nVidia nForce2 Drivers Installation problems

[Hurkyl]

Hi, I'm new to Linux and I've just installed Fedora Core release 2 (Tettnang) with the DVD iso (Kernel 2.6.5-1.358).

Everything was working properly.
After figuring out how to set Kmix, I had sound.
Both of my NICs were detected (3Com and Nvidia) but failed the boot sequence since no cables are connected (I'm not using them).
Then I solved the problem of pluging and mounting my backup drive with a ntfs partition (that's how I found about this great site ).

At that point I decided to update the nForce drivers wich I got here.
(I probably shouldn't have since my sound and my Nics were working)

Once downloaded I followed the nVidia instructions:

- I opened a shell, su - to root and typed "sh NFORCE-Linux-x86-1.0-0283-pkg1.run"

After the installer finished copying files, I opened the ReleaseNotes for instructions on configuring the system with the installed drivers.

Here's what it says:

After the installation of the drivers, make sure the following lines are in the modules configuration file (it will be named /etc/modules.conf on most current distributions that provide a 2.4 series kernel, and /etc/modprobe.conf on most current distributions that provide a 2.6 series kernel):

alias eth0 nvnet
alias sound-slot-0 nvsound (may be snd-card-0 on some distributions)

If there is an entry for the i810_audio, snd-intel8x0, or nvaudio driver (an open-source audio driver that supports the nForce audio controller), that entry needs to be commented out or removed.


Similarly, if there is an entry for the forcedeth driver (an open-source network driver that supports the nForce network controller), that entry needs to be commented out or removed.


The installer may or may not leave the new modules loaded after the installation, depending on the existing configuration. Driver load requires a reboot after configuration or you can load the drivers manually using insmod or modprobe. (USAGE: 'insmod modulename' or 'modprobe modulename')

So I opened /etc/modprobe.conf with root privileges and it looked like this:

alias eth0 3c59x
alias eth1 forcedeth
alias scsi_hostadapter sata_sil
alias snd-card-0 snd-intel8x0
install snd-intel8x0 /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-intel8x0 && /usr/sbin/alsactl restore >/dev/null 2>&1 || :
remove snd-intel8x0 { /usr/sbin/alsactl store >/dev/null 2>&1 || : ; }; /sbin/modprobe -r --ignore-remove snd-intel8x0
alias usb-controller ehci-hcd
alias usb-controller1 ohci-hcd

I made the required changes to get this:

alias eth0 3c59x
alias eth1 nvnet
# alias eth1 forcedeth
alias scsi_hostadapter sata_sil
alias snd-card-0 nvsound
# alias snd-card-0 snd-intel8x0
# install snd-intel8x0 /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-intel8x0 && /usr/sbin/alsactl restore >/dev/null 2>&1 || :
# remove snd-intel8x0 { /usr/sbin/alsactl store >/dev/null 2>&1 || : ; }; /sbin/modprobe -r --ignore-remove snd-intel8x0
alias usb-controller ehci-hcd
alias usb-controller1 ohci-hcd

I saved, I rebooted. During the boot sequence Kudzu detected a new hardware and asked me if I wanted to proceed. I said yes.
I logged and when KDE was starting I got this error msg:

Error - artsmessage

Sound server fatal error:
AudioSubSystem::handleIO: write failed
len = -1, can_write = 4096, errno = 11 (Resource temporarily unavailable)
This might be a sound hardware/driver specific problem (see aRts FAQ)

and of course I had no sound anymore.
I tried reverting the /etc/modprobe.conf file to what it was but it's not working either

Can somebody help me pls to either make the new drivers work or get it back to where it was before. I don't know what to do and I read almost all topics relating to "nforce" and "a7n8x".

More info about my system:

AMD Athlon 2500 XP
ASUS A7N8X Deluxe
2x 512MB DDR PC27000
MSI Geforce 5600 FX
Maxtor 160 GB SATA
WD 80 GB

Thanks

[Hurkyl]

Ok, after looking arround on the net and trying a few things I managed to get sound again.

Why I didn't have any sound after going back to the default /etc/modprobe.conf is because aRts got disabled after the error. So I just needed to make it load at startup again. more info on how here .

After reading this post on www.nforcershq.com I decided to try again with the nVidia drivers.
I changed the /etc/modprobe.conf file as required by the nVidia instructions and went
into Control Center -> Sound System to change the hardware settings to Threaded Open Sound System.
I rebooted and it worked! no more error message from aRts and I had sound.
I also ran nvmixer to set my speakers and volume levels with success.

But, there's still things that I don't understand and I also noticed a few problems.

- In Info Center under the Sound tab I have no sound card detected



What do I need to do to have it listed there?


- When I run the Soundcard Detection app I see 2 sound devices:

1) Using the snd-intel8x0 module



2) Using the nvsound module



Why do I have both here when I disabled the entry for the snd-intel8x0 module in modprobe.conf ?


- Does anybody know how to save the settings of nvmixer? I have to change them each time I reboot.


- I get a lot of error message in the System Log. I attached a copy of my last boot log.


Anybody has info regarding those problems?
Seems like the more I solve the more I get

[SuperNu]

Have you tried sh NFORCE-Linux-x86-1.0-0283-pkg1.run --uninstall? This will uninstall the drivers from your machine. Also, I know you said you reverted your /etc/modprobe.conf back to its original state, but verify this is the case and all lines related to the Nvidia modules are commented out and all lines related to the Alsa modules aren't commented out. Also, once your system is booted, run /sbin/lsmod to verify what modules are acutally loaded on your system.

--SN

[Hurkyl]

Originally Posted by SuperNu

Have you tried sh NFORCE-Linux-x86-1.0-0283-pkg1.run --uninstall? This will uninstall the drivers from your machine. Also, I know you said you reverted your /etc/modprobe.conf back to its original state, but verify this is the case and all lines related to the Nvidia modules are commented out and all lines related to the Alsa modules aren't commented out. Also, once your system is booted, run /sbin/lsmod to verify what modules are acutally loaded on your system.

--SN

Thanks for the info, I'll try the /sbin/lsmod to see what I have.

I' m gona keep trying to fix everything (I like the idea of hardware mixing ) but if I can't solve the problems I listed in my 2nd msg I'll get rid of the nVidia drivers.

[drunken-wallaby]

hi there. while searching the forums for my problem i found this thread which is quite similar to my problems, however not quite the same.

i work with fc2, kernel 2.6.8.1 (alternative 2.6.7) and have big troubles getting the nforce drivers to work. i have a biostar motherboard with the nforce2 chip.

i downloaded the newest drivers and installed them with

sh NFORCE-Linux-x86-1.0-0283-pkg1.run

then i wanted to change my /etc/modprobe file as suggested. i therefore changed my original file

alias eth0 forcedeth

install snd-intel8x0 /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-intel8x0 && /usr/sbin/alsactl restore >/dev/null 2>&1 || :
remove snd-intel8x0 { /usr/sbin/alsactl store >/dev/null 2>&1 || : ; }; /sbin/modprobe -r --ignore-remove snd-intel8x0

alias char-major-81-* bttv
options bttv radio=1 card=10 pll=1
options tuner type=5
alias usb-controller ehci-hcd
alias usb-controller1 ohci-hcd

# --- BEGIN: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---
# --- ALSACONF verion 1.0.6 ---
alias snd-card-0 snd-intel8x0
alias sound-slot-0 snd-intel8x0
# --- END: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---

alias char-major-195* nvidia

to

alias eth0 nvnet
alias sound-slot-0 nvsound

install snd-intel8x0 /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-intel8x0 && /usr/sbin/alsactl restore >/dev/null 2>&1 || :
remove snd-intel8x0 { /usr/sbin/alsactl store >/dev/null 2>&1 || : ; }; /sbin/modprobe -r --ignore-remove snd-intel8x0

alias char-major-81-* bttv
options bttv radio=1 card=10 pll=1
options tuner type=5
alias usb-controller ehci-hcd
alias usb-controller1 ohci-hcd

note: my original modprobe.conf looks like this because when i restarted my comp with applying the changes to modprobe.conf as stated in the nvidia readme file i always get the error, that no sound-system had been loaded. furthermore, when i start as root "nvmixer" there are no entries in the "information tab". everything is greyed out. thus, i had to run "alsamixer" which detected my soundcard and added the alsaconf lines to my modprobe.conf.

additionally, after rebooting with the necessary changes done in /etc/modprobe.conf neither the eth device (works well with the dethforce module), nor the sound system is working properly.
another problem that occurs when i apply the suggested changes to the /etc/modprobe.conf (alias eth0 nvnet, alias snd-card-0 nvsound instead of forcedeth and the alsa settings) is that i can't boot in graphical modus. somehow, the nvidia graphic driver is affected as well (nvida fx 5500 is my graphic card).

the bootlogs have the following entries

localhost nvidia: Checking for nvidia kernel module failed
localhost nvidia: Disabling nvidia driver failed

as i thought it would be because lsmod gives me the follwing:

[root@localhost root]# lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
tuner                  16857  0
tvaudio                18765  0
msp3400                19157  0
bttv                  141837  0
video_buf              17221  1 bttv
i2c_algo_bit            7497  1 bttv
v4l2_common             5057  1 bttv
btcx_risc               3785  1 bttv
i2c_core               17345  5 tuner,tvaudio,msp3400,bttv,i2c_algo_bit
videodev                7105  1 bttv
snd_pcm_oss            42985  0
snd_mixer_oss          14017  2 snd_pcm_oss
snd_intel8x0           30829  2
snd_ac97_codec         58821  1 snd_intel8x0
snd_pcm                83529  2 snd_pcm_oss,snd_intel8x0
snd_timer              25413  1 snd_pcm
snd_page_alloc          8393  2 snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm
gameport                4033  1 snd_intel8x0
snd_mpu401_uart         7361  1 snd_intel8x0
snd_rawmidi            21733  1 snd_mpu401_uart
snd_seq_device          6473  1 snd_rawmidi
snd                    45349  11 snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_device
soundcore               7713  2 snd
parport_pc             21249  1
lp                      9133  0
parport                35977  2 parport_pc,lp
autofs4                20677  0
sunrpc                141861  1
forcedeth              15937  0
floppy                 54001  0
sg                     28385  0
scsi_mod              105361  1 sg
nvidia               4823380  12
ipv6                  216325  14
dm_mod                 47317  0
ohci_hcd               19793  0
ehci_hcd               27973  0
button                  4825  0
battery                 7117  0
asus_acpi               9177  0
ac                      3533  0
ext3                   96937  3
jbd                    66521  1 ext3

however, when i try to uninstall the nforce drivers via

sh NFORCE-Linux-x86-1.0-0283-pkg1.run --uninstall

the wizard tells me that no sound drivers are installed. when i try to install them again, the wizard finds the installed drivers and suggests to overwrite them. if i do so, the problem still remains. i'm getting already a bit clueless this is quite stange, anyone who has a hint for me how to solve this problem? any help is greatly appreciated. thanks in advance...

[drunken-wallaby]

sorry for bumping this topic, but the past few days i tried everything i could think of, still facing the same problem. ANYone who has a hint for me? thanks a lot ...