2004-11-16, 02:45 PM
to install the nvidia driver and get it working with the default kernels shipped with Fedora Core Release 3 do as follows (you may want to print this document or save it as a file to read while in Text mode):-
Step one: GET THE DRIVER
first of all get this nvidia driver (for i386, if you have amd or other architecture, go to www.nvidia.com and download the correct driver).
download it somewhere easy to remember like /home/anyweb
Step Two: BACKUP IMPORTANT FILES
now login via root in a console and do as follows
Code:
cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.org
cp /boot/grub/grub.conf /boot/grub/grub.conf.org
cp /etc/inittab /etc/inittab.org
Step Three: EDIT SOME FILES
* first we will stop the GUI from automatically loading
login as root and do as follows:
Code:
vi /etc/inittab
find the line that reads
id:5:initdefault: and change it to read id:3:initdefault:
save your changes with :wq
*now (as root) we will edit the grub boot loader and stop the red hat graphical boot (rhgb)
Code:
vi /boot/grub/grub.conf
find the line that reads
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-1.667 ro root=LABEL=/1 rhgb quiet
and change it to read
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-1.667 ro root=LABEL=/1 quiet
Step Four: EXIT GUI MODE
easy way to do this is to reboot, so go ahead and reboot, or as root type init 3
Step Five: INSTALL THE DRIVER
Login as root again, and cd to the directory you saved the nvidia file (/home/anyweb/)
do as follows
Code:
sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-6629-pkg1.run
answer OK to any questions it asks and make note of any errors (there will be some, don't worry).
Step Six: EDIT YOUR xorg.conf FILE
now we need to edit the xorg.conf file and remove the following line (under module)
Code:
vi /etc/X11/xorg.conf
find this section
Section "Module"
Load "dbe"
Load "extmod"
Load "fbdevhw"
Load "glx"
Load "record"
Load "freetype"
Load "type1"
Load "dri"
EndSection
edit it so it now reads
Section "Module"
Load "dbe"
Load "extmod"
Load "fbdevhw"
Load "glx"
Load "record"
Load "freetype"
Load "type1"
EndSection
and find this section
Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "vesa"
VendorName "Videocard vendor"
BoardName "VESA driver (generic)"
edit it so it now reads
Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "Videocard vendor"
BoardName "VESA driver (generic)"
save the file :wq
Step Seven: LOAD THE NVIDIA MODULE AT BOOT
login as root and do as follows:
Code:
vi /etc/rc.d/rc.local
add the line 'modprobe nvidia
' so it now looks something like this
#!/bin/sh
#
# This script will be executed *after* all the other init scripts.
# You can put your own initialization stuff in here if you don't
# want to do the full Sys V style init stuff.
touch /var/lock/subsys/local
modprobe nvidia
save the file :wq
Step Eight: COPY FILE/CHANGE OWNERSHIP
now copy some files.. as root
Code:
cp -a /dev/nvidia* /etc/udev/devices
chown root.root /etc/udev/devices/nvidia*
Step Nine REBOOT THE COMPUTER
this howto worked fine for me on a plain Fedora Core Release 3 install, with Nvidia Geforce 6800 GT (AGP) and the default kernel.
Quote:[anyweb@localhost ~]$ glxgears45844 frames in 5.0 seconds = 9168.800 FPS
66613 frames in 5.0 seconds = 13322.600 FPS
56198 frames in 5.0 seconds = 11239.600 FPS
66199 frames in 5.0 seconds = 13239.800 FPS
68422 frames in 5.0 seconds = 13684.400 FPS
68244 frames in 5.0 seconds = 13648.800 FPS
68221 frames in 5.0 seconds = 13644.200 FPS
66314 frames in 5.0 seconds = 13262.800 FPS
68218 frames in 5.0 seconds = 13643.600 FPS
67884 frames in 5.0 seconds = 13576.800 FPS
65867 frames in 5.0 seconds = 13173.400 FPS
66753 frames in 5.0 seconds = 13350.600 FPS
68425 frames in 5.0 seconds = 13685.000 FPS
66579 frames in 5.0 seconds = 13315.800 FPS
66013 frames in 5.0 seconds = 13202.600 FPS
57304 frames in 5.0 seconds = 11460.800 FPS
42549 frames in 5.0 seconds = 8509.800 FPS
51651 frames in 5.0 seconds = 10330.200 FPS
57783 frames in 5.0 seconds = 11556.600 FPS
67616 frames in 5.0 seconds = 13523.200 FPS
68449 frames in 5.0 seconds = 13689.800 FPS
65505 frames in 5.0 seconds = 13101.000 FPS
look at those numbers ^^ !!! :P
here is my working xorg.conf for you in case you are interested
cheers
anyweb
xorg.conf