nvidia and zenworks

[simple_simon]

This is double question.
First the question: How do Zenworks relate to YaST. Is there anything that ZenWorks does that can't be done through YaST?
The problem: ZenWorks (the globe turned orange) informed me that there were 2 updates. I updated, it took an inordinately (and suspiciously) long time. One of the updates concerned Nvidia.
When the update was finished (took more than a couple of hours), I switched the computer off.
When I switched on again, it wouldn't bring up the GUI anymore (KDE), and I could only logon in tty mode. Trying to start KDE, I found out that it wouldn't because the $DISPLAY env. variable wasn't set.
Any help?

[netstrider]

I don't know much about Suse and never heard of Zenworks, however you might try this as root:
nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf
Check under the "Device" section whether it says the following:

Driver		"nvidia"
BusID		"PCI:1:0:0"

You might try running this as root also: sax2 -r -m 0=nvidia (0 = ZERO)

If the specifications are as mentioned above, try renaming "nvidia" to "vesa" save it and restart X, or obviously type: startx

[valemon]

I prefer using opensuseupdater than zenworks. You can disable zen from yast->system->system services. it is "novell-zmd" service. Also try reinstalling nvidia driver

[simple_simon]

Thanks,
Renaming nvidia to vesa gave me a GUI "of sorts". The other methods didn't work. "Of sorts" means that the drivers are inappropriate and scrolling is extremeley slow, unpredictable and wavy. Did you have the same problem?

[gogalthorp]

Try the manual method of installing the drivers. it is not really hard but you do need to have the kernel source, gcc, and make installed.

The Yast method is spotty at best.

It is recommended to use YaST for installation of the NVIDIA
driver. There are several reasons for this. First, it's
simple. Second, and this is the most important one, you won't need to
recompile the nvidia kernel module after a kernel update.

Update your Kernel via YOU (YaST Online Update). Use

  YaST -> Software -> Change installation Source -> Add

  Protocol: HTTP
  Server Name: : download.nvidia.com
  Directory on Server: /opensuse/10.2

to add the NVIDIA ftp server as additional installation source.
Now use

  YaST -> Software -> Install and Delete Software

to install the NVIDIA driver. Select the following packages:

  x11-video-nvidia
  nvidia-gfx-kmp-"kernel-flavor"

"kernel-flavor" depends on your installed kernel. Check with 
"uname -r" for installed default/smp/bigsmp kernel. Use "sax2 -r"
for X.Org configuration.

People who aren't afraid of recompiling the nvidia kernel module or
even reinstalling the nvidia driver each time the kernel has been
updated and want or need to use the latest and greatest nvidia driver
can use the following steps 1-3. The others should use the
instructions above using YaST and skip the steps below.

1) Kernel sources must be installed and configured. Usually this means
installing the 'kernel-source', 'make' and 'gcc' packages with YaST2. 

2) Use the nvidia installer for 1.0-9746.

 sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-9746-pkg1.run -q
 
3) Configure X.Org with

 sax2 -r -m 0=nvidia (0 is a digit, not a letter!)

NOTE: There is no need to try to enable 3D support. It's already
      enabled, when the nvidia driver is running.

IMPORTANT: You need to recompile and install the nvidia kernel module
           after each kernel update.

 sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-9746-pkg1.run -K

[simple_simon]

Thank you gogalthorp, you always give good advice. I am not near my computer right now so I'll try it tomorrow. However, I found out minutes ago that the problem seems to be elsewhere (I had more or less installed nvidia the way you suggest). It seems to be that the 'install' places the drivers in the wrong directory and that the destination directory needs. Novell provide a way around in

Cool Solutions: X Server not starting after installing NVIDIA driver on openSUSE 10.2

although I find the instructions a little opaque.

I will try that tomorrow too.
Thanks
PS: I have gcc and make but not the kernel source (as far as I am aware) does one really need it?

[gogalthorp]

Ok, apparently this is something new, I'm still running 10.1 so I have not seen this. But apparently the location for the drivers changed with Xorg 7.2 so you must tell the installer the new location by adding the parameters shown to the run command. The update must have installed Xorg 7.2

[simple_simon]

If the problem is that "install" places files in the wrong directory, why is it not a better solution to make links to the appropriate directory (they are both in "/usr", therefore by definition on the same device - much simpler and less daunting than recompiling the kernel each time there is a kernel upgrade. Maybe a very naive question but if anyone can answer it I would appreciate the contribution to my Linux education.
The files seem to be:

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 17 Jul 1 16:03 libGL.so.1 -> libGL.so.1.0.9639
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 768008 Jun 11 17:35 libGL.so.1.0.9639
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 21 Jul 1 16:03 libGLcore.so.1 -> libGLcore.so.1.0.9639
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 8585488 Jun 11 17:35 libGLcore.so.1.0.9639
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 257742 Jun 11 17:35 libXvMCNVIDIA.a
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 200144 Jun 11 17:35 libXvMCNVIDIA.so.1.0.9639
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 25 Jul 1 16:03 libXvMCNVIDIA_dynamic.so.1 -> libXvMCNVIDIA.so.1.0.9639

though not in "/usr/X11R6/modules" as the "cool tip" suggests but in "/usr/X11/lib64"

[gogalthorp]

I guess you could use symbolic links to direct the files to the proper areas. Actually sounds like a better idea.

But you still must recompile after a kernel update to link the driver to the new kernel which means re running the installer.