from /usr/lib64/libQtCore.so.4
#17 0x00000000004047f9 in _start ()

Besides, I recall from OpenSUSE 11.3 that, when I downloaded the nvidia drivers from opensuse repos (didn’t need the proprietary drivers at all) the old kernel didn’t appear anymore in the logon screen, just the newly added kernel. And I didn’t have to add nomodeset everytime I logged on. And the former error didn’t appear, and everything was ok… from the beginning.

Thank you in advance for your reply. Regards,
Gerardo

4

Hello,
I had to reply to myself. It seems the problem is not nepomuk but akonadi. How to solve this? I tryed uninstalling akonadi and had to reinstall all the system again, because it entered a loggon screen again and again, not recognizing any users.
Thanks again. Regards,
Gerardo

5

You can indeed use YaST to install the nVIDIA driver. Here are some links on the subject:

Nvidia Installer HOWTO for openSUSE users

SDB:NVIDIA drivers - openSUSE (I don’t suggest using the 1-click method)

Normally, everything needed is added for you when using YaST, but often you can’t get to 1st base without manually adding in the kernel load option: **nomodeset **before you can do anything else. As for logging in a root or a user, of course you should not normally log in as root, but long enough to create a new user or to remove the hidden /home/user_name/.kde4 folder for the user that does not work and then try again.

Thank You,

6

Hello James,
I decided to do a new installation of 12.1. This time selecting Gnome desktop, although I like KDE better. I can now login as a regular user. I added the nvidia and game repositories from opensuse. What I first found is I didn’t need to add nomodeset to the grub. Also, I can open the Nvidia settings configuration and can change Nvidia graphics card settings. Although the games keep downloading yet (my net is a little lazy this Sunday) I guess being able to open the Nvidia settings configuration is a good sign. And, in fact… YES!!! I got graphics acceleration now!.
Summing up: KDE installation is the whole bug.
Thanks for all your comments and help. Regards,
Gerardo

7

So I like to hear about success. Using the repository method to install the nVIDIA driver is a very painless way to do it and those things that need to be done for it to work are taken care of for you. And, of course the GNOME desktop is very good as well. Indeed many might say that the KDE desktop is a work in program and may have been at least one source of issues on your system. In any event, you are up and working and you can come back and ask for assistance for any other issue that you like. Good luck with your new openSUSE installation!

Thank You,

8

I have openSuSE 12.1 + nvidia to work. This is what i did:
My host has openSuSE 12.1,

  1. I added nvidia to my repo (baseurl=http://download.nvidia.com/opensuse/12.1)
  1. using YAST, install the proper nvidia driver
  2. cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf.install /etc/X11/xorg.conf
  3. By doing the above there should be a file in /etc/modprobe.d/nvidia.conf
  4. cat nvidia.conf
    blacklist nouveau
  5. make sure you are in the video group
  6. reboot computer
  7. nvidia-xconfig (say yes to make a backup)
  8. nvidia-settings (this is where I configure my dual screen)

Hope this help.