Nvidia graphics card and the 2.6.24 kernel

[Manchunian]

Hi

Has anyone managed to get the NVIDIA graphics card set up with the new 2.6.24 kernel? If so, how? I can't get the darn thing to work - the NVIDIA build breaks every time. Apparently this is a bit of an issue with the new kernel. I've tried getting it to work with envy - but even this doesn't work.

Thanks for any help in advance.

[MikeTbob]

Have you tried downloading the Driver from Nvidia's website and installing that? It works for me.

[Manchunian]

Thanks for your reply,

Yes, I have tried that. I downloaded 96.43.01, but it crashed and gave me a totally black screen without even a prompt. This happened on both kernels - the one I'm using now and 2.6.24. Guess it conflicts with something, maybe because I was stupid enough to use envy.

[MikeTbob]

I doubt you're stupid for using Envy, Stupid people can't install Linux.
Did you launch the Nvidia installer with X (The Desktop) running? You can't do that, it must be run with X completely shutdown.

[Manchunian]

Perhaps I need to explain a little. I had originally installed Envy because the first time I compiled my own kernel the Nvidia driver refused to install the "Debian" way. I mean, when I did

# m-a update
# m-a prepare
# m-a auto-install nvidia

I got an error message saying that the installer couldn't find an archive for the kernel. So I tried Envy to get around that. I was a bit hesitant as I try to avoid such scripts because they can play havoc later on. But it worked without any trouble and so I continued with all my subsequent kernel reconfigs. Now I think it's that that's causing the problem - I'll try uninstalling it completely and installing the NVIDIA card again by the traditional way.

Did you launch the Nvidia installer with X (The Desktop) running?

No I didn't. I did this in run level 2.


Thanks for your help

Jim

[Manchunian]

Well, I've tried again. This time I uninstalled the Nividia driver in the new kernel AND the old kernel with Envy. Then I installed the driver using sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-96.43.05-pkg1.run and...success - with the old kernel. However, the new kernel still refuses to build. Here is the build-log:

/usr/bin/make  -f debian/rules clean
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel'
# select which makefile to use.
rm -f /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/Makefile || true
if [ 6 = 6  ]; then \
	     cd /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv ; \
	     ln -s Makefile.kbuild Makefile ; \
	     cd .. ; \
	     if [ 0  = 1 ] ; then \
	        dpatch apply 04_minion ; \
	     fi ; \
	     if [ 0 = 1 ]; then \
	     	dpatch apply 01_sysfs ; \
		dpatch status 01_sysfs >patch-stamp ; \
		dpatch apply 02_pcialias ; \
               	dpatch status 02_pcialias >>patch-stamp ; \
	     fi ; \
	fi
if [  6 = 4  ]; then \
	     cd /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv ; \
	     ln -s Makefile.nvidia Makefile ; \
	     cd .. ; \
	fi
if [ -e patch-stamp ]; then \
	   dpatch deapply-all ; \
	   rm -rf patch-stamp debian/patched ; \
	fi   
if [ -f /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/debian/control.template ]; then \
		cp  /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/debian/control.template /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/debian/control; \
	fi
dh_testroot
rm -f build-stamp configure-stamp
/usr/bin/make clean SYSSRC=/lib/modules/2.6.24/source -C /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv -f Makefile 
make[2]: Entering directory `/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv'
rm -f -f nv.o nv-vm.o os-agp.o os-interface.o os-registry.o nv-i2c.o nv.o nv-vm.o os-agp.o os-interface.o os-registry.o nv-i2c.o nvidia.mod.o
rm -f -f build-in.o nv-linux.o *.d .*.{cmd,flags}
rm -f -f nvidia.{o,ko,mod.{o,c}} nv_compiler.h *~
rm -f -f stprof stprof.o symtab.h
rm -f -rf .tmp_versions
make[2]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv'
rm -f /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/Makefile || true; 	
rm /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/gcc-check
rm /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/cc-sanity-check
dh_clean
rm /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/debian/control
rm /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/debian/dirs
rm /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/debian/override
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel'
echo "ROOT_CMD = "
ROOT_CMD = 
/usr/bin/make  -f debian/rules binary_modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel'
# select which makefile to use.
rm -f /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/Makefile || true
if [ 6 = 6  ]; then \
	     cd /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv ; \
	     ln -s Makefile.kbuild Makefile ; \
	     cd .. ; \
	     if [ 0  = 1 ] ; then \
	        dpatch apply 04_minion ; \
	     fi ; \
	     if [ 0 = 1 ]; then \
	     	dpatch apply 01_sysfs ; \
		dpatch status 01_sysfs >patch-stamp ; \
		dpatch apply 02_pcialias ; \
               	dpatch status 02_pcialias >>patch-stamp ; \
	     fi ; \
	fi
if [  6 = 4  ]; then \
	     cd /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv ; \
	     ln -s Makefile.nvidia Makefile ; \
	     cd .. ; \
	fi
if ! gcc-4.1 -v 2> /dev/null  ; then \
	  echo "Compiler gcc-4.1 does not exist on the system" ; \
          exit 1; \
        fi
touch configure-stamp
if [ -f /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/debian/control.template ]; then \
		cp  /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/debian/control.template /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/debian/control; \
	fi
dh_testdir
dh_testroot
PATCHLEVEL = 6 
Kernel compiler version : 4.1.1
Detected compiler version : 4.1.1
Using compiler gcc-4.1 version 4.1.1
touch /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/gcc-check
touch /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/cc-sanity-check
## Main Make ##
IGNORE_CC_MISMATCH=1 CC="gcc-4.1"  /usr/bin/make -C /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv -f Makefile SYSSRC=/lib/modules/2.6.24/source   KBUILD_PARAMS="-C /lib/modules/2.6.24/source SUBDIRS=/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv" module;
make[2]: Entering directory `/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv'

NVIDIA: calling KBUILD...
make CC=gcc-4.1 -C /lib/modules/2.6.24/source SUBDIRS=/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv modules
make[3]: Entering directory `/home/james/kernel/linux-2.6.24'
echo \#define NV_COMPILER \"`gcc-4.1 -v 2>&1 | tail -n 1`\" > /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv_compiler.h
  CC [M]  /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.o
In file included from include/linux/list.h:8,
                 from include/linux/preempt.h:11,
                 from include/linux/spinlock.h:49,
                 from include/linux/seqlock.h:29,
                 from include/linux/time.h:8,
                 from include/linux/timex.h:57,
                 from include/linux/sched.h:53,
                 from include/linux/utsname.h:35,
                 from /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv-linux.h:19,
                 from /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c:14:
include/linux/prefetch.h: In function ‘prefetch_range’:
include/linux/prefetch.h:57: warning: pointer of type ‘void *’ used in arithmetic
In file included from include/asm/dma-mapping_32.h:5,
                 from include/asm/dma-mapping.h:2,
                 from include/linux/dma-mapping.h:52,
                 from include/asm-generic/pci-dma-compat.h:7,
                 from include/asm/pci.h:88,
                 from include/linux/pci.h:796,
                 from /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv-linux.h:76,
                 from /usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c:14:
include/linux/scatterlist.h: In function ‘sg_virt’:
include/linux/scatterlist.h:293: warning: pointer of type ‘void *’ used in arithmetic
/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c: At top level:
/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c:102: error: expected ‘=’, ‘,’, ‘;’, ‘asm’ or ‘__attribute__’ before ‘*’ token
/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c: In function ‘nvos_create_alloc’:
/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c:418: error: ‘nv_pte_t_cache’ undeclared (first use in this function)
/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c:418: error: (Each undeclared identifier is reported only once
/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c:418: error: for each function it appears in.)
/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c: In function ‘nvos_free_alloc’:
/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c:450: error: ‘nv_pte_t_cache’ undeclared (first use in this function)
/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c: In function ‘nvidia_init_module’:
/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c:1327: error: ‘nv_pte_t_cache’ undeclared (first use in this function)
/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c:1327: error: too many arguments to function ‘kmem_cache_create’
/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c:1456: error: void value not ignored as it ought to be
/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c: In function ‘nvidia_exit_module’:
/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c:1481: error: void value not ignored as it ought to be
/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c:1582: error: ‘nv_pte_t_cache’ undeclared (first use in this function)
/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c: In function ‘nv_kern_open’:
/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c:1809: error: ‘SA_INTERRUPT’ undeclared (first use in this function)
/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c:1809: error: ‘SA_SHIRQ’ undeclared (first use in this function)
/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.c:1810: warning: passing argument 2 of ‘request_irq’ from incompatible pointer type
make[4]: *** [/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv/nv.o] Error 1
make[3]: *** [_module_/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv] Error 2
make[3]: Leaving directory `/home/james/kernel/linux-2.6.24'
NVIDIA: left KBUILD.
nvidia.ko failed to build!
make[2]: *** [mdl] Error 1
make[2]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel/nv'
make[1]: *** [build-stamp] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/modules/nvidia-kernel'
make: *** [kdist_image] Error 2

[Manchunian]

OK - great - got that sorted out! It was simple really: I installed the driver in the old kernel and then simply tried updating in the new. This is no good - and I realised it just after I posted the last time. I had to do all the steps from scratch as it's a new custom-built kernel. This is what I did and, hey presto, it all works!
Actually, all of this came about because I had installed Envy. I knew I shouldn't have when I did it. This all re-inforces what I say to newbies - don't install these scripts! Should have listened to my own advice!

Thanks a lot for your help.

[MikeTbob]

Glad you got it working!

[techieMoe]

I downloaded 96.43.01

The latest version of the Nvidia Linux driver is 169.09. The latest version of the legacy driver is 96.43. Do you have a particularly old video card or some other reason for using the legacy driver rather than the main one?

Unix Drivers Portal Page

[Manchunian]

I wasn't totally sure whether the 169.09 was the correct one - and the graphics card is quite old (GeForce4 MX 440-SE). In the past, I've always used the 1.0-96xx series, which is why I downloaded that particular driver. I'm not sure that my card would accept the 169.09. Perhaps I'll give it a try when I have a few minutes. Do you think it's worth it?