nvidia driver works w/ new kernel and inittab 3, but not 5

[Clint Harshaw]

Clint Harshaw wrote:
>> Ok. Then I guess following is making trouble for you. In a previous mail
>> you posted to have installed
>>
>> # rpm -qa kernel*
>> kernel-2.4.22-1.2179.nptl
>> kernel-source-2.4.22-1.2174.nptl
>> kernel-2.4.22-1.2174.nptl
>> kernel-pcmcia-cs-3.1.31-16
>> kernel-doc-2.4.22-1.2179.nptl
>> kernel-module-nvidia-2.4.22-1.2174.nptl-1.0.5336-0.lvn.3.1
>> kernel-utils-2.4-9.1.101.fedora
>> kernel-source-2.4.22-1.2179.nptl
>> kernel-uml-2.4.18-19.8.0
>>
>> Uninstall kernel-source-2.4.22-1.2174.nptl, so that you have only the
>> kernel source for kernel .2179. Normally it is enough to have only one
>> kernel source installed. Did you manually install the packages using rpm
>> -i? Else kernel-source would be automatically installed with rpm -U.
>>
>> Alexander
> 
> 
> I did the kernel upgrade using yum update. I understand now how this 
> extraneous kernel-source could give a problem! Armed with a good night's 
> sleep, a couple of cups of coffee, and a quiet house, I'm going to have 
> a fresh shot at it now.
> 
> Thanks very much! I'll report back when I'm done having a go at it.
> 
> I sincerely appreciate the group's willingness to hang in there with me 
> on this.
> 
> Clint
> 

I wasn't successful :-(

However, I have new information to report. I am able to get the driver 
to work immediately after compiling it with the 2179 kernel by startx in 
run level 3. But when I reboot -- whether I am in run level 3 or 5 -- 
the error message below appears:

nvidia.o module for 2.4.22-1.2179.nptl not found
Disabling nvidia driver

I now look back at my original post, and believe that my description of 
the symptoms was not complete. I was starting X immediately after the 
compiling of the driver, and the nvidia driver worked. While I was in X, 
I changed the run level to 5 and would reboot, only to see the nvidia 
driver not work. In other words, I do not believe I ever tested a 
*reboot* in run level 3!! I believe my current situation is a more 
accurate and complete description of the symptoms:

- nvidia driver works in 2179 when starting X immediately after 
compiling the driver following artoo's instructions exactly.
- nvidia.o module for the 2179 kernel isn't available when I'm booting, 
thus the driver isn't starting when X starts, no matter whether I am in 
run level 3 or 5.

and

- nvidia driver and module work fine when booting into 2174.

While I'd like to get this thing going for the 2179 kernel, I wonder -- 
since this is a personal home desktop with only one user, me -- if the 
security features described for the 2179 kernel, might not be of a major 
benefit to me. I've read the description of the potential vulnerability 
at this site (I got the name of the potential vulnerability from 
fedoranews.org):

http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CAN-2004-0109

Thus, if I can't get the nvidia.o module to load for the 2179 kernel, I 
wonder if I will be okay to use the 2174 kernel and its associated 
nvidia.o module until FC2 comes out.

(I'm thinking out loud here, wondering if I ought to go back to having 
exclude=kernel* in my yum.conf in order to force myself to really 
seriously consider *if* I need a kernel upgrade rather than simply 
driving on full-steam-ahead and updating everything that comes along.)

Clint
-- 
Clint Harshaw  <clint at penguinsolutions.org>