Linux distributions do not include proprietary NVIDIA drivers for obvious reasons. But, fortunately, installing NVIDIA proprietary drivers is pretty straightforward.

1. Go to shell and install kernel source and headers

[root@thinker tmp]# yum install kernel-devel kernel-headers 
[root@thinker tmp]# yum install gcc make

2. Find out your card type:

[root@thinker tmp]# lspci | grep VGA
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GF108 [Quadro NVS 5400M] (rev a1)

3. Go to nvidia site and select your card and OS (Linux 32-bit or Linux 64-bit)

4. After downloading driver move it to /tmp directory

5. Go to shell and blacklist nouveau kernel module

[root@thinker tmp]# cd /etc/modprobe.d/
[root@thinker modprobe.d]# echo "blacklist nouveau" >> blacklist.conf

6. Edit grub.conf and blacklist nouveau driver

[root@thinker modprobe.d]# vi /etc/grub.conf

Find a line that begins with kernel /vmlinuz…, go to the end of line and add rdblacklist=nouveau. Save grub.conf and exit

7. Switch to runlevel 3

[root@thinker modprobe.d]# vi /etc/inittab

Find a line id:5:initdefault: and change it to id:3:initdefault:
Save and exit

8. Reboot

[root@thinker modprobe.d]# shutdown -r 0

9. Install driver

[root@thinker modprobe.d]# cd /tmp
[root@thinker tmp]# sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-319.23.run

Driver will ask you to setup xorg.conf for you.

10. Switch to runlevel 5

[root@thinker modprobe.d]# vi /etc/inittab

Find a line id:3:initdefault: and change it to id:5:initdefault:
Save and exit

11. Reboot

[root@thinker modprobe.d]# shutdown -r 0

That’s it. Your CentOS should boot to graphic mode and before login page you should see NVIDIA splash.

Note:
On every kernel update you should repeat this procedure.