Newbie driver install

[fridgitator]

Forgive my ignorance, I'm trying to make the switch from windows. I have Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop 10, and I know absolutely nothing about Linux. My machine has a P3 processor, and nVidia GeForce FX video card. Suse doesn't have a driver for the video card, and the display is set at a resolution I can barely read. I found the proper driver on the nVidia site, but the installation instructions refer to things I do not understand.

"Boot to runlevel 3 by specifying "3" as kernel boot option, or switch to runlevel 3 ("init") and unload the kernel module )("rmrod nvidia") before running nvidia installer. Type "sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-169.07_pkg1_run"
The last string of stuff is the file name as it appears on my desktop.
I have no idea how to proceed. Is there a utility that can do this for me?

[Jonathan183]

Forgive my ignorance, I'm trying to make the switch from windows. I have Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop 10, and I know absolutely nothing about Linux. My machine has a P3 processor, and nVidia GeForce FX video card. Suse doesn't have a driver for the video card, and the display is set at a resolution I can barely read. I found the proper driver on the nVidia site, but the installation instructions refer to things I do not understand.

"Boot to runlevel 3 by specifying "3" as kernel boot option, or switch to runlevel 3 ("init") and unload the kernel module )("rmrod nvidia") before running nvidia installer. Type "sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-169.07_pkg1_run"
The last string of stuff is the file name as it appears on my desktop.
I have no idea how to proceed. Is there a utility that can do this for me?

You need to switch to the console to perform the tasks you want. I suggest you logout and when you are returned to the login screen select system and choose console login.
Login and then you can type init 3
which will take you to run level 3 (single user text mode)
run the NVIDIA program to install the driver
once it has finished it will either leave you in a graphics mode (and you can just carry on) or it will leave you in text mode at the console login - you can type init 5
which should restart the graphical user interface. Make sure you write down all the instructions before you start - you will struggle to access web pages etc from text mode - just incase you have problems install links using YAST - that way you will at least be able to get text based internet access - good luck.

[gogalthorp]

Hint text completion in the shell

Once you are logged into a terminal as root

type

sh /home/(your user name here)/Desktop/VM

then press the TAB key the completion feature will auto complete the string

This saves typeing long complicated file and directory names.

If there are several choices press tab again to a list of matching file/directory names. Add enough characters to make a unique choice then press TAB to complete the string.

Also the consoles keep a history of commands so if you miss type something press the up arrow key until you find the command you want then you can edit that line and try again or re-execute the command with different parameters etc.

[fridgitator]

Thank you for your response. Based on a sticky in another thread, I installed the packages from my disc that were called for, and opened a dos looking screen by typing ctrl+alt+F1. I guess that's runlevel 3? I typed in sh "NVIDIA-Linux-x86-169.07-pkg1-run" (sans quotes). the response was "no file found at that location" or something to that effect. I tried a few variations on the typing, such as using underscore instead of dash in case I misread it, to no avail. Would it be better to put the file somewhere other than on the desktop, and if so, how? I know nothing about this stuff.

[Jonathan183]

Thank you for your response. Based on a sticky in another thread, I installed the packages from my disc that were called for, and opened a dos looking screen by typing ctrl+alt+F1. I guess that's runlevel 3? I typed in sh "NVIDIA-Linux-x86-169.07-pkg1-run" (sans quotes). the response was "no file found at that location" or something to that effect. I tried a few variations on the typing, such as using underscore instead of dash in case I misread it, to no avail. Would it be better to put the file somewhere other than on the desktop, and if so, how? I know nothing about this stuff.

the cnrt+alt+f1 will take you to a console login but you need to type init 3 to go to run level 3. This will stop your graphical environment (KDE or Gnome etc.). Its better to stop the session & logout yourself first as my previous post.

[fridgitator]

Hint text completion in the shell

Once you are logged into a terminal as root

type

sh /home/(your user name here)/Desktop/VM

then press the TAB key the completion feature will auto complete the string

This saves typeing long complicated file and directory names.

If there are several choices press tab again to a list of matching file/directory names. Add enough characters to make a unique choice then press TAB to complete the string.

Also the consoles keep a history of commands so if you miss type something press the up arrow key until you find the command you want then you can edit that line and try again or re-execute the command with different parameters etc.

Is logging into a terminal what I did by entering ctrl+alt+F1?

[fridgitator]

the cnrt+alt+f1 will take you to a console login but you need to type init 3 to go to run level 3. This will stop your graphical environment (KDE or Gnome etc.). Its better to stop the session & logout yourself first as my previous post.

I entered init 3. the response is: command not found

[Jonathan183]

I entered init 3. the response is: command not found

did you login successfully ?

[gogalthorp]

You must log on as root!!!!

Do not log on as a user.

at the log on prompt type
root
then the root password.

type init 3 to stop the GUI

you must either provide the full path or navigate to the directory where you saved the NVIDIA file

You can navigate by using the cd command (Change Directory)

first move to your home directory since you will be in the root directory because you log on as root

The prompt will tell you where you currently are.

we will do this in tiny steps

type

cd /home
cd (your user name)
now you are in your home directory
now we must move to the Desktop since that is where you said you saved the file

cd Desktop

note in Linux case is important!
note Linux uses / Windows/DOS uses \ as a separator

we could have done this in one step
cd /home/(your user Name)/Desktop

now run the installer

sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-169.07_pkg1_run

or which ever version of the file you have

You can see what files are in the current directory with

dir (just like in DOS)
or
ls (like in Unix)

If the install goes alright

type

sax2 -r -m 0=nvidia (note it is a zero not an O)
basically you are telling the system to us the nvidia driver on screen device 0 (zero)

if all goes well you can restart your GUI by going to level 5

type
init 5

Your GUI should restart.

You should now go bac to the terminal and log out as root.

type
ctrl-alt-F1
which should move you back to the terminal
type exit
you should now see a log on prompt. press
ctrl-alt-F7
to switch back to the terminal

Thats as spelled out as I can do it

[fridgitator]

I'm starting it up right now.