[NTLUG:Discuss] "nvidia" vs "nv"drivers

[Bryan J. Smith]

On Mon, 2004-12-20 at 19:27, Terry Henderson wrote:
> In an attempt to install nvidia driver from
> NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-6629-pkg1.run I seem to have damaged my RH9
> desktop system and am not sure what to do about it.
> During the installation process, I was informed that there would be a
> conflict with rivafb
> filename:    /lib/modules/2.4.20-24.9/kernel/drivers/video/riva/rivafb.o
> description: "Framebuffer driver for nVidia Riva 128, TNT, TNT2"

The warning can be ignored as long  as you don't boot with a "vga=" or
other GRUB boot option that enables the framebuffer.  If you are,
_remove_ the line from your GRUB configuration that starts the
framebuffer.

> The process continues in spite of the warning.

That's why they call it a "warning," and not an "error."  ;->

> After allowing the script to complete it's tasks, I switch from "nv"
> to "nvidia" driver, and the desktop loads but background is white and
> operation erratic and unusable.

What kernel?  What card?  What chipset?  What mainboard?

Give me a printout of:  

 $ cat /proc/driver/nvidia/agp/*
 $ cat /proc/driver/nvidia/cards/0
 $ cat /proc/driver/nvidia/version

> After switching back to "nv" driver I get error windows each time I start X.
> ... cut ...

Of course.  The Standardware "nvidia" driver replaces select, but core
libGL libraries from the MesaGL library.  Many components utilize these
libraries and will _break_ when the nVidia GLX libraries have replaced
them, but there is no nVidia driver loaded to support the GLX
interfaces.

Re-install the MesaGL RPMs for the Freedomware "nv" driver.

> Output of lsmod  does not show rivafb

It won't.  Most of the time, the driver is statically compiled into the
kernel.  But unless you are booting with "vga=" and enabling the rivafb
at boot, it shouldn't conflict.

BTW, what kernel are you running with?  It should be one of these:  
http://download.fedoralegacy.org/redhat/9/updates/i386/kernel-*-2.4.20-37.9.legacy.*.rpm

[ I assume you are running with all Legacy updates for RHL9? ]

-- Bryan

P.S.  Also consider doing an 'apt-get dist-upgrade' to Fedora Core 1
soon, which is the last "stable" release in the same community version
of RHEL3 (RHL8, RHL9, FC1).

Grab the official APT-RPM for RHL/FC when you are ready to begin:  
http://download.fedora.us/fedora/fedora/1/i386/RPMS.stable/apt-0.5.15cnc6-0.fdr.11.1.i386.rpm


-- 
Bryan J. Smith                                    b.j.smith at ieee.org 
-------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Subtotal Cost of Ownership (SCO) for Windows being less than Linux
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) assumes experts for the former, costly
retraining for the latter, omitted "software assurance" costs in 
compatible desktop OS/apps for the former, no free/legacy reuse for
latter, and no basic security, patch or downtime comparison at all.