Mandrake 9.1 NVIDIA driver install
Disclaimer: This is for a guide only. I assume no responsibility for problems. This is how I did it and it worked. Your system may be different and require different steps. Use at your own risk.
This is written for newbies like myself that need details. Read the entire thing before starting this. I tried to make it as simple as possible. If you have a good downloaded file and follow this your problems should be minimal. This may work for other distributions as well. You may still have some tweaks after this install. Watch and see if you notice any stability problems with your GUI. Consult the manual or request help in the forum.
I'm going to assume that you can navigate using Konqueror and use a editor such as Kwrite. You should also get the basics of a command line editor called "vi" just in case the driver does not work and you need to change the driver back to the old basic one. If you have a Linux book check for editors that work in command line. Any editor will work as long as you know how to use it. That will get you back into 'x' at least. It is not really that bad to install but you have to do it in command line not through the GUI or 'x'. If you are a newbie like myself it can be scary. Especially if it doesn't work the first time. BTW, booting to 'failsafe' will not work. 'x' will crash and you will be disappointed.
Steps to take:
1: Download the driver
2: Edit the inittab and XF86Config-4 file
3: Reboot to command line and Login as 'root'
4: Install driver (Look for any errors during install)
5: Test
6: Change inittab file back to original configuration
Download the driver
The first thing is to download the driver and put it in the /root directory. You can get the latest driver here: http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux.html. You will most likely want the IA32 version, that's Intel/AMD 32 bit. Once you get that downloaded and in the proper directory, you are ready to get it installed. It's important to put it in the right directory or know exactly where it is. It should be in /root. When you login later, this is where you will be.
Edit the inittab and XF86Config-4 file
You will need to edit the inittab file and the XF86Config-4 file. You will need to edit the inittab so that you will boot into the command line not into the GUI or 'x'. The inittab file is in the following location for Konqueror, file:/etc/inittab . You should have root access. The line you are looking for is "id:5:initdefault:". You will need to change the '5' to a '3'. It should look like this "id:3:initdefault:. "This will get you to a text login. It will be sort of like old DOS, no pretty screens or anything. Remember this file, you will need to change it back when you are done. Of course some leave it like this but that's up to you.
Make a note of what you change here or print a copy if you can of the original file. Now to edit the XF86Config-4 file. It should be located here, file:/etc/X11/XF86Config-4. You will need to look for and change this part 'Section "Device"'. It's about half way down the file. You will need to change 'Driver "nv"' to 'Driver "nvidia"'. This will load the drivers when 'x' starts. Now look for the part 'Section "Module"'. It's pretty close to the top. Look for a line that says 'Load "dri"' and 'Load "GLcore"'. If you have these lines put a '#' in front of them. The system will then ignore those commands. I don't like deleting, if you have to switch back this will make it easier. Now, in the same section look for a command 'Load "glx"'. It should already be there but make sure it is. It needs to be there. Don't delete it. You have now got your XF86Config-4 file ready. Click 'save'.
Reboot to command line and Login as 'root'
Now comes the part that is a bit new for newbies that have not used other distro's and are not used to the command line and login. It's time to reboot. When you reboot you will not get windows or a GUI. You will get a login prompt. When you get the prompt type in 'root' and hit enter. Type in your password. You are ready to install your driver. If you put the file in the right directory this should be very easy. Type in 'ls'. The NVIDIA driver should be right there in the list. If it is there, skip the next paragraph.
If it's not there try typing in 'cd ..' and hit enter. Then type in 'cd /home/<user name>/Desktop'. Replace <user name> with your user name, mine would look like this for example '/home/dale/Desktop'. Remember Linux is case sensitive. Do a 'ls' and see if it is there. If it is not try this 'cd ..' and then type in 'cd Documents', do a 'ls' and see if it is there. If by now you have found the file, you are ready to go.
Install driver
This part is easy. Type in 'sh ' and the name of the file exactly like it is on the screen. It is case sensitive and put a space between 'sh' and the file name. You should get a screen that says loading, then accept the agreement etc. Use the arrow keys to change your selection. No mouse here, sorry. Just let it walk you through.
When it gets done with the install, you will be back at the prompt. If you get a error write it down and skip to the shutdown part or edit the XF86Config-4 file back to the way it was and type 'startx'. If you get no errors, type in 'exit'. You will be back at the login and will take you out of root.
Test
Login in as a regular user, mine for example would be 'dale' then type in your password. When you get the prompt, type in 'startx' and hit enter. 'x' should start. If it works you will see a white screen with a graphic and 'NVIDIA' in the middle. If you have this, the install was successful.
If you don't get this something went wrong. You will get a error message when 'x' shuts down. The important part will start with (EE). Write this info down and see if you can find a post that will help you diagnose the problem. If you can't find the error and need help, post with the subject "Mandrake 9.1 NVIDIA" and some of the error message. Put the entire error in the post. Someone will have run into and fixed or will know what the error means and how to fix.
If you have a error, you will need to change the XF86Config-4 file back like it was. You can do a 'cd /' to get to root, '/', then type in 'cd etc', then 'vi XF86Config-4' or whatever commands needed for the editor you chose. This will let you edit the file back to the way it was. The really important part is to change 'nvidia' to 'nv' like it was. Just change the file back and save and exit the editor. When you get back to the prompt, type in 'startx' and it should get you back into the GUI with the old set of drivers. If you had rather just reboot into windows to get help you can type in 'shutdown -r now'. This will reboot your system and you will have the option to get windows as usual when it restarts.
Change inittab file back to original configuration
If all worked well and you want to change so that 'x' starts automatically, you will need to change the file 'inittab' back to '5' like it was before this install. You can leave it this way if you want. Some people do this anyway. To get into 'x' if you want to do it this way, just type in your login and password then 'startx'. When you exit, logout, of 'x' it will take you back to the prompt, just type in exit and you will get a login. Login as root, and type in 'shutdown -r now' to reboot or 'shutdown -h now' to turn off your system. If you change the 'inittab' file back to '5' it will boot like it used to.
Hopefully you will have had success. If so, I hope this 'how to' helped. I tried to make it for a newbie. There are other ways to do it but, this way if there are no problems most is done in a GUI. This is much easier for a newbie.
Good luck. Hope you enjoy Linux.
