SUSE Newbie

[Kryptic]

Having installed Windows Vista last month and hating every second of it I have decided to go Linux and having read about or tried all major distributions I have settled on SUSE 10.2. After installing and getting the feel I have to say I am pleasantly surprised. I do however have a few issues that perhaps the long time users here can help me with. First I have managed to mount and partition my former windows drives with ext3 but the mounted volumes do nor show up in computer they show up in places like media or local depends on where i mount them and some do not allow me to create folders and the like. Second 3D acceleration seems sluggish for example the blocktubes screensaver runs like molasses and when i click on Nvidia X Server Settings i get this You do not appear to be using the NVIDIA X driver. Please edit your X configuration file (just run `nvidia-xconfig` as root), and restart the X server. After doing that i get the same thing. Here is my fstab and xorg settings.

/dev/sdb2 / ext3 acl,user_xattr 1 1
/dev/sda1 /windows/C ntfs ro,users,gid=users,umask=0002,nls=utf8 0 0
/dev/sdb1 swap swap defaults 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
sysfs /sys sysfs noauto 0 0
debugfs /sys/kernel/debug debugfs noauto 0 0
usbfs /proc/bus/usb usbfs noauto 0 0
devpts /dev/pts devpts mode=0620,gid=5 0 0
/dev/fd0 /media/floppy auto noauto,user,sync 0 0
/dev/sdc1 /local/Storage ext3 user,acl,user_xattr,users,gid=users,umask=0002,utf 8=true 0 2 1 2
/dev/sde1 /media/External vfat users,gid=users,umask=0002,utf8=true 0 0


# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig: version 1.0 (buildmeister@builder3) Wed Sep 12 14:29:35 PDT 2007

# /.../
# SaX generated X11 config file
# Created on: 2007-09-25T18:07:16-0500.
#
# Version: 8.1
# Contact: Marcus Schaefer <sax@suse.de>, 2005
# Contact: SaX-User list <https://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/sax-users>
#
# Automatically generated by [ISaX] (8.1)
# PLEASE DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE!
#

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Layout[all]"
Screen "Screen[0]" 0 0
InputDevice "Keyboard[0]" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Mouse[1]" "CorePointer"
Option "Clone" "off"
Option "Xinerama" "off"
EndSection

Section "Files"
InputDevices "/dev/gpmdata"
InputDevices "/dev/input/mice"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/local"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/URW"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/Speedo"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/PEX"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/latin7/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/baekmuk:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/japanese:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/kwintv"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/truetype"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/uni:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/CID"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/misc/sgi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/xtest"
FontPath "/opt/kde3/share/fonts"
FontPath "unix/:7100"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "type1"
Load "dbe"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "v4l"
Load "extmod"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "AllowMouseOpenFail" "on"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard[0]"
Driver "kbd"
Option "Protocol" "Standard"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
Option "XkbModel" "pc104"
Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse[1]"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Buttons" "12"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Name" "Logitech USB-PS/2 Optical Mouse"
Option "Protocol" "explorerps/2"
Option "Vendor" "Sysp"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Modes"
Identifier "Modes[0]"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor[0]"
VendorName "SAMSUNG"
ModelName "SYNCMASTER 920T (DIGITAL)"
UseModes "Modes[0]"
DisplaySize 305 230
HorizSync 30.0 - 81.0
VertRefresh 56.0 - 75.0
Option "CalcAlgorithm" "XServerPool"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Device[0]"
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "NVidia"
BoardName "GeForce 6800 (0x00C1)"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen[0]"
Device "Device[0]"
Monitor "Monitor[0]"
DefaultDepth 24
Option "RenderAccel" "True"
Option "NoLogo"
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1440x900" "1366x768" "1280x800" "1152x864" "1280x768" "1024x768" "1280x600" "1024x600" "800x600" "768x576" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1440x900" "1366x768" "1280x800" "1152x864" "1280x768" "1024x768" "1280x600" "1024x600" "800x600" "768x576" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1440x900" "1366x768" "1280x800" "1152x864" "1280x768" "1024x768" "1280x600" "1024x600" "800x600" "768x576" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1440x900" "1366x768" "1280x800" "1152x864" "1280x768" "1024x768" "1280x600" "1024x600" "800x600" "768x576" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Perhaps someone with more experience can help me resolve these issues.
Thanks in advance.

[aliov]

Hi and Welcome,

I agree that Vista is terrible (well i never use it but i heard a lot about it) .

For the partition , don't place entries to your USB devices in your fstab , this is the work of HAL wish will mount them for you when you plug them .

Second SuSE support read-only for the ntfs file system it uses the kernel 2.18.x , newer version of the kernel support read-write by default . so for SuSE you need a extra module called ntfs-3g ,you can search here in the forum and you'll find a lot of informations.

as a normal user you can't write to your Linux file system , since the only one having access to them is root, it's a security question , so you write in your home directory , and in case you want to change/install something in the root file system , you have to get the super user permissions, this can be done in SuSE using YaST or from the Terminal using the su - command .

for the NVIDIA driver, did you install a extra driver or you just log on using the default one wish have been detected by SuSE ?
in any case type this command and post the output glxinfo | grep direct , and see glxgears to see your FPS rating.
Regards.

[Kryptic]

Here is what i get when i run that command.
chris@galactica:~> su
Password:
galactica:/home/chris # glxinfo | grep direct
direct rendering: No
galactica:/home/chris #

I'm guessing that direct rendering no is a bad thing. I downloaded the drivers from the Nvidia website and installed them using instructions from the site as well. As for the NTFS partitions I plan to make them ext3 partitions. I think that you are saying that I need to mount them under my home directory to use them is that correct? You mean i can't mount them and use them as second drives? Perhaps i'm a little confused as to the way Linux does drives. I use the USB drive to view photos and listen to music attaching it to my tv sometimes.

[Kryptic]

Ok after running those commands the right here is the output og glxinfo

name of display: :0.0
display: :0 screen: 0
direct rendering: No
server glx vendor string: SGI
server glx version string: 1.2
server glx extensions:
GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating,
GLX_EXT_import_context, GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap, GLX_OML_swap_method,
GLX_SGI_make_current_read, GLX_SGIS_multisample, GLX_SGIX_hyperpipe,
GLX_SGIX_swap_barrier, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig
client glx vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation
client glx version string: 1.4
client glx extensions:
GLX_ARB_get_proc_address, GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_visual_info,
GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_EXT_import_context, GLX_SGI_video_sync,
GLX_NV_swap_group, GLX_NV_video_out, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, GLX_SGIX_pbuffer,
GLX_SGI_swap_control, GLX_NV_float_buffer, GLX_ARB_fbconfig_float,
GLX_EXT_fbconfig_packed_float, GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap,
GLX_EXT_framebuffer_sRGB
GLX extensions:
GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating,
GLX_EXT_import_context, GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig,
GLX_ARB_get_proc_address
OpenGL vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation
OpenGL renderer string: GeForce 6800/PCI/SSE2/3DNOW!
OpenGL version string: 1.2 (2.1.1 NVIDIA 100.14.19)
OpenGL extensions:
GL_ARB_depth_texture, GL_ARB_imaging, GL_ARB_multitexture,
GL_ARB_point_parameters, GL_ARB_point_sprite, GL_ARB_shadow,
GL_ARB_texture_border_clamp, GL_ARB_texture_cube_map,
GL_ARB_texture_env_add, GL_ARB_texture_env_combine,
GL_ARB_texture_env_dot3, GL_ARB_texture_mirrored_repeat,
GL_ARB_window_pos, GL_ARB_texture_non_power_of_two, GL_ARB_vertex_program,
GL_ARB_fragment_program, GL_EXT_abgr, GL_EXT_bgra, GL_EXT_blend_color,
GL_EXT_blend_func_separate, GL_EXT_blend_minmax, GL_EXT_blend_subtract,
GL_EXT_draw_range_elements, GL_EXT_fog_coord, GL_EXT_multi_draw_arrays,
GL_EXT_packed_pixels, GL_EXT_rescale_normal, GL_EXT_secondary_color,
GL_EXT_separate_specular_color, GL_EXT_shadow_funcs, GL_EXT_stencil_wrap,
GL_EXT_texture3D, GL_EXT_texture_edge_clamp, GL_EXT_texture_env_add,
GL_EXT_texture_env_combine, GL_EXT_texture_env_dot3, GL_EXT_texture_lod,
GL_EXT_texture_lod_bias, GL_EXT_texture_object, GL_EXT_vertex_array,
GL_ATI_texture_mirror_once, GL_IBM_texture_mirrored_repeat,
GL_NV_blend_square, GL_NV_texgen_reflection, GL_NV_texture_rectangle,
GL_NV_texture_env_combine4, GL_SGIS_generate_mipmap, GL_SGIS_texture_lod,
GL_SGIX_depth_texture, GL_SGIX_shadow
glu version: 1.3
glu extensions:
GLU_EXT_nurbs_tessellator, GLU_EXT_object_space_tess

visual x bf lv rg d st colorbuffer ax dp st accumbuffer ms cav
id dep cl sp sz l ci b ro r g b a bf th cl r g b a ns b eat
----------------------------------------------------------------------
0x2c 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 1882154354 1634235183 None
0x2d 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 796160111 792358505 None
0x2e 32 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 892549937 809330533 Ncon
0x2f 32 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1949182522 892549937 Ncon
galactica:/home/chris #

Thanks for your quick response and knowledge.

[aliov]

Did you follow this Nvidia Installer HOWTO for SUSE LINUX users for SuSE 10.2 .

For your partition , I understand what you mean by this , you want to make ths parition ext3 and access it as a normal user (not the root) .

If you are planning to have a large files in this partition so it's recommended to have it reiserfs , and after that you edit the fstab and use this .

users,rw,exec,umask=000 0

this comes after the file system type in fstab , and let you write on the partition without problem , you mount it as any directory you like for example make a directory called driveD in you home directory and then fstab will look like

/dev/sda1 /home/chris/driveD reiserfs users,rw,exec,umask=000 0


Hope this help

[Kryptic]

Yes i think it does as far as mounts but what about having them show up in the computer as icons like the My Computer in Windows (sorry about the refrence) and sorry about confusing the commands you suggested i'm a newbie and it's late. Yes I did use that Tutorial and it seemed to work ok.

Thanks for all your help and sharing your knowledge.

[aliov]

More than Welcome.

After following the manual of nvidia for SuSE , you should have direct rendering ! yes direct rendering it's important and specially if you do 3D modeling .

glxgears runs okay ?


Yes sure you can , do, in SuSE there is a My computer icon wish shows the system informations and the mounted drives .
they aren't there ! if you want a icon on the desktop you can make it as a symbolic link (shortcut ).

Regards.

[Kryptic]

Ok I did as you suggested I made a directory in home called Storage used Yast Partitioner and created a reiserfs in home/chris/storage added the lines you suggested to the fstab options and now i have the drive mounted in that directory but i still cannot access it and under permissions it still says the owner is root.Perhaps I need to reboot?

[aliov]

Be careful YaST will insert another line for the mounted partition the first time you create it, so be sure to have only one line for the drive and this option also users,rw,exec,umask=000 0 .

Regards.

[Kryptic]

Yeah it seems to run ok here is the output.
34685 frames in 5.0 seconds = 6936.931 FPS

But it still says i have no direct rendering. Is that something I need to enable and if so how.

Once again Many Thanks