How to install NVIDIA graphics drivers.

Message

tempestuous · #21 Post by **tempestuous** » Wed 08 Mar 2006, 02:40

If you have properly enabled the DRI features of your new nVidia driver, graphics performance is as good as it can get in Linux.
To confirm this, open /var/log/Xorg.0.log in Beaver and check that it reports direct rendering enabled.

Now you can try MU's collection of games for Puppy -
http://www.murga.org/~puppy/viewtopic.php?t=5164

BionicCommando · #22 Post by **BionicCommando** » Fri 10 Mar 2006, 00:23

temp,
I had a look at my xorg.0.log but couldn't see anything about direct rendering. Its quite a messy log too which doesn't help.

i also had a look at MU's guide to DRI - but I couldn't see anything that relates to DRI on nvidia cards. Is this definately something that I can do?... I was hoping to get MU's window shadow trick to work

#23 Post by MU » Fri 10 Mar 2006, 00:50

Windowshadows works without DRI, just not so fast.

Add these lines in the end of xorg.conf with an editor:

Code: Select all

     Section "Extensions" 
              Option "Composite" "Enable" 
              Option "RENDER" "Enable" 
      EndSection

And install this Dotpup with xcompmgr and transset, I forgot to add it to Enlightenment:
http://dotpups.de/dotpups/XServer/transparency-demo.pup

Now the menu-entries should work.

Mark

tempestuous · #24 Post by **tempestuous** » Fri 10 Mar 2006, 14:40

I'm no expert on nVidia, but I see some potential problems with Pizzasgood's instructions.
The nvidia.o module is made permanent, but it may not necessarily get loaded at each boot. Same problem with agpgart.
1. Run "lsmod". You should see agpgart and nvidia listed. If not, load them now -

modprobe agpgart
modprobe nvidia

and add these commands to /etc/rc.d/rc.local so it will happen at each boot.

Regarding your xorg.conf, I think these lines should all be necessary in Section "Module" -
Load "dbe"
Load "glx"
Load "dri"

Now referring back to MU's post about DRI http://www.murga.org/~puppy/viewtopic.p ... 44&start=0
you also need to have libGL files installed. Get my more recent libGL package here http://www.murga.org/%7Epuppy/viewtopic ... 4&start=32

Restart the Xserver (ctl-alt-backspace, then startx) and hopefully DRI will be working.

#25 Post by **Pizzasgood** » Sat 11 Mar 2006, 03:29

Hmmm.... that all sounds about right, but what's agpgart? Is it for a certain type of port, like pci? Or is this some other thing?

Also, at least on my system, nvidia was loaded. I think the Xorg deal causes that.

I'll edit the instructions to make sure they leave the "load dri" part in, and I'll mention the libgl thing too. I also need to add that the instructions to copy the stuff back need to recreate that directory because it doesn't seem to exist by default anymore (at least on mine). I'm not sure about what the agpgart part is, so I'm going to wait for that.

#26 Post by MU » Sat 11 Mar 2006, 04:29

agpgart is a Kernelmodule, that is needed for accessing the AGP-slot I think.
The free X.org-Drivers need it for DRI.
But for example the proprietary ATI-Driver does not need it, the docs eve say it should be unloaded, because ATI has its own drivers for that.
Might be the same with Nvidia.
By default, they are not loaded in Puppy.
Mark

tempestuous · #27 Post by **tempestuous** » Sat 11 Mar 2006, 09:18

OK, shared knowledge is good! I now realise that there are a different set of rules for proprietary drivers. Please ignore most of what I said above.
I did some reading on the subject and I see that nVidia has its own libGL, and the nvidia kernel module possibly has inbuilt AGP functions that make the agpgart module unnecessary.
So my amended suggestions are:

- make sure the nvidia module is loaded. This is the DRI/DRM module and accelerated performance won't happen without it. Installers typically try to automate things like this by putting a boot script in /etc/rc.d ... but this won't work in Puppy. So if "lsmod" does not show nvidia is loaded, then "modprobe nvidia" should be added to /etc/rc.d/rc.local (after "/sbin/depmod -aq").

- make sure that xorg.conf is set up correctly. According to several pages I found on the web, as well as removing "Load "GLcore"", it's also necessary to remove "Load "dri"". Apparently this otherwise attempts to load the open source DRI libraries, which would conflict with the proprietary nvidia libraries.
"Load "glx"" is correct.
And in Section "Screen", DefaultDepth needs to be 16 or 24.
It would be interesting to see the xorg.conf generated by the installer.

Now after restarting the Xserver, glxinfo should show "direct rendering: Yes", and /var/log/Xorg.0.log should report something positive.

#28 Post by **Pizzasgood** » Sat 11 Mar 2006, 15:14

- make sure the nvidia module is loaded. This is the DRI/DRM module and accelerated performance won't happen without it. Installers typically try to automate things like this by putting a boot script in /etc/rc.d ... but this won't work in Puppy. So if "lsmod" does not show nvidia is loaded, then "modprobe nvidia" should be added to /etc/rc.d/rc.local (after "/sbin/depmod -aq").

Well, like I said, mine gets loaded automatically. I suspect the line in xorg.conf that says Driver "nvidia" takes care of it.

- make sure that xorg.conf is set up correctly. According to several pages I found on the web, as well as removing "Load "GLcore"", it's also necessary to remove "Load "dri"". Apparently this otherwise attempts to load the open source DRI libraries, which would conflict with the proprietary nvidia libraries.
"Load "glx"" is correct.

Okay, I guess I had it right the first time. I'll go back and fix that.

It would be interesting to see the xorg.conf generated by the installer.

That's what I've been thinking. I'm going to set up a fresh pupfile and see what it does. Plus, that way I can see what my pre-driver speeds were.

#29 Post by **Pizzasgood** » Sat 11 Mar 2006, 17:56

Well, it seems to me that Puppy automatically comes with most of the right stuff as far as the dbe and glx and dri things go (at least mine did) in the xorg.conf file. The installer mostly just moved some things around and replaced the driver setting for whatever was already set to "nvidia". So, in the config file, it might still say "vesa frame-buffer" or whatever for the identification, but it will use the "nvidia" driver. Not the cleanest method, but it works.

If you run

Code: Select all

sh NVIDIAblablalba -h

it gives you options, and if you do

Code: Select all

sh NVIDIAblablalba -x

it will extract itself so you can see what it has inside.

#30 Post by **Pizzasgood** » Sat 11 Mar 2006, 18:48

I put some info about some of the things the driver comes with in the instructions. Also, the readme I found verified that the driver loads the kernal module itself (unless you disable that ability).

Pizzasgood wrote:After it's all installed, you can go to /usr/share/doc/NVIDIA_GLX-1.0/ to find a manual with a bunch of information. The readme has a list of extra settings you can add to xorg.conf to alter the setup. One of them lets you skip the splash screen. You add
Code: Select all
    Option      "NoLogo" "true"
to /etc/X11/xorg.conf in the Device section.

There's also a program that comes with it that can change the screen colors and such. It is called nvidia-settings.desktop and can be found in /usr/share/applications/.

tempestuous · #31 Post by **tempestuous** » Sun 12 Mar 2006, 00:46

Pizzasgood wrote:the readme I found verified that the driver loads the kernel module

OK, that makes sense. It's a shame the Xorg drivers don't do the same.

So does glxinfo and /var/log/Xorg.0.log indicate that direct rendering is working?

And can you tell us what your frame rate is ... does the nvidia package install glxgears?

#32 Post by **Pizzasgood** » Mon 13 Mar 2006, 22:51

So does glxinfo and /var/log/Xorg.0.log indicate that direct rendering is working?

Yep.

And can you tell us what your frame rate is ... does the nvidia package install glxgears?

It doesn't come with glxgears. I get 404.8 or so fps on a 64 MB GeForce4 and a 450MHz PIII processor with glxgears.

eMeRy · #33 Post by **eMeRy** » Fri 17 Mar 2006, 22:33

Thanks for the howto...

I tried it with a TNT2 pro card and the 7174 driver. Works fine...

Let me suggest some addition for this fine howto. Maybe it'll be easier to follow it step by step for a newbie like me...

So you should clarify
- 'the development addon' means 'usr_devx.sfs' file
- 'usr_devx.sfs' can be found here: ftp://ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/puppylinux/
- the downloaded usr_devx.sfs file should be placed to
a) the same directory like the pup001 (when you boot from CD/pendrive)
b) the / directory (case of hd install)
- after it you should reboot the system (important!)
- now you can start the installation by running the proper NVIDIA graphics driver's .run file that had been downloaded before.

The further steps were clear for me.

PS.: I found when you had installed puppy to hd, the script to rc.local was not necessary. Please check it.

I know the suggested items can be found in the thread but summarizing it in the first post should be useful.

Let me ask a post-install question.
I understand the NVIDIA-installer.run file can be deleted. Can we get rid of the 'usr_devx.sfs' file with its 44Mbyte size after installation? And what about the 313Mbyte size /.usr_devx directory?

Thanks in advance.
eMeRy

#34 Post by MU » Fri 17 Mar 2006, 23:03

/.usr_devx is the mounted usr_devx.sfs.
Try this:
rename usr_devx.sfs
Reboot.
As usr_devx.sfs is not mounted now, you also don't have the folder /.usr_devx
If your Nvidia Drivers still work (what I think), you can delete it.
Mark

eMeRy · #35 Post by **eMeRy** » Fri 17 Mar 2006, 23:44

I've done what you suggested.
After reboot Nvidia driver works fine and the huge folder /.usr_devx disappeared, of course.
Thnx a lot.

#36 Post by **Pizzasgood** » Sat 18 Mar 2006, 16:00

So you should clarify
- 'the development addon' means 'usr_devx.sfs' file
- 'usr_devx.sfs' can be found here: ftp://ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/puppylinux/
- the downloaded usr_devx.sfs file should be placed to
a) the same directory like the pup001 (when you boot from CD/pendrive)
b) the / directory (case of hd install)
- after it you should reboot the system (important!)
- now you can start the installation by running the proper NVIDIA graphics driver's .run file that had been downloaded before.

The further steps were clear for me.

PS.: I found when you had installed puppy to hd, the script to rc.local was not necessary. Please check it.

Did it, done it, done

Thanks.

OsamaBinGandhi · #37 Post by **OsamaBinGandhi** » Wed 07 Jun 2006, 22:45

In the new puppy seamonkey the file pup001 is named pup200? That file is located outside of the filesystem the root of roots, not the folder named root? I use a live cd to use puppy by the way. I need to download that compiler thingy and restart before i start the nvidia driver right? just need to know where to put it.

How do u make the file xorg.config to be active or started? I am a total beginner and easy things for people used to linux is quite hard for a noob...

After i tried to install the nvidia driver it complained that i didn't have a file. Thats where i kind of gave up. Didn't like to give up when puppy has all i need in a distro...

The whole experience of start compiling nvidia driver is quite hard for a total beginner with both puppy and linux.

That is what i think the critical part for linux to fix. Things that is not that hard to do, but with no linux experience it takes a really long time to fix.

To change resolutions and monitor settings is a big pain in my behind. A way to download or setup resolutions and monitor settings is something i dearly miss.

But don't get me wrong, i liked puppy A LOT!!!The idea and concept is just perfect. But if i cannot get nvidia to work and my monitor specs i give up...Sound seemed to work really well in puppy, whereas in ubuntu that really failed badly.

This post became longer than i thought. Thanks for the word and i will try puppy again in a day or two. If someone has come up with an easier way to install nvidia i am all ears.

Ted Dog · #38 Post by **Ted Dog** » Thu 08 Jun 2006, 02:09

I was able to get it to work, yes those complaining files are not used in puppy but if you ignore them and continue ahead the kernel is updated correctly. I have to redue my computer for v2 (I have the alpha version working) If I can issolate the files i'll upload them and provide a link.

tempestuous · #39 Post by **tempestuous** » Thu 08 Jun 2006, 13:45

I have packaged nVidia 3D drivers, both legacy v7174 and latest v8756, here http://dotpups.de/tests/nvidia/
The main packages contain the correct modules for the Puppy 2 kernel, and there are separate module packages for Puppy 1.0.4-1.0.9.
I have tested the v7174 package in Puppy2 - it works great. It would be good if someone could test the v8756 drivers with a recent nVidia card.
Mark intends to incorporate these drivers into his 3D-card-Wizard package eventually.

AngelOfHope · #40 Post by **AngelOfHope** » Mon 26 Jun 2006, 09:54

Hi, I have hd install (type 2) and puppy 1.0.8.r1 and devx_201.sfs in / but when I do which g++ it does nothing, off course the .run file also gives errors, if it would help I can attach the log file..
why doesn't which g++ do anythin? any ideas?
(I have MSI G4MX460 card)

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How to install NVIDIA graphics drivers.

Got stuck on the last part of installing the driver...

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