Okay, I got this driver file, I extract everything inside and run ./install The install process begins but falters on a few occasions, during the driver install it says "No acceptable C Compiler found in $PATH" So, whats going on?

Well, it sounds a lot like you don't have a C compiler in your path. Do you have one installed?

Yes that part I could make out...
I suppose I shoulda asked why is it looking for one?
Do some Linux program require a C compiler to run?

Most Linux programs don't require a C compiler to run.

However, some commercial drivers (for example, the NVidia driver) relink part of their own code to be suitable for your kernel version. This is important, as you might have a kernel version that Nvidia haven't built their driver against.

NVidia's driver is not open source, but it is shipped in partially compiled form - some of the kernel interfacing files are shipped as source, and then linked with object files which are also bundled. The bulk of the OpenGL stuff is in user-space, and as such is provided as a fully linked binary (.so file).

This means that in some cases you need a working C compiler to install the NVidia driver.

Mark

Well I am not installing a NVidia driver -- I am intalling a Realtek HD Audio driver.

So what choices do I have for C compilers on Linux? Which would you recommend?

Once it is installed, how do I add the C compiler to the PATH (maybe .bashrc?) so the installation method will see it.

I'm guessing you're using Ubuntu (you mentioned it in a previous thread). One of the annoying (for me at least) things about Ubuntu is that it doesn't install gcc in a standard installation - it's on the installation CD but you have to install it yourself (synaptic is the easiest way).

Off the top of my head, you can start synaptic in Ubuntu from the following menu, system->administration->synaptic (or something like that) - once started find the gcc package and install it.

gcc should be installed in /usr/bin/ which should already be in your path

Then try the driver again.

I am in Kubuntu btw, the KDE for Ubuntu

Well I'm having a problem booting Synaptic -- it says "must log in as root"
So I open a root shell in the GUI and type "synaptic" and it says "(synaptic:8249): Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display"

Anyway

/root/usr/bin where all the packages are... I find no file "gcc"