Nvidia display driver 340.107

[hstoellinger]

Hello,

Today I updated my Kubuntu 19.10 with the latest supported kernel. Now I am at the following level:

Hardware: Laptop System: Sony product: VGN-AW11M_H
Kernel: 5.3.0-45-generic x86_64 bits: 64 Desktop: KDE Plasma 5.18.3
NVIDIA G98M [GeForce 9300M GS] driver: nvidia v: 340.108

Having had display trouble after a previous software update I managed to solve the problems by
upgrading the NVIDIA driver from 340.107 to 108. by doing a
sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-340.108.run, update-initramfs -u and update-grub.

However, today's Kubuntu upgrade from kernel 5.3.0-42-generic x86_64 to 5.3.0-45-generic
re-installed driver 340.107. After this, display resolution reverted to 640x480.

So I repeated the installation of 340.108 and everything is fine again.
In case somebody from Kubuntu support reads this forum-post -- please include nvidia driver
340-108 within the next kernel update.
Thanks in advance.

[oshunluvr]

You are not using the Kubuntu supplied nvidia drivers. You will never get an nvidia update that way. When you go outside what's supplied by the distro, you're on your own. You will have to re-install the driver every time you update the kernel.

If you want to have updated drivers available, remove that driver and install the one from the repo.

[hstoellinger]

Did I not describe the situation clear enough? The driver that was installed together with a regular Kubuntu 19.10 distro sw-update was version 340-107. It "killed" the display resolution! So - I first tried to switch to the Nouveau driver, but abandoned the procedure after wasting a lot of time trying to get it done. Then, going to the Nvidia site itself I realized that a release 108 was a available for installing. It installed flawlessly and I am a happy bunny now! Should another Kubuntu sw-update "downgrade" my driver yet again, I am not at all afraid of re-running the self-extracting install file of Nvidia 340-108
From what I hear Kubuntu 20.04 will not support a "working" Nvidia driver for my old Sony Vaio laptop any more. So, the choice is to either get myself a new laptop OR specify Nouveau as the driver when installing 20.04... Since my old laptop still works like a charm - at least for what I need it - the latter strategy will be my choice...
Regards from Salzburg

Actually - I just upgraded my old machine to Kubuntu 21.04. And - the NVIDIA G98M [GeForce 9300M GS] graphics card is supported well enough for my usage...

[oshunluvr]

#1. No you did not describe the situation clear enough.

#2. The nvidia 340.108 driver is available packaged for Eoan from this PPA : https://launchpad.net/~graphics-driv...ive/ubuntu/ppa

#3. Neither my comments above nor yours changes reality: If you download and install the driver from the nvidia website rather than a normal package install methods, you will have to redo the installation at every kernel update. Period.

[oshunluvr]

I assume you will want to upgrade to Focal soon. Here's the latest 340.108 driver for Focal: https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source...0.108-0ubuntu2

If you're laptop is that old, you might consider not upgrade beyond Focal. I doubt Canonical will carry that driver forever.

[claydoh]

The driver that was installed together with a regular Kubuntu 19.10 distro sw-update was version 340-107. It "killed" the display resolution!

In this case I would have suggested booting to the previous kernel via the grub menu first before trying anything else. This might have given you a usable resolution, and allowed for easier troubleshooting, and a hopeful usable system in the meantime.

If you're laptop is that old, you might consider not upgrade beyond Focal. I doubt Canonical will carry that driver forever.

I agree, as the 340 driver will not be supported past the 5.4 kernel.

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pa...ires-G8x-GT2xx