How can I stop GDM on Ubuntu 18.04 Desktop in order to install NVIDIA Driver?

drivers nvidia lightdm gdm 18.04

29,776

Solution 1

Ubuntu has been using systemd for a while now. This worked for me.

sudo systemctl stop gdm3

Solution 2

Dropping to run-level 3 and then installing the driver worked for me. You can change run-level using: sudo telinit 3.

29,776

user3667089

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

user3667089 over 1 year
In the case of Ubuntu 16.04. I can download the NVIDIA driver run file and then ctrl+alt+F1 and then do the below
```
sudo service lightdm stop
sudo ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-390.48.run
```
I follow on screen instructions to install and reboot and everything works.

Now I am trying to do the same thing on Ubuntu 18.04. I read that Ubuntu 18.04 switched to gdm so I tried
```
sudo service gdm stop
sudo gdm stop
```
None of them worked, after some searching I realized it could be gdm3 instead but I tried
```
sudo service gdm3 stop
sudo gdm3 stop
```
Still none of them worked, and of course sudo service lightdm stop doesn't work. When I tried to install the driver it kept telling me the x-server is still on so can't start the installation process.

What is the right way to stop gdm in Ubuntu 18.04?
user3667089 about 6 years

I had bad experiences using apt to install nvidia drivers and would rather avoid it if possible.
tuddyftw about 6 years

Then try to kill xorg using killall xorg switch to TTY2 with CTRL + ALT + F2 and after that try to kill gdm.Hope it works
user3667089 about 6 years

This doesn't work for me either. I ended up booting into recovery mode and drop to root shell to install NVIDIA driver. Not the best way but I hope someone can come up with a better solution.
Zanna over 5 years

Did this work for you on Ubuntu 18.04? The concept of run level is a little redundant with systemd as init. Instead one would theoretically run something like systemctl isolate multi-user.target.
hypercube over 5 years

Yes, this worked for me on Ubuntu 18.04. I haven't tried the systemctl command that you mentioned.
Yvon over 5 years

This worked for me on Ubuntu 18.10. The systemctl command did not work. But I re-launched gdm3 with systemctl.
alecive over 5 years

It didn't work for me. I am using 18.10. Any hint on why?