Installing NVIDIA Drivers

[elija]

I have decided that it is about time I installed the NVIDIA drivers for my beastie
and I have hit a snag. I downloaded the drivers from the NVIDIA site and started
in single user mode.

The first time I attempted to install it failed as I didn't have the appropriate headers.
I installed build-essential and tried again. This time it got further and then complained
about the version of gcc. Apparently, according to Google anyway, I have to
change the version of gcc I am using. How do I do so and to what version?

[objuan]

Hello

the easy way to do this is to just do a install from the command line
first do a search for what is available
apt-cache search gcc this will give you a list
choose the lastest version like gcc-4.3 to install it
apt-get install gcc-4.3
Hope this helps.

[markharding557]

the recommended method is the debian way or alternatively the installer from nvidia.
NvidiaGraphicsDrivers - Debian Wiki

[geniuz]

to change your gcc version, you can try something like:
export CC="gcc-4.1", offcourse where it says gcc-4.1 you should change that into the full path to your gcc-4.1 compiler.

[coopstah13]

I had this exact problem, the solution that the previous post said about setting the CC environment variable before running the installer was the fix to my problem, however, you need to make sure you have that version of gcc installed first

edit:
alternatively you can build your own kernel (which I did) then the error never happens

[Manchunian]

Actually, I built my own kernel on this Arch Linux box recently and encountered this exact problem.

[elija]

That's good to know for future reference. That implies that I can have more
than one version gcc installed. My main machine has gone back to Ubuntu as I
needed to get things done as opposed to spending time fighting* with the
operating system.

I do have a couple of follow on questions though, which relate while being
generic, so I will still post them here.

If I start compiling my own kernel and software does that mean I lose the auto
updates from the repositories?

Even if I use the source repositories?

* That's what it felt like anyway.

[Manchunian]

If I start compiling my own kernel and software does that mean I lose the auto
updates from the repositories?

Yes, it does!