If you are having problems with Mint18 Cinnamon and Nvidia drivers read this

[hellguy]

OBS:Issue seems to be gone in linux mint 18.1.

Many people are having problems after updating their dist to Linux MInt 18 or their kernel, which includes:

• Cinnamon won't load/ Crashes/ goes into fallback mode
• Monitor will be listed as unkown device or you can't get output to external monitors
• WHen you open Nvidia Server X the options will be empty
• etc

If you are having any of the following issues please follow this instructions:

I might be a little late, but I've found some fixes and a temporary one if the others don't work.
OBS: Log out of cinnamon session anytime by pressing CTRL+ALT+BACKSPACE
-1 Recompile Nvidia drivers
Updated kernel requires Nvidia drivers to be recompiled and installed with the new kernel headers, to do that follow these instructions:
-Download and install latest Nvidia driver trough driver manager
-Type this in terminal to get your nvidia's package name:

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dpkg --get-selections | grep nvidia

Example output:

nvidia-361 install
nvidia-opencl-icd-361 install
nvidia-prime install
nvidia-settings install

Our packge in my example is nvidia-361, please use the first one that is followed by the word "ïnstall" in your output.
Then type this in terminal, replacing nvidia-361 by the name showed in your output(This will take some time):

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sudo dpkg-reconfigure nvidia-361

Then do the same for mdm package(display manager)

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sudo dpkg-reconfigure mdm

Then try this (this works straight away if your cinnamon isn't in fallback mode anymore but will only load wallpaper and mouse):

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gsettings reset-recursively org.cinnamon

Reboot, if cinnamon still crashes type the following in terminal(if you can't open terminal try pressing ctrl+alt+f2), this will delete and reinstall cinnamon:

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sudo apt-get remove --purge cinnamon*;sudo apt-get autoclean; sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get install mint-meta-cinnamon

Then :

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sudo nvidia-xconfig; sudo dpkg-reconfigure cinnamon; gsettings reset-recursively org.cinnamon

Reboot and you are done!
If that didn't work keep reading..
-2 Recompile driver from apt get
Run this in terminal:

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sudo apt-get purge nvidia*; sudo apt-get install nvidia-current; sudo dpkg-reconfigure nvidia-current

-3 Select the older Nvidia driver available(240 for me), this fixed all issues for me, also avoid using graphic drivers from any repository than the default ones. If this fail proceed to the last option.
-4 If 1,2 and 3 didn't work you can use Mate to make your cinnamon interface work again(until you find a compatible driver).
Install one of the proprietary Nvidia graphic driver available at Driver Manager
Install mate if you havn't yet by running this in terminal:

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apt-get update && apt-get install mint-meta-mate

Login using Mate session(there's a button in login screen to change that), open terminal and type:

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cinnamon --replace

This will replace your current session with cinnamon (and it will be working) but that's not everything.
Go over to settings > Nvidia X Server Settings and under Nvidia Optimus select Intel HD as your primary graphic device and save settings, now you should be able to login and use cinnamon's session normally.

I've managed to successfully test this steps in two different notebooks (Dell Vostro 5470 and an Alienware 15 R2), I did some extensive research and I've compiled the best solution list I could make.
I hope this helps, cheers.

Source: viewtopic.php?f=49&t=226769

[Metal Mick]

Many thanks, hellguy. This worked a treat, although in my case I was almost at the end of your excellent instructions prior to arriving at a solution.

[Pjotr]

Before you apply these very drastic measures, first try whether it's sufficient to boot with nomodeset. Boot into recovery mode and then do this: https://sites.google.com/site/easylinux ... ruboptions

Reason: the newest kernels have moved the video mode setting into the kernel. So all the programming of the hardware specific clock rates and registers on the video card happen in the kernel, rather than in the X driver when the X server starts.

This makes it possible to have high resolution nice looking splash (boot) screens and flicker free transitions from boot splash to login screen.

Unfortunately, on some cards / drivers this doesn't work properly and you end up with a black screen. Adding the nomodeset parameter instructs the kernel to not load video drivers and use BIOS modes instead until X is loaded.

This has no negative side effects: only your boot process will be a bit less beautiful. The end result (your graphical desktop) will be fine, because it's totally unaffected by nomodeset.

[Prsman]

The third command fails with this: dconf_warning xx: failed to commit changes to dconf: cannot auto launch d-bus without X11 $display
reboot and no change. Next
Will try next step reinstalling cinnamon.

[Prsman]

Did the next step reinstalling cinnamon and I get the same error message. This is getting beyond belief. I am going to try the nomodset next.

[trytip]

you got a good set of troubleshooting and fixes. BUT in my case with nvidia-340.98 the etc/x11/xorg.conf filename was changed and date added so i had to delete any xorg.conf and then running sudo nvidia-xconfig to create a new default

i should also mention that none of the other kernels were built against this new update and when i booted my earlier kernel it also had a black screen, so if you have more than one kernel fix it now by first UNinstalling the kernel and then re-installing it

[jmaebe]

I also had problems after the Update Manager installed new NVidia drivers (instead of the Drivers Manager). X was (and is) configured to use the Intel chipset for graphics. The result was a constantly crashing Cinamon desktop. To open a terminal window, I right-clicked on the desktop and chose to open a terminal from the contextual menu.

There were two problems in my case:

• the DKMS settings somehow got purged (I did not update the kernel at the same time as updating the graphics drivers), i.e., the directory /lib/modules/4.4.0-43-generic/ was completely empty). Fix: open a terminal window (see above), run "driver-manager", select the the 340.xx NVidia graphics driver option, wait until everything is built, then re-select the 367.xx one (which will then properly build the modules for the new drivers). This did not solve the crashing. I did not test whether leaving it at the 340.xx drivers worked.
• the graphics chipset for X got switched from Intel to NVidia. Fix: open a terminal window (see above), run "nvidia-settings", select the Intel chipset.

After performing the second step and rebooting, my Cinnamon desktop was back and working.

[siawacsh]

Hi folks, I have been reading this thread to see if it can solve my black screen problem which I am certain was caused by update manger installing something for my nvidia GTX 280 M. I am still using Mint 17.2. In my case when I get the black screen I can use ctrl+alt+backspace. This gives me the option to shut down/restart/logout. While this thread seems to suggest it makes it possible to somehow log in to the system with generic drivers. I do not get that option. The only way I have been able to try the purge command has been to try to restart select the advanced then recovery mode. That way I am able login to a root terminal. Here is the result of the purge command.

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not using locking for read only lock file.  /var/lib/dpkg/lock.
Unable to write to /var/cache/apt
The package lists or status file could not be passed or opened.

[socaldano]

I have the Cinnamon and Nvidia driver problem.

Now I have it where I can get the bright screen, but only if I incrimentally increase the brightness by doing this every 30-45 minutes. Which means rebooting my laptop every day or two so I can get reasonable brightness...
Linux dhyatt-Alienware-18 4.4.0-21-generic #37-Ubuntu SMP Mon Apr 18 18:33:37 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

is there a way to get brightness (xbacklight) to stay stable??



dhyatt-Alienware-18 Desktop # xbacklight -set 40
dhyatt-Alienware-18 Desktop # xbacklight -set 50
dhyatt-Alienware-18 Desktop # xbacklight -set 60
dhyatt-Alienware-18 Desktop # xbacklight -set 65
dhyatt-Alienware-18 Desktop #

[hellguy]

If you are having a black screen problem during boot, you can follow this tutorial(how to use nomodeset flag):

• Reboot o grub
• Select your linux mint option on the list with using the directional arrows
• Press E to temporarily edit the boot flags
• Edit the section highlighted in this image: http://i.stack.imgur.com/BnUQa.png
• Write nomodeset at the end of the highlighted line in the previous image
• Press Ctrl+x to boot
• Log in your ccinnamon session and check in the driver manager if the proprietary Nvidia drivers are loaded(if not this is NOT the right solution for you)

If you are experiencing a black screen after you login, luckily you can still open terminal by pressing CTRL+ALT+T to follow on my instructions, if not you can open a new terminal session by pressing CTRL+ALT+F2(use F7 to F10 to go back to your login/session screen).

[hellguy]

I also had problems after the Update Manager installed new NVidia drivers (instead of the Drivers Manager). X was (and is) configured to use the Intel chipset for graphics. The result was a constantly crashing Cinamon desktop. To open a terminal window, I right-clicked on the desktop and chose to open a terminal from the contextual menu.

There were two problems in my case:

• the DKMS settings somehow got purged (I did not update the kernel at the same time as updating the graphics drivers), i.e., the directory /lib/modules/4.4.0-43-generic/ was completely empty). Fix: open a terminal window (see above), run "driver-manager", select the the 340.xx NVidia graphics driver option, wait until everything is built, then re-select the 367.xx one (which will then properly build the modules for the new drivers). This did not solve the crashing. I did not test whether leaving it at the 340.xx drivers worked.
• the graphics chipset for X got switched from Intel to NVidia. Fix: open a terminal window (see above), run "nvidia-settings", select the Intel chipset.

After performing the second step and rebooting, my Cinnamon desktop was back and working.

Your solution is similar to my 4th step, which is telling cinnamon to use Intel GPU instead of your Nvidia GPU, it's a temporary fix for the ones that can't work out trough the other steps.

[hellguy]

Many thanks, hellguy. This worked a treat, although in my case I was almost at the end of your excellent instructions prior to arriving at a solution.

I'm glad it worked for you!

[hellguy]

Issue seems to be gone in linux mint 18.1.

[miqueiaspenha]

Thank you, it worked!

[MiraclesHappen]

I will kneel in front of you if you were here. You saved me!
I just started using Linux Mint three days ago straight after Windows with no clue and when the monitor became dark without anything in it, I just started panicking...
This information is as good as gold!

[azohc]

I followed all the steps and got nowhere. Now I'm stuck on a 640x480 display on my full hd monitor

The error message I'm getting out of

nvidia-settings

in terminal is

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ERROR: NVIDIA driver is not loaded

ERROR: Error querying enabled displays on GPU 0 (Missing Extension).

ERROR: Error querying connected displays on GPU 0 (Missing Extension).

** Message: 14:28:25.848: PRIME: No offloading required. Abort
** Message: 14:28:25.848: PRIME: is it supported? no

ERROR: nvidia-settings could not find the registry key file. This file should
       have been installed along with this driver at
       /usr/share/nvidia/nvidia-application-profiles-key-documentation. The
       application profiles will continue to work, but values cannot be
       prepopulated or validated, and will not be listed in the help text.
       Please see the README for possible values and descriptions.

It does open the xsettings window, but of course, with the two useless options in the left sidebar.

First post, so posting here instead of making a new post given that I'm already a knee deep in the fixing process provided here.

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inxi -Fxz
System:    Host: chosen Kernel: 4.15.0-20-generic x86_64
           bits: 64 gcc: 7.3.0
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.8.6 (Gtk 3.22.30) Distro: Linux Mint 19 Tara
Machine:   Device: desktop Mobo: ASUSTeK model: SABERTOOTH Z77 v: Rev 1.xx serial: N/A
           UEFI: American Megatrends v: 1805 date: 12/19/2012
CPU:       Quad core Intel Core i7-3770K (-MT-MCP-) 
           arch: Ivy Bridge rev.9 cache: 8192 KB
           
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 28148
           clock speeds: max: 4200 MHz 1: 1605 MHz 2: 1609 MHz 3: 1608 MHz
           4: 1608 MHz 5: 1608 MHz 6: 1608 MHz 7: 1611 MHz 8: 1611 MHz
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA GP106 [GeForce GTX 1060 6GB] bus-ID: 01:00.0
           Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.6 )
           drivers: nouveau (unloaded: modesetting,fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 640x480@60.00hz
           OpenGL: renderer: NV136
           version: 4.3 Mesa 18.0.0-rc5 Direct Render: Yes
Audio:     Card-1 Intel 7 Series/C216 Family High Def. Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Card-2 NVIDIA GP106 High Def. Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 01:00.1
           Card-3 Yamaha driver: USB Audio usb-ID: 002-006
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.15.0-20-generic
Network:   Card: Intel 82579V Gigabit Network Connection
           driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k port: f040 bus-ID: 00:19.0
           IF: eno1 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 3240.7GB (0.9% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: Corsair_Force_GT size: 240.1GB
           ID-2: /dev/sdb model: Hitachi_HDS72202 size: 2000.4GB
           ID-3: /dev/sdc model: WDC_WD10EZEX size: 1000.2GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 31G used: 6.8G (24%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdc4
           ID-2: /home size: 284G used: 714M (1%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdc5
           ID-3: swap-1 size: 22.22GB used: 0.00GB (0%)
           fs: swap dev: /dev/sdc3
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 29.8C mobo: 27.8C
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: 0
Info:      Processes: 242 Uptime: 8 min Memory: 1281.8/15987.2MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 7.3.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.4.191) inxi: 2.3.56 

[roblm]

azohc,

I recommend that you start your own topic and explain what your original problem was and what you did to solve it. Also, include the output of inxi -Fxz.