Arch Linux

The 96xx driver has no xorg-server 1.8 support. We should not add a version to the repositories that can only be activated using a very unsafe hack.

96xx works without any "hacks" since 2010.08.04, 71xx is abandon (announce was in official msg from nvidia too)
but BTW what is unsafe with IgnoreABI instead of downgrading half of system? Almost every software can eat ours cats! :P
And nouveau don't support very well older cards than geforce 5 => more unsafe is running nouveau

I only don't know nothing about 1.9... but that is all

http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux-display-ia32-96.43.18-driver.html

And really what going on with this "support" word? The newest card is produced in 2002!
It works or not! Maybe it need being in testing repo for some time... but issue is simply - it works or not

And one thing about nvidia.com - there is a lot of mistakes in part for linux (like supported cards)

I too use the nvidia-96xx and was wondering why it was removed from the official repos. Consider me as one who would request it back in the official repos. :)

Strange, the above link says nothing about Xserver 1.8 support. Are you sure it works without IgnoreABI? I agree with Thomas in that supporting software, which is a priori known to be unstable, is a direct way to more bugs :) This is especially true, since Xserver 1.9 has hit testing -- apparently nvidia does not support this one either.

If it makes you feel better, Fedora 13 also lacks this particular driver, and AFAIK, F13 is the only large distro except Arch to include Xserver 1.8 in the stable release.

On my main machine (GeForce 4 MX 440) I packaged this driver myself for the main as well as LTS kernel -- it's not really that hard (it was a couple of months ago though -- can't check out the newest NV version atm).

What is more reliable? Your own experience or some text at nvidia.com :P
Older drivers works with IgnoreABI, Newest without and i will check this with 1.9 xorg-server in couple of hours :>
EDIT: Not working with 1.9 ;(

FYI:  FS#20608  (nvidia 256xx)

"""When i add Option "IgnoreABI" "True" to xorg.conf the NVIDIA driver is starting but my fan is going too fast ( 100% of speed )"""
0% of speed is serious problem, 100% is bug -.-
And what is better 3D acceleration or working pwm control?
And most important in this task - is there a fan control in supported cards (96xx)?

readded to testing repository

Thanks, but could you add the following line which is present in all other nvidia-utils packages.
backup=('etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-nvidia.conf')

I've got a file system error with nvidia-96xx 96.43.18, xorg 1.8 and kernel26 2.6.35 after some time usage with the attached configuration file.