Nvidia driver not working again (Solved)

[eddieg780]

I just don't understand what's going on here. My computer was working fine. Two days ago I booted it up and the nvidia module would not load so I had to run in low graphics mode. I rebooted and the same thing happened. So on the options screen where it let me check the restart x I did that and it started normally. Yesterday it did it again only this time the restart x did not work. I tried the other options which I believe were to write a new configuration file but it did't work either. So I installed the driver again. Upon doing sudo service kdm start, it started with the nvidia driver loaded. However, today it did the same thing and would only start in low graphics mode. I did all the same things I tried before, restart x , new configuration file, and it would not load the nvidia module. I reinstalled the driver and used sudo service kdm start and it loaded nvidia. What on Earth is going on? The module won't load on boot but does from console?? Perhaps during the boot process it's looking for the driver in a different place, I just don't know. Can someone please help on this issue, it's driving me nuts?

[dibl]

Re: Nvidia driver not working again

If you use the downloaded proprietary driver installer, then it is not terribly unusual that a change to one of the core xorg video packages can cause problems (no GLX, for example) that requires a reinstallation of the driver. And of course a kernel change also does that, and you must remember to install the new kernel-headers and build-essential packages that are for the new kernel.

However, I updated my Kubuntu system the a day or two ago, and didn't see any such new packages or kernel, and didn't have any problem with my proprietary nvidia driver, so I'm suspicious that there is something a little more subtle going on with your system. Was there a substantial passage of time (i.e. weeks) since your last update, and then an update, and then the breakage problem?

[eddieg780]

Re: Nvidia driver not working again

Thank you for responding again dibl. Yes, this is the downloaded one from nvidia. I did the kde upgrade about a week ago and afterwards my machine started and ran fine until two days ago. I don't know if there was a kernel upgrade or not. So you're saying if there was a kernel upgrade it did not upgrade the kernel headers or built-essential packages? I'll check....

Here is my kernel:

2.6.32-23-generic

My KDE:

No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS
Release: 10.04
Codename: lucid

Upon checking :

ed@ed-dell:~$ sudo apt-get install build-essential
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
build-essential is already the newest version.

and:

ed@ed-dell:~$ sudo apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r)
[sudo] password for ed:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
linux-headers-2.6.32-23-generic is already the newest version.
linux-headers-2.6.32-23-generic set to manually installed.

I can't imagine what else can be wrong. This is a fresh install of 10.04 and not an upgrade. The nvidia driver installs with out an error. I'm stumped again...

[claydoh]

Re: Nvidia driver not working again

if you installed the drivers from directly from Nvidia (and not the repos), any kernel change will break the driver, and you will need to re-build it for the new kernel

The original kernel in a Lucid install is 2.6.32-22, and you now have 2.6.32-23

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Nv...#kernelandmesa
will show the steps you need to do.

[eddieg780]

Re: Nvidia driver not working again

I tried to reinstall the driver from a fresh downloaded NVIDIA-Linux-x86-256.35.run from Nvidia. It still did not work. I then went to the site recommended by claydoh and printed it. I followed the suggestions regarding what should be installed and what shouldn't. Everything was installed that I needed and all the nvidia-glx, nvidia-glx-legacy, and the linux-restricted-modules-common was not there. So that was good. I restarted my computer and of course it said it had to run in low graphics mode. I click to go to console. I tried to install the driver and it didn't work again. I then did "sudo sh NVIDIA* --uninstall". It said something about not being able to find the backup files or something but I just kept hitting OK until it went to a prompt again. I rebooted. Of course it said I had no nvidia driver. I installed it with no errors. I said "yes" to new configuration file and I did not do "sudo service kdm start". This time I did "sudo halt". Then started my machine and it booted using the new driver.
Hopefully it will start the next time as well.

The thing that stumped me was when I updated a week ago the computer did boot the first time after restarting, no problems. It ran fine for a week before acting up. I do know that a kernel update screws up the nvidia driver and I have to reinstall it but it didn't cause a problem at first with last weeks update so I didn't think there was a kernel update. However, it looks like I will have to uninstall it before trying a reinstall but hopefully I won't have this problem each and every-time. Thank you all again for your great help.

[linuxforall]

Re: Nvidia driver not working again (Solved Hopefully)

Best way to handle nvidia is to add Ubuntu X ppa at https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-x-swat/+archive/x-updates

All the latest drivers and other relevant X related files are updated there and everything works flawlessly.

[eddieg780]

Re: Nvidia driver not working again (Solved Hopefully)

How does this work? Will the updates come through like the standard updates?

[linuxforall]

Re: Nvidia driver not working again (Solved Hopefully)

Thats right add the ppa by pasting this command, sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates

Then do sudo apt-get update

go to kpackage manager>updates and you will see it all listed.

[eddieg780]

Re: Nvidia driver not working again (Solved Hopefully)

Ok I did it. Now when I install the driver from my package manager, should I uninstall the other one first? Also, will I need to install the nvidia driver everytime there is a kernel upgrade. Are there any other things I need to install or will this be automatically done?

[eddieg780]

Re: Nvidia driver not working again (Solved Hopefully)

I don't see the nvidia driver in synaptic, Adept or kpackagekit. What have I done wrong?

[linuxforall]

Re: Nvidia driver not working again (Solved Hopefully)

Did you add the ppa properly, can you check your source list to see if ubuntu xswat updates is listed?

[eddieg780]

Re: Nvidia driver not working again (Solved Hopefully)

It there today and it's installed. So when the new driver comes out I will see an update and just need to install it? I hope so because that would be a lot easier and faster. Thank you.

[linuxforall]

Re: Nvidia driver not working again (Solved)

Yes, you will see it listed on update manager, its as simple as that.

[eddieg780]

Re: Nvidia driver not working again (Solved)

Thank you linuxforall. There was a nvidia update, I told it to install and no problems at all. This is great!!! Take care and thanks again.

[linuxforall]

Re: Nvidia driver not working again (Solved)

You are welcome, glad it worked out, this is the easiest way to get updates, best in any distro.