Depends some updates are for security reasons, some for bug fixes. The security updates are a good idea to install when available. To turn off the update notification can be done from the icon. Of course reading the man page for up2date helps also.

I am having trouble installing the nvidia driver. Actually it installs, but I get a error:

[rosatimr@localhost media]$ sudo yum install kmod-nvidia
Loading "installonlyn" plugin
Setting up Install Process
Setting up repositories
Reading repository metadata in from local files
Parsing package install arguments
Resolving Dependencies
--> Populating transaction set with selected packages. Please wait.
---> Downloading header for kmod-nvidia to pack into transaction set.
kmod-nvidia-1.0.9631-1.2. 100% |=========================| 18 kB 00:00
---> Package kmod-nvidia.i686 0:1.0.9631-1.2.6.18_1.2868.fc6 set to be installed
--> Running transaction check
--> Processing Dependency: nvidia-kmod-common >= 1.0.9631 for package: kmod-nvidia
--> Restarting Dependency Resolution with new changes.
--> Populating transaction set with selected packages. Please wait.
---> Downloading header for xorg-x11-drv-nvidia to pack into transaction set.
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia-1.0.9 100% |=========================| 32 kB 00:00
---> Package xorg-x11-drv-nvidia.i386 0:1.0.9631-1.lvn6 set to be updated
--> Running transaction check

Dependencies Resolved

=============================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
=============================================================================
Installing:
kmod-nvidia i686 1.0.9631-1.2.6.18_1.2868.fc6 livna 1.6 M
Installing for dependencies:
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia i386 1.0.9631-1.lvn6 livna 4.5 M

Transaction Summary
=============================================================================
Install 2 Package(s)
Update 0 Package(s)
Remove 0 Package(s)

Total download size: 6.1 M
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
(1/2): xorg-x11-drv-nvidi 100% |=========================| 4.5 MB 00:13
(2/2): kmod-nvidia-1.0.96 100% |=========================| 1.6 MB 00:06
Running Transaction Test
Finished Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
Installing: kmod-nvidia ######################### [1/2]
Installing: xorg-x11-drv-nvidia ######################### [2/2]
FATAL: Error inserting nvidia (/lib/modules/2.6.18-1.2868.fc6/extra/nvidia/nvidia.ko): Invalid module format

Installed: kmod-nvidia.i686 0:1.0.9631-1.2.6.18_1.2868.fc6
Dependency Installed: xorg-x11-drv-nvidia.i386 0:1.0.9631-1.lvn6
Complete!


I also get a similar error when I try to mount my hard drive.

[rosatimr@localhost Desktop]$ sudo yum install fuse fuse-libs ntfs-3g ntfsprogs ntfsprogs-gnomevfs
Password:
Loading "installonlyn" plugin
Setting up Install Process
Setting up repositories
livna 100% |=========================| 1.1 kB 00:00
core 100% |=========================| 1.1 kB 00:00
updates 100% |=========================| 1.2 kB 00:00
extras 100% |=========================| 1.1 kB 00:00
Reading repository metadata in from local files
primary.xml.gz 100% |=========================| 366 kB 00:00
################################################## 1134/1134
primary.xml.gz 100% |=========================| 1.6 MB 00:02
################################################## 5191/5191
Parsing package install arguments
Resolving Dependencies
--> Populating transaction set with selected packages. Please wait.
---> Downloading header for fuse-libs to pack into transaction set.
fuse-libs-2.6.0-2.fc6.i38 100% |=========================| 4.7 kB 00:00
---> Package fuse-libs.i386 0:2.6.0-2.fc6 set to be updated
---> Downloading header for ntfsprogs to pack into transaction set.
ntfsprogs-1.13.1-3.fc6.i3 100% |=========================| 8.9 kB 00:00
---> Package ntfsprogs.i386 0:1.13.1-3.fc6 set to be updated
---> Downloading header for ntfs-3g to pack into transaction set.
ntfs-3g-0-0.5.20070920.fc 100% |=========================| 5.5 kB 00:00
---> Package ntfs-3g.i386 1:0-0.5.20070920.fc6 set to be updated
---> Downloading header for ntfsprogs-gnomevfs to pack into transaction set.
ntfsprogs-gnomevfs-1.13.1 100% |=========================| 3.3 kB 00:00
---> Package ntfsprogs-gnomevfs.i386 0:1.13.1-3.fc6 set to be updated
---> Downloading header for fuse to pack into transaction set.
fuse-2.6.0-2.fc6.i386.rpm 100% |=========================| 6.3 kB 00:00
---> Package fuse.i386 0:2.6.0-2.fc6 set to be updated
--> Running transaction check

Dependencies Resolved

=============================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
=============================================================================
Installing:
fuse i386 2.6.0-2.fc6 extras 75 k
fuse-libs i386 2.6.0-2.fc6 extras 56 k
ntfs-3g i386 1:0-0.5.20070920.fc6 extras 142 k
ntfsprogs i386 1.13.1-3.fc6 extras 409 k
ntfsprogs-gnomevfs i386 1.13.1-3.fc6 extras 14 k

Transaction Summary
=============================================================================
Install 5 Package(s)
Update 0 Package(s)
Remove 0 Package(s)

Total download size: 696 k
Is this ok [y/N]: y
Downloading Packages:
(1/5): fuse-libs-2.6.0-2. 100% |=========================| 56 kB 00:00
(2/5): ntfsprogs-1.13.1-3 100% |=========================| 409 kB 00:01
(3/5): ntfs-3g-0-0.5.2007 100% |=========================| 142 kB 00:00
(4/5): ntfsprogs-gnomevfs 100% |=========================| 14 kB 00:00
(5/5): fuse-2.6.0-2.fc6.i 100% |=========================| 75 kB 00:00
Running Transaction Test
Finished Transaction Test
Transaction Test Succeeded
Running Transaction
Installing: fuse ######################### [1/5]
Installing: ntfsprogs ######################### [2/5]
Installing: fuse-libs ######################### [3/5]
Installing: ntfs-3g ######################### [4/5]
Installing: ntfsprogs-gnomevfs ######################### [5/5]

Installed: fuse.i386 0:2.6.0-2.fc6 fuse-libs.i386 0:2.6.0-2.fc6 ntfs-3g.i386 1:0-0.5.20070920.fc6 ntfsprogs.i386 0:1.13.1-3.fc6 ntfsprogs-gnomevfs.i386 0:1.13.1-3.fc6
Complete!
[rosatimr@localhost Desktop]$ sudo /sbin/fdisk -lu /dev/hdc

Disk /dev/hdc: 300.0 GB, 300069052416 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 36481 cylinders, total 586072368 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hdc1 * 63 586067264 293033601 7 HPFS/NTFS
[rosatimr@localhost Desktop]$ cd /media/
[rosatimr@localhost media]$ sudo mkdir d_drive
[rosatimr@localhost media]$ sudo mount /dev/hdc1 /media/d_drive/ -t ntfs-3g -rw -o unmask=0000
fusermount: fuse device not found, try 'modprobe fuse' first
Retrying mount ...
FATAL: Error inserting fuse (/lib/modules/2.6.18-1.2868.fc6/kernel/fs/fuse/fuse.ko): Invalid module format
fusermount: fuse device not found, try 'modprobe fuse' first
Failed to mount NTFSUnmounting /dev/hdc1 ()

Can you help? Everything else that I installed worked fine.

You need to realize that these third party rpm packages are built to work with the standard prebuilt kernels supplied by the fine folks at Fedora Core. Since you building your own custom kernels you need to also;

1. build these third party add-on packages from the source rpm files.

or

2. edit the custom kernel's Makefile to reflect the prebuilt kernel rpm package number before building.

Which is the easiest way or which is the best way? I went to nvidia.com to look for the source rpm, but found the file for download to be NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-9746-pkg1.run. Is it easier to edit the make file?

Try reading the directions at the nVidia site;

STEP 3: Install
Type "sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-9746-pkg1.run" to install the driver. NVIDIA now provides a utility to assist you with configuration of your X config file. Please see Chapter 3 of the README or run 'man nvidia-xconfig' for details on usage. Instructions for those wishing to edit their X config file by hand can also be found in the README.

The README file link;
http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree8...hapter-03.html

beautiful! I figured the nvidia driver out and got it installed. What do I do about mounting my hard drive? Should I try modprobe fuse like it said?

Did you build support for the filesystem in the kernel or from the source rpm package(s)?? If yes then yes.

looks like it is back to the drawing board. my computer is still freezing when i download something or try to view a video. i disabled the 4k stack while i was configuring the kernel. Do you think I need a 16k stack version? Or how do I change my custom kernel to 16k? When I was configuring, I was using xconfig.

The 4k_stack option is usually found in the kernel hacking section, if you disabled this then you have 16k stacks. You could always reconfigure your custom kernel and add support for the NTFS filesystem BTW;

#
# DOS/FAT/NT Filesystems
#
CONFIG_FAT_FS=m
CONFIG_MSDOS_FS=m
CONFIG_VFAT_FS=m
CONFIG_FAT_DEFAULT_CODEPAGE=437
CONFIG_FAT_DEFAULT_IOCHARSET="ascii"
CONFIG_NTFS_FS=m
# CONFIG_NTFS_DEBUG is not set
# CONFIG_NTFS_RW is not set

The commands 'make' 'make modules_install' and 'make install' should add the support module for the filesystem.

Kindly explain what you mean by; my computer is still freezing when i download something or try to view a video.

Start by providing you hardware specs and continue with specific examples for downloading and watching videos (what videos, which application(s) and such).

Well, when I first compiled the kernel I was in the hacking section and the option that was enabled was 4k stack, but if you disable it will be 8k stack. So I got the linuxant 16k stack kernel. It had the 16k stack option in the hacking section so I enables and compiled. It still is freezing. Here are my hardware specs

[rosatimr@localhost ~]$ /sbin/lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8753 [P4X266 AGP] (rev 01)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8633 [Apollo Pro266 AGP]
00:07.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)
00:0d.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV17 [GeForce4 MX 420] (rev a3)
00:11.0 ISA bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233 PCI to ISA Bridge
00:11.1 IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C PIPC Bus Master IDE (rev 06)
00:11.2 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 1b)
00:11.3 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 1b)
00:11.4 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 1b)
00:11.5 Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller (rev 30)


and my cpu specs

[rosatimr@localhost ~]$ cat /proc/cpuinfo
processor : 0
vendor_id : GenuineIntel
cpu family : 15
model : 1
model name : Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 1.50GHz
stepping : 2
cpu MHz : 1497.530
cache size : 256 KB
fdiv_bug : no
hlt_bug : no
f00f_bug : no
coma_bug : no
fpu : yes
fpu_exception : yes
cpuid level : 2
wp : yes
flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm up
bogomips : 2997.54


My internet and my computer function fine untill I try dowloading/streaming a video, even when I just play a video on my computer it slows immensely. The lights on the wireless card flash/blink. It doesn't matter what program, whether its mplayer mozilla plugin, gxine, or xine when I try to play a video of my own. I think I should just buy a new wireless card. I've been trying to get this for a month.

Which wireless interface do you have??? The players (mplayer or xine) should work just fine with local media files. Check your interrupts do you see multiple devices on the same IRQ?

$ cat /proc/interrupts
CPU0
0: 15592625 IO-APIC-edge timer
1: 2768 IO-APIC-edge i8042
8: 0 IO-APIC-edge rtc
11: 288890 IO-APIC-fasteoi acpi
12: 1245250 IO-APIC-edge i8042
14: 54945 IO-APIC-edge ide0
15: 462811 IO-APIC-edge ide1
17: 147118 IO-APIC-fasteoi wlan0
18: 23316 IO-APIC-fasteoi SiS SI7012, SiS SI7013 Modem
19: 1 IO-APIC-fasteoi yenta
20: 0 IO-APIC-fasteoi ohci_hcd:usb1
21: 0 IO-APIC-fasteoi ohci_hcd:usb2
23: 0 IO-APIC-fasteoi ehci_hcd:usb3

Also what is your hard drive(s) I/O speeds;

$ sudo hdparm -tT /dev/hda

/dev/hda:
Timing cached reads: 1744 MB in 2.00 seconds = 870.44 MB/sec
Timing buffered disk reads: 84 MB in 3.02 seconds = 27.80 MB/sec

Not sure what you mean by what wireless interface. I have a D-Link DWL-G120 wireless adapter. Even playing a local media file does the same thing as trying to stream a video. The light on the wireless adapter starts flashing and the computer freezes, meaning it runs really slow , hard to close programs, eventually frozen and have to restart. Here are the outputs you asked for:

[rosatimr@localhost ~]$ cat /proc/interrupts
CPU0
0: 459636 XT-PIC timer
1: 1628 XT-PIC i8042
2: 0 XT-PIC cascade
5: 23367 XT-PIC uhci_hcd:usb1, uhci_hcd:usb2, uhci_hcd:usb3
6: 6 XT-PIC floppy
8: 1 XT-PIC rtc
9: 0 XT-PIC acpi
10: 0 XT-PIC VIA8233
12: 5861 XT-PIC i8042
14: 24333 XT-PIC ide0
15: 165 XT-PIC ide1
NMI: 0
LOC: 0
ERR: 0
MIS: 0

AND:

[rosatimr@localhost ~]$ sudo hdparm -tT /dev/hda
Password:
sudo: hdparm: command not found

Do I need a package for that command.

Yes,

$ rpm -qa hdparm
hdparm-6.6-2

$ which hdparm
/sbin/hdparm

[rosatimr@localhost ~]$ rpm -qa hdparm
hdparm-6.6-2
[rosatimr@localhost ~]$ which hdparm
/usr/bin/which: no hdparm in (/usr/lib/qt-3.3/bin:/usr/kerberos/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin:/home/rosatimr/bin)

So your pathing is not the same as mine, not a problem just use the path within the command;

sudo /sbin/hdparm -tT /dev/hda

I normally make some changes to my hidden .bash_profile file;

# User specific environment and startup programs

PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin:/sbin:/usr/sbin:/usr/local/sbin:.