Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

some-guy94 · 2010-01-04 22:53:25

sultanoswing wrote:

The provided nvidia package is fine & recommened & I use it on my laptop....except it doesn't work with custom compiled kernels. For that application you do need to manually install the binary blob (downloaded from nvidia) from the shell.

See the nvidia-all package

Misfit138 · 2010-01-05 00:12:21

ngoonee wrote:

Where possible you should minimize the files on your system which aren't under your package management software (pacman in this case). This is particularly the case with a relatively common package like nvidia for which packages are already available. Makes debugging easier, and allows for a cleaner system if/when you need to change driver..

There is debate about this....though a final verdict is elusive. I tend to conclude that pacman is the best and first choice, unless you are an experienced user who is not intimidated by the possible breakage.

ngoonee · 2010-01-05 05:16:42

broch wrote:

ngoonee wrote:
Where possible you should minimize the files on your system which aren't under your package management software (pacman in this case). This is particularly the case with a relatively common package like nvidia for which packages are already available. Makes debugging easier, and allows for a cleaner system if/when you need to change driver.
@jwwolf, since this is the Newbie Corner, it'd be helpful to take the time to at least add a few words on the difference between nouveau and the nvidia drivers...
you should not make things up. in the case of nvidia pacman is nothing more than wrapper. In this specific case it actually limits nvidia original installer.
there is not such thing as "cleaner" system: this is linux so user is allowed to use distro specific packaging system or sources.

... It is NOT just a wrapper, it informs pacman of what files it is installing, so that pacman can check for conflicts and can remove them when the package needs to be un-installed, updated, etc. Please know your facts before you decide others are 'making things up'

EDIT: just read Misfit138's post. Agree whole-heartedly. Also, to clarify, I do not think nvidia's installer eats babies =p but pacman is the better choice.

sultanoswing wrote:

The provided nvidia package is fine & recommened & I use it on my laptop....except it doesn't work with custom compiled kernels. For that application you do need to manually install the binary blob (downloaded from nvidia) from the shell.

No, its compiled against 2.6.32-ARCH. If you use a custom kernel you can use the nvidia-all or nvidia-beta-all package (replaces nvidia/nvidia-beta), or simply use the nvidia PKGBUILD and change the kern_ variable.

Last edited by ngoonee (2010-01-05 05:19:31)

sHyLoCk · 2010-01-05 06:04:20

Nvidia driver and kernel and a few more stuffs, which I always compile regardless whichever distro I am using. This is something I have picked up fromusing slackware all these years. There is no harm in doing so if you know what you're doing. I can assure you compiling the .run file is safe. Nothing wrong with it. If problem persists, it's elsewhere. Nvidia driver doesn't need pacman's assistance in deciding which files conflicts or where to install files, it just wants the kernel source path and it compiles it's modules accordingly.

ngoonee · 2010-01-05 06:46:19

sHyLoCk wrote:

...There is no harm in doing so if you know what you're doing....

Agreed. Now, for advising a newbie in the Newbie Corner, on the other hand...

Misfit138 · 2010-01-05 17:14:08

ngoonee wrote:

.....No, its compiled against 2.6.32-ARCH. If you use a custom kernel you can.. simply use the nvidia PKGBUILD and change the kern_ variable.

Strongly agree. We should make a sticky advising new users to do this. It will solve a decent amount of headaches to simply use the PKGBUILD every time; it will allow them to execute the blob against whatever kernel they are using.

ngoonee · 2010-01-05 22:43:14

Misfit138 wrote:

ngoonee wrote:
.....No, its compiled against 2.6.32-ARCH. If you use a custom kernel you can.. simply use the nvidia PKGBUILD and change the kern_ variable.
Strongly agree. We should make a sticky advising new users to do this. It will solve a decent amount of headaches to simply use the PKGBUILD every time; it will allow them to execute the blob against whatever kernel they are using.

Perhaps a note at the end of the nvidia.install which checks whether uname -r ends with -ARCH and prints a warning otherwise?

Misfit138 · 2010-01-05 23:08:13

ngoonee wrote:

Misfit138 wrote:
ngoonee wrote:
.....No, its compiled against 2.6.32-ARCH. If you use a custom kernel you can.. simply use the nvidia PKGBUILD and change the kern_ variable.
Strongly agree. We should make a sticky advising new users to do this. It will solve a decent amount of headaches to simply use the PKGBUILD every time; it will allow them to execute the blob against whatever kernel they are using.
Perhaps a note at the end of the nvidia.install which checks whether uname -r ends with -ARCH and prints a warning otherwise?

Excellent. To Flyspray with ye!!

ngoonee · 2010-01-06 00:34:06

Misfit138 wrote:

ngoonee wrote:
Misfit138 wrote:
Strongly agree. We should make a sticky advising new users to do this. It will solve a decent amount of headaches to simply use the PKGBUILD every time; it will allow them to execute the blob against whatever kernel they are using.
Perhaps a note at the end of the nvidia.install which checks whether uname -r ends with -ARCH and prints a warning otherwise?
Excellent. To Flyspray with ye!!

Your wish is my command http://bugs.archlinux.org/task/17716

ngoonee · 2010-01-06 06:34:16

Bug's been closed . I agree with the reasoning, as well, so nothing else to be done.

Misfit138 · 2010-01-08 14:02:02

ngoonee wrote:

Bug's been closed . I agree with the reasoning, as well, so nothing else to be done.

Aw shucks. I suppose I do as well. But rejection still sucks.

sultanoswing · 2010-01-08 20:41:13

Despite the rejection, your advise on this matter is well appreciated - I shall do a custom compile of the nvidia PKGBUILD when I roll my next custom kernel (i.e. 2.6.33).

Cheers!

ngoonee · 2010-01-09 01:54:05

sultanoswing wrote:

Despite the rejection, your advise on this matter is well appreciated - I shall do a custom compile of the nvidia PKGBUILD when I roll my next custom kernel (i.e. 2.6.33).
Cheers!

Appreciated, but its nothing more than what's announced on the front page .

sultanoswing · 2010-01-10 06:24:40

Nope - no dice.

Followed nvidia wiki, latest abs sync with freshly rolled 2.26.32.3-1 kernel, including headers (kern_ver = 2.6.32-custom, as per uname -r).

Uninstalled Nvidia binary blob (--uninstall)

Installed nvidia-custom package from shell, it appears to install fine without errors (but I note the finished package is only 2.9MB).

X fails to start.

(EE) Failed to load module "record" (module does not exist, 0)
(EE) Failed to load /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/nvidia_drv.so
(EE) Failed to load module "nvidia" (loader failed, 7)
(EE) No drivers available

Hmmmm. I wonder if this is related to the new way of custom compiling kernels?? Oh well, at least the binary blob reinstalls without incident.

Last edited by sultanoswing (2010-01-10 06:33:49)

ngoonee · 2010-01-10 07:06:26

Please check if /lib/modules/2.6.32-custom/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia.ko exists.

sultanoswing · 2010-01-10 07:36:26

ngoonee wrote:

Please check if /lib/modules/2.6.32-custom/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia.ko exists.

Yep - it exists, and in that location. 'nvidia' is also in that location.

...is it worth installing regular 'nvidia' package under the non-custom (parallel installed) kernel to ensure any other requisite files / dependencies are present??

Last edited by sultanoswing (2010-01-10 07:39:01)

ngoonee · 2010-01-10 10:47:49

No, but you do need nvidia-utils of course.

Your makepkg might have failed. Are your kernel sources (kernel26-custom-headers) installed? My own nvidia package (i686) is 3.2 MB.

sultanoswing · 2010-01-10 18:50:13

ngoonee wrote:

No, but you do need nvidia-utils of course.
Your makepkg might have failed. Are your kernel sources (kernel26-custom-headers) installed? My own nvidia package (i686) is 3.2 MB.

That's (3.2MB) reassuring. Yes, custom headers and custom firmware are both installed. makepkg didn't look like it failed in anyway, but there is the following repeated throughout the compile:

include/linux/highmem.h:149: warning: pointer of type 'void *' used in arithmetic

I'll keep plugging away at it & let ya know how it gets on.

ngoonee · 2010-01-11 01:44:36

That isn't a problem, you have it all the time compiling nvidia's binary module.

Arch Linux

#26 2010-01-04 22:53:25

Re: Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

#27 2010-01-05 00:12:21

Re: Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

#28 2010-01-05 05:16:42

Re: Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

#29 2010-01-05 06:04:20

Re: Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

#30 2010-01-05 06:46:19

Re: Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

#31 2010-01-05 17:14:08

Re: Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

#32 2010-01-05 22:43:14

Re: Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

#33 2010-01-05 23:08:13

Re: Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

#34 2010-01-06 00:34:06

Re: Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

#35 2010-01-06 06:34:16

Re: Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

#36 2010-01-08 14:02:02

Re: Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

#37 2010-01-08 20:41:13

Re: Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

#38 2010-01-09 01:54:05

Re: Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

#39 2010-01-10 06:24:40

Re: Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

#40 2010-01-10 07:06:26

Re: Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

#41 2010-01-10 07:36:26

Re: Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

#42 2010-01-10 10:47:49

Re: Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

#43 2010-01-10 18:50:13

Re: Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

#44 2010-01-11 01:44:36

Re: Which Nvidia drivers should I install.

Board footer