nVidia with SMP Kernel

[Lord C]

I have been installing nVidia drivers for a long time, and they always worked fine.

Now I am using Mandrake 10.1, with a SMP kernel
(Im on a dual-processor pc, so mdk automatically gives me this smp kernel).

During installation of the nVidia drivers it gives me an error, telling me there is no precompiled driver, and it will need my kernel source to create a new module.

nVidia suggests it cannot use a module nvidia.no, something to do with me having the wrong soure

Code: Select all

-> Kernel module compilation complete.
ERROR: Unable to load the kernel module 'nvidia.ko'.  This is most likely
       because the kernel module was built using the wrong kernel source files.
       Please make sure you have installed the kernel source files for your
       kernel; on Red Hat Linux systems, for example, be sure you have the
       'kernel-source' rpm installed.  If you know the correct kernel source
       files are installed, you may specify the kernel source path with the
       '--kernel-source-path' commandline option.
-> Kernel module load error: insmod: error inserting './usr/src/nv/nvidia.ko':
   -1 Invalid module format
ERROR: Installation has failed.  Please see the file
       '/var/log/nvidia-installer.log' for details.  You may find suggestions
       on fixing installation problems in the README available on the Linux
       driver download page at [url]www.nvidia.com.[/url]

Anyone have any ideas how to help me please?

Thanks in advance

[Void Main]

It's fairly normal for it not to have any precompiled kernel modules (at least it is for me). You should be able to just have it compile new ones by following the prompts (assuming you have your development tools installed (gcc etc)). You do need kernel headers also. If Mandrake does not install those automatically with the kernel (it should on 2.6.x kernels) then you'll have to install the matching headers for the kernel (I don't know what Mandrake might call them, either kernel-headers* or kernel-devel* would be my guess). If this isn't enough to get you going I am sure I can find the answer if I dig a little deeper.

[Lord C]

I have no idea why it isnt working.

It compiles a module with my kernel source, but then insists its incorrect or something.

Headers are already installed, and so is the source.

urpmi wanted to install an old source for some reason (2.4)
when uname clearly shows im using 2.6.8.

Code: Select all

[root]# urpmi kernel-headers
Everything already installed

[root]# urpmi kernel-source
Please insert the medium named "Installation CD 3 " on device [/dev/hdc]
Press Enter when ready...

installing /mnt/cdrom/media/main3/kernel-source-2.4.27-0.pre2.1mdk.i586.rpm
Preparing...                ##################################################
   1:kernel-source          ##################################################
[root]# uname -a
Linux 2.6.8.1-12mdksmp #1 SMP Fri Oct 1 11:24:45 CEST 2004 i686 AMD Athlon(tm) Processor unknown GNU/Linux

[Void Main]

That kernel source will not help you. In fact you shouldn't need the kernel source installed at all. The headers are the only thing that should be required and they would be found under /lib/modules/<kernelversion>/source (source may be a symbolic link to "build").

I can dig a little deeper this evening but you might get a quick answer if you post your question here:
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=14

[Void Main]

I guess I read this way to quickly earlier today (didn't have a lot of time). I see now that you already did try and compile the modules (I'm brain dead). What is in your /var/log/nvidia-installer.log? I see you haven't got a response yet on nVidia forums. I suspect you don't have the proper headers installed but not having a copy of Mandrake installed anywhere I am not familiar with how they package the kernel. I did find a 6111 driver already built in an RPM:

http://rpms.mandrakeclub.com/rpms/mandr ... .i586.html

Too bad there isn't a later one (there probably actually is somewhere). Also, don't they have a more recent kernel?

Here is a thread with a similar issue:
http://linux.derkeiler.com/Newsgroups/c ... /0225.html

The guy states that Mandrake doesn't include matching kernel headers with included binary kernels. I recall this to be true the last time I dealt with Mandrake (no comment here). If this is still true then I think if you get the source for the latest kernel, then build, install and boot the new kernel I think you should be able to install the nVidia driver. The kernel headers most definitely need to match the running kernel.