# Installing nVidia drivers - Solved

## srkitch

when i try to install NForce drivers it tells me it can't find the kernel source so i should go and install it.  i thought the siurce was there b/c i didn't have this problem on a previous install.  i tried giving it the path to /boot/kernel, but it didn't like that, i also gave it /usr/src/linux, but it didn't like that either.  any suggestions?Last edited by srkitch on Fri Jul 14, 2006 1:22 am; edited 1 time in total

----------

## Phenax

You need a properly-configured kernel, not nForce drivers.

If you mean for your Video card, reemerge your kernel with symlink USE flag on?

----------

## srkitch

i mean my NForce drivers for ethernet and sound ccard, also to get optimum use out of nVidia chipset.  did emerge kernel with symlink flag, all things seem to be where they sould be, it just says i don't have the kernel source.  crazy stuff cause i see it there.

----------

## jstead1

Is your /usr/src/linux symlink pointed to the directory for the version of the kernel you are running?

----------

## srkitch

yeah, it is.  i think it must be a problem with the sound driver.  it installed the NIC driver fine.  it says i'm not using the proper kernel source when i try to do the audio though.  its says in documentation that it uses OSS sound, and i added OSS support to the kernel.  i just don't get it  :Question:   it has worked on a previous install.

----------

## srkitch

must be a bug or incompatibility with that particular kernel release.  i installed an older one from gentoo cd (2.6.16-r9 vs 2.6.15-r5) and everything went smoothly.  who knows....

----------

## blayster

Are you using ALSA driver??? Is your sound a AC97 ( nForce2 )??? For me it works propertly even in 2.6.16-r9

----------

## srkitch

i compiled for ALSA support, if that's what you mean.  nVidia only has one driver...

----------

## blayster

Well, I have a nForce2 chipset and kernel-2.6.16-gentoo-r9 and it works perfectly with alsa sound and ethernet... soh I guess that it isn't a kernel incompatibility.

As you're sure that you're using the forcedeth driver for ethernet and the ac97 driver for sound, and that your symlink is perfect,  I suggest you to take a look ( if you didn't it before ) at http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/alsa-guide.xml for alsa stuff...

It really looks like a wrong symlink...

Well, good luck!

----------

## srkitch

new nForce drivers specifically ask for forcedeth to be commented out.  it uses a driver called nvnet now.  i was never able to make the card work on mandriva with alsa either, it had to use arts.  i think you are working with a different chipset than i am.  interestingly enough the kernel config menu doesn't have all of the options that the install guide says it should if i download one from mirror.  maybe the kernel source on the mirror is missing some info found in the one of the install cd.

----------

## srkitch

i decided to stop using nVidia proprietary drivers, as they are usually fr behind what you great guys in the open source community have cme up with.  they sated that they don't support ALSA w/their drivers at this time b/c they don't have the resources.....Puh-lease, they've got a lot mre money than you guys that do i for a hoby but you guys usually do it better.  anyway i just let it use the drivers/modules from the kernel and voi-la, it worked.

----------

