[SOLVED] Running in software rendering mode after changing graphics drivers

[iliashiv]

I changed from nouveau drivers to the recommended NVIDIA 384.90. After restarting I saw the message about the software rendering mode.
Now I reenabled nouveau drivers and it's still starting the same way. I also tried the other two other available drivers and it still didn't fix it.

Right now I'm back at the recommended NVIDIA 384.90 driver.

inxi -b

gives out the following about my graphics driver:

drivers: fbdev (unloaded: vesa) FAILED: nouveau


even while I'm using the NVIDIA driver.
Also my graphics card (NVIDIA NVS 5200M) is definitely active.

Im running Linux Mint 18.2.

Thanks in advance.

[WharfRat]

Hello iliashiv

Welcome to Linux Mint and the Linux Mint forum

At this point it's probably best to get back to the nouveau driver as you're not running nvidia or nouveau

Can you paste back the results of these terminal commands

apt search nvidia|grep ^i

grep nouveau /etc/modprobe.d/*

find /etc/X11/ -iname '*.conf'

find ~ -iname '*nvid*'

It's best to copy and paste them to avoid making a mistake

[iliashiv]

Hello WharfRat,
thanks for answering

Code: Select all

apt search nvidia|grep ^i

gives me:

Code: Select all

i   nvidia-384                      - NVIDIA binary driver - version 384.90     
i   nvidia-opencl-icd-384           - NVIDIA OpenCL ICD                         
i   nvidia-prime                    - Tools to enable NVIDIA's Prime            
i   nvidia-settings                 - Tool for configuring the NVIDIA graphics d

Code: Select all

grep nouveau /etc/modprobe.d/* 

gives me:

Code: Select all

/etc/modprobe.d/bumblebee.conf:# do not automatically load nouveau as it may prevent nvidia from loading
/etc/modprobe.d/bumblebee.conf:blacklist nouveau

Code: Select all

find /etc/X11/ -iname '*.con

has no output

Code: Select all

find ~ -iname '*nvid*' 

gives me:

Code: Select all

/home/iliashiv/.nvidia-settings-rc
/home/iliashiv/.config/mintmenu/-usr-share-doc-NVIDIA_GLX-1.0-nvidia-settings.png

and some other Steam related stuff, i decided not to paste here as it's way too much

[WharfRat]

OK, everything looks good except for find /etc/X11/ -iname '*.con which should have beenfind /etc/X11/ -iname '*.conf'

But that's OK because I'd bet the ranch that you do have an xorg.conf file so we'll just delete it as nouveau doesn't require that file.

Enter the following in the terminal:

sudo apt-get purge $(apt search nvidia|grep ^i|awk '{print $2}')

sudo rm /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Removing the nvidia driver should have removed /etc/modprobe.d/bumblebee.conf, but just in case

sudo rm /etc/modprobe.d/bumblebee.conf

If you get a not found error just ignore it.

At this point you can cross your fingers and reboot

[WharfRat]

I have an error here

Dont rm -r /home/iliashiv/

I removed that line from the post !!!

[iliashiv]

Thanks! That worked for me.

Is there any difference between the nouveau driver and the nvidia driver for gaming?
And do you know how it would be possible I improve my gaming experience?
I switched from windows to linux for university. Games that used to run smoothly on windows are unplayable now. Or could it be that the linux port is just really bad?

I hope it's ok that I ask so many questions

[WharfRat]

Well, I'm not really a gamer - no steam or games installed, so I can't speak to them.

The nvidia driver, being proprietary, does deliver superior acceleration and rendering.

Games that used to run smoothly on windows are unplayable now. Or could it be that the linux port is just really bad?

I would assume that it's a combination of the open source graphics driver and the processor's horsepower.

Just for curiosities sake can you paste back inxi -Fzxx

[iliashiv]

Code: Select all

System:    Host: iliashiv-Latitude-E6430 Kernel: 4.10.0-38-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.4.6 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3) dm: lightdm
           Distro: Linux Mint 18.2 Sonya
Machine:   System: Dell (portable) product: Latitude E6430 v: 01
           Mobo: Dell model: 0H3MT5 v: A00 Bios: Dell v: A07 date: 10/08/2012
           Chassis: type: 9
CPU:       Quad core Intel Core i7-3720QM (-HT-MCP-) cache: 6144 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 20732
           clock speeds: min/max: 1200/3600 MHz 1: 1301 MHz 2: 1308 MHz
           3: 1252 MHz 4: 1328 MHz 5: 1300 MHz 6: 1264 MHz 7: 1305 MHz
           8: 1307 MHz
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA GF108GLM [NVS 5200M]
           bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:0dfc
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: nouveau (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1600x900@59.99hz
           GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on NVC1
           GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 17.0.7 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card-1 Intel 7 Series/C210 Series Family High Definition Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0 chip-ID: 8086:1e20
           Card-2 NVIDIA GF108 High Definition Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 01:00.1 chip-ID: 10de:0bea
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.10.0-38-generic
Network:   Card-1: Intel 82579LM Gigabit Network Connection
           driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k port: f040
           bus-ID: 00:19.0 chip-ID: 8086:1502
           IF: eno1 state: down mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300
           driver: iwlwifi bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 8086:422b
           IF: wlp3s0 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 256.1GB (22.3% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: SAMSUNG_SSD_PM83 size: 256.1GB serial: S0TZNSAC619064
Partition: ID-1: / size: 227G used: 46G (22%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda2
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 8.53GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda3
RAID:      System: supported: N/A
           No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
           Unused Devices: none
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 64.0C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 253 Uptime: 53 min Memory: 1443.4/7920.2MB
           Init: systemd v: 229 runlevel: 5 default: 2 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481 running in gnome-terminal-) inxi: 2.2.35

[WharfRat]

Well your graphics driver is back to nouveau which is good and a Core i7 processor should provide adequate horsepower so it's down to the driver and the port.

I don't know why the nvidia driver didn't cooperate with you

[iliashiv]

I guess i'll try switching to nvidia again and if that doesnt work i'll thankfully still have your method to fix software rendering mode

Thank you very much for the help.