Mint Driver Manager Crashing

[m00tpoint]

Have Mint installed on an older HP workstation, which I mostly use when I need to do some GNS3 network modelling (dual-Xeon CPU's and 64G of RAM and an electric bill to match). It's been sitting unused for quite a while, but I decided to update Mint from 19.1 to 20.1 (via 19.3) and fire it up again.

Before the upgrade, Cinnamon reported that it was in software rendering mode. After upgrading to 19.3, I ran the driver manager and updated the Nvidia driver to 340, which was recommended. (The machine has an NVIDIA G98 Quadro NVS 295 in it.) I then went through the recommended process of upgrading to 20.1.

I'm now getting a crash when I try to run driver manager (output is from dmesg):

Code: Select all

[  154.335241] show_signal_msg: 17 callbacks suppressed
[  154.335245] mintdrivers.py[2426]: segfault at 18 ip 00007f8db2c9a364 sp 00007ffd8183fb88 error 4 in libgtk-3.so.0.2404.16[7f8db2a3e000+36f000]
[  154.335252] Code: 44 24 08 64 48 33 04 25 28 00 00 00 75 0f 48 83 c4 18 5b 5d 41 5c 41 5d 41 5e 41 5f c3 e8 f4 18 db ff 0f 1f 40 00 f3 0f 1e fa <48> 8b 47 18 48 8b 40 10 c3 0f 1f 00 f3 0f 1e fa 53 48 8b 5f 18 48

Also, when I run the NVidia Xserver applet, the window is very small and completely empty; I can find a way to post a screenshot of it if the description isn't adequate. Cinnamon is no longer reporting that it's doing software rendering, and inxi output indicates it is indeed using the Nvidia 340 driver I configured during my 20-minute stop at Mint 19.3.

In addition, Cinnamon is running in fallback mode, and most of the Cinnamon applets are failing to load.

Here's my inxi output. The unusual resolution is due to how I have my RDP client set up; I'm currently on my laptop logged into the machine using Remmina and XRDP:

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m00tpoint@apollo:~$ inxi -Fxxxrz
System:    Kernel: 5.4.0-70-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 Desktop: Cinnamon 4.8.6 info: mate-panel 
           wm: Metacity 3.36.1 dm: LightDM 1.30.0 Distro: Linux Mint 20.1 Ulyssa base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:   Type: Desktop System: Hewlett-Packard product: HP Z620 Workstation v: N/A serial: <filter> Chassis: type: 6 
           serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: Hewlett-Packard model: 158A v: 0.00 serial: <filter> UEFI: Hewlett-Packard v: J61 v03.87 date: 02/09/2015 
CPU:       Topology: 2x 8-Core model: Intel Xeon E5-2670 0 bits: 64 type: MT MCP SMP arch: Sandy Bridge rev: 7 
           L2 cache: 40.0 MiB 
           flags: avx lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 166203 
           Speed: 1197 MHz min/max: 1200/3300 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1197 2: 1197 3: 1197 4: 1197 5: 1197 6: 1197 7: 1197 
           8: 1197 9: 1197 10: 1197 11: 1197 12: 1197 13: 1197 14: 1197 15: 1197 16: 1197 17: 1197 18: 1197 19: 1196 20: 1197 
           21: 1197 22: 1197 23: 1197 24: 1197 25: 1197 26: 1197 27: 1197 28: 1197 29: 1197 30: 1197 31: 1509 32: 1228 
Graphics:  Device-1: NVIDIA G98 [Quadro NVS 295] driver: nvidia v: 340.108 bus ID: 05:00.0 chip ID: 10de:06fd 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.9 driver: nvidia unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,nouveau,vesa resolution: 1280x960~50Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: N/A v: N/A direct render: N/A 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel C600/X79 series High Definition Audio vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel 
           bus ID: 00:1b.0 chip ID: 8086:1d20 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-70-generic 
Network:   Device-1: Intel 82579LM Gigabit Network vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k port: f040 
           bus ID: 00:19.0 chip ID: 8086:1502 
           IF: eno1 state: down mac: <filter> 
           Device-2: Intel 82574L Gigabit Network vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k port: e000 bus ID: 01:00.0 
           chip ID: 8086:10d3 
           IF: enp1s0 state: down mac: <filter> 
           Device-3: Ralink RT3572 Wireless Adapter type: USB driver: rt2800usb bus ID: 1-1.3:3 chip ID: 148f:3572 
           IF: wlx00c0ca833e49 state: up mac: <filter> 
           IF-ID-1: virbr0 state: down mac: <filter> 
           IF-ID-2: virbr0-nic state: down mac: <filter> 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 5.69 TiB used: 659.28 GiB (11.3%) 
           ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Seagate model: ST33000651NS size: 2.73 TiB speed: 6.0 Gb/s rotation: 7200 rpm 
           serial: <filter> rev: G008 
           ID-2: /dev/sdb vendor: Seagate model: ST33000651NS size: 2.73 TiB speed: 6.0 Gb/s rotation: 7200 rpm 
           serial: <filter> rev: G008 
           ID-3: /dev/sdc vendor: OCZ model: AGILITY4 size: 238.47 GiB speed: 3.0 Gb/s serial: <filter> rev: 2 scheme: GPT 
RAID:      Supported md-raid types: raid1 linear multipath raid0 raid6 raid5 raid4 raid10 
           Device-1: md0 type: mdraid status: active Components: online: sda~c0 sdb~c1 
           Info: raid: mirror blocks: 2930135488 report: 2/2 UU chunk size: N/A super blocks: 1.2 
Partition: ID-1: / size: 233.24 GiB used: 57.27 GiB (24.6%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdc2 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 36.0 C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Repos:     No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/gns3-ppa-focal.list 
           1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/gns3/ppa/ubuntu focal main
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list 
           1: deb http://mirrors.gigenet.com/linuxmint/repo ulyssa main upstream import backport
           2: deb http://mirror.genesisadaptive.com/ubuntu focal main restricted universe multiverse
           3: deb http://mirror.genesisadaptive.com/ubuntu focal-updates main restricted universe multiverse
           4: deb http://mirror.genesisadaptive.com/ubuntu focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse
           5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-security main restricted universe multiverse
           6: deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ focal partner
Info:      Processes: 478 Uptime: 44m Memory: 62.84 GiB used: 1.33 GiB (2.1%) Init: systemd v: 245 runlevel: 5 Compilers: 
           gcc: 9.3.0 alt: 7/9 Shell: bash v: 5.0.17 running in: gnome-terminal inxi: 3.0.38 

I'd like to fix the driver manager and Nvidia Xserver tools. Any help appreciated!

m00tpoint

[SMG]

Before the upgrade, Cinnamon reported that it was in software rendering mode.

Were graphics drivers installed at that point? Usually Cinnamon gives that message when the graphics drivers are not correctly loaded.

After upgrading to 19.3, I ran the driver manager and updated the Nvidia driver to 340, which was recommended. (The machine has an NVIDIA G98 Quadro NVS 295 in it.)

I just wanted you to be aware according to Nvidia: Support timeframes for Unix legacy GPU releases,"The Linux 340.* legacy driver series is the last to support the G8x, G9x, and GT2xx GPUs, and motherboard chipsets based on them. Support for X.Org xserver version 1.20 was added to the 340.* legacy driver series with version 340.107, and support for Linux kernels up to Linux 5.4 was added with version 340.108. No further releases from the 340.* series are planned."

That means the 340.108-Driver works with LM20/LM20.1 which have an LTS kernel of 5.4 and an X.Org server version 1.20.9.

I then went through the recommended process of upgrading to 20.1.

One upgrades from LM19.3 to LM20 and checks to make sure all is okay. One then takes a Timeshift snapshot and then upgrades from LM20 to LM20.1. Is that what you mean you did?

I'm now getting a crash when I try to run driver manager (output is from dmesg)

Did you run all the updates to make sure you have the latest Driver Manager installed? I recall there being updates to Driver Manager soon after LM20 came out, and I believe there have been more since then.

Also, when I run the NVidia Xserver applet, the window is very small and completely empty;

That is usually a sign the Nvidia drivers did not load properly.

I can find a way to post a screenshot of it if the description isn't adequate. Cinnamon is no longer reporting that it's doing software rendering, and inxi output indicates it is indeed using the Nvidia 340 driver I configured during my 20-minute stop at Mint 19.3.

Here's my inxi output. The unusual resolution is due to how I have my RDP client set up; I'm currently on my laptop logged into the machine using Remmina and XRDP:

It is good you mentioned this output was not done at the computer. Feedback from a person on a different thread indicated, "However, I learned a valuable lesson:
When working on and testing everything actually log directly into the workstation and NOT use any type of RDP tool. When using XRDP it would register as the "Acceleration Not Working" after getting on...then I would go log directly in and nothing."

From that I presume that it would be best to troubleshoot the issues while on the computer. Not only is your resolution odd, but your info is listing no renderer which is one indication we often use in determining whether the Nvidia driver loaded properly. There are other ways to check it, but I do not know how they also might be affected by using RDP.

Graphics: Device-1: NVIDIA G98 [Quadro NVS 295] driver: nvidia v: 340.108 bus ID: 05:00.0 chip ID: 10de:06fd
Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.9 driver: nvidia unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,nouveau,vesa resolution: 1280x960~50Hz
OpenGL: renderer: N/A v: N/A direct render: N/A

The windows manager for Cinnamon is muffin. Usually when we see Metacity in the data (and mate-panel), Cinnamon is running in fallback mode (ie. it's not running properly).

System: Kernel: 5.4.0-70-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 Desktop: Cinnamon 4.8.6 info: mate-panel
wm: Metacity 3.36.1 dm: LightDM 1.30.0 Distro: Linux Mint 20.1 Ulyssa base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal

At this point, I would assume your upgrade from LM19 to LM20 did not go well. I have helped people with problematic upgrades, but each one is different. Sometimes a satisfactory solution is found, and sometimes a back-up of all data and a fresh install of LM20.1 is done.

Based on the information I have provided, let us know how you would like to proceed.

[m00tpoint]

Thanks for the very detailed reply. I believe a fresh install makes the most sense at this point.

[SMG]

I believe a fresh install makes the most sense at this point.

Based on other threads where I've helped people installing the Nvidia-340 driver on LM20, I recommend you make sure all updates are run before installing the Nvidia driver. That should help you avoid errors others have encountered.

It's my understanding the LM20.1 ISO now installs the nouveau driver during installation. Therefore you should have the necessary graphics to run the updates, then you can install the Nvidia driver after that.

Let us know if you need further help/advice.

[m00tpoint]

Well, I'm a bit of an idiot this time ... the machine is perfectly fine on the local monitor and only is having issues over XRDP. Thank you again for the very detailed assistance. Especially knowing that I'll need to do something about a graphics card when the time comes to move off of 5.4 kernel is valuable.

[SMG]

the machine is perfectly fine on the local monitor and only is having issues over XRDP.

Are Cinnamon and muffin running properly? You can run inxi -Sxxx to check.

Here is my info so you can compare.

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System:
  Host: SMG-HP-6360t Kernel: 5.4.0-70-generic x86_64 bits: 64 
  compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 Desktop: Cinnamon 4.8.6 wm: muffin 4.8.1 
  dm: LightDM 1.30.0 Distro: Linux Mint 20.1 Ulyssa base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal

[m00tpoint]

Looks good at least to my uneducated eye:

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[/System:    Host: apollo Kernel: 5.4.0-70-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 Desktop: Cinnamon 4.8.6 
           info: mate-panel wm: Metacity 3.36.1 dm: LightDM 1.30.0 Distro: Linux Mint 20.1 Ulyssa base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal
code]

[SMG]

The part in red usually means Cinnamon is running in fall-back mode. That part should be wm: muffin 4.8.1 on a normal Mint Cinnamon install.

System:
Host: apollo Kernel: 5.4.0-70-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 Desktop: Cinnamon 4.8.6
info: mate-panel wm: Metacity 3.36.1 dm: LightDM 1.30.0 Distro: Linux Mint 20.1 Ulyssa base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal

If you boot to a live session of LM20.1 from an ISO usb/dvd and run the command, I expect you'll see the muffin info.

[m00tpoint]

Will boot from my USB stick a bit later on, and thanks again for all the help!

[SMG]

You're welcome.

[m00tpoint]

When I booted from the USB stick, I did indeed see the muffin. (Yum, breakfast!) So I guess we're not so healthy after all.