Linux install the 3D accelerated nVidia drivers

last updated in Categories FAQ, Howto, Linux, X server

This is one the most common question asked by newbie: “How do I get (download) and install the 3D accelerated nVidia drivers for Linux system? I am using Fedora/Redhat/Gentoo/(Your distro) Linux…”

Well, nVidia drivers are not included in default kernel as they are not open source drivers. nv driver only provide 2d support.

Step # 1: Download drivers

Download 3D accelerated nVidia drivers. Don’t forget to read installation instructions provided on same site/page.

Step # 2: Configure X

No need to edit X config file by hand. nvidia-xconfig is a tool for manipulating X config files, specifically for use by the NVIDIA Linux graphics driver. So, NVIDIA now provides a utility to assist you with configuration of your X config file. Type the following command to configr X:

nvidia-xconfig

Please note that above site also carries driver for FreeBSD desktop.

Posted by: Vivek Gite

The author is the creator of nixCraft and a seasoned sysadmin, DevOps engineer, and a trainer for the Linux operating system/Unix shell scripting. Get the latest tutorials on SysAdmin, Linux/Unix and open source topics via RSS/XML feed or weekly email newsletter.