Nvidia drivers ?? Live CD ?? How to restart X without reboot

[technoferret]

Hi all,

I am using the live CD to see how my laptop can handle LinuxMint. Every thing seems fine BUT when I install the propitiatory Nvidia drivers to see if I get all the cool effects I am told I have to reboot for the driver to take effect. When i do this I am back to where I started (groundhog day, or what).
Is there any way I can just restart X to load the new drivers (I've tried 'sudo restartx' which is the obvious command but its 'not found'

I really, really dont want to install Mint on this laptop until I know everything works (she who must be obeyed would kill me).

This is the spoiler to me doing an install.

Cheers

[Aging Technogeek]

The Nvidia drivers will not install to the live CD due to lack of room(the drivers are over 150 Megabytes). Plus, there is no mechanism on the CD to install changes or other files to the OS while running from the CD. Also, I'm fairly certain that just restarting X will not do. You have to reboot to complete the driver installation

You have to install Mint to your hard drive then install the drivers.

[technoferret]

Looks like THIS laptop ain't getting minted then.

I'll have to stick to Mint on my desktop


Shame as it goes like stink on it

[BopNiblets]

What's the laptop and the graphics on it? Maybe it's already known to be supported!
Or you could be adventurous and stick it on a small 6GB partition on the laptop just to test it! If it doesn't format the partition and resize it back to Windows or whatever (also, don't forget to remove grub).

[mtrix]

Ctrl+Alt+Backspace

[proxima_centauri]

Also, I'm fairly certain that just restarting X will not do. You have to reboot to complete the driver installation

I don't know about the LiveCD, but just speaking in general - restarting X is sufficient to load new video drivers.
So Ctrl+Alt+Bksp, or "sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart" in terminal.

[RedWagon]

The Nvidia drivers will not install to the live CD due to lack of room(the drivers are over 150 Megabytes). Plus, there is no mechanism on the CD to install changes or other files to the OS while running from the CD. Also, I'm fairly certain that just restarting X will not do. You have to reboot to complete the driver installation

You're wrong. It will work if you just restart X by hitting ctrl-alt-backspace like mtrix and proxima suggested. A long time ago I was having some OS trouble and I wanted to play some games so I booted a live disc, installed the nvidia drivers and wine, mounted my home partition and was able to play TF2. Didn't run as well, but it worked.

[technoferret]

OK,
thanks folks,

Ctrl-Alt-Backspace seems to have worked.

I was asked to login again and after a lot of guesses I found the using 'mint' as username and leaving the password as blank worked.

One last question. How do I get the really cool cube floating about. ????

The wibbly wobbly moving windows works great but I'd really like to show 'she who must be obeyed' the cool rotating cube then I'll get to install Mint on this laptop.

This is really cool.

Dave

[Aging Technogeek]

Never said I knew everything. Now I know that you can load the Nvidia drivers to the Live desktop.

[technoferret]

OMG this rocks. Bye-bye windows.

Bill has lost the plot LOL

[Aging Technogeek]

Just keep in mind that you will have to install the drivers again if you turn off the live desktop and when you install Mint to your hard drive.

[gmorehouse]

I'm pretty sure this doesn't actually work (ctrl-alt-bksp or [nowadays] sudo /etc/init.d/mdm restart).

I am trying to get through the install from LiveCD on an iMac with GPU overheat problems and even when I install the nvidia drivers and restart X, when it gets crashy, errors are still coming from 'noveau'.