Don't you just hate proprietary software?

[charlieg]

So I'm trying to install a custom kernel on Ubuntu.on a laptop with an nvidia graphics chipset.

Grab the nvidia drivers from here and follow their instructions "sh nvidia_driver_download.run"

"ERROR: You appear to be running an X server; please exit X before installing."

WTF? Why? Why must I exit X? What the hell is that about? Crappy proprietry software. That kind of error belongs in the Windows world.

[LaRoza]

So I'm trying to install a custom kernel on Ubuntu.on a laptop with an nvidia graphics chipset.

Grab the nvidia drivers from here and follow their instructions "sh nvidia_driver_download.run"

"ERROR: You appear to be running an X server; please exit X before installing."

WTF? Why? Why must I exit X? What the hell is that about? Crappy proprietry software. That kind of error belongs in the Windows world.

Exit X by pressing "Ctrl Alt Backspace".

You have to exit X for a very logical reason, not anything to do with the quality of software.

[Freddy]

Exit X by pressing "Ctrl Alt Backspace".

You have to exit X for a very logical reason, not anything to do with the quality of software.

Won't "Ctrl Alt Backspace" merely restart the X server? I does for me atleast .

[MetalMusicAddict]

Your issue has nothing to do with the title. Its user error.

[bake7221]

I'm not 100% sure, but I think if you type sudo /etc/init.d/kdm stop (if you're using kde) or sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop (if you're using gnome) and that'll stop X ... to restart just type the same thing but instead of stop type start ...

[cmat]

You should use the drivers in the repos. Exiting X is important if you do it manually. Just be grateful the nVidia even provided a video driver at the quality they have too.

[happysmileman]

I agree, the ones in the repos never worked for me, I need one of the legacy drivers and the repos just doesn't work for some reason... NVidia are very good at providing that installer, and at the login screen there should be an option to do a console login, do that and install it

[Lord Illidan]

While it's true that the exiting X server is not that good imho, for graphics drivers to be changed the X server must be restarted anyway, even if they are opensource..The ubuntu devs package it in a deb, which installs the kernel modules, but you still have to restart X to feel the change.

Interestingly, in Windows one didn't have to restart to feel the change, if you ignore the restart prompts, you feel the speed rightaway.

[Nano Geek]

sudo /ect/init.d/gdm stop

[dasunst3r]

You have to stop X in order to install the driver because you are changing a pretty foundational portion of the system. Before you install this driver, be sure to have the packages kernel-headers and build-essential installed. Just in case, run this in the terminal: sudo apt-get install kernel-headers build-essential.

After that's finished, log out, press Ctrl+Alt+F1 to get to a terminal. Log in and issue the command sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop. This will kill off X and allow you to install the driver.

As far as proprietary software goes, I only hate those that don't "play nicely with others," if you will.