LINUX - Editing X Config file...

[Cobra]

First of all, I should admit that I am a complete newbie to Linux. It's taken me two hours to work out how to execute a .RUN file from command line. I get the feeling this is going to be a simple question. I have tried to research it but I got no meaningful results.

I have installed the latest nVidia drivers as per their instructions. However, nVidia say I must edit my X Config file in order to make the drivers work. I am following these instructions:

ftp://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/1.0-6111/README.txt

Specifically "(sec-03) EDITING YOUR X CONFIG FILE" (search on that to find it). This is where I get stuck. I think I have found my config file in this path:

file:/var/log/XFree86.0.log

It doesn't have any of the options nVidia say it should. This suggests to me that I've not found the correct file at all.

I am running Mandrake 10, and I use KDE.

Has anyone else done this before, and if so would you be kind enough to give me a start?

Many thanks,

Cobra

[stiltman]

Try here

/etc/X11/X11R6/XF86config

[Cobra]

Alright stiltman - how's it going?

I found the file, it was in:

file:/etc/X11

It seems to be a blank file of 531 bytes. I'll need to find out how to run a search in command line to find the real file and try again.

Thanks,

Cobra

[stiltman]

Have you run ConfigX (I think that's the command) yet?
Have it set up a generic card first, then go in and modify it.

Setting up GUI is the worst thing about Linux...That is unless you have a real old card, then it's a snap

[Cobra]

If you already have an X config file working with a different driver
(such as the 'nv' or 'vesa' driver), then all you need to do is find
the relevant Device section and replace the line:

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"

if they exist. There are also numerous options that can be added to the
X config file to fine-tune the NVIDIA X driver. Please see Appendix D
for a complete list of these options.

I found the config file, but it already had "nvidia" in it. It did not have a "Module section" nor any of the "Load" lines.

I'll need to see if I can find a piece of software to test that the 3D graphics are really being accelerated - Tux Racer doesn't seem to be on the cutting edge!

Thanks stiltman - always helping me with my Linux newbieness!

Cobra

[sterno]

I'll need to see if I can find a piece of software to test that the 3D graphics are really being accelerated - Tux Racer doesn't seem to be on the cutting edge!

I think the usual application for testing that is glxgears. It's usually included with the OpenGL stuff for XFree86, but some distributions may split it out in to a different package. It's nothing too terribly exciting, but it will give you frame rates to compare.