HD install+Nvidia driver install = no kernel headers aargh

[nishtya]

HD install of knoppix 3.3 2-19-04 here. Things going pretty well for this newbie so far last two weeks. I am getting there but.... I am having a terrible time getting Nvidia drivers installed. (pardon if I should be putting this in another forum but alot of what I see elsewhere pertains to CD version). I want to play silly ol tuxracer. Need Open GL. No problem I have a GF2 GTS card on here. Notice from apt-update that Debian has it - but gee, notice Nvidia has a nice allinone installer. I start runlevel 3, run it as root but it can't find my kernel headers. Now I notice that KDE control center can't give me kernel info either. My kernel is 2.4.24-xfs under /lib/modules. Why does everything requiring kernel source headers say I don't have any? (I am very noob, huh?) I would also very much like to run Kano's script for this Nvidia install but I am on dialup and if I quit X there is no connection for it to wget (I already have the installer downloaded anyway). Assistance greatly appreciated, be gentle I really want my tuxracer (headers would be an added bonus )

[WimG]

O.k maybe just install synaptic first(apt-get install synaptic) then
let synaptic running (as root) find source and headers from kernel
2.4.24 and install them with synaptic.
Then I think it should be possible to log out and keep your dial-up
connection intact then log in(as root) without graphical desktop running then cd to the place where you put the install-nvidia driver from Kano
and make it installable by chmod +x (driver)
then ./(driver)

It should be installed now, hope you succeed, post result when done.

[nishtya]

I did finally succeed in establishing/maintaining a connection out of X, by using Kano's my-pppconfig script (which has to be run as root). I was in essence, on the net as root - gulp - but it will only be this one time I hope. PPPconfig has never worked on any of my Knoppix HDinstalls (therefore no pon) for whatever reason it is on "hold" in pkgs and I am unable to ignore the hold - have googled about that one and haven't found anything.

Anyway, kano's nvidia script ran, I got my glxgears going vrooom and Tuxracer Do have issues further to the nvidia install. Will make a new post.

And thanks for the tip about synaptic to get the headers. I tried kano's script to fetch the headers but it complains it cannot find the file. But I really love my knoppix and am looking forward to 3.4

[WimG]

I am glad you succeeded, you are right that running it as root is not ideal,there are other possibility's to install nvidia driver by downloading it from the nvidia site and install it without internet connection but it's a litle bit more work.

[nishtya]

I did have the nvidia installer, it just wouldn't install without the headers if I told it to ignore the CRC errors, it didn't install properly. Had some wacky accleration in glxgears but no Open GL otherwise (did make the necessary changes to XF86). Kano's script was my last hope after two days. I don't care much about breaking knoppix, I have home mirrored on my 98 disk and just reinstall but I am determined to get the beast to work if it kills me. You folks here in HD install are my only source for help after googling and I always appreciate it tremendously. Am going to try synaptic tonight---and thanks again, your assistance is never taken for granted!

[jacktrades_nbk]

Installing the NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-5336-pkg1.run on KNOPPIX 3.3 hard disk install

By JackTrades (jacktrades_nbk@yahoo.com)

for those (newbies only) who try linux using knoppix...and have an Nvidia graphics adapter

ok, so you downloaded your driver, read the 'readme' file...ok..
copy your driver somewhere
now you exit X (login as different user, options=console login)

login as root and do as in readme : sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-5336-pkg1
surprise : shit happens..you don't have the kernel sources installed
ok now you search help on the internet...about kernel sources, headers installing,
upgrading kernels, etc.
you could upgrade your kernel, and learn some stuff on the way, but being new to linux,
you could make mistakes, and get in more trouble, like you have your driver installed (FINALLY),but other things go wrong, like you can't access your CD-ROM, some programs don't work any more because you forget to check some things in the kernel before compiling...you can't access yor dos partition...etc
so, before upgrading kernel, you should take more time with linux, learn some things,read FAQ's, and so on.
let's get back to the driver installing problem;the answer is in the driver itself, (thanks to Nvidia)
all you have to do is run 'sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-5336-pkg1.run --advanced-options' and you shoul see what i mean.
anyway do this :
copy your driver anywhere you like( i use /home in this example)
ok, open a console as root, 'cd /home' ,do 'sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-5336-pkg1.run --add-this-kernel' ,and hit enter.
it will make a driver for your kernel;after it finishes, do 'ls' ,to see it in your /home dir
it will be called something like this : NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-5336-pkg1-custom.run
ok, now logout, choose console login, log as root, and change to where the new file is :
'cd /home'
now do : 'sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-5336-pkg1-custom.run' ,and hit enter
you've done it
now edit your XF86config-4 file,or what you use(check the readme for that)
'cd /etc/X11'
use any editor to change the "nv" to "nvidia" ,and delete or add '#' in front of the lines
Load "dri"
Load "GLcore"


In the readme it says :

change

Driver "nv"
(or Driver "vesa")

with

Driver "nvidia"

In the Module section, make sure you have:

Load "glx"

You should also remove the following lines:

Load "dri"
Load "GLcore"

you haven't read the whole readme, haven't you ?

<<<<<<<<Q: Can I add my own precompiled kernel interfaces to a .run file?

A: Yes, the "--add-this-kernel" .run file option will unpack the .run
file, build a precompiled kernel interface for the currently running
kernel, and repackage the .run file, appending "-custom" to the file
name. This may be useful, for example. if you administer multiple
Linux machines, each running the same kernel.>>>>>>>>>>>>

so you see, the answer was there...

now do 'startx' and see the nVIDIA logo appear.
now you can play with OpenGL apps, without upgrading your kernel and get in more problems
in the future do that to, without destroing it...by reading a lot of FAQ's.