Install NVIDIA Drivers on Ubuntu Hardy

Submitted by k4tz on Tue, 08/19/2008 - 11:12

Special thanks to Unix_Slayer for providing this tutorial.

I have made small changes for the aplication on ubuntu 8.04 lts

Download the latest driver from NVidia:
http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

Step 1
in terminal window

Code:
sudo apt-get install build-essential

Then :

Code:
sudo apt-get remove nvidia*

[this should get rid of all unwanted NVidia drivers. please check /lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.24.xx-generic/video and make sure there's no nvidia directory in there. There shouldn't be.] [xx = kernel version]

Step 2
on your keyboard

Code:
sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop

Wait for the drop out of X11.

Step 3

Login into terminal as yourself. Go to the directory where you downloaded the newest NVidia driver.

type :

Code:
sudo chmod +x (/driver location/)NVIDIA-Linux-x86-173.14.09-pkg1.run

NVIDIA-Linux-x86-173.14.09-pkg1.run = name of the file you downloaded. If it's different, then make corrections.

Step 4

type in :

Code:
sudo sh ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86-173.14.05-pkg1.run

Follow directions on the screen.

Step 5

Reboot,

Install the settings manager for NVIDIA graphics cards

Code:
sudo apt-get install NVIDIA-settings

Open settings manager with

Code:
sudo nvidia-settings

Adjust you settings, apply changes, save xorg.conf, and reboot if necessary
Good Luck

Source: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=862203