Install NVIDIA driver on Kali Linux 1.1.0

This guide explains how to install proprietary “NVIDIA Accelerated Linux Graphics Driver” or NVIDIA driver on Kali Linux 1.1.0 kernel 3.18 system. By default Kali Linux installs open source NVIDIA driver nouveau which works great if you just want a display. Open source drivers can be confirmed by using lsmod | grep nouveau command. But like I said in my previous guides, it doesn’t give you 3D acceleration features or GPU acceleration based applications (such as CUDA and GPU pass through). That means you MUST install proprietary NVIDIA driver.

The proprietary “NVIDIA Accelerated Linux Graphics Driver” provides optimized hardware acceleration of OpenGL applications via a direct-rendering X server. It is a binary-only Xorg driver requiring a Linux kernel module for its use. The first step is to fully update your Kali Linux system and make sure you have the kernel headers installed.

This guide replaces the old guides

1. How to Install NVIDIA Kernel Module CUDA and Pyrit in Kali Linux
2. Install proprietary NVIDIA driver on Kali Linux – NVIDIA Accelerated Linux Graphics Driver
3. Kali Linux 1.0.7 kernel 3.14 – Install proprietary NVIDIA driver

I had to divide it into two parts:

1. Kali Linux 1.1.0 kernel 3.18 – Install proprietary NVIDIA driver – NVIDIA Accelerated Linux Graphics Driver
2. Kali Linux 1.1.0 kernel 3.18 – Install NVIDIA driver kernel Module CUDA and Pyrit on Kali Linux – CUDA, Pyrit and Cpyrit-cuda (pending)

You use the first guide to install NVIDIA Driver on Kali Linux 1.1.0 kernel 3.18. For normal users, you should just stop here and enjoy your nice smooth NVIDIA graphics. Install some game or enjoy a movie.

I’ve included as much details I can, including troubleshooting steps and checks but I would like to hear your part of the story, so leave a comment with your findings and issues.

Is this guide for me?

I have a freshly installed Kali Linux installation where I updated, upgraded everything following this guide … 20 things to do after Installing Kali Linux.

So except proprietary NVIDIA driver, everything was installed and working. In case those who are not so familiar or not sure which guide to follow, ask yourself these questions:

1. Do I have a NVIDIA card?
2. Is this a freshly installed Kali system?
3. When did I installed it?
4. Did I upgrade everything like blackMORE advised?
5. Is this the correct version of guide to run on my Kali Linux?

Note: If you’ve tried to install NVIDIA driver from Official NVIDIA website, then this guide wont work as there will be just too many conflicts. Start fresh and save some hair or whateva!

My settings

So I’ve installed my Kali Linux v 1.1.0  running Kernel 3.18.

I’ve got a NVIDIA GeForce 210 card on this machine running a 64-bit version Kali Linux.

Which graphics card you’re using? Run the following command:

root@kali:~# uname -a
Linux kali 3.18.0-kali1-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 3.18.3-1~kali4 (2015-01-22) x86_64 GNU/Linux

root@kali:~# lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID:    Kali
Description:    Kali GNU/Linux 1.1.0
Release:    1.1.0
Codename:    moto

root@kali:~# lspci | grep VGA
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GT218 [GeForce 210] (rev a2)

Here’s the screenshot …

So we’re good? Ok then. let’s roll and install proprietary NVIDIA Graphics Driver that we have to install every release. This is getting quite annoying I must say…

Prerequisites

I’ve installed everything in a brand new Kali Linux 1.1.0 kernel 3.18 installation. Assuming you have the same but this guide will apply to older version that’s been upgraded as well. You need to complete the followings:

1. Add Official Kali Linux repository.
2. Update, upgrade and dist-upgrade Kali Linux.
3. Reboot

root@kali:~# apt-get update && apt-get upgrade -y && apt-get dist-upgrade -y
root@kali:~# reboot

This is stock standard for most of my guides. I’ve just added one simple line here, rebooting your system. Why?

Think about it.You’ve installed installed an older version of Kali Linux and did an update, upgrade and dist-upgrade to download and install latest kernel and softwares. But, until you reboot, your don’t really boot in the new kernel (you’re possibly still at kernel 3.14 or some sort). So once you’ve rebooted your Kali Linux, you will be using Kernel 3.18. This reboot saves you having the following errors:

Couldn’t find any package whose name or description matched “linux-headers-3.12-kali1-amd64″
(or)
Couldn’t find any package whose name or description matched “linux-headers-3.14-kali1-amd64″

Moving on to installation now.