Problem after activating nvidia driver

[epos85]

Hello.

Installed Kubuntu, downloaded updates. Started the hardware program, and it told me to activate the nvidia drivers.. Well, i done that too.. But when i rebooted, i had to log in to terminal, not X because xorg couldnt find any display devices..

Excuse my lousy english.. Please tell me what to do

And btw.. Whats the root-password in this distro? Or do i have to use 'sudo' for every root-actions?

[geezer]

Re: Problem after activating nvidia driver

I have stopped trying to get NVidia drivers working. I have been through the sequence so often I may be able to do it blind folded.

When you boot, you will get a terminal screen. One of the options presented (the last I believe) is to have xconfig try to fix the configuration. Select that option. Or when Grub presents the various boot options, just choose the recovery mode option.

It will rewrite your x configuration file and give you a generic configuration file.

You will not have any of the fancy things that the Nvidia card is capable of, but you will have a functional display.

[dibl]

Re: Problem after activating nvidia driver

I wrote this the other day hoping it would help with Nvidia card issues:

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3107406.0

I personally use the downloaded driver, as explained there.

The root or "sudo" password is the one you gave it when you installed it.

[geezer]

Re: Problem after activating nvidia driver

I wrote this the other day hoping it would help with Nvidia card issues:

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3107406.0

I personally use the downloaded driver, as explained there.

The root or "sudo" password is the one you gave it when you installed it.

dibl - count me as a sucker or that hope springs eternal .....

After countless fialures with the NVidia drivrs, I tried your method - again. Used you method #1

I now have a computer that will not boot KDE - it notifies that it cannot find the stuff to mount and then drops me to a Ubuntu terminal window.

This is totally different from previous versions where I was able to run the xconfig utility (or whatever the name is) and get a generic X configuration file.

I try to run xconf but the program is nonexistent - so I must have the name wrong.

But I cannot get KDE to run at all.

Any suggestion on how to get a working computer back?

[dibl]

Re: Problem after activating nvidia driver

Hmmmmmm.

I guess, with no GUI, Method #2 is out of the question ..... :P

Well, were I in a similarly screwed situation, the first thing to try is the built-in Recovery Console, and "Fix X". Can you boot into Recovery Console -- do you have a boot menu that offers that choice?

[epos85]

Re: Problem after activating nvidia driver

First; The password i sat in the install isnt usable when i want to log in to root.

Second; have tried everything from 'nvidia-xconfig' to edit the conf file myself, but cant get that * driver to work.. Have to try the recovery-option to log in and make some backups before im installing ol' mandriva again=s .. Driver works perfectly in mandriva, but not in k/ubuntu.. Sucks, because i really like this distro=(

[dibl]

Re: Problem after activating nvidia driver

First; The password i sat in the install isnt usable when i want to log in to root.

This is fundamental, and potentially fatal to everything else you need to do (including installing a video driver).

During installation, you (the one installing it) are asked to enter a password. That password is the "root" or "admin" or "super user" password, when needed to perform "as root" or "sudo" commands. It has to be given exactly as it was entered during installation, and it is case-sensitive. If you don't know it, for any reason, then you basically have a useless system, and you'll need to reinstall it. (There are ways to get at the password file and re-set it, but that's not for the novice).

So I'd say get out your Live CD or Alternate Install CD, and pay close attention to the steps where the user name and password are set.

Once you have an installed system with a known password, then refer to the Nvidia driver writeup to install the proprietary driver.

[epos85]

Re: Problem after activating nvidia driver

thank you for the fill-in

[geezer]

Re: Problem after activating nvidia driver

Hmmmmmm.

I guess, with no GUI, Method #2 is out of the question ..... :P

Well, were I in a similarly screwed situation, the first thing to try is the built-in Recovery Console, and "Fix X". Can you boot into Recovery Console -- do you have a boot menu that offers that choice?

Recovery console - yes - grub still works. It is after grub that the Kubuntu boot goes bad.

So I can get the recovery console - it what to do then that I can no longer remember. Looked in my Linux reference books, but for X they are no help.

What I need to do is get back to a generic X configuration file. It used to be when the attempt to install the Nvidia driver didn't work, on boot, I got a screen that said X couldn't continue due to a bad configuration file or some such. then it had an option to run the x-configurator.

[epos85]

Re: Problem after activating nvidia driver

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3107406.0

Tried this how-to. No luck..

/etc/default/linux-restricted-modules-common
No luck finding the file..

I just moved on with the how-to.. After nvidia-xconf was done, i tried launching kdm and X again... Couldnt find any display devices..

Also tried editing the driver name in xorg.conf from ''nvidia'' to ''nv'', without no luck.


Im a nuub, sorry:P

[geezer]

Re: Problem after activating nvidia driver

Hmmmmmm.

I guess, with no GUI, Method #2 is out of the question ..... :P

Well, were I in a similarly screwed situation, the first thing to try is the built-in Recovery Console, and "Fix X". Can you boot into Recovery Console -- do you have a boot menu that offers that choice?

OK - after stewing on the problem for an hour or so. I finally remembered that in the past, the current xorg.conf file wasn't over written, but renamed and a new file created. Booted recovery console (thanks for reminding me of that), cd to /etc/X11 and did a "dir", found what looked to be the renamed xorg.conf, renamd the current xorg.conf to xorg.conf.nvidia and then renamed the renamed one to make it xorg.conf.

Rebooted, got some funny messages and the starting sequence was rather peculiar, but the login screen appeared, logged in and KDE is again running.

here's the relevant section of the new/old xorg.conf (deleting the opening comment lines):

************************************************** ************

Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

**********************************************
and now the xorg.conf that was created for the nvidia driver
**********************************************

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
DefaultDepth 24
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "glx"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
Driver "nvidia"
Option "NoLogo" "True"
EndSection

*****************************************

So KDE is now booting, albeit with some rather peculiar messages during the boot- Don't ask what the messages are since I cannot read that fast - always amazes me that s/w developers can read error messages that flick on the screen for less than 1 second and then disappear. - I figure they must be able to read and understand the messages, otherwise why bother with them?

Anyway - for my ease of mind I would like for the error messages to be remedied, but will accept that KDE is again operational until then.

Will live again with a generic display functionality with this fancy, high priced NVidia display card and slap myself in the face in the future when I decide to try getting advanced functionality out of it - 2 years of failure following detailed procedures such as yours should have taught me something. I have followed your method #2 in the past with similar failures.

I will undoubtedly forget and hope will spring in my breast again and I will try again in the future and then suffer the agony of a non-working computer and the agony of wondering if I can restore functionality - those sleepless nights are worse than actually getting things working again.

Thank you for your efforts.

[dibl]

Re: Problem after activating nvidia driver

@geezer, anything you think you know about /etc/X11/xorg.conf, that is more than 12 months old, is no longer true. It all changed with the new X.org system and the use of HAL for detecting and running the video system.

An exception exists for proprietary drivers, however. So, since the Nvidia driver still is able to write and make use of the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file, that is still something you need to be able to use (i.e. "sudo nvidia-xconfig").

So, the first version of xorg.conf that you posted is the new HAL version, and the second one is your prior Nvidia-generated one. Probably an update or re-installation overwrote the Nvidia-generated one with the HAL new style file.

It might be worth your effort to try the following:

- Ctrl-Alt-F1 to the tty console, and log in there
- "sudo service kdm stop" to stop the X server
- "sudo nvidia-xconfig" to write a new xorg.conf file for the nvidia driver
- "sudo service kdm start" to start the X server and log back in

Worst case -- you can always restore that working xorg.conf if the messages don't disappear.


@epos -- as stated above, you still have to reinstall your OS -- I don't see where you did that yet.

[skunk]

Re: Problem after activating nvidia driver

So KDE is now booting, albeit with some rather peculiar messages during the boot- Don't ask what the messages are since I cannot read that fast - always amazes me that s/w developers can read error messages that flick on the screen for less than 1 second and then disappear. - I figure they must be able to read and understand the messages, otherwise why bother with them?

Anyway - for my ease of mind I would like for the error messages to be remedied, but will accept that KDE is again operational until then.

All those error message that fly past during boot are logged to disk. You can read them using
K -> Applications -> System -> KSystemLog

[geezer]

Re: Problem after activating nvidia driver

@geezer, anything you think you know about /etc/X11/xorg.conf, that is more than 12 months old, is no longer true. It all changed with the new X.org system and the use of HAL for detecting and running the video system.

An exception exists for proprietary drivers, however. So, since the Nvidia driver still is able to write and make use of the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file, that is still something you need to be able to use (i.e. "sudo nvidia-xconfig").

So, the first version of xorg.conf that you posted is the new HAL version, and the second one is your prior Nvidia-generated one. Probably an update or re-installation overwrote the Nvidia-generated one with the HAL new style file.

It might be worth your effort to try the following:

- Ctrl-Alt-F1 to the tty console, and log in there
- "sudo service kdm stop" to stop the X server
- "sudo nvidia-xconfig" to write a new xorg.conf file for the nvidia driver
- "sudo service kdm start" to start the X server and log back in

Worst case -- you can always restore that working xorg.conf if the messages don't disappear.

I'm tempted, but I remember going that route also in the past with disastrous results.

I think for awhile, I'll just leave it and remember in the future to not use NVidia - a lot money in my experience for nothing better than a simple, no-name cheap display card. I've also heard very good results have been obtained with the main competitor, ATI. From my experience and from what I have seen on the NVidia web site forums, NVidia is having a huge problem with Linux drivers. Don't know why, maybe they don't figure the resources are worth the return - don't know. It could also be that the card I have has a chip that just doesn't work with their drivers. In the past I used the NVidia s/w to id the chipset. The chipset id'd matched exactly the chipset I found when I took the cover off and visually inspected the card. So I know that the s/w knows which chipset I have and NVidia claims that their drivers work with it, but my experience and that of others seems to disagree. Of course, others have reported good results with NVidia. Others have reported so-so and mixed results. In the investigations I did in the past, the problems reported with the ATI cards were minuscule compared to the NVidia travails.

[geezer]

Re: Problem after activating nvidia driver

So KDE is now booting, albeit with some rather peculiar messages during the boot- Don't ask what the messages are since I cannot read that fast - always amazes me that s/w developers can read error messages that flick on the screen for less than 1 second and then disappear. - I figure they must be able to read and understand the messages, otherwise why bother with them?

Anyway - for my ease of mind I would like for the error messages to be remedied, but will accept that KDE is again operational until then.

All those error message that fly past during boot are logged to disk. You can read them using
K -> Applications -> System -> KSystemLog

I've tried that in the past and just did again - could find nothing in any log file even remotely similar to the error messages displayed.

Looked at the Xorg log file. Some interesting messages in there. X has correctly id'd the card. Also there are a lot of messages at the end like:

Information NV(0): Manufacturer: ACR Model: ad92 Serial#: 1951468583
Information NV(0): Year: 2007 Week: 45
Information NV(0): EDID Version: 1.3
Information NV(0): Digital Display Input
Information NV(0): Max Image Size [cm]: horiz.: 47 vert.: 30
Information NV(0): Gamma: 2.20
Information NV(0): DPMS capabilities: StandBy Suspend Off
Information NV(0): Supported color encodings: RGB 4:4:4 YCrCb 4:4:4
Information NV(0): Default color space is primary color space
Information NV(0): First detailed timing is preferred mode
Information NV(0): redX: 0.644 redY: 0.332 greenX: 0.286 greenY: 0.601
Information NV(0): blueX: 0.152 blueY: 0.076 whiteX: 0.312 whiteY: 0.328
Information NV(0): Supported established timings:
Information NV(0): 720x400@70Hz
Information NV(0): 640x480@60Hz
Information NV(0): 640x480@67Hz
Information NV(0): 640x480@72Hz
Information NV(0): 640x480@75Hz
Information NV(0): 800x600@56Hz
Information NV(0): 800x600@60Hz
Information NV(0): 800x600@72Hz
Information NV(0): 800x600@75Hz
Information NV(0): 832x624@75Hz
Information NV(0): 1024x768@60Hz
Information NV(0): 1024x768@70Hz
Information NV(0): 1024x768@75Hz
Information NV(0): 1280x1024@75Hz
Information NV(0): 1152x870@75Hz
Information NV(0): Manufacturer's mask: 0
Information NV(0): Supported standard timings:
Information NV(0): #0: hsize: 1152 vsize 864 refresh: 75 vid: 20337
Information NV(0): #1: hsize: 1280 vsize 1024 refresh: 60 vid: 32897
Information NV(0): #2: hsize: 1440 vsize 900 refresh: 60 vid: 149
Information NV(0): #3: hsize: 1600 vsize 1200 refresh: 60 vid: 16553
Information NV(0): #4: hsize: 1680 vsize 1050 refresh: 60 vid: 179
Information NV(0): #5: hsize: 1440 vsize 900 refresh: 75 vid: 3989
Information NV(0): Supported detailed timing:
Information NV(0): clock: 146.2 MHz Image Size: 473 x 296 mm
Information NV(0): h_active: 1680 h_sync: 1960 h_sync_end 2136 h_blank_end 2240 h_border: 0
Information NV(0): v_active: 1050 v_sync: 1053 v_sync_end 1059 v_blanking: 1089 v_border: 0
Information NV(0): Serial No: L92080554272
Information NV(0): Ranges: V min: 56 V max: 76 Hz, H min: 47 H max: 84 kHz, PixClock max 170 MHz
Information NV(0): Monitor name: Acer AL2216W
Information NV(0): EDID (in hex):
Information NV(0): 00ffffffffffff00047292ad270c5174
Information NV(0): 2d110103802f1e78eec720a455499927
Information NV(0): 135054bfef80714f81809500a940b300
Information NV(0): 950f0101010121399030621a274018b0
Information NV(0): 3640d9281100001c000000ff004c3932
Information NV(0): 3038303535343237320a000000fd0038
Information NV(0): 4c2f5411000a202020202020000000fc
Information NV(0): 004163657220414c32323136570a0053
Information NV(0): EDID vendor "ACR", prod id 44434
Information NV(0): Using hsync ranges from config file
Information NV(0): Using vrefresh ranges from config file
Information NV(0): Printing DDC gathered Modelines:
Information NV(0): Modeline "1680x1050"x0.0 146.25 1680 1960 2136 2240 1050 1053 1059 1089 -hsync +vsync (65.3 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "800x600"x0.0 40.00 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync (37.9 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "800x600"x0.0 36.00 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync (35.2 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "640x480"x0.0 31.50 640 656 720 840 480 481 484 500 -hsync -vsync (37.5 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "640x480"x0.0 31.50 640 664 704 832 480 489 492 520 -hsync -vsync (37.9 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "640x480"x0.0 30.24 640 704 768 864 480 483 486 525 -hsync -vsync (35.0 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "640x480"x0.0 25.18 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -hsync -vsync (31.5 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "720x400"x0.0 28.32 720 738 846 900 400 412 414 449 -hsync +vsync (31.5 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1280x1024"x0.0 135.00 1280 1296 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync (80.0 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1024x768"x0.0 78.75 1024 1040 1136 1312 768 769 772 800 +hsync +vsync (60.0 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1024x768"x0.0 75.00 1024 1048 1184 1328 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync (56.5 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1024x768"x0.0 65.00 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync (48.4 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "832x624"x0.0 57.28 832 864 928 1152 624 625 628 667 -hsync -vsync (49.7 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "800x600"x0.0 49.50 800 816 896 1056 600 601 604 625 +hsync +vsync (46.9 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "800x600"x0.0 50.00 800 856 976 1040 600 637 643 666 +hsync +vsync (48.1 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1152x864"x0.0 108.00 1152 1216 1344 1600 864 865 868 900 +hsync +vsync (67.5 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1152x864"x0.0 108.00 1152 1216 1344 1600 864 865 868 900 +hsync +vsync (67.5 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1280x1024"x0.0 108.00 1280 1328 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync (64.0 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1440x900"x0.0 88.75 1440 1488 1520 1600 900 903 909 926 +hsync -vsync (55.5 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1600x1200"x0.0 162.00 1600 1664 1856 2160 1200 1201 1204 1250 +hsync +vsync (75.0 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1680x1050"x0.0 119.00 1680 1728 1760 1840 1050 1053 1059 1080 +hsync -vsync (64.7 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1440x900"x0.0 136.75 1440 1536 1688 1936 900 903 909 942 -hsync +vsync (70.6 kHz)
Information NV(0): EDID for output VGA1
Information NV(0): EDID vendor "ACR", prod id 44434
Information NV(0): Printing probed modes for output DVI0
Information NV(0): Modeline "1680x1050"x60.0 146.25 1680 1960 2136 2240 1050 1053 1059 1089 -hsync +vsync (65.3 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1600x1200"x60.0 162.00 1600 1664 1856 2160 1200 1201 1204 1250 +hsync +vsync (75.0 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1680x1050"x59.9 119.00 1680 1728 1760 1840 1050 1053 1059 1080 +hsync -vsync (64.7 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1280x1024"x75.0 135.00 1280 1296 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync (80.0 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1280x1024"x60.0 108.00 1280 1328 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync (64.0 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1440x900"x75.0 136.75 1440 1536 1688 1936 900 903 909 942 -hsync +vsync (70.6 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1440x900"x59.9 88.75 1440 1488 1520 1600 900 903 909 926 +hsync -vsync (55.5 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1152x864"x75.0 108.00 1152 1216 1344 1600 864 865 868 900 +hsync +vsync (67.5 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1024x768"x75.0 78.75 1024 1040 1136 1312 768 769 772 800 +hsync +vsync (60.0 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1024x768"x70.1 75.00 1024 1048 1184 1328 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync (56.5 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "1024x768"x60.0 65.00 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync (48.4 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "832x624"x74.6 57.28 832 864 928 1152 624 625 628 667 -hsync -vsync (49.7 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "800x600"x72.2 50.00 800 856 976 1040 600 637 643 666 +hsync +vsync (48.1 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "800x600"x75.0 49.50 800 816 896 1056 600 601 604 625 +hsync +vsync (46.9 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "800x600"x60.3 40.00 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync (37.9 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "800x600"x56.2 36.00 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync (35.2 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "640x480"x75.0 31.50 640 656 720 840 480 481 484 500 -hsync -vsync (37.5 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "640x480"x72.8 31.50 640 664 704 832 480 489 492 520 -hsync -vsync (37.9 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "640x480"x66.7 30.24 640 704 768 864 480 483 486 525 -hsync -vsync (35.0 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "640x480"x59.9 25.18 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -hsync -vsync (31.5 kHz)
Information NV(0): Modeline "720x400"x70.1 28.32 720 738 846 900 400 412 414 449 -hsync +vsync (31.5 kHz)
Information NV(0): Probing for EDID on I2C bus 1...
Information NV(0): ... none found
Probed NV(0): Trying load detection on VGA2 ... nothing.
Information NV(0): EDID for output VGA2
Information NV(0): EDID for output DVI1

So something (maybe the "NV(0) indicates an NVidia driver ??) correctly detected the display and it's capabilities.