nvidia binary drivers won't install on latest kernel...

[ubersoft]

Ever since Lucid updated to the .16 kernel I haven't been able to install the nvidia binary drivers (the install fails at about 50% with the message that it can't find a specific file or library, I'll run through it again tonight to get the specific message).

It still works on the .15 drivers, so I just point grub at the old kernel and go from there, but it's both strange and vexing.

The one clue I have is that my console resolution is higher since I installed the new kernel. I'd modified grub to display my console (full screen bash terminal) resolution at 1260x800, but when I use the .16 drivers it's a full 1600x1080. Don't know how it's doing that, because I didn't change anything.

I'll provide more specific information later tonight, but on the off-chance that this more vague report reminds someone of a similar problem (and, best case scenario, a solution!) I thought I'd post what I have now.

[ubersoft]

Re: nvidia binary drivers won't install on latest kernel...

OK, this was taken from my nvidia-installer.log file. I hope it's helpful:

-> Kernel module compilation complete.
ERROR: Unable to load the kernel module 'nvidia.ko'. This happens most
    frequently when this kernel module was built against the wrong or
    improperly configured kernel sources, with a version of gcc that differs
    from the one used to build the target kernel, or if a driver such as
    rivafb/nvidiafb is present and prevents the NVIDIA kernel module from
    obtaining ownership of the NVIDIA graphics device(s), or NVIDIA GPU
    installed in this system is not supported by this NVIDIA Linux graphics
    driver release.
    
    Please see the log entries 'Kernel module load error' and 'Kernel
    messages' at the end of the file '/var/log/nvidia-installer.log' for
    more information.
-> Kernel module load error: insmod: error inserting './usr/src/nv/nvidia.ko':
  -1 No such device
-> Kernel messages:
  [  28.530919] type=1505 audit(1268870932.344:8): operation="profile_load"
  pid=904 name="/usr/sbin/mysqld"
  [  28.750878] type=1505 audit(1268870932.564:9): operation="profile_load"
  pid=910 name="/usr/sbin/mysqld-akonadi"
  [  28.877775] type=1505 audit(1268870932.684:10): operation="profile_load"
  pid=903 name="/usr/lib/cups/backend/cups-pdf"
  [  28.878534] type=1505 audit(1268870932.684:11): operation="profile_load"
  pid=903 name="/usr/sbin/cupsd"
  [  29.000880] type=1505 audit(1268870932.814:12): operation="profile_load"
  pid=914 name="/usr/sbin/tcpdump"
  [  31.257081] iwlagn 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting
  iwlwifi-4965-2.ucode
  [  31.333719] iwlagn 0000:06:00.0: loaded firmware version 228.61.2.24
  [  31.547160] Registered led device: iwl-phy0::radio
  [  31.547193] Registered led device: iwl-phy0::assoc
  [  31.547222] Registered led device: iwl-phy0::RX
  [  31.547249] Registered led device: iwl-phy0::TX
  [  31.599808] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready
  [  31.624558] r8169: eth0: link down
  [  31.625013] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth0: link is not ready
  [  34.027954] ppdev: user-space parallel port driver
  [ 598.240312] nvidia: module license 'NVIDIA' taints kernel.
  [ 598.240316] Disabling lock debugging due to kernel taint
  [ 598.861170] NVRM: The NVIDIA probe routine was not called for 1
  device(s).
  [ 598.861179] NVRM: This can occur when a driver such as rivafb, nvidiafb
  or
  [ 598.861182] NVRM: rivatv was loaded and obtained ownership of the NVIDIA
  [ 598.861185] NVRM: device(s).
  [ 598.861191] NVRM: Try unloading the rivafb, nvidiafb or rivatv kernel
  module
  [ 598.861194] NVRM: (and/or reconfigure your kernel without rivafb/nvidiafb
  [ 598.861196] NVRM: support), then try loading the NVIDIA kernel module
  again.
  [ 598.861202] NVRM: No NVIDIA graphics adapter probed!
ERROR: Installation has failed. Please see the file
    '/var/log/nvidia-installer.log' for details. You may find suggestions
    on fixing installation problems in the README available on the Linux
    driver download page at [url]www.nvidia.com[/url].

[doctordruidphd]

Re: nvidia binary drivers won't install on latest kernel...

In order to load the nvidia drivers on the -16 kernel, you need to boot with the 'nomodeset' kernel option. This appears to be true even if you do not have nouveau installed.

To do this, when the grub menu comes up, highlight the entry you want to boot, and hit the e key. Go to the kernel line, and add nomodeset to the end. Splash will not work, so if it's there, erase it. Then hit CTRL-X to boot.

If that works, then you may want to make changes to your /etc/default/grub file, adding nomodeset and removing splash if necessary from the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT line. Mine looks like this:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="nomodeset"

Edit: Forgot to mention, be sure to run sudo update-grub for the change to take effect.

Edit further: Your console will be in the default resolution (60x80, or whatever that is) when you boot with nomodeset. I have not found a way to get higher resolution when using the nomodeset option. So basically, it's one or the other: the nice text console and the VESA (or nouveau) driver, or the lousy console and the 3d-accelerated NVIDIA driver.

Even with the nomodeset option, I cannot get the 195.x drivers to install. But the 190.x install and work just fine.

[ubersoft]

Re: nvidia binary drivers won't install on latest kernel...

Thanks Doc!

It appears to work for the 195.36.15 beta drivers nvidia released a few days ago.

[vista killer]

Re: nvidia binary drivers won't install on latest kernel...

They have upload the latest nvidia driver to repositories? Because i see only the 195.36.08

[ubersoft]

Re: nvidia binary drivers won't install on latest kernel...

They usually announce the prereleases on nvnews before they put any hint of it on the site:

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=122606