Install NVIDIA driver on LMDE

nvidia-settings front end

Installing proprietary driver actually a risky act. But it's worth trying for you who are brave enough to face a broken Xscreen for more 3D support. Don't worry you're not alone, I also face it a lot. Ready? Just remember, the risk is all yours :)

Done on:

- LMDE MATE 64 bit
- NVIDIA GeForce 310M 512MB (single no optimus)

Steps:

1. Detect NVIDIA card and the appropriate driver package
enter su mode

# sudo  su

install nvidia-detect package via apt or aptitude

# aptitude install nvidia-detect

run nvidia-detect

# nvidia-detect

we use detected NVIDIA GPU to look which driver version supports it. you can check it here
the newest version is 319.82 while the last stable version is 304.117

2. adding the installation repository

edit the /etc/apt/sources.list via pluma or nano or any text editor you have

pluma /etc/apt/sources.list

for newer version of driver add the wheezy-backport repository

# wheezy-backports
deb http://http.debian.net/debian/ wheezy-backports main contrib non-free

 
for stable (older) version of driver add the contrib and non-free repository

# Debian 7 "Wheezy"
deb http://http.debian.net/debian/ wheezy main contrib non-free

don't forget to update package list

# aptitude update

3. into the tty screen

enter tty1 by clicking Ctrl+Alt+F1 (or any other tty from tty1 to tty6)
login and enter su

# sudo su

it's better to turn off your desktop manager, mdm in my case. no more GUI this time

# /sbin/service mdm stop

install the appropriate linux header

# aptitude install linux-headers-$(uname -r|sed 's,[^-]*-[^-]*-,,')

install the recomended package by nvidia-detect
        for newer version

# aptitude -t wheezy-backports -r install nvidia-driver

        for older (stable) version

# aptitude -r install nvidia-driver 

* the nvidia-kernel-dkms package will be installed as well, if it isn't you can install it after this

you may install nvidia-setting and nvidia-xconfig as well

# aptitude install nvidia-setting nvidia-xconfig

after all this installation thing done you can run nvidia-xconfig. this will create a new X11 configuration file.

# nvidia-xconfig

4. brace your self. face the reality >:)

okay, take a deep breath and reboot your LMDE

# reboot

wait for all the booting process...
looking at the linux mint logo which is not as crisp as usual you maybe say
Oh, No!
okay, wait for a while...
if the NVIDIA logo comes up next then you have a successful installation. Congratulation! 

5. Oops...

when it didn't go well you can remove nvidia driver package and also remove the xorg.conf created by nvidia. take a look at reference [2] or [3]

Reference:

[1] wiki.debian.org
[2] lists.debian.org
[3] linux debian user groups