Cant start Linux!

I was trying to install new drivers for my card using the docs at http://download.nvidia.com/XFree86_.../README.txt,and I did everything like it says,but one of the Make Install commands gave me alot of errors,so I decided to reboot.But when the login screen is suposed to appear,nothing happens and the screen stays black and my monitors lights flashes.Now I cant use Linux,and I have no idea how I can fix this.Can anyone help (asap please) ?

Whenever one is doing major tweaks to one's kernel and/or X server, it's usually a wise idea to set your runlevel to 3, so as to not boot to GUI mode immediately. Makes debugging easier. . .

Anyway, on most distros you can get to tty1 by doing "ctrl-alt-f1", which should drop you into a console where you can try and fix the damage that's been done.

I believe the NVIDIA docs tell you where you can find the XFree86 log- make sure you read it to try and found out at what point the process is crashing. . .

I wasnt in gui mode (X wasnt started),but I am not sure which runlevel I had set it to (2 or something,I believe).

I will try that,thanks.

On most distros, 5 boots to X. If X isn't properly configured, then you would get the behavior you're alluding to.

2 is multi-user without network (I believe), it's highly unlikely that you would have set your box to boot to that runlevel.

If your system normally booted straight to X, then you probably had your runlevel set to 5. If it normally booted to a tty, then you were probably at runlevel 3.

But then, someone who is "inside the kernel" would know that, right?

The log says that there are errors with loading the nvidia moduls,so how can I edit the X config file to fix it?The Ed command is really weird and I cant edit it.IS there a good terminal text editor,so that I can fix the config errors?

Firstly, use "Vi" to edit files... a quick intro can be found at the bottom of:

http://www.newtolinux.org.uk/tutorials/shell.html

Now to the nvidia modules... you can get X to use the basic nvidia modules (assuming they're available, and they probably are) by editing the file /etc/X11/XF86Config like so:

Remove:
Load "glx"
From the modules section, and add load "dri"

Change:
Driver "nvidia"
In the "Device" section to "nv"

See if that works

For most newbies, pico is a far friendlier editor (or ANY modeless editor, for that matter) than vi, and it's on most systems too.

vi is an absolute MUST to learn of course, but if the person doesn't even know what their console editing options are on a GNU/Linux system, pointing them to vi is a SURE way to freak them out, especially when they just want to get X to work again.

Just my $0.02. Honestly, I think emacs is even easier to learn than vi, but I don't want to start a war here.

Hrm, perhaps I should have recommended pico I don't have it installed mind you, and I know Vi is *always* instaled by default on pretty much any distro... and emacs... bleurgh... that scares me even now

Thanks,I fixed it!Pico is really easy to work with (just like Kedit,only in a terminal).
Actually VI didnt freak me out,just that I didnt think it was the right time to learn it.But now that my KDE is running again,I will probably learn it.So thanks for that link,it looks like a good source to learn from.

Btw,Hero Zzyzzx,what makes you think that it's the Linux kernel?