Kernel updated, and ATI drivers went down

[dalinux_n00bie]

I accidentally updated my kernel in openSUSE 10.2 and it blew away my graphic drivers. I had ATI drivers installed and everything was working great until I rebooted after i did a system update. This has happen to me before and I recognize the problem. I fixed it before, but this time its a little different. I have compiz running as my Desktop manager. I do not know how to disable compiz in the terminal environment, and when my desktop tries to load everything is messed up and i cant read the buttons. I do have Mepis installed on my Harddrive as well, if that is of any use.
So are there any files that i can configure so that compiz will be disabled so i can get my drivers re-installed?

[antidrugue]

so i can get my drivers re-installed?

You don't need to reinstall the whole drivers, as only the ATI kernel module needs to be updated.

How did you install the ATI drivers in the first place?

Using the ATI installer, or using pre-built packages?

[dalinux_n00bie]

I'm not sure, I just followed instructions for getting the drivers to work from the opensuse site:

Installation - Get and Install ATI Drivers

 [edit]
Step 1 - Acquire the latest ATI driver

 Go to ATI's website and download the installer. 
    This driver 8.35.5 was posted on 28 March 2007.
   ati-driver-installer-8.35.5-x86.x86_64.run  [edit]
Step 2 - Generate Distribution Specific Driver Package

 Run the installer using the console as root.  
    # sh ati-driver-installer-8.35.5-x86.x86_64.run --listpkg
or you can do the lazy method 
    # sh ati*.run --listpkg
This will list the following distributions from which you can build a driver: 
    SuSE/NLD9-IA32
   SuSE/SLES9-IA32
   SuSE/SUSE91-IA32
   SuSE/NLD9-AMD64
   SuSE/SLES9-AMD64
   SuSE/SUSE91-AMD64
   SuSE/SUSE100-IA32
   SuSE/SUSE92-IA32
   SuSE/SUSE93-IA32
   SuSE/SUSE100-AMD64
   SuSE/SUSE92-AMD64
   SuSE/SUSE93-AMD64
   SuSE/SLED10-IA32
   SuSE/SLES10-IA32
   SuSE/SUSE101-IA32
   SuSE/SLED10-AMD64
   SuSE/SLES10-AMD64
   SuSE/SUSE101-AMD64
   SuSE/SUSE102-IA32
   SuSE/SUSE102-AMD64
Now run the following command adding your distribution at the end: 
    # sh ati*.run --buildpkg SuSE/SUSE102-IA32
And for 64-bit run: 
    # sh ati*.run --buildpkg SuSE/SUSE102-AMD64
The ATI Driver Installer made a driver package for your system which is now located in:  
    /usr/src/packages/RPMS/i386
Or if you have a 64-bit processor it's located here. 
    /usr/src/packages/RPMS/x86_64
[edit]
Step 3 - Install the driver package

  If you are in runlevel 5, go to runlevel 3 by typing the following command as root in one of the consoles (which you can access by pressing Ctrl-Alt-F1 [F1 up to F6]) or you can run init 3 from the console in X. 
Still in the console as root type in: 
    # init 3
This will close X and bring you back to TTY 1 
Login and go to the directory containing the drivers package we just made. 
    # cd /usr/src/packages/RPMS/i386
Or if you have a 64-bit processor it's located here. 
    # cd /usr/src/packages/RPMS/x86_64
Install the driver package 
    # rpm -Uvh fgl*.rpm
After the install is finished, you need to launch the aticonfig utility 
    # ldconfig
   # aticonfig --initial --input=/etc/X11/xorg.conf
Driver is installed, now to step 4. 
 [edit]
Step 4 - Configuring the newly installed ATI driver

 After the driver has been installed it now needs to be configured. Run this command after you have installed the driver. 
    # sax2 -r -m 0=fglrx
This forces sax2 to use the fglrx driver. Setup your resolution and save and exit

It looks like i used a ATI installer, but i can't tell....

[johnroberts]

I don't have ATI, I have nVidia but judging from that, every time the kernel is updated you have to reinstall the proprietary kernel modules...

[gogalthorp]

Follow the instructions from step 2