possibly stupid question re: nvidia driver install

gid13 · 2004-03-19 07:09:25

Hi there. I was wondering... Is it possible to install the nvidia driver without compiling the kernel? I don't want to repartition my drive to give Arch the space it would need to do that, and even if I had the space I'd rather not have to waste time compiling.

As a side curiousity, if I do indeed need to rebuild the kernel, can anyone explain why I need to? It seems to me that if whoever compiled it in the first place included the sources they used, and if they made a copy available, it would avoid a lot of hassle. Am I wrong?

Thanks in advance.

Mr Green · 2004-03-19 09:29:39

Hi

The only way I could get Nvidia driver to work was to use ABS to compile kernel then instaling nvidia .....

using pacman to load kernel then drivers does not work....as nvidia compiles drivers into kernel..

its a pain but not that difficult (when someone s31) shows you how

As for building into Arch kernel well everyone does not use Nvidia & its just more flexible that way....they did have drivers in pacman at one time but keeping them up to date was a real problem...

HTH

Mr Green

gid13 · 2004-03-19 09:39:12

Thanks for the reply, but I think you've misunderstood something: I'm not worried about the difficulty of compiling the kernel, I'm worried about the required hard drive space (sad, I know).

Also, unless I'm very much mistaken (which is possible), the Nvidia installer compiles a module using the kernel sources. So if someone could provide me with the exact /usr/src/linux-2.6.4 that was used to compile the 2.6.4 package i got via pacman, then I could build the module without building the kernel. Right?

wdemoss · 2004-03-19 14:05:34

The exact source used is at kernel.org Its just a vanilla kernel. Dispite what i've read on the forum, installing the NVidia driver was very easy for me.

1.) get source from kernel.org
2.) extract it in /usr/src
3.) ln -s linux-2.6.4 linux (this step is debateable whither is necassary or not)
4.) run the NVidia installer (say yes compile me one when it says it can't find any on nvidia's site)
5.) update XF86Config-4
6.) add nvidia to the modules like of rc.conf

and tada! but i'm lucky like that
-wd

Moo-Crumpus · 2004-03-19 14:29:26

OK - 1.) get source from kernel.org
OK - 2.) extract it in /usr/src
No - 3.) ln -s linux-2.6.4 linux (this step is debateable whither is necassary or not)
OK - 4.) run the NVidia installer (say yes compile me one when it says it can't find any on nvidia's site)
OK - 5.) update XF86Config-4
OK - 6.) add nvidia to the modules like of rc.conf

Just wanted to debate. If you fetched the kernel source, you should have a look inside its readme. There is a strong warning not to link your source to linux. Instead, give your nvidia installer the option where to find the source.
nvinstaller --kernel-source-path=/usr/src/linux-2.6.4/

wdemoss · 2004-03-19 17:42:31

Pink Chick wrote:

OK - 1.) get source from kernel.org
OK - 2.) extract it in /usr/src
No - 3.) ln -s linux-2.6.4 linux (this step is debateable whither is necassary or not)
OK - 4.) run the NVidia installer (say yes compile me one when it says it can't find any on nvidia's site)
OK - 5.) update XF86Config-4
OK - 6.) add nvidia to the modules like of rc.conf
Just wanted to debate. If you fetched the kernel source, you should have a look inside its readme. There is a strong warning not to link your source to linux. Instead, give your nvidia installer the option where to find the source.
nvinstaller --kernel-source-path=/usr/src/linux-2.6.4/

Thanks, I wasn't aware of that. Will not do that any more
-wd

gid13 · 2004-03-19 21:21:17

Thanks a lot for your help. One more question: When I next upgrade my kernel, will this require me to recompile the nvidia driver?

wakeupbomb · 2004-03-19 23:56:50

gid13 wrote:

Thanks a lot for your help. One more question: When I next upgrade my kernel, will this require me to recompile the nvidia driver?

As far as I know, yes you will
Iv'e always had to do it

steelerguy · 2004-03-20 18:24:17

That's right. Whenever you go to a new kernel version you will have to recompile the nvidia module. If you were to just compile the same kernel again, to add some built in fuctionality, then you don't have to recompile.

Arch Linux

#1 2004-03-19 07:09:25

possibly stupid question re: nvidia driver install

#2 2004-03-19 09:29:39

Re: possibly stupid question re: nvidia driver install

#3 2004-03-19 09:39:12

Re: possibly stupid question re: nvidia driver install

#4 2004-03-19 14:05:34

Re: possibly stupid question re: nvidia driver install

#5 2004-03-19 14:29:26

Re: possibly stupid question re: nvidia driver install

#6 2004-03-19 17:42:31

Re: possibly stupid question re: nvidia driver install

#7 2004-03-19 21:21:17

Re: possibly stupid question re: nvidia driver install

#8 2004-03-19 23:56:50

Re: possibly stupid question re: nvidia driver install

#9 2004-03-20 18:24:17

Re: possibly stupid question re: nvidia driver install

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