nVidia latest Drivers - How to install

[jokerrain]

Guys, I'm trying to do this but after the first step, "sudo init 1", it automatically tries to reboot (I assume that's what it's doing) but gets stuck on an Ubuntu screen with loading dots. I have to force a reboot and when I do and try to install it says the X server is still running.

Any ideas? New jack, sorry. I'm trying.

I'm getting the same problem any fix to this or any way of killing x server. I've tried Google and its no help lol so any help would be greatly appreciated.


edit: nevermind i figured it out i just login inthe terminal as root typed gdm stop and it appered to work it stopped the x server so i can load the lastest drivers


edit 2: ok driver starts then it says

ERROR: unable to load the kernel module 'nvidia.ko' what does that mean? sorry very new to all of this

[george051685]

ok i need some help im new to the linux os i am still trying to learn it and im trying to install a 9800gt nvidia graphics card on my ubuuntu i have been reading forums for the last 5 days and still no luck i managed to do a install and it is giving me the following errors

distribution pre install script failed

install failed /var/log/nvidia-installer.log

unable to load kernal module 'nvidia,ko,

any help to get this issue fixed would be much appreciated i am trying to run compiz

[Gemnoc]

Hi george051685,

if you are new to Linux, why are you taking the hard way ?

I have the same card, and I use the Nvidia drivers from the Ubuntu repositories, Compiz runs mighty fine with those ! Even though I'm following this thread, I've never needed to install the drivers that way.

You just need to go to System > Administration > Hardware Drivers and install/activate the proprietary Nvidia drivers.

Although you will need to remove anything you have done so far, and I can't help you with that.

[Kosimo]

Folks,

nVidia has just released a new "Pre-Release" driver: 256.44


Here the changelog:

Added support for Quadro 4000, Quadro 5000, and Quadro 6000.
Added support for GeForce GTX 460.
Updated nvidia-installer to detect the nouveau kernel module and fail with an appropriate error message.
Added information to the NVIDIA driver README on how to disable the nouveau driver.
Fixed VDPAU to not print a debug error message when calling VdpVideoMixerQueryFeatureSupport with an unsupported or unknown VdpVideoMixerFeature.
Removed the requirement that in TwinView passive stereo, MetaModes must have identical viewports on each monitor.
Removed the requirement that in active stereo, all monitors must use identical modetimings.
Enhanced VDPAU to better report certain kinds of initialization error.
Fixed a regression that caused Xv to return BadAlloc errors on AGP systems when using the AGP GART driver contained in the NVIDIA driver. This fixes the problem reported in nvnews.net thread 151199.

Download links at the first page of this thread, like always.

Good luck

[ratcheer]

Folks,

nVidia has just released a new "Pre-Release" driver: 256.44

Got it. Thanks. It is running well on Lucid and Maverick, for me.

Tim

[Kosimo]

256.44 has been promoted to Stable.

Links at the first page of this thread.

Good luck.

[kva]

I just installed latest NVIDIA driver 256.44, i follow what is instructed on

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=835573

and then directly install the driver from terminal as instructed on

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=990978

Compiz works great..

Thanks folk..

NB:Any previously proprietary driver installed must be removed first..

[JPorter]

There have been 269,835 hits on this thread as of 27/07/2010.
Maybe thats a hint that the packaged drivers still do not work for everyone.

If the packaged drivers do not work, the proper response is to file a bug report on Launchpad and involve the developers and package maintainers directly in the resolution of the problem. Manual workarounds are fine in individual cases, but they should only be used (and described) as temporary workarounds, not as "fixes".

What you mean to say is.
The drivers work for me.
What's everyone elses problem?

I said nothing like that. I personally use the proprietary Nvidia drivers on 5 significantly different platforms at the moment, and I've had my share of small configuration issues, but generally speaking there was usually an actual solution to the problem that didn't involve breaking the Ubuntu user interface paradigm by dropping runlevels to manually install a driver.

It's worth searching the forums on Phoronix for discussion of driver issues that aren't related to Canonical's packaging, by the way... the Nvidia developers participate there.

You are making no sense.
"Oh I have just down loaded Ubuntu for the first time burnt it to cd and installed it. I know I will look in the forums for a thread called Nvidai drivers and see if I should install different drivers"
Is most probably NOT the first reaction from some one who has just moved from *******.

I disagree. One of the first things that many new users do when they have a question about something is to search a forum (in this case, Ubuntuforums) for the "community answer". Users that aren't yet familiar with the package system tend to immediately search for "ubuntu nvidia drivers" or similar and then unthinkingly execute the first credible-looking instructions that they find. On Ubuntuforums, that tends to be this thread.

It's a great thread, don't get me wrong! The information here is excellent... it's just not recommended unless the standard methods to install and use the proprietary drivers have already failed.

How about the packaged drivers are STILL borked.
I have just had to download and install a fresh edition of 10.4 and I can assure everyone that the Nvidia drivers are still NOT correct.
I have been using Ubuntu for a couple of years.
Have installed VMware, run ******* inside that.
Installed and used the server edition of Ubuntu.
So would not describe myself a a noob.
Not 100% computer literate but, can use a standard desktop and can safely say to the Nvidia drivers are still borked.
I can report that my machine shuts down after 5 minutes on the first boot of the day.
I tracked this down to the video drivers but, had a slight run in with an automatic update that took down my printer which meant a total re install, which means that I now have to track down the problem again.

Are you using an unusual Nvidia product? There are many reasons why you may be having difficulty, and only a few of them are actually related to the driver itself. Quite possibly, the driver may be exposing a bug in another package. That's what bug reports via Launchpad are for, to consolidate community feedback on errors and maximize the amount of information available to developers so that they can fix these issues at the root cause.

Like I say. 269,835 views to date.

That figure could be used as proof of your point or of mine, they're both valid.

[JPorter]

I just installed latest NVIDIA driver 256.44, i follow what is instructed on

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=835573

and then directly install the driver from terminal as instructed on

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=990978

Compiz works great..

Thanks folk..

NB:Any previously proprietary driver installed must be removed first..

I'm using 256.44 as well, I installed it by running System -> Administration -> Update Manager and clicking the Install Updates button.

It's in the Ubuntu X Updates PPA: https://edge.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-x...hive/x-updates

[Caironater]

Edit August 10 2010: Latest nVidia 256.xx (STABLE) 256.44
1) Download the driver (for example in your desktop) - Get the pkg1, Right Click, Save As...

2) Enter in a real terminal mode: CONTROL + ALT + F1, then login (don't do it now as you wouldn't be able to keep reading)

Can i get the package straight from tty?
EDIT: sorry usb i meant