fresh install on "old" desktop freeze randomly

[dmeyer]

Honestly, just use the proprietary driver. Especially with Nvidia cards. Now your card is nice and hold but fortunately Nvidia keep their GPUs supported for a very long time. Start with these commands from the terminal:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install linux-source
sudo apt-get install linux-headers-generic
sudo apt-get install linux-image

Once that is done, run:

jockey-text --list

The latest driver that your machine can use is the 304 series. If you can see the 304 driver and are sure its the right one then you can just run:

jockey-text -e <appropriate driver>

which may need to be written as

jockey-text -e xorg:<appropriate driver's name>

. Reboot and tell us how it went.

[ngandriau]

Thanks. I'll do it tonight and will let you know

[ngandriau]

Sorry for the delay but I had little time and each time I tried the procedure, the desktop froze before I could do it :-(
So I boot in the recovery mode.
The driver's name was: "kmod:nvidia_304"
So far, all is fine.
I will let it run the whole night.

Thanks a lot

[dmeyer]

Come back in a few days if you haven't had any issues and mark the thread solved.

[ngandriau]

I will

[ngandriau]

So everything is working.
Before closing this thread, I just want to mention that the installation was only possible by:
- installing kubuntu 13.04
- making an update to 13.10
- then from the recovery method, install the nvidia driver 304
- reboot normally

Direct Installation of 13.10 were freezing too often to complete the setup, so I guess there is a real issue.

But thank you for your help @dmeyer.

[dmeyer]

So everything is working.
Before closing this thread, I just want to mention that the installation was only possible by:
- installing kubuntu 13.04
- making an update to 13.10
- then from the recovery method, install the nvidia driver 304
- reboot normally

Direct Installation of 13.10 were freezing too often to complete the setup, so I guess there is a real issue.

But thank you for your help @dmeyer.

Yeah, you had a particularly unfortunate experience. I have a feeling it has to do with a particularly nasty bug which is very specific to you involving your GPU and Noveau.

P.S. Ubuntu is fairly bloated, even Kubuntu can come a little heavy (mostly to do with Unity crap creeping in) so I highly recommend that in the future you do minimal install and then add on packages as you need them. You'll end up with a much leaner, cleaner install. That is, if you can manage the technical details of a minimal install.

[ngandriau]

Right now, I don't know how to start a minimal install.
I usually create a bootable USB Key with the downloaded iso and launch the install with the default option.
I have not noticed and "minimal install" option.
I don't think I'll do it now, but if you have some hint, I'll try at the first occasion

[dmeyer]

Right now, I don't know how to start a minimal install.
I usually create a bootable USB Key with the downloaded iso and launch the install with the default option.
I have not noticed and "minimal install" option.
I don't think I'll do it now, but if you have some hint, I'll try at the first occasion

Nah, just leave it then. It might be a bit more hassle than its worth for the average user.

[ngandriau]

ok
see you later