# Tell NVIDIA we need full kernel support under Linux

## Dominique_71

The NVIDIA graphic cards don't have full kernel support. If, like me, you have an old kernel and instal a new one, you must compile the new kernel and reinstal the NVIDIA driver from NVIDIA for that kernel. If you try to boot you old kernel, it will work fine, but X will fail because the NVIDIA driver recognize only your last kernel, and the old one is brooken. You must reinstal the NVIDIA driver each time you want to boot another kernel! 

 :Cool:  And that is not the linux freedom of use! :Cool: 

Here is an email i have send to Nvidia:

linux-nforce-bugs@nvidia.com

 *Quote:*   

> I am the owner of a Gforce FX5200. I would like to request that Nvidia either supply a fully functional Linux driver for they graphics cards (read possibility of choosing between different kernel versions at boot time without the need of reinstaling your driver each time) or release the necessary information for others to do so.
> 
> This is a very sad problem because our hardware is pretty good, but without the necessary software, it is not an option on the long run. And i am the owner of a cheap card. I let you imagine the frustration of the owner of a Gforce 7800!
> 
> I am a hardware enthusiast and Linux support is a major factor in my purchasing decisions. ( I will soon buy a new pc to remplace my old one). 
> ...

 

Send NVIDA an email stressing how important this is to linux users.

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## d4rkwingduck

i would be interesting in seeing their response  :Confused: 

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## dryadcito

I have no problems running two different kernels: 2.6.11 with gsecurity patches and vanilla 2.6.13-rc5 , with their respective nvidia kernel modules installed just the first time I used them, and i'm doing so since 2.6.10, so there must be other reason for your problem.

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## Dominique_71

I have a 2.6.7-gentoo and a 2.6.12-rc5, and the nvidia driver i am using is the last from nvidia.

But the problem was allready the same with 2 kernels compiled with the same 2.6.7-gentoo sources and an older version of the nvidia driver.

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## numerodix

Have you tried using suspend-sources with the nvidia driver? I have. It doesn't work.  :Crying or Very sad: 

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## Dominique_71

It appear at the nvidia installer have some options.

If you run  *Quote:*   

> sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-7676-pkg1.run --advanced-options

 

you will get a list of those.

 *Quote:*   

>  sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-7676-pkg1.run --kernel-name=linux-2.6.7-gentoo-r11 --kernel-source-path=/usr/src/linux-2.6.7-gentoo-r11 --kernel-install-path=/lib/modules/linux-2.6.7-gentoo-r11-pingouin/video -K

 

has installed a working module for my 2.6.7 kernel without breaking my 2.6.12

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## HeadHolio

Rather than bothering them about something meaningless like this (which could easily be fixed by any competent Gentoo developer....which I am not), I think we should send them emails requesting that they open source their Linux drivers.  Everyone knows that they have IP/Trade secrets to hide, and maybe even NDA's with other companies and whatnot, but eventually, all of that becomes outdated and when moving towards new technologies, they should keep open source in mind.  Also, NDA's expire, and IP/Trade secrets eventually become obsolete so there is no reason why nVidia shouldn't be able to open source their drivers....if not now, then sometime in the near future.  Lets just keep hounding them in the meantime so that they don't forget to do so.

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## Dominique_71

I have send another mail to Nvidia where i apologise for my first one. I have also stressed them at this problem would not appear if the driver was in the source code of the kernel.

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## Headrush

 *Dominique_71 wrote:*   

> It appear at the nvidia installer have some options.
> 
> If you run  *Quote:*   sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-7676-pkg1.run --advanced-options 
> 
> you will get a list of those.
> ...

 

I have multiple kernels that all work fine.

Use portage instead of manually installing the driver. Re-emerge the nvidia-kernel package for each kernel version you have and it should have a nvidia.ko module which works with that kernel.

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## alistair

U should read linux/Documents/stable_api_nonsense.txt  as to why you have to reinstall your nvidia drivers all the time.

Also as a summary to the file above.

If nvidia did release their driver source code to linux they would have to either provide continued developer support for the driver or risk losing control of it. This results from the "unstablle" nature of the internal linux kernel interfaces.  Everytime a bug or security hole is found these interfaces are likely to change, even different compilers used for the kernel and driver could break a system.  Therefore It would be impossible for nvidia to release a pre-compiled driver (as they do with windows - which keeps all/most of its old interfaces) and not worth it to have a developer working "in-team" with linux developers.

U can expect everything.  Oh, as a last note as I believe that you discovered that you can compile nvidia drivers for many different kernels on the same machine.

Alistair

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## Dominique_71

This is a very interessant file. If Nvidia release their driver under gpl, they will lose control of it, and the maintenace will be done by the kernel developers. In fact, that would be good for Nvidia, because at, with the gpl, a module developper can focus on functionality, but Nvidia now must focus on functionallity and at the same time, try to keep in touch with every change made in the interface between kernel and module.

They are like politics, they don't wont to lose control. That is very funny, because if someday folks will buy another soundcard (cheaper, better, whatever), they will really lose control. and that have nothing to do with gpl.

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## cylgalad

Even if they GPL'd the kernel part fully (don't dream, the X driver won't ever be open-source unless they run out of business which is very unlikely), it wouldn't mean they'd "lose control" they'd still hold the copyright on it.

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## arokh

This thread really shows an extreme lack of knowledge of How Stuff Works (TM) when it comes to the Linux kernel, it's module interface, and distribution/packager responsibility.

nvidia has provided the best driver the Linux/GNU community has ever seen, and you are complaining because the module has to be recompiled when you upgrade your kernel? That's just insane.

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## HeadHolio

Nvidia has already had to update their drivers for few new kernels that have come out.  There is already a package maintainer for it.  Open sourcing the drivers would cause no more grief then there is right now.  It would become just another driver in the kernel itself.  I don't hear any grief about the tons of drivers currently in the kernel, why would this particular one make such a difference?  I love my nVidia card, and I love their drivers.  I really don't have anything to complain about.  But I would argue that an open source driver, would be better then the current driver.  On another note, an ATI employee has said (sorry, I don't have a link handy) that the ATI driver could easily be open sourced, the only thing stopping this from happening is the objection of a couple key people within the company.  In fact, this employee was trying to pursuade the open source community to hound these key people to make this happen.  I would imagine that nVidia (with a little pursuation) could easily do the same down the road.  They would lose control over nothing, the driver would still be theirs, and they could still be the module maintainer.

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## Dominique_71

I agree with Guru, the nvidia is a pretty good graphic card and the driver is very good too. I must just cool down the next time i have a problem with it. And RTFM as usual.

I believe at Nvidia will even win if they release their driver in the kernel tree, because they would only have to maintain the driver and not the interface with the kernel. And as linux users, we will win too, because we will done just a compilation, not two.

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## asiobob

 *HeadHolio wrote:*   

> Nvidia has already had to update their drivers for few new kernels that have come out.  There is already a package maintainer for it.  Open sourcing the drivers would cause no more grief then there is right now.  It would become just another driver in the kernel itself.  I don't hear any grief about the tons of drivers currently in the kernel, why would this particular one make such a difference?  I love my nVidia card, and I love their drivers.  I really don't have anything to complain about.  But I would argue that an open source driver, would be better then the current driver.  On another note, an ATI employee has said (sorry, I don't have a link handy) that the ATI driver could easily be open sourced, the only thing stopping this from happening is the objection of a couple key people within the company.  In fact, this employee was trying to pursuade the open source community to hound these key people to make this happen.  I would imagine that nVidia (with a little pursuation) could easily do the same down the road.  They would lose control over nothing, the driver would still be theirs, and they could still be the module maintainer.

 

Perhaps the reason ATI could "easily" opensource the driver is cause it doesn't contain NDA and other IPO which the windows version has directly explaining why their drivers are extremely shit at this stage in time. Lets not run over ourselfs. Nvidia drivers are not SUPER DUPER great. They are normal and perform as expected. They just look uberawsome compared to ati.

Saying that, the nvidia X driver is closed source but the linking to the kernel part is Open source (correct me if I'm wrong) so someone could submit a patch to the kernel.

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