Wet behind the ears - Nvidia woes

[mot]

Hello, new meat here.

So far the conversion has been great, I'm looking forward to the day when i build up the guts to completly remove windows. But not yet.

Slow progress, but it's beginging to mould into the machine i want it to be.

Firstly theres a few fundementals which i dont get. When trying to install certain packages i get a BREAK error. Does this mean that the package i'm trying to install is no longer available or is it conflicting with something i have installed already?

And then a few problems....

Problem 1 - NVIDIA drivers (the end goal is to be able to use my second monitor which is no just acting like the worlds most expensive paperweight on my desk)

I have
p4 3gig
gpu 7800gs APG
uname -r gives me 2.6.15-26.386 (does this mean that my kernel is 2.6.15? Arch i386?)
I've downloaded drivers - NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8774-pkg1
Nvidia error log

nvidia-installer log file '/var/log/nvidia-installer.log'
creation time: Sun Aug 27 17:38:51 2006

option status:
 license pre-accepted  : false
 update         : false
 force update      : false
 expert         : false
 uninstall        : false
 driver info       : false
 precompiled interfaces : true
 no ncurses color    : false
 query latest version  : false
 OpenGL header files   : true
 no questions      : false
 silent         : false
 no recursion      : false
 no backup        : false
 kernel module only   : false
 sanity         : false
 add this kernel     : false
 no runlevel check    : false
 no network       : false
 no ABI note       : false
 no RPMs         : false
 no kernel module    : false
 force SELinux      : default
 force tls        : (not specified)
 X install prefix    : (not specified)
 X library install path : (not specified)
 X module install path  : (not specified)
 OpenGL install prefix  : (not specified)
 OpenGL install libdir  : (not specified)
 utility install prefix : (not specified)
 utility install libdir : (not specified)
 doc install prefix   : (not specified)
 kernel name       : (not specified)
 kernel include path   : (not specified)
 kernel source path   : (not specified)
 kernel output path   : (not specified)
 kernel install path   : (not specified)
 proc mount point    : /proc
 ui           : (not specified)
 tmpdir         : /tmp
 ftp mirror       : [url]ftp://download.nvidia.com[/url]
 RPM file list      : (not specified)

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 ([url]ftp://download.nvidia.com[/url])? (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.
ERROR: You do not appear to have libc header files installed on your system. 
    Please install your distribution's libc development package.
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 [url]www.nvidia.com[/url].

It moaned about gcc for a while, and upon entering
export CC=gcc-3.4 (which i maganed to download, i saw that command in someone elses "cry for help" thread. I have'nt a clue what it does, but it seemed to help)
it rolled onto complain firstly about compiling a new kernel after trying to download one from the nvidia site And then that I did'nt have my kernels development files installed, which for the life of me i cant find.

xorg.cong

# /etc/X11/xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the /etc/X11/xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man /etc/X11/xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
#  sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Files"
	FontPath	"/usr/share/X11/fonts/misc"
	FontPath	"/usr/share/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
	FontPath	"/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath	"/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath	"/usr/share/X11/fonts/Type1"
	FontPath	"/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi"
	FontPath	"/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi"
	# path to defoma fonts
	FontPath	"/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
EndSection

Section "Module"
	Load	"i2c"
	Load	"bitmap"
	Load	"ddc"
	Load	"dri"
	Load	"extmod"
	Load	"freetype"
	Load	"glx"
	Load	"int10"
	Load	"type1"
	Load	"vbe"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Keyboard"
	Driver		"kbd"
	Option		"CoreKeyboard"
	Option		"XkbRules"	"xorg"
	Option		"XkbModel"	"pc104"
	Option		"XkbLayout"	"us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
	Option		"CorePointer"
	Option		"Device"		"/dev/input/mice"
	Option		"Protocol"		"ExplorerPS/2"
	Option		"ZAxisMapping"		"4 5"
	Option		"Emulate3Buttons"	"true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
 Driver    "wacom"
 Identifier  "stylus"
 Option    "Device"    "/dev/wacom"     # Change to 
                           # /dev/input/event
                           # for USB
 Option    "Type"     "stylus"
 Option    "ForceDevice"  "ISDV4"        # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
 Driver    "wacom"
 Identifier  "eraser"
 Option    "Device"    "/dev/wacom"     # Change to 
                           # /dev/input/event
                           # for USB
 Option    "Type"     "eraser"
 Option    "ForceDevice"  "ISDV4"        # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
 Driver    "wacom"
 Identifier  "cursor"
 Option    "Device"    "/dev/wacom"     # Change to 
                           # /dev/input/event
                           # for USB
 Option    "Type"     "cursor"
 Option    "ForceDevice"  "ISDV4"        # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"NVIDIA Corporation NVIDIA Default Card"
	Driver		"vesa"
	BusID		"PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Philips 190S"
	Option		"DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Device		"NVIDIA Corporation NVIDIA Default Card"
	Monitor		"Philips 190S"
	DefaultDepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		1
		Modes		"1280x1024" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		4
		Modes		"1280x1024" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		8
		Modes		"1280x1024" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		15
		Modes		"1280x1024" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		16
		Modes		"1280x1024" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		24
		Modes		"1280x1024" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier	"Default Layout"
	Screen		"Default Screen"
	InputDevice	"Generic Keyboard"
	InputDevice	"Configured Mouse"
	InputDevice   "stylus" "SendCoreEvents"
	InputDevice   "cursor" "SendCoreEvents"
	InputDevice   "eraser" "SendCoreEvents"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
	Mode	0666
EndSection

Problem 2 - Choppy playback of vids and dvd
I supect this has something to do with problem 1, and is also a lesser problem but alittle r&r watching a dvd would be comforting.

I sure I'll encounter a whole host of other problems, but dealing with this first will make me feel better.

Thanks in advance

[CJCJ]

Re: Wet behind the ears - Nvidia woes

I think your trying too hard. You shouldn't have to install from the source codes on the nvidia site.

The nvidia drivers are in the Kubuntu distro and installable using adept (in system submenu). Just make sure you have the 'main restricted' repositories switched on in adept. To do this go into manage reporitories. (At the same time switch the other repositories on such as 'Universe' and 'Multiverse' so that you can see all that is available. You can also search kubuntu form for the instructions to get mplayer, flash, java etc. working in firefox ...)

Going back to nvidia, there are two alternatives for automatic installation of nvidia drivers with hardware acceleration etc. One is for modern cards, the other is for older models such as my Geforce 2 Ti. Use the filters in adept to find the packages and request install.

[mot]

Re: Wet behind the ears - Nvidia woes

Yup tried that in the first instance, but then i run up against this BREAK issue
I reckon the file i need is nvidia-glx but it just wont let me have it.
The other file you were talking about is the legacy carry on right?

[mot]

Re: Wet behind the ears - Nvidia woes

Atempted command line install gives me:

mot@mot-main:~$ sudo apt-get install nvidia-glx
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.

Since you only requested a single operation it is extremely likely that
the package is simply not installable and a bug report against
that package should be filed.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 nvidia-glx: Depends: xserver-common (>= 4.0.3) but it is not going to be installed
E: Broken packages

[chartman]

Re: Wet behind the ears - Nvidia woes

HI,
not sure wheter it's appropriate to insert this question here. I am trying to get nvidia installed as well adn haven't succeded so far. I followed this guide https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Bi...erHowto/Nvidia and I could donwload all requested packages. But

(a) upon runniong "sudo nvidia-glx-config enable" I get this error
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
X Error: BadDevice, invalid or uninitialized input device 154
Major opcode: 143
Minor opcode: 3
Resource id: 0x0
Failed to open device
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(b) I am not sure whether I have the right kernel sources: "uname -r" tells me that I am on 2.6.15-26-386 but I can only find "linux-restricted-modules-2.6.15-23-386 in adept.

Are the 2 problems related? What can I do?
Help would be much appreciated!
c.