[SOLVED] Nvidia drivers and shutdown hanging/Cinnamon crashing

[patabeignet]

Hello everyone,

I’m currently facing a problem which I believe is due to the GPU drivers.

(Long) time ago I used to use the ‘nouveau’ driver, which happened to cause the following issue after one kernel update : the system was hanging at the ‘linux Mint’ logo after logout. The only way to shut it down was to hold power button. This issue was “fixed” (if we can say that) by switching to the Nvidia proprietary driver : nvidia-340 version 340.108.-0ubuntu5.20.04.2 .

Problem is since last linux Mint update, Cinnamon crashes at startup and says I’m running in safe mode with a resolution like 600*800 which makes the system practically unusable. This issue occurs only with nvidia proprietary driver, not with ‘nouveau’.

So to sum up I currently have to choose between theses two unsatisfying options :
- Opt. 1 : nouveau driver, cannot shutdown/restart system properly
- Opt. 2 : nvidia driver, Cinnamon crashes and system is in a terrible resolution

Does anyone have any idea on how to get my system functional again please?

Any help would be greatly appreciated !

Here are some information that may be useful :
lspci output

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00:00.0 Host bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP79 Host Bridge (rev b1)
00:00.1 RAM memory: NVIDIA Corporation MCP79 Memory Controller (rev b1)
00:03.0 ISA bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP79 LPC Bridge (rev b3)
00:03.1 RAM memory: NVIDIA Corporation MCP79 Memory Controller (rev b1)
00:03.2 SMBus: NVIDIA Corporation MCP79 SMBus (rev b1)
00:03.3 RAM memory: NVIDIA Corporation MCP79 Memory Controller (rev b1)
00:03.5 Co-processor: NVIDIA Corporation MCP79 Co-processor (rev b1)
00:04.0 USB controller: NVIDIA Corporation MCP79 OHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev b1)
00:04.1 USB controller: NVIDIA Corporation MCP79 EHCI USB 2.0 Controller (rev b1)
00:06.0 USB controller: NVIDIA Corporation MCP79 OHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev b1)
00:06.1 USB controller: NVIDIA Corporation MCP79 EHCI USB 2.0 Controller (rev b1)
00:08.0 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation MCP79 High Definition Audio (rev b1)
00:09.0 PCI bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP79 PCI Bridge (rev b1)
00:0b.0 SATA controller: NVIDIA Corporation MCP79 AHCI Controller (rev b1)
00:0c.0 PCI bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP79 PCI Express Bridge (rev b1)
00:15.0 PCI bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP79 PCI Express Bridge (rev b1)
00:16.0 PCI bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP79 PCI Express Bridge (rev b1)
02:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GT216M [GeForce GT 320M] (rev a2)
02:00.1 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation GT216 HDMI Audio Controller (rev a1)
03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 03)
04:00.0 Network controller: Qualcomm Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) (rev 01)

Some system info

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System:    Kernel: 5.4.0-80-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 Desktop: Cinnamon 5.0.5 
           wm: muffin dm: LightDM Distro: Linux Mint 20.2 Uma base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:   Type: Laptop System: ASUSTeK product: K50ID v: 1.0 serial: <filter> Chassis: type: 10 
           serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: ASUSTeK model: K50ID v: 1.0 serial: <filter> BIOS: American Megatrends v: 217 
           date: 01/25/2011 
Graphics:  Device-1: NVIDIA GT216M [GeForce GT 320M] vendor: ASUSTeK driver: nouveau v: kernel 
           bus ID: 02:00.0 chip ID: 10de:0a2d 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.9 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa 
           resolution: 1366x768~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: NVA5 v: 3.3 Mesa 20.2.6 direct render: Yes 

[patabeignet]

Hi again,

Well, the problem somehow solved "by itself" : I started the system using the 'nouveau' driver, made a system update, switched back to the nvidia proprietary driver and the problem with Cinnamon has now gone.

Everything is back to normal even if the 'nouveau' driver still can't be used but I think i's a known, long-term problem.