16.04 LTS - Nvidia 304 driver - now black screen

[urdrwho5]

I think it was last week that during an update I saw that some changes were being made to Nvidia drivers. The upgrade went fine. Today there were some updates and after updating I needed to reboot. When trying to reboot I saw an error something about a problem with the Kde greeter. I've tried a bunch of things and now can't remember if it ever rebooted or I had to manually shut down the computer. I think it was the later.

When it went to reboot the mouse arrow appears but it never loads the display.

So I purged Nvidia drivers and tried a few other driver but nothing worked so I went back and installed the recommended 304 driver.

When Nvidia is installed I can't even boot into the recovery mode - it just goes to the black screen and sits there.

So for now I uninstalled the 304 driver and booted into recovery mode. The icons etc may be bigger but at least my wife can use her kitchen computer.

Any ideas about the Nvidia issue?

[oshunluvr]

You don't state your video card model, but 304 is not very current - technically it's a "legacy" driver. None-the-less, try adding "nomodeset" to the grub boot line (in front of or instead of "quiet splash". You should at least look for the error in your /var/log/Xorg.0.log and report it.

The black screen issue is well documented but has many different fixes depending on each case. You'll need to provide more info and maybe search the 'net a bit to see what the solutions might be for your card.

[urdrwho5]

You don't state your video card model, but 304 is not very current - technically it's a "legacy" driver. None-the-less, try adding "nomodeset" to the grub boot line (in front of or instead of "quiet splash". You should at least look for the error in your /var/log/Xorg.0.log and report it.

The black screen issue is well documented but has many different fixes depending on each case. You'll need to provide more info and maybe search the 'net a bit to see what the solutions might be for your card.

Older computer that sits in the kitchen for my wife to do FB, Pintrest and stuff like that. The computer has been running fine since installing Kubuntu Dec 2016
Ubuntu-drivers devices shows

Card is GeForce 6150SE nForce 430
nvidia-304 recommended driver

With nvidia driver installed Kmserver-logout-greeter closed unexpectedly is the error I see when I try to reboot.

I think KDE needs to be re-installed because when I go to System settings/log on screen there is nothing and system settings closes unexpectedly

[oshunluvr]

The "Ksmserver-logout-greeter closed unexpectedly" isn't causing the black screen. You need to switch to the console and look at the xorg log to get started. Did you try nomodeset?

[urdrwho5]

The "Ksmserver-logout-greeter closed unexpectedly" isn't causing the black screen. You need to switch to the console and look at the xorg log to get started. Did you try nomodeset?

All I got from nomodeset was to watch everything scroll by on the screen.

I am at tty but I am at a loss to find or read anything without dolphin and Kate

[GreyGeek]

Have you tried the nvidia-370 driver?

[urdrwho5]

I want to say yes but not sure.

I believe this all started from an update last week. There were some different things in the update and also one had to do with Nvidia. At that time there was no re-boot required so I thought everything went fine. Yesterday when I went to re-boot the problem appeared.

There are A LOT of hits on the greeter crashing.

Now I can't even get a clean boot with Nvidia drivers purged. I always have to go into recovery mode. It won't boot into recovery mode unless Nvidia drivers are purged.

I'll give 370 a try.

Have you tried the nvidia-370 driver?

[urdrwho5]

Have you tried the nvidia-370 driver?

Just tried 370 and it produced a greeter crash. Until purging Nvidia I couldn't even start Firefox.

This is the crash report, it is long and I have no idea what it all means.

I also migrated the home from a 15.04 install and wondering if there is a chance I have some files from KDE 4? SUch as looking in user/lib I see this libakonadi-kmime.so.4.14.11
There are other such files that start with the numeral 4.

There is even a Kde4 folder in user

   [SIZE=2][FONT=arial]Executable: systemsettings5 PID: 15057 Signal: Aborted (6) Time: 2/21/17 17:56:34
Application: System Settings (systemsettings5), signal: Aborted
Using host libthread_db library "/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libthread_db.so.1".
[Current thread is 1 (Thread 0x7fb8b71b88c0 (LWP 15057))]

Thread 4 (Thread 0x7fb8a6650700 (LWP 15059)):
#0 0x00007fb8b386ab5d in poll () from /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6
#1 0x00007fb8b12edc62 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libxcb.so.1
#2 0x00007fb8b12ef8d7 in xcb_wait_for_event () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libxcb.so.1
#3 0x00007fb8a91d8d29 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5XcbQpa.so.5
#4 0x00007fb8b3f68808 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#5 0x00007fb8b0a776ba in start_thread () from /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libpthread.so.0
#6 0x00007fb8b387682d in clone () from /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6

Thread 3 (Thread 0x7fb89de8e700 (LWP 15060)):
#0 0x00007fb8b386ab5d in poll () from /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6
#1 0x00007fb8b055638c in ?? () from /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libglib-2.0.so.0
#2 0x00007fb8b055649c in g_main_context_iteration () from /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libglib-2.0.so.0
#3 0x00007fb8b419237b in QEventDispatcherGlib::processEvents(QFlags<QEventLoop::ProcessEventsFlag>) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#4 0x00007fb8b413affa in QEventLoop::exec(QFlags<QEventLoop::ProcessEventsFlag>) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#5 0x00007fb8b3f639e4 in QThread::exec() () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#6 0x00007fb8b730d515 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5DBus.so.5
#7 0x00007fb8b3f68808 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#8 0x00007fb8b0a776ba in start_thread () from /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libpthread.so.0
#9 0x00007fb8b387682d in clone () from /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6

Thread 2 (Thread 0x7fb8925bf700 (LWP 15063)):
#0 0x00007fb8b386ab5d in poll () from /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6
#1 0x00007fb8b055638c in ?? () from /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libglib-2.0.so.0
#2 0x00007fb8b055649c in g_main_context_iteration () from /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libglib-2.0.so.0
#3 0x00007fb8b419237b in QEventDispatcherGlib::processEvents(QFlags<QEventLoop::ProcessEventsFlag>) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#4 0x00007fb8b413affa in QEventLoop::exec(QFlags<QEventLoop::ProcessEventsFlag>) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#5 0x00007fb8b3f639e4 in QThread::exec() () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#6 0x00007fb8b28c26b5 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Qml.so.5
#7 0x00007fb8b3f68808 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#8 0x00007fb8b0a776ba in start_thread () from /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libpthread.so.0
#9 0x00007fb8b387682d in clone () from /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6

Thread 1 (Thread 0x7fb8b71b88c0 (LWP 15057)):
[KCrash Handler]
#6 0x00007fb8b37a5428 in raise () from /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6
#7 0x00007fb8b37a702a in abort () from /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6
#8 0x00007fb8b3f4ff41 in QMessageLogger::fatal(char const*, ...) const () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#9 0x00007fb8b739ccd9 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/plugins/xcbglintegrations/libqxcb-glx-integration.so
#10 0x00007fb8b739a92b in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/plugins/xcbglintegrations/libqxcb-glx-integration.so
#11 0x00007fb8a91df781 in QXcbIntegration::createPlatformOpenGLContext(QOpenGLContext*) const () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5XcbQpa.so.5
#12 0x00007fb8b50c54ad in QOpenGLContext::create() () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Gui.so.5
#13 0x00007fb8b739d505 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/plugins/xcbglintegrations/libqxcb-glx-integration.so
#14 0x00007fb8b739d6e1 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/plugins/xcbglintegrations/libqxcb-glx-integration.so
#15 0x00007fb8b2b5d0fb in QSGRenderLoop::instance() () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Quick.so.5
#16 0x00007fb8b2b90015 in QQuickWindowPrivate::init(QQuickWindow*, QQuickRenderControl*) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Quick.so.5
#17 0x00007fb8b2c6c5a6 in QQuickWindowQmlImpl::QQuickWindowQmlImpl(QWindow*) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Quick.so.5
#18 0x00007fb8b2c6d630 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Quick.so.5
#19 0x00007fb8b285b5ab in QQmlType::create() const () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Qml.so.5
#20 0x00007fb8b28bbed2 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Qml.so.5
#21 0x00007fb8b28be38b in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Qml.so.5
#22 0x00007fb8b28be5c8 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Qml.so.5
#23 0x00007fb8b28bb126 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Qml.so.5
#24 0x00007fb8b28bc132 in ??

() from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Qml.so.5
#25 0x00007fb8b28bca42 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Qml.so.5
#26 0x00007fb8b2849c4f in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Qml.so.5
#27 0x00007fb8b284a574 in QQmlIncubationController::incubateFor(int) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Qml.so.5
#28 0x00007fb8add5b8dc in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libKF5Declarative.so.5
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#31 0x00007fb8add58205 in KDeclarative::QmlObject::completeInitialization(QHash<QString, QVariant> const&) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libKF5Declarative.so.5
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#33 0x00007fb8b6d3f0c9 in ?? 

() from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libKF5KCMUtils.so.5
#34 0x00007fb8b6d44a89 in KCModuleProxy::showEvent(QShowEvent*) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libKF5KCMUtils.so.5
#35 0x00007fb8b56b2e58 in QWidget::event(QEvent*) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Widgets.so.5
#36 0x00007fb8b566dafc in QApplicationPrivate::notify_helper(QObject*, QEvent*) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Widgets.so.5
#37 0x00007fb8b5673036 in QApplication::notify(QObject*, QEvent*) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Widgets.so.5
#38 0x00007fb8b413d2a8 in QCoreApplication::notifyInternal2(QObject*, QEvent*) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#39 0x00007fb8b56afb63 in QWidgetPrivate::show_helper() () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Widgets.so.5
#40 0x00007fb8b56af9c7 in QWidgetPrivate::showChildren(bool) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Widgets.so.5
#41 0x00007fb8b56afa5f in QWidgetPrivate::show_helper() () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Widgets.so.5
#42 0x00007fb8b56b287d in QWidget::setVisible(bool) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Widgets.so.5
#43 0x00007fb8b56af9d8 in QWidgetPrivate::showChildren(bool) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Widgets.so.5
#44 0x00007fb8b56afa5f in QWidgetPrivate::show_helper() () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Widgets.so.5
#45 0x00007fb8b56b287d in QWidget::setVisible(bool) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Widgets.so.5
#46 0x00007fb8b5694315 in QStackedLayout::setCurrentIndex(int) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Widgets.so.5
#47 0x00007fb8b56944f4 in QStackedLayout::setCurrentWidget(QWidget*) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Widgets.so.5
#48 0x00007fb8b5815421 in QStackedWidget::setCurrentWidget(QWidget*) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Widgets.so.5
#49 0x00007fb8b5c7e965 in ??

() from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libKF5WidgetsAddons.so.5
#50 0x00007fb8b4169b71 in QMetaObject::activate(QObject*, int, int, void**) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#51 0x00007fb8b40ec647 in QItemSelectionModel::selectionChanged(QItemSelection const&, QItemSelection const&) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#52 0x00007fb8b40f0cab in QItemSelectionModel::emitSelectionChanged(QItemSelection const&, QItemSelection const&) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#53 0x00007fb8b40f45c4 in QItemSelectionModel::select(QItemSelection const&, QFlags<QItemSelectionModel::SelectionFlag>) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#54 0x00007fb8b40ee2fc in QItemSelectionModel::select(QModelIndex const&, QFlags<QItemSelectionModel::SelectionFlag>) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#55 0x00007fb8b40eca94 in QItemSelectionModel::setCurrentIndex(QModelIndex const&, QFlags<QItemSelectionModel::SelectionFlag>) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#56 0x00007fb8b5c7d897 in ??

() from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libKF5WidgetsAddons.so.5
#57 0x00007fb8b5c7e755 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libKF5WidgetsAddons.so.5
#58 0x00007fb8b4169b71 in QMetaObject::activate(QObject*, int, int, void**) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#59 0x00007fb8b41e1e96 in QAbstractItemModel::layoutChanged(QList<QPersistentModelIndex> const&, QAbstractItemModel::LayoutChangeHint) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#60 0x00007fb8b5c84ec7 in KPageWidgetModel::addPage(KPageWidgetItem*) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libKF5WidgetsAddons.so.5
#61 0x00007fb8b6f7d148 in ModuleView::addModule(KCModuleInfo*) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libsystemsettingsview.so.3
#62 0x00007fb8b6f7d456 in ModuleView::loadModule(QModelIndex) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libsystemsettingsview.so.3
#63 0x00007fb89399e253 in ?? 

() from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/plugins/icon_mode.so
#64 0x00007fb8b4169c24 in QMetaObject::activate(QObject*, int, int, void**) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Core.so.5
#65 0x00007fb8b58cfd65 in QAbstractItemView::activated(QModelIndex const&) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Widgets.so.5
#66 0x00007fb8b58d313a in QAbstractItemView::mouseReleaseEvent(QMouseEvent*) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Widgets.so.5
#67 0x00007fb8b58f9ebe in QListView::mouseReleaseEvent(QMouseEvent*) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Widgets.so.5
#68 0x00007fb8b3220f83 in KCategorizedView::mouseReleaseEvent(QMouseEvent*) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libKF5ItemViews.so.5
#69 0x00007fb8b56b2e58 in QWidget::event(QEvent*) () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Widgets.so.5
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#77 0x00007fb8b56cd4b0 in ??

() from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Widgets.so.5
#78 0x00007fb8b56cfdf3 in ?? () from /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libQt5Widgets.so.5
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#94 0x000000000040c209 in _start ()
[/FONT][/SIZE]

[urdrwho5]

I went to system settings and the splash screen theme. I had two choices, breeze and none. I changed to none.

Now I can boot normally except I don't have the desktop. I have the backround but no task bar, no files on the desktop, nothing. I can somewhat navigate using alt F2. I was able to get Firefox to load using Alt F2 and writing in Firefox. Firefox was not working 100% and I know that because I tried to post and it wouldn't allow the cursor to choose post quick reply. It was as though it were a dead button.

So there is something about the splash screen that stopped it at some point and now there is something stopping the desktop from loading.

I am going to try the nomodetest in grub again.

[urdrwho5]

Nomodetest allowed it to boot and the desktop is there but the resolution is 640X480. Well I sure don't need my glasses to see the computer.

Then the next boot there was no desktop. Startx command froze the entire session.

[GreyGeek]

Don't know what to tell you. I am running KDE Neon User Edition on my Acer Aspire V3-771 that has an Intel Integrated HD Graphics chip as the primary GPU and an Nvidia GT650M GPU with 2GB RAM as the secondary. With the nvidia-370 driver my Nvidia secondary behaves like the primary and my desktop and all apps run on the Nvidia GPU. The NVidia configuration apps are used to adjust the display.

Knowing that updates sometimes change working drivers to newer non-working drivers I LOCKED my nvidia-370 and its two supporting packages, libcud1-370 and libopencl-icd-370 so that they cannot be changed.

[urdrwho5]

Don't know what to tell you. I am running KDE Neon User Edition on my Acer Aspire V3-771 that has an Intel Integrated HD Graphics chip as the primary GPU and an Nvidia GT650M GPU with 2GB RAM as the secondary. With the nvidia-370 driver my Nvidia secondary behaves like the primary and my desktop and all apps run on the Nvidia GPU. The NVidia configuration apps are used to adjust the display.

Knowing that updates sometimes change working drivers to newer non-working drivers I LOCKED my nvidia-370 and its two supporting packages, libcud1-370 and libopencl-icd-370 so that they cannot be changed.

II know "updates sometimes change working drivers to newer non-working drivers" and you and I had this discussion once before with an older HP I own. Once I got that laptop back in working order I locked it down. I planned on doing the same to the kitchen comp. but didn't get around to it.

I've spent a lot of time trying to get this worked out but now I think it is time to copy home and do a fresh install.

[urdrwho5]

If anyone is still listening I found that if I set up a different display manager I can boot but it doesn't boot into my normal desktop.

I can boot into a gdm3 display manager and a lightDM manager. One time and one time only it booted into the sddm manager.

[jlittle]

I also migrated the home from a 15.04 install ...

This is known to be a bad move. Recently, (I'm sorry I can't remember where I saw this) I read a recommendation to reinstall from the 16.04.2 ISO, rather than upgrade directly from 14.04 or indirectly through (British English "through") 14.10, 15.04 and 15.10.

I ran until last year an old box with old onboard nVidia graphics, a nForce 630a (supposedly equivalent to a GeForce 7 series) and I had a variety of the problems you report. The 304 driver was recommended. Two things that could possibly be relevant to you:

• When you get the black screen, does ctrl-alt-f1 get you the linux console, with a text login prompt? If it does you can login and investigate, f.ex. run top, or see if plasmashell is running.
• On that box the whole install seemed to be fatally wounded if I installed without applying "nomodeset" before the GUI installer ran. Setting "nomodeset" after the install didn't work.

After battling failures for over a year, it was plain that with that hardware I should have stayed on 14.04, which is supported till 2019. I nearly reached the point of trashing the install and going back to 14.04 several times... then the old box started dying (failing to cold boot), then died altogether. If I were you I would seriously consider going back to 14.04.

[urdrwho5]

Yes I agree with going back to an older install. I have an old Acer laptop that runs perfect on 15.04 and has been for a loooooong time. I've locked down any image updates so updating isn't going to harm it. Excuse my language because I am not sure of the lingo but here we go... I think when they made the kernel do more of the video work, it created a lot of problems for older computers or is it that the video drivers load after the kernel. Well there was some change and I think it is better for newer hardware but worse for older hardware. I think?

Yes when I had the black screen I could sign in using ctrl-alt-f1. One time startx actually started the desktop and in the correct resolution.

My son got it to boot but the resolution is only the same as booting into recovery mode. It is not correct because I have it check marked to boot without a password and it asks for a password. Plus even though I have it setup to log into plasma the log on screen is a gnome screen.

My wife said, "I didn't even know there was a screen resolution issue." So if it boot and she is happy -- I should let it alone. But I have a hard time letting things go that aren't working as they should.