[Solved] Can't get latest Nvidia drivers ?!?

[sebcap26]

Hello,

I'm trying to install the latest Nvidia drivers on my fresh installed Linux Mint 14 MATE (downloaded two days ago).

My hardware is a GTX 560 Ti and currently I have version 304.43 from the "official" repositories. I want to get version 310.xx or 313.xx.

I tried all I found on Google, but nothing works.

I added xorg-edgers repository and did an "apt-get update", but in synaptic, the only version of "nvidia-current" is "304.51.really.304.43-0ubuntu1" and there is nothing to do to get another version ...

I also tried to install it from Nvidia website (using the binaries), but I got an error on boot (currently I uninstalled it and my OS works back) :
"Nvidia API Mismatch. Kernel module has version 304.43 but this nvidia driver component has version 310.32"

I'd prefer to install drivers from the repositories, but why can't I get the latest version ?

Thanks for your help.

[karlchen]

Hello, sebcap26.

I cannot tell which Nvidia driver version is the most recent version that supports GTX 560 Ti.
My machines have got NVidia GeForce 8500 GT and NVIDIA ION VGA e.g.

Here is how I proceeded on Mint 14:

• Added the Ubuntu Nvidia Swat PPA - do not know anything about the repository that you mentioned.
  

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  sudo apt-add-repository ppa:ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates

  
  Next

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  sudo apt-get update

• Finally, as it is my habit to install software using Synaptic whenever possible, launched Synaptic and selected nvidia-current and nvidia-settings and installed them. - I wanted to have the latest stable version, not necessarily the most recent available version.

In order to get more experimental versions, you do net select nvidia-current but nividia-current-updates or even nvidia-experimental-123, where 123 will actually be some version number like 304 or 310 or whichever is the latest and greatest version.

I'd prefer to install drivers from the repositories, but why can't I get the latest version ?

Well, it will take some time to make sure that brand new drivers released by NVidia work correctly on Ubuntu. Therefore the NVidia developers will often be ahead of the repositories.

HTH,
Karl

[sebcap26]

Thank you, I can get version 304.64 with this repository (it's better but there is also an experimental 310.32). I'll try, but I have another problem now : when I install nvidia-current, after a reboot, drivers doesn't seems to start and I have a small resolution. Without it, it works with 1920x1080 but without drivers ...

[karlchen]

Hello, sebcap26.

What does inxi tell about your current graphics setup? Can you please post the output of

Code: Select all

inxi -Gx

Karl
--
P.S.:
Just as an example of what "inxi -Gx" will display, here is my setup:

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$ inxi -Gx
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA ION VGA bus-ID: 03:00.0
           X.Org: 1.13.0 drivers: (unloaded: fbdev,vesa,nouveau) FAILED: nvidia Resolution: 1280x1024@60.0hz
           GLX Renderer: ION/integrated/SSE2 GLX Version: 3.3.0 NVIDIA 304.64 Direct Rendering: Yes

Nvidia driver in use: v304.64 - Ignore the term "FAILED", incorrect interpretation of the latest inxi version, it is in use.
Resolution: 1280x1024 - it is only a 19" monitor

[sebcap26]

Hello,

Here is the result :

Graphics: Card: NVIDIA GF114 [GeForce GTX 560 Ti] bus-ID: 04:00.0
X.Org: 1.13.0 drivers: (unloaded: fbdev) FAILED: nvidia,vesa,nouveau Resolution: 1024x768@61.0hz
GLX Renderer: N/A GLX Version: N/A Direct Rendering: N/A

Currently, I installed nvidia-current. Driver doesn't seems to be enabled, and I can't use a higher resolution than 1024x768.

If I uninstall nvidia-current, I have 1920x1080, but no drivers.

If I install nvidia-current and run a nvidia-xconfig, it creates a new xorg.conf, but drivers doesn't works and resolution is limited to 640x480 ... Removing xorg.conf gets me back to 1024x768.

[AlbertP]

@ sebcab26, I guess you need to reinstall the nvidia-current package using Synaptic. If that does not work, please remove it (and nvidia-settings-current) and install nvidia-experimental-310. Maybe the 310 driver works for you.

[sebcap26]

Same thing with experminental-310. I can't get a better resolution than 1024x768.
I still have the same error in nvidia settings :

You do not appear to be using the NVIDIA X driver. Please edit your X configuration file (just run `nvidia-xconfig` as root), and restart the X server.

[AlbertP]

You need to run sudo nvidia-xconfig then. Maybe it'll now work with higher resolutions. Also please post inxi -Gx after running nvidia-xconfig.

[sebcap26]

It's not fixed, and I have 800x600 now.

sebastien@PC-SEB ~ $ inxi -Gx
Graphics: Card: NVIDIA GF114 [GeForce GTX 560 Ti] bus-ID: 04:00.0
X.Org: 1.13.0 drivers: vesa,nouveau (unloaded: fbdev) FAILED: nvidia Resolution: 800x600@0.0hz
GLX Renderer: N/A GLX Version: N/A Direct Rendering: N/A

Looking at Xorg.0.log :

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sebastien@PC-SEB ~ $ sudo cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log |grep 5.3
[     5.311] (II) Module glx: vendor="NVIDIA Corporation"
[     5.311]    compiled for 4.0.2, module version = 1.0.0
[     5.311]    Module class: X.Org Server Extension
[     5.311] (II) NVIDIA GLX Module  310.14  Tue Oct  9 12:14:30 PDT 2012
[     5.311] Loading extension GLX
[     5.311] (II) LoadModule: "nvidia"
[     5.311] (II) Loading /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/xorg/extra-modules/nvidia_drv.so
[     5.319] (II) Module nvidia: vendor="NVIDIA Corporation"
[     5.319]    compiled for 4.0.2, module version = 1.0.0
[     5.319]    Module class: X.Org Video Driver
[     5.326] (EE) NVIDIA: Failed to load the NVIDIA kernel module. Please check your
[     5.326] (EE) NVIDIA:     system's kernel log for additional error messages.
[     5.326] (II) UnloadModule: "nvidia"
[     5.326] (II) Unloading nvidia
[     5.326] (EE) Failed to load module "nvidia" (module-specific error, 0)
[     5.326] (==) Matched nvidia as autoconfigured driver 0
[     5.326] (==) Matched nouveau as autoconfigured driver 1
[     5.326] (==) Matched nv as autoconfigured driver 2
[     5.326] (==) Matched vesa as autoconfigured driver 3
[     5.326] (==) Matched modesetting as autoconfigured driver 4
[     5.326] (==) Matched fbdev as autoconfigured driver 5
[     5.326] (==) Assigned the driver to the xf86ConfigLayout
[     5.326] (II) LoadModule: "nvidia"
[     5.326] (II) Loading /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/xorg/extra-modules/nvidia_drv.so
[     5.326] (II) Module nvidia: vendor="NVIDIA Corporation"
[     5.326]    compiled for 4.0.2, module version = 1.0.0
[     5.326]    Module class: X.Org Video Driver
[     5.328] (EE) NVIDIA: Failed to load the NVIDIA kernel module. Please check your
[     5.328] (EE) NVIDIA:     system's kernel log for additional error messages.
[     5.328] (II) UnloadModule: "nvidia"
[     5.328] (II) Unloading nvidia
[     5.328] (EE) Failed to load module "nvidia" (module-specific error, 0)
[     5.328] (II) LoadModule: "nouveau"
[     5.329] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/nouveau_drv.so
[     5.332] (II) Module nouveau: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[     5.332]    compiled for 1.13.0, module version = 1.0.2
[     5.332]    Module class: X.Org Video Driver
[     5.332]    ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 13.0
[     5.332] (II) LoadModule: "nv"
[     5.333] (WW) Warning, couldn't open module nv
[     5.333] (II) UnloadModule: "nv"
[     5.333] (II) Unloading nv
[     5.333] (EE) Failed to load module "nv" (module does not exist, 0)
[     5.333] (II) LoadModule: "vesa"
[     5.333] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/vesa_drv.so
[     5.335] (II) Module vesa: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[     5.335]    compiled for 1.12.99.902, module version = 2.3.2
[     5.335]    Module class: X.Org Video Driver
[     5.335]    ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 13.0
[     5.335] (II) LoadModule: "modesetting"
[     5.335] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/modesetting_drv.so
[     5.336] (II) Module modesetting: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[     5.336]    compiled for 1.13.0, module version = 0.5.0
[     5.336]    Module class: X.Org Video Driver
[     5.336]    ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 13.0
[     5.336] (II) LoadModule: "fbdev"
[     5.337] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/fbdev_drv.so
[     5.337] (II) Module fbdev: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[     5.337]    compiled for 1.12.99.902, module version = 0.4.3
[     5.337]    Module class: X.Org Video Driver
[     5.337]    ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 13.0
[     5.337] (II) NOUVEAU driver Date:   Wed Sep 12 13:42:43 2012 +0200
[     5.337] (II) NOUVEAU driver for NVIDIA chipset families :
[     5.337]    RIVA TNT        (NV04)
[     5.337]    RIVA TNT2       (NV05)
[     5.337]    GeForce 256     (NV10)
[     5.337]    GeForce 2       (NV11, NV15)
[     5.337]    GeForce 4MX     (NV17, NV18)
[     5.337]    GeForce 3       (NV20)
[     5.337]    GeForce 4Ti     (NV25, NV28)
[     5.337]    GeForce FX      (NV3x)
[     5.337]    GeForce 6       (NV4x)
[     5.337]    GeForce 7       (G7x)
[     5.337]    GeForce 8       (G8x)
[     5.337]    GeForce GTX 200 (NVA0)
[     5.337]    GeForce GTX 400 (NVC0)
[     5.337] (II) VESA: driver for VESA chipsets: vesa
[     5.337] (II) modesetting: Driver for Modesetting Kernel Drivers: kms
[     5.337] (II) FBDEV: driver for framebuffer: fbdev
[     5.337] (++) using VT number 8
[     7.118] (II) XKB: reuse xkmfile /var/lib/xkb/server-B20D7FC79C7F597315E3E501AEF10E0D866E8E92.xkm


EDIT : Here is the xorg.conf :

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# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig:  version 310.14  (buildmeister@swio-display-x86-rhel47-06.nvidia.com)  Tue Oct  9 13:04:01 PDT 2012

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen      0  "Screen0"
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Unknown"
    HorizSync       28.0 - 33.0
    VertRefresh     43.0 - 72.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection


[AlbertP]

Ok, please run dkms status and post the output then.

[sebcap26]

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sebastien@PC-SEB ~ $ dkms status
nvidia-experimental-310, 310.14: added
virtualbox-guest, 4.1.18, 3.5.0-17-generic, x86_64: installed (WARNING! Diff between built and installed module!) (WARNING! Diff between built and installed module!) (WARNING! Diff between built and installed module!)
virtualbox-guest, 4.1.18, 3.5.0-23-generic, x86_64: installed

There is another thing which can be useful :

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[     7.374] (EE) Failed to initialize GLX extension ([u][b]Compatible NVIDIA X driver not found[/b][/u])
[     7.390] (II) config/udev: Adding input device HDA NVidia HDMI/DP,pcm=9 (/dev/input/event13)
[     7.390] (II) config/udev: Adding input device HDA NVidia HDMI/DP,pcm=8 (/dev/input/event14)
[     7.391] (II) config/udev: Adding input device HDA NVidia HDMI/DP,pcm=7 (/dev/input/event15)
[     7.391] (II) config/udev: Adding input device HDA NVidia HDMI/DP,pcm=3 (/dev/input/event16)

I don't understand why it doesn't founds x driver. I installed following packages :
- nvidia-settings-experimental-310
- nvidia-experimental-310

[AlbertP]

It seems it has not installed the nvidia-experimental-310 module into your Linux kernel. This command may fix that:

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sudo dkms install nvidia-experimental-310/310.14

If it fails, please post the output.

Also, you said you added the xorg-edgers PPA in your first post? Please remove that PPA from Software Sources. If you really need a PPA, karlchen posted one. But I think we first need to get it to build a kernel module. PPA can be tried afterwards if necessary.

[sebcap26]

Hello,

It fails with the following error :

sebastien@PC-SEB / $ sudo dkms install nvidia-experimental-310/310.14
Error! echo
Your kernel headers for kernel 3.7.0-7-generic cannot be found at
/lib/modules/3.7.0-7-generic/build or /lib/modules/3.7.0-7-generic/source.

I removed xorg-edgers using ppa-purge because some of the packages has been updated with this repository.

Packages linux-image-generic and linux-headers-generic has version 3.5.0.23.29.

Thank you.

EDIT : I rebooted using an older entry in GRUB. There is a 3.7 and a 3.5 entry. Using the 3.5 entry, your command works ! Now everything seems to work, i just have to edit grub. I probably installed a 3.7 kernel with xorg-edgers, but ppa-purge didn't removed the entry from Grub ...

Now It's OK, thank you very much for your help AlbertP and karlchen.

[AlbertP]

Ok, so you installed your own 3.7.0-7-generic kernel. I think that's what's causing your problems at the moment. You don't appear to have the headers of 3.7.0-7-generic installed. Probably you can get the headers from the same place where you also got your kernel image. After installing the headers, you should be able to run these two commands successfully:

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sudo dkms install nvidia-experimental-310/310.14
sudo nvidia-xconfig

[sebcap26]

Sorry, I was editing my reply when you posted your message ...

EDIT : I rebooted using an older entry in GRUB. There is a 3.7 and a 3.5 entry. Using the 3.5 entry, your command works ! Now everything seems to work, i just have to edit grub. I probably installed a 3.7 kernel with xorg-edgers, but ppa-purge didn't removed the entry from Grub ...

Now It's OK, thank you very much for your help AlbertP and karlchen.

[AlbertP]

Well, you can also run "apt purge linux-image-3.7.0-7-generic" to get rid of this 3.7 kernel, and removing a kernel using apt should automatically remove the entry from Grub too.