I just tried to install NVIDIA graphics drivers on FC4, (for GeForce FX 5200) using the download "NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-7676-pkg1" from the NVIDIA site.

I've done this before, on the same hardware, in FC3 and used exactly the same method: changed default runlevel to 3 (just in case and thank heavens I did), shutdown X, installed the driver (let it compile itself for the kernel), opened xorg.conf in Vim, deleted Load "dri" and changed "nv" to "nvidia".

I then tried to startX. It told me it couldn't start and asked if I wanted to run X config. I did so, (I skipped reading the log file, simply because I wouldn't know what the hell to look for) and eventually X did start but the screen was very blurry. I restarted the PC and again X failed to start. This time, it gave me no warnings and just went to a black screen. After several attempts (for some reason getting the blurry screen the first time gave me false hope) all I ever got was the black screen.

I've restored xorg.conf to orginal and X works fine. (of course)

Does anyone know what has gone wrong? Or at least, is there some other method I could try to install NVIDIA drivers?

Thanks in advance.
Krystal.

make sure you don't have the nvidia framebuffer driver loaded, these one conflict badly with nvidia X drivers. I think the driver is named "rivafb" or something similar, take a look at "lsmod" if you can see it.

Also, make sure you use nvidia auto-extract package (.sh ?) not the RPM, as this one often fail if you system differ slightly from nvidia taste.

ok, I had a look at lsmod and (though I don't know what most of what I saw in there was) there was nothing even remotely like "rivafb". And it was definately the self-extracting package that I used.
Still lost.

I just found an Nvidia download from livna called "nvidia-glx"... is this going to be a driver like the one from nvidia's website? Has anyone installed this on their comp?

I had the exact same problem - to fix it I did a yum - y update as root in a terminal screen.

Yum update me to the newest kernel and then I did a reinstall of the NVIDIA drivers and everything worked fine.

I only changed the driver in the xorg.conf to nvidia from the nv that was already there

hope it helps

it's not (really) a drivers, it's the support for nvidia by the glx 3d module.... I think you should already have it if you got you drivers from nvidia website, it contains this if I remember right...

This is a hard problem to troubleshot... change the default runlevels to 3 in /etc/inittab to make sure it doesn't start X at boot. Then, stat X using "startx > /bug.txt" and post the content of bug.txt here, it could help us find out what's wrong with the driver

OK. I tried your suggestion Half_Elf (luv ur handle btw) of starting x with /bug.txt and it told me:

(EE)NVIDIA(0): Failed to load GLX.

also, with regards to what HappyGuyZa said, I'm running the version that came on my dvd, 2.6.11-1.1369. I haven't updated the kernel just b/c i'm on 56k dial-up and so i try to only update things if i really have to. Is it really important to have the latest kernel? If it will help with this then I will upgrade.

2.6.11 is good, it's not like it was "old". But this line about GLX seems to tell you need to install nvidia-glx you were talking about earlier... I thought you were already having it, but maybe I was wrong... mayb the GLX failure lock X or the driver then... It could be a good guess to install that GLX package from livna to see if it does any good.

ok cool, I'm installing that glx pakage now. (it'll take a little while)

EDIT: I should've seen that coming... the livna package wants the new kernel. :P

While I've got you're attention, could I ask another question? I should probably post it seperately I guess but I'm freaking out really badly right now.

I ran up2date yesterday (while I was lookng for nvidia downloads no less) and upgraded OpenOffice. Now this morning, it won't start! The 'thinking' mouse pointer bounces up and down for a minute and then it gives up. I'm having a minor heart attack. Is there any way I can undo the update? Or will I have to un/reinstall OpenOffice?

Sorry this is OT.

hey! success with nvidia. I installed the glx package from livna (had to upgrade the kernel) and it not only fixed my issue with starting x, it also rewrote the xorg.conf file for me.

and for the first time ever my openGL screensavers work.

now that's what i call service.

Well, I'm not an expert about up2date... It would be better to start a new thread... thought, have you tried to start open office in a Console to see if it complains about something? It could be very simple troubles that bug this out.