Help, my NVIDIA drivers are completely broken

10.04 drivers nvidia video graphics

8,119

You needed to deactivate the drivers under additional drivers prior to instal the new ones. Go to the additional drivers application, deactivate the nvidia current drivers, reboot and install the drivers from the nvidia site as you did before.

8,119

Author by

Patrick8639

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Patrick8639 over 1 year

I'm on Ubuntu 10.04 LTS and everything was fine up till about two hours ago, since when I've spent all my time trying to make things work again. I was trying to install the latest drivers from the NVIDIA website, v285.05.09 (since I'm currently using the latest drivers available in Ubuntu, nvidia-current v195.36.24, yet WebGL doesn't work in either Chrome or Firefox, and they always suggest that I try the latest driver versions).

But after installing this and rebooting, X starts with an error, prompting me to run in reduced graphics mode and/or restore my graphics settings. When I checked /var/log/kern.log I saw:

NVRM: API mismatch: the client has the version 285.05.09, but
NVRM: this kernel module has the version 195.36.24.  Please
NVRM: make sure that this kernel module and all NVIDIA driver
NVRM: components have the same version.

My questions has two parts:

How do I actually make these latest NVIDIA drivers work?
If I try this out and it doesn't work...how do I roll back what I had before? Here's what I tried, all to no avail:
- picking the restore graphics settings option in the initial error prompt from X
- under Administration > Hardware Drivers, I see that the "NVIDIA (current)" option is already chosen/active, so I can't do anything here
- ran sudo dpkg-reconfigure nvidia-current

Update 1: Some additional info:

$ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 10.04.3 LTS
Release: 10.04
Codename: lucid

$ uname -a
Linux zs 2.6.32-35-generic #78-Ubuntu SMP Tue Oct 11 16:11:24 UTC 2011 x86_64 GNU/Linux

$ dpkg -l | grep nvidia
ii nvidia-173 173.14.22-0ubuntu11 NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernel module and VDPAU li
ii nvidia-173-modaliases 173.14.22-0ubuntu11 Modaliases for the NVIDIA binary X.Org driver
ii nvidia-96-modaliases 96.43.17-0ubuntu1.1 Modaliases for the NVIDIA binary X.Org driver
ii nvidia-common 0.2.23 Find obsolete NVIDIA drivers
ii nvidia-current 195.36.24-0ubuntu1~10.04.1 NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernel module and VDPAU li
ii nvidia-current-modaliases 195.36.24-0ubuntu1~10.04.1 Modaliases for the NVIDIA binary X.Org driver
ii nvidia-settings 195.36.08-0ubuntu2 Tool of configuring the NVIDIA graphics driver

Update 2: Gyaaah! I tried uninstalling my current drivers, rebooting, and installing the new drivers, but the drivers still aren't working. I still have to run X in reduced graphics mode, though now my resolution is no longer ridiculously low. Checking /var/log/kern.log for any lines mentioning "nouveau" or "NV":

...
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.935504] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 16 (level, low) -> IRQ 16
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.935512] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: setting latency timer to 64
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.939265] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Detected an NV50 generation card (0x450300a3)
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.939787] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Attempting to load BIOS image from PRAMIN
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.985378] input: HDA Digital PCBeep as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/input/input7
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.998478] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: ... appears to be valid
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.998483] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: BIT BIOS found
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.998486] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Bios version 60.80.13.00
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.998490] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: TMDS table revision 2.0 not currently supported
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.998493] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: BIT table 'd' not found
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.998495] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Found Display Configuration Block version 4.0
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.998499] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: DCB connector table: VHER 0x40 5 6 2
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.998502] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0:   0: 0x00001030: type 0x30 idx 0 tag 0x07
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.998506] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0:   1: 0x00002130: type 0x30 idx 1 tag 0x08
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.998509] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0:   2: 0x00000210: type 0x10 idx 2 tag 0xff
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.998511] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0:   3: 0x00000211: type 0x11 idx 2 tag 0xff
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.998514] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0:   4: 0x00000213: type 0x13 idx 2 tag 0xff
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.998517] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Raw DCB entry 0: 04000320 00000028
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.998520] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Raw DCB entry 1: 01000322 00000030
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.998523] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Raw DCB entry 2: 02011310 00000028
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.998525] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Raw DCB entry 3: 02011312 00000030
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.998528] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Raw DCB entry 4: 010223f1 00c1c020
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   29.998537] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Parsing VBIOS init table 0 at offset 0xBC7E
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.050942] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Parsing VBIOS init table 1 at offset 0xBE86
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.120749] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Parsing VBIOS init table 2 at offset 0xD041
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.120764] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Parsing VBIOS init table 3 at offset 0xD130
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.140789] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Parsing VBIOS init table 4 at offset 0xD2E7
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.140795] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Parsing VBIOS init table at offset 0xD34C
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.170875] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: 0xD34C: Condition still not met after 20ms, skipping following opcodes
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.170906] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: 0xAF80: parsing output script 0
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.170912] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: 0xAF80: parsing output script 0
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.170916] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: 0xA64E: parsing output script 0
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.254497] type=1505 audit(1320954803.872:10):  operation="profile_replace" pid=852 name="/sbin/dhclient3"
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.255310] type=1505 audit(1320954803.872:11):  operation="profile_replace" pid=852 name="/usr/lib/NetworkManager/nm-dhcp-client.action"
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.305204] [TTM] Zone  kernel: Available graphics memory: 1027826 kiB.
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.305217] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: 640 MiB VRAM
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.327746] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: 512 MiB GART (aperture)
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.329065] mtrr: type mismatch for c0000000,10000000 old: write-back new: write-combining
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.329664] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Allocating FIFO number 1
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.334438] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: nouveau_channel_alloc: initialised FIFO 1
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.334987] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Detected a DAC output
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.334990] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Detected a TMDS output
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.334993] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Detected a DAC output
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.334995] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Detected a TMDS output
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.334998] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: DCB encoder 1 unknown
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.335002] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Detected a DVI-I connector
Nov 10 11:53:23 zs kernel: [   30.335629] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Detected a DVI-I connector
Nov 10 11:53:24 zs kernel: [   30.528555] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: allocated 1680x1050 fb: 0x40250000, bo ffff880058a91000
Nov 10 11:53:24 zs kernel: [   30.528735] fb0: nouveaufb frame buffer device
Nov 10 11:53:24 zs kernel: [   30.528738] registered panic notifier
Nov 10 11:53:24 zs kernel: [   30.528746] [drm] Initialized nouveau 0.0.15 20090420 for 0000:01:00.0 on minor 0
Nov 10 11:53:24 zs kernel: [   30.540435] e1000e 0000:00:19.0: irq 27 for MSI/MSI-X
Nov 10 11:53:24 zs kernel: [   30.570248] input: HDA Intel Line In at Ext Rear Jack as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card0/input8
Nov 10 11:53:24 zs kernel: [   30.570358] input: HDA Intel Mic at Ext Front Jack as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card0/input9
...
Nov 10 11:53:25 zs kernel: [   31.668292] nvidia: module license 'NVIDIA' taints kernel.
Nov 10 11:53:25 zs kernel: [   31.668296] Disabling lock debugging due to kernel taint
Nov 10 11:53:25 zs kernel: [   32.317525] NVRM: The NVIDIA probe routine was not called for 1 device(s).
Nov 10 11:53:25 zs kernel: [   32.317529] NVRM: This can occur when a driver such as nouveau, rivafb,
Nov 10 11:53:25 zs kernel: [   32.317531] NVRM: nvidiafb, or rivatv was loaded and obtained ownership of
Nov 10 11:53:25 zs kernel: [   32.317532] NVRM: the NVIDIA device(s).
Nov 10 11:53:25 zs kernel: [   32.317535] NVRM: Try unloading the conflicting kernel module (and/or
Nov 10 11:53:25 zs kernel: [   32.317536] NVRM: reconfigure your kernel without the conflicting
Nov 10 11:53:25 zs kernel: [   32.317537] NVRM: driver(s)), then try loading the NVIDIA kernel module
Nov 10 11:53:25 zs kernel: [   32.317538] NVRM: again.
Nov 10 11:53:25 zs kernel: [   32.317540] NVRM: No NVIDIA graphics adapter probed!
Nov 10 11:53:25 zs kernel: [   32.358823] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: 0x0F8F: parsing clock script 0
Nov 10 11:53:25 zs kernel: [   32.359228] Console: switching to colour frame buffer device 210x65
Nov 10 11:53:26 zs kernel: [   33.071512] e1000e: eth0 NIC Link is Up 1000 Mbps Full Duplex, Flow Control: RX/TX
Nov 10 11:53:26 zs kernel: [   33.071822] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): eth0: link becomes ready
Nov 10 11:53:29 zs kernel: [   35.479454] NVRM: The NVIDIA probe routine was not called for 1 device(s).
Nov 10 11:53:29 zs kernel: [   35.479458] NVRM: This can occur when a driver such as nouveau, rivafb,
Nov 10 11:53:29 zs kernel: [   35.479460] NVRM: nvidiafb, or rivatv was loaded and obtained ownership of
Nov 10 11:53:29 zs kernel: [   35.479461] NVRM: the NVIDIA device(s).
Nov 10 11:53:29 zs kernel: [   35.479464] NVRM: Try unloading the conflicting kernel module (and/or
Nov 10 11:53:29 zs kernel: [   35.479465] NVRM: reconfigure your kernel without the conflicting
Nov 10 11:53:29 zs kernel: [   35.479466] NVRM: driver(s)), then try loading the NVIDIA kernel module
Nov 10 11:53:29 zs kernel: [   35.479467] NVRM: again.
Nov 10 11:53:29 zs kernel: [   35.479469] NVRM: No NVIDIA graphics adapter probed!
Nov 10 11:53:30 zs kernel: [   36.436692] NVRM: The NVIDIA probe routine was not called for 1 device(s).
Nov 10 11:53:30 zs kernel: [   36.436697] NVRM: This can occur when a driver such as nouveau, rivafb,
Nov 10 11:53:30 zs kernel: [   36.436698] NVRM: nvidiafb, or rivatv was loaded and obtained ownership of
Nov 10 11:53:30 zs kernel: [   36.436700] NVRM: the NVIDIA device(s).
Nov 10 11:53:30 zs kernel: [   36.436702] NVRM: Try unloading the conflicting kernel module (and/or
Nov 10 11:53:30 zs kernel: [   36.436703] NVRM: reconfigure your kernel without the conflicting
Nov 10 11:53:30 zs kernel: [   36.436704] NVRM: driver(s)), then try loading the NVIDIA kernel module
Nov 10 11:53:30 zs kernel: [   36.436706] NVRM: again.
Nov 10 11:53:30 zs kernel: [   36.436708] NVRM: No NVIDIA graphics adapter probed!
Nov 10 11:53:30 zs kernel: [   37.336097] NVRM: The NVIDIA probe routine was not called for 1 device(s).
Nov 10 11:53:30 zs kernel: [   37.336102] NVRM: This can occur when a driver such as nouveau, rivafb,
Nov 10 11:53:30 zs kernel: [   37.336103] NVRM: nvidiafb, or rivatv was loaded and obtained ownership of
Nov 10 11:53:30 zs kernel: [   37.336104] NVRM: the NVIDIA device(s).
Nov 10 11:53:30 zs kernel: [   37.336107] NVRM: Try unloading the conflicting kernel module (and/or
Nov 10 11:53:30 zs kernel: [   37.336108] NVRM: reconfigure your kernel without the conflicting
Nov 10 11:53:30 zs kernel: [   37.336109] NVRM: driver(s)), then try loading the NVIDIA kernel module
Nov 10 11:53:30 zs kernel: [   37.336110] NVRM: again.
Nov 10 11:53:30 zs kernel: [   37.336113] NVRM: No NVIDIA graphics adapter probed!
Nov 10 11:53:31 zs kernel: [   38.180042] device eth0 entered promiscuous mode
Nov 10 11:53:31 zs kernel: [   38.185035] NVRM: The NVIDIA probe routine was not called for 1 device(s).
Nov 10 11:53:31 zs kernel: [   38.185039] NVRM: This can occur when a driver such as nouveau, rivafb,
Nov 10 11:53:31 zs kernel: [   38.185040] NVRM: nvidiafb, or rivatv was loaded and obtained ownership of
Nov 10 11:53:31 zs kernel: [   38.185041] NVRM: the NVIDIA device(s).
Nov 10 11:53:31 zs kernel: [   38.185044] NVRM: Try unloading the conflicting kernel module (and/or
Nov 10 11:53:31 zs kernel: [   38.185045] NVRM: reconfigure your kernel without the conflicting
Nov 10 11:53:31 zs kernel: [   38.185046] NVRM: driver(s)), then try loading the NVIDIA kernel module
Nov 10 11:53:31 zs kernel: [   38.185047] NVRM: again.

Nov 10 11:53:31 zs kernel: [   38.185049] NVRM: No NVIDIA graphics adapter probed!
Nov 10 11:53:32 zs kernel: [   39.085538] NVRM: The NVIDIA probe routine was not called for 1 device(s).
Nov 10 11:53:32 zs kernel: [   39.085542] NVRM: This can occur when a driver such as nouveau, rivafb,
Nov 10 11:53:32 zs kernel: [   39.085544] NVRM: nvidiafb, or rivatv was loaded and obtained ownership of
Nov 10 11:53:32 zs kernel: [   39.085545] NVRM: the NVIDIA device(s).
Nov 10 11:53:32 zs kernel: [   39.085547] NVRM: Try unloading the conflicting kernel module (and/or
Nov 10 11:53:32 zs kernel: [   39.085549] NVRM: reconfigure your kernel without the conflicting
Nov 10 11:53:32 zs kernel: [   39.085550] NVRM: driver(s)), then try loading the NVIDIA kernel module
Nov 10 11:53:32 zs kernel: [   39.085551] NVRM: again.
Nov 10 11:53:32 zs kernel: [   39.085553] NVRM: No NVIDIA graphics adapter probed!
Nov 10 11:53:33 zs kernel: [   39.892052] NVRM: The NVIDIA probe routine was not called for 1 device(s).
Nov 10 11:53:33 zs kernel: [   39.892056] NVRM: This can occur when a driver such as nouveau, rivafb,
Nov 10 11:53:33 zs kernel: [   39.892058] NVRM: nvidiafb, or rivatv was loaded and obtained ownership of
Nov 10 11:53:33 zs kernel: [   39.892059] NVRM: the NVIDIA device(s).
Nov 10 11:53:33 zs kernel: [   39.892062] NVRM: Try unloading the conflicting kernel module (and/or
Nov 10 11:53:33 zs kernel: [   39.892063] NVRM: reconfigure your kernel without the conflicting
Nov 10 11:53:33 zs kernel: [   39.892064] NVRM: driver(s)), then try loading the NVIDIA kernel module
Nov 10 11:53:33 zs kernel: [   39.892065] NVRM: again.
Nov 10 11:53:33 zs kernel: [   39.892067] NVRM: No NVIDIA graphics adapter probed!
Nov 10 11:53:34 zs kernel: [   40.695893] NVRM: The NVIDIA probe routine was not called for 1 device(s).
Nov 10 11:53:34 zs kernel: [   40.695896] NVRM: This can occur when a driver such as nouveau, rivafb,
Nov 10 11:53:34 zs kernel: [   40.695898] NVRM: nvidiafb, or rivatv was loaded and obtained ownership of
Nov 10 11:53:34 zs kernel: [   40.695899] NVRM: the NVIDIA device(s).
Nov 10 11:53:34 zs kernel: [   40.695902] NVRM: Try unloading the conflicting kernel module (and/or
Nov 10 11:53:34 zs kernel: [   40.695903] NVRM: reconfigure your kernel without the conflicting
Nov 10 11:53:34 zs kernel: [   40.695904] NVRM: driver(s)), then try loading the NVIDIA kernel module
Nov 10 11:53:34 zs kernel: [   40.695905] NVRM: again.
Nov 10 11:53:34 zs kernel: [   40.695907] NVRM: No NVIDIA graphics adapter probed!
...

I tried uninstalling xserver-xorg-video-nouveau (and hence xserver-xorg-video-all), but that didn't do anything.

Here's all I have left installed:

$ dpkg -l | grep nvidia
ii  nvidia-173-modaliases                                                        173.14.22-0ubuntu11                             Modaliases for the NVIDIA binary X.Org driver
ii  nvidia-96-modaliases                                                         96.43.17-0ubuntu1.1                             Modaliases for the NVIDIA binary X.Org driver
ii  nvidia-common                                                                0.2.23                                          Find obsolete NVIDIA drivers
ii  nvidia-current-modaliases                                                    195.36.24-0ubuntu1~10.04.1                      Modaliases for the NVIDIA binary X.Org driver

$ aptitude search nouveau
i   libdrm-nouveau1                 - Userspace interface to nouveau-specific ke
p   libdrm-nouveau1-dbg             - Userspace interface to nouveau-specific ke
p   nouveau-firmware                - Firmware for nVidia graphics cards        
p   xserver-xorg-video-nouveau      - X.Org X server -- Nouveau display driver (

Last bit of info on drivers:

$ lspci -v
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation G80 [GeForce 8800 GTS] (rev a2)
        Subsystem: nVidia Corporation Device 0421
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 16
        Memory at de000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
        Memory at c0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
        Memory at dc000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=32M]
        I/O ports at dc80 [size=128]
        Expansion ROM at dfe00000 [disabled] [size=128K]
        Capabilities: <access denied>
        Kernel driver in use: nouveau
        Kernel modules: nvidia, nvidiafb, nouveau

$ lsmod | egrep 'nouveau|nvidia'
nouveau               515227  3 
ttm                    61039  1 nouveau
drm_kms_helper         30742  1 nouveau
drm                   200288  3 nouveau,ttm,drm_kms_helper
i2c_algo_bit            6024  1 nouveau

Update 3: Guess I should also note by now that this is on a desktop.

Patrick8639 over 12 years

I followed your instructions (deactivated the current drivers, rebooted, and installed the new drivers), but the drivers are still not working. I've updated my question with more information.
Bruno Pereira over 12 years

sudo apt-get remove nvidia* to remove all packages from nvidia, try to install the 285 after this.
Patrick8639 over 12 years

After doing that plus more fidgeting (at some point the NVIDIA installer started prompting me to install a modprobe.d file that would disable nouveau - I think this was key), everything just started working with 285. Thanks for your help.
Bruno Pereira over 12 years

Welcome! gl and if they break again drop a comment on the same question ;)