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#1 2004-03-05 08:17:16

ridley
Member
Registered: 2004-03-05
Posts: 19

Strange Nvidia Install Errors (anyone?!)

The new nvidia kerenel module installer doesn't work with my 2.6.3 kernel, big surprise...

I've searched these forums but I still have not found a solution that works for me

1st tried downloading the source and unpacking it into the /usr/src directory and making a symlink linux -> linux-2.6.3

2nd I tried building a kernel with ABS and installing it using "pacman -A [whatever]"   no luck there either.

3rd tried compiling my own 2.6.3 kernel and I always get VFS errors, and yes my Grub/fsatb config files were correct, no i don't think it was a filesysyem change because i used the .config from the ABS kernel. Anyway, I would really like the go abut this "the arch way" (to paraphrase debian) and I even though i am experienced in compiling my own kernel, I'm not a big fan of it. I'd like to find a solution besides troubleshooting my kernel parameters/processes

other than that, I have seen mention of people copying or linking to stuff in the ABS directory, but no explicit directions

any help would be appreciated

p.s. yes a kernel sources package would be nice, but I don't see anything like that in unsatable


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#2 2004-03-05 11:15:28

sarah31
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From: Middle of Canada
Registered: 2002-08-20
Posts: 2,975
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Re: Strange Nvidia Install Errors (anyone?!)

the simplest way that i know works is:

1. download the source for your kernel

2. mv /usr/src/linux-2.6.3 /usr/src/linux-2.6.3-old

3. untar the kernel source in /usr/src

4. run the nvidia installer

(you should not need to do any symlinking of linux-2.6.3 -> linux)


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#3 2004-03-05 16:52:51

ridley
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Registered: 2004-03-05
Posts: 19

Re: Strange Nvidia Install Errors (anyone?!)

When I do that, I get "ERROR: Unable to determine the NVIDIA kernel
module filename."

Here is my /var/log/nvidia-installer.lo

nvidia-installer log file '/var/log/nvidia-installer.log'
creation time: Thu Mar  4 17:38:49 2004

option status:
  license pre-accepted    : false
  update                  : false
  force update            : false
  expert                  : false
  uninstall               : false
  driver info             : false
  no precompiled interface: false
  no ncurses color        : false
  query latest driver ver : false
  OpenGL header files     : false
  no questions            : false
  silent                  : false
  XFree86 install prefix  : /usr/X11R6
  OpenGL install prefix   : /usr
  Installer install prefix: /usr
  kernel source path      : (not specified)
  kernel install path     : (not specified)
  proc mount point        : /proc
  ui                      : (not specified)
  tmpdir                  : /tmp
  ftp site                : ftp://download.nvidia.com

Using: nvidia-installer ncurses user interface
-> License accepted.
-> No precompiled kernel interface was found to match your kernel; would you li
   ke the installer to attempt to download a kernel interface for your kernel f
   rom the NVIDIA ftp site (ftp://download.nvidia.com)? (Answer: Yes)
-> No matching precompiled kernel interface was found on the NVIDIA ftp site;
   this means that the installer will need to compile a kernel interface for
   your kernel.
-> Kernel source path: '/lib/modules/2.6.3/build'
-> Performing cc_version_check with CC="cc".
ERROR: Unable to determine the NVIDIA kernel module filename.
ERROR: Installation has failed.  Please see the file
       '/var/log/nvidia-installer.log' for details.  You may find suggestions
       on fixing installation problems in the README available on the Linux
       driver download page at www.nvidia.com.

I checked /lib/modules/2.6.3/build and there was a symlink to /usr/src/linux-2.6.3
so, just for fun I ran the installer with --kernel-source-path=/usr/src/linux-2.6.3 and got the same results

Thanks for the reply, any other suggestions?


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#4 2004-03-05 17:43:37

sarah31
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From: Middle of Canada
Registered: 2002-08-20
Posts: 2,975
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Re: Strange Nvidia Install Errors (anyone?!)

ridley wrote:

p.s. yes a kernel sources package would be nice, but I don't see anything like that in unsatable

essentially in most cases one will not need the full source. usually headers are what are needed the most and arch does supply a full set of those. what is missing though is the Makefile (i believe) that the nvidia installer sources for its routine.


as for your issue....i have no more suggestions. is there something unique about your setup that  we do not know about? i ask because most people can get nvidia installed with the steps mentioned above.  as well most errors i see are not the one you give. to me it sounds like something more than a kernel issue. perhaps your installer is corrupt some how?


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#5 2004-03-05 17:59:22

ridley
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Registered: 2004-03-05
Posts: 19

Re: Strange Nvidia Install Errors (anyone?!)

I don't think my installer is corrupt, I didn't get any errors on install and I have not seen any error after my install either. Other than that I wouldn't know how to tell; I used the base packages off the 0.6 ISO and installed the kernel26-scsi kernel. (I have SATA, if I boot with kernel26, I can't access my SATA drive)

I installed Arch before, had the same issues, and compiled my kernel the way you would on slack or gentoo, but could never get rid of the VFS error, besides, as I mentioned before, I would prefer to do it "the Arch way."

I'm not having any other issues (but I havn't tried to setup my sound card yet)

I appreciate the help, is there any where else I can look? Any other ideas?


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#6 2004-03-05 18:29:34

sarah31
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From: Middle of Canada
Registered: 2002-08-20
Posts: 2,975
Website

Re: Strange Nvidia Install Errors (anyone?!)

ok now i just have a question based on your last post. ....

please tell me how the nvidia installer is not working because from this:

I don't think my installer is corrupt, I didn't get any errors on install and I have not seen any error after my install either.

you are making me think that the module is installed and it is just no getting initialized.

if i am NOT incorrect with this just add "modprobe nvidia" and then for when you reboot just add nvidia to your rc.conf.

if i misinterpretted what you have said please tell me at which point when running the installer does this error appear.


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#7 2004-03-05 18:38:33

ridley
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Registered: 2004-03-05
Posts: 19

Re: Strange Nvidia Install Errors (anyone?!)

Sorry for the confusion I thought you meant the Arch installer, not the Nvidia Installer, my mistake.

The Nvidia installer is not working because it can't compile a module for my kernel.

"ERROR: Unable to determine the NVIDIA kernel module filename."

So I have no nvidia module compiled whatsoever

thanks for your patience


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#8 2004-03-05 19:29:53

ridley
Member
Registered: 2004-03-05
Posts: 19

Re: Strange Nvidia Install Errors (anyone?!)

I downloaded the Nvidia installer again to be sure that it wasn't corrupt

saw that is was "NVIDIA-Linux-x86-2.0..." instead of "NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0..."

got my hopes up

ran:

sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-2.0-5336-pkg1.run

and got the same error

So I'm still lost... am I the only one having these problems? Should I submit a bug report at this point..?


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#9 2004-03-05 22:39:28

rberry88
Member
From: Arlington Heights, IL USA
Registered: 2004-01-07
Posts: 53

Re: Strange Nvidia Install Errors (anyone?!)

Here is what I did (I was getting the same error):

Do this at your own risk -- it worked for me but no guarantees it will work for you

1. downloaded the kernel 2.6.3 from www.kernel.org to /home/username/
2. cd /usr/src
3. tar -xzvf /home/username/linux-2.6.3
4. rm linux  (removes any symlink you currently have in /usr/src)
5. cd /usr/src/linux-2.6.3 (or cd linux-2.6.3  <-- since you are already in /usr/src)
6. make menuconfig
7. configure kernel to your liking and include agpgart into your kernel
8. make all
9. cp arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/bzImage
10.  reboot into new kernel  (make sure you change your bootloader accordingly)
11. once booted into new kernel before starting X or kill X first and then run: sh NVIDIA. xxxx.run

This worked for me and I now have kernel 2.4.24 and 2.6.3 both booting and the Nvidia driver working in both.

rberry88

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#10 2004-03-06 06:07:20

LavaPunk
Member
Registered: 2004-03-05
Posts: 129

Re: Strange Nvidia Install Errors (anyone?!)

Just wanted to add that this worked for me too.

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#11 2004-03-07 05:51:50

ridley
Member
Registered: 2004-03-05
Posts: 19

Re: Strange Nvidia Install Errors (anyone?!)

So basically a normal kernel rebuild...

Thing is, I can't seem to do this without a VFS kernel panic error on reboot - which is another post entirely.

As far as that is concerned, I know I need devfs (with load at boot) SATA ich5 (my sata controller) support along with my file system and my bootloader pointing to the right partition. But this problem is on every distribution I have tried, so I know it is not an arch thing.

I have spent quite a bit of time on that too, but I don't know what the deal is, I think it has something to do with my SATA drive.

Anyway, I am really at a loss here, it looks like my choices are try (yet) another distro, or do without Nvidia support. I don't like either of those. Maybe I'll post something about the VFS thing. Problem there is, once I recompile my kernel that waty, If I try to reboot and it doesn't work, its time to reinstall, or try to save it with a livecd and chroot, neither of which are very fun (or productive)

I appreciate everyone's support halping me battle this one out though


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#12 2004-03-07 11:37:21

Guest
Guest

Re: Strange Nvidia Install Errors (anyone?!)

I have the same problem. The nvidia installer fails with 'Unable to determine the NVIDIA kernel module filename'. I used 2.6.3 and the 5336 installer from nvidia.
I gave up and i now use a patched 4363 installer (using some patches i found with google). It works fine although i get a warning in /var/log/kernel:

0: NVRM: AGPGART: unable to retrieve symbol table
atkbd.c: Unknown key released (translated set 2, code 0x7a on isa0060/serio0).
atkbd.c: This is an XFree86 bug. It shouldn't access hardware directly

Apart from this i have no problems (yet).

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