Q: What is the proper procedure to identify, locate, & install the correct nvidia drivers for Centos 6 on a Lenovo W510?
A: Here's a quick sequence, to help the next person, of what I'd recommend, based on what I learned from this thread:
0. Test if you 'need' to install the nvidia driver:
$ locate libvdpau_nvidia.so ==> mine reported nothing found
$ cat ~/.xsession-errors ==> mine reported errors as shown below:
Failed to open VDPAU backend libvdpau_nvidia.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
Note: There should be a better test of 'need'; but this was my only indication that "I" needed the nvidia driver!
1. Identify your kernel version:
$ uname -r
REPORTED:
2.6.32-279.5.1.el6.x86_64
Note: I'm not sure how this is relevant, but somehow it is (I ask others to clarify for us).
2. Identify your graphics card
$ /sbin/lspci -nn | grep VGA
REPORTED:
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: NVIDIA Corporation GT216 [Quadro FX 880M] [10de:0a3c] (rev a2)
Note: I'm not sure how relevant the [10de:0a3c] information is - but some sites indicate it's important.
3. Identify the latest version of the graphics drivers for that kernel version:
a) Go to Nvidia support http://www.nvidia.com/page/support.html
b) Go to download drivers
c) Enter the product type (Quadro), series (Quadro FX Series), and product (not found).
Note: The Quadro FX 880M didn't appear on this list, so I 'chatted' with Nvidia support.
Eventually Nvidia support pointed me to the latest available driver version here:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux-display-amd64-304.37-driver.html
Note: You'll compare this latest version & support information with the latest available at El Repo in the next step.
4. Compare the Nvidia version with the latest available El Repo version:
http://elrepo.org/tiki/Driver+Versions
Note: Search for "nvidia" and you'll find the latest version to be "nvidia 295.40".
5. Enable the El Repo repository (if not already installed):
$ sudo rpm --import http://elrepo.org/RPM-GPG-KEY-elrepo.org
$ sudo rpm -Uvh http://elrepo.org/elrepo-release-6-4.el6.elrepo.noarch.rpm
Note: Skip this step if El Repo is already enabled.
6. Install that latest version from the El Repo repository:
$ sudo yum --enablerepo elrepo install kmod-nvidia
$ sudo yum --disablerepo=\* --enablerepo=elrepo install nvidia-x11-drv-32bit
Note: Do not install from the ATrpms repository!
Or, if you want the absolute latest in the El Repo testing repository:
$ sudo yum --enablerepo elrepo-testing info kmod-nvidia
$ sudo yum --enablerepo elrepo-testing install kmod-nvidia
$ sudo yum --disablerepo=\* --enablerepo=elrepo-testing install nvidia-x11-drv-32bit
7. Reboot
8. Test if you have installed the correct driver:
$ locate libvdpau_nvidia.so
NOW REPORTS:
/usr/lib/vdpau/libvdpau_nvidia.so
/usr/lib/vdpau/libvdpau_nvidia.so.1
/usr/lib/vdpau/libvdpau_nvidia.so.304.37
/usr/lib64/vdpau/libvdpau_nvidia.so
/usr/lib64/vdpau/libvdpau_nvidia.so.1
/usr/lib64/vdpau/libvdpau_nvidia.so.304.37
$ cat ~/.xsession-errors
No longer reports VDPAU errors.
QUESTION:
Is there a better way to test for the lack of the right driver & for the correct installation of the right driver?
A: Here's a quick sequence, to help the next person, of what I'd recommend, based on what I learned from this thread:
0. Test if you 'need' to install the nvidia driver:
$ locate libvdpau_nvidia.so ==> mine reported nothing found
$ cat ~/.xsession-errors ==> mine reported errors as shown below:
Failed to open VDPAU backend libvdpau_nvidia.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
Note: There should be a better test of 'need'; but this was my only indication that "I" needed the nvidia driver!
1. Identify your kernel version:
$ uname -r
REPORTED:
2.6.32-279.5.1.el6.x86_64
Note: I'm not sure how this is relevant, but somehow it is (I ask others to clarify for us).
2. Identify your graphics card
$ /sbin/lspci -nn | grep VGA
REPORTED:
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: NVIDIA Corporation GT216 [Quadro FX 880M] [10de:0a3c] (rev a2)
Note: I'm not sure how relevant the [10de:0a3c] information is - but some sites indicate it's important.
3. Identify the latest version of the graphics drivers for that kernel version:
a) Go to Nvidia support http://www.nvidia.com/page/support.html
b) Go to download drivers
c) Enter the product type (Quadro), series (Quadro FX Series), and product (not found).
Note: The Quadro FX 880M didn't appear on this list, so I 'chatted' with Nvidia support.
Eventually Nvidia support pointed me to the latest available driver version here:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux-display-amd64-304.37-driver.html
Note: You'll compare this latest version & support information with the latest available at El Repo in the next step.
4. Compare the Nvidia version with the latest available El Repo version:
http://elrepo.org/tiki/Driver+Versions
Note: Search for "nvidia" and you'll find the latest version to be "nvidia 295.40".
5. Enable the El Repo repository (if not already installed):
$ sudo rpm --import http://elrepo.org/RPM-GPG-KEY-elrepo.org
$ sudo rpm -Uvh http://elrepo.org/elrepo-release-6-4.el6.elrepo.noarch.rpm
Note: Skip this step if El Repo is already enabled.
6. Install that latest version from the El Repo repository:
$ sudo yum --enablerepo elrepo install kmod-nvidia
$ sudo yum --disablerepo=\* --enablerepo=elrepo install nvidia-x11-drv-32bit
Note: Do not install from the ATrpms repository!
Or, if you want the absolute latest in the El Repo testing repository:
$ sudo yum --enablerepo elrepo-testing info kmod-nvidia
$ sudo yum --enablerepo elrepo-testing install kmod-nvidia
$ sudo yum --disablerepo=\* --enablerepo=elrepo-testing install nvidia-x11-drv-32bit
7. Reboot
8. Test if you have installed the correct driver:
$ locate libvdpau_nvidia.so
NOW REPORTS:
/usr/lib/vdpau/libvdpau_nvidia.so
/usr/lib/vdpau/libvdpau_nvidia.so.1
/usr/lib/vdpau/libvdpau_nvidia.so.304.37
/usr/lib64/vdpau/libvdpau_nvidia.so
/usr/lib64/vdpau/libvdpau_nvidia.so.1
/usr/lib64/vdpau/libvdpau_nvidia.so.304.37
$ cat ~/.xsession-errors
No longer reports VDPAU errors.
QUESTION:
Is there a better way to test for the lack of the right driver & for the correct installation of the right driver?
