nVidia graphics after kernel compilation

[ZeuZ]

Hey there, well, I went to a pals house and after getting all modules needed built-in (exept of course for the nVidias one) and excluding the unused ones, I managed to get a fully fast-working preempted and with high latency kernel that was working as a charm, the problem was as stated in the tittle the graphics...
I tried installing the graphics with the nVidia´s package but found that it screwed pretty much system wide... Since other kernels (not being this one only, but all the installed) later on found problems while loading the nvidia module for a or b reason that logs were not clear enough, that seemed weird since the module should only have been replaced in the current kernel (in wich it was actually compiled since it got none for nvidia) but after that, we decided to reinstall not to deal with that, we could still work but only with VESA support.
Question is: Would it have been come in handier using the Debian Way one-liner to install nvidia-glx module? Assuming that it was compiled with the same compiler...
I myself I´m a debian user (lenny/sid) and found this breackage pretty un-normal (sorry for my bad english just for the record :P) but didn´t want to risk stability following that procedure...
According to kernels master thread I done well, pretty much I had nothing wrong to be able to do, shutdown the x server, stop the managers (in this case KDM) go to a runlevel where no graphics are applied, and then go for the modules compilation and installation that actually finished with no error.
What would be the way to go in this cases?

[nowshining]

Re: nVidia graphics after kernel compilation

try installing the one from the nvidia website - http://www.nvidia.com/object/unix.html

[Jean]

Re: nVidia graphics after kernel compilation

I went to that nvidia site and noticed there that my installed nvidia driver (nvidia-glx-new 169.12+2.6.24.13-18.41) is from december 2007, that's quite old.

In windows I wouldn't have hesitated one moment to go fetch the update but I still feel uneasy about hardware/driver things in ubuntu.

Do people here update their nvidia driver regularly from the nvidia site?
Are there pitfalls or other things worth mentioning?

Greets.

[dibl]

Re: nVidia graphics after kernel compilation

I think it's considerably easier for most people to install the Envyng script installer from the standard repo, and then use that to install the latest driver that it recommends for your card.

So, open Adept Manager and mark the "envyng-core" package for installation. After it is installed, exit the GUI with Ctrl-Alt-F1, log in to the console, stop the X server with

sudo /etc/init.d/kdm stop

and then run the Envy script with

sudo envyng -t

If you already have an Nvidia driver installed, first choose "2 - Uninstall Driver" then when that finishes choose "1 - Install Driver" and it will install the latest recommended driver.

Then you can exit the script and restart the X server with

startx

[ZeuZ]

Re: nVidia graphics after kernel compilation

try installing the one from the nvidia website - http://www.nvidia.com/object/unix.html

As I quoted first, I tried that and the script screwed system wide.
As a Debian user, in IRC, Forums and comunity wide we are encouraged to use the ones from the repos.
Though thanks for the idea of envy script, as soon as I get a spare place, I'll test it...

[dibl]

Re: nVidia graphics after kernel compilation

Fortunately or unfortunately (and I personally have no stake in the argument), *buntu is not "pure Debian".

The Nvidia proprietary installer tarball assumes a straight Debian filesystem.

Envy is written to accommodate a *buntu system, with its "deviations", and thereby bridges the gap between the assumed configuration for pure Debian and the actual *buntu configuration.



*aside: this "pure Debian" thing reminds me of the spray-painted message on a wall at my university in 1972: "Smash Soviet Revisionism!"

[ZeuZ]

Re: nVidia graphics after kernel compilation

Fortunately or unfortunately (and I personally have no stake in the argument), *buntu is not "pure Debian".

The Nvidia proprietary installer tarball assumes a straight Debian filesystem.

Envy is written to accommodate a *buntu system, with its "deviations", and thereby bridges the gap between the assumed configuration for pure Debian and the actual *buntu configuration.



*aside: this "pure Debian" thing reminds me of the spray-painted message on a wall at my university in 1972: "Smash Soviet Revisionism!"

Leaving politics and ideologisms behind, its still weird.
As it´s supposed that when you compile and install a new module it will ONLY be processed into the modules of that kernel, thus here it modified all.

[dibl]

Re: nVidia graphics after kernel compilation

Right. I'm not sure whether the cause of your problem is your custom-compiled kernel, or the architectural differences between the *buntu filesystem and straight Debian.

Three versions ago (Edgy Eft) I recall working my way through an installation of the proprietary Nvidia driver of that time, and it worked fine once I sorted the requirements to make it load. But I haven't tried it since. The Envy script is just too easy.

Is there not a "RT" kernel available in the repos? Is it not "RT" enough for your requirements? You might want to try using that kernel, and then running the EnvyNG script on it -- if that works correctly, then you'll know that the problem with the Nvidia installer is something about your compiled kernel, and not the "non-Debian" filesystem structure.

I think .....