[Solved] Kernel Update 5.0.0.37.95 to 5.3.0.26.95 Kills nVidia Video Drivers

[D Canard]

Edit: This problem seems to have been addressed and solved by developers who have pushed out driver updates for the older nVidia GPUs that were affected by the earlier 5.3 Kernel update.

No biggie. I assume this is just a momentary oopsie.

I am using 19.03 Cinnamon with an nVida 560 video card.

The update from kernel 5.0.0.37.95 to 5.3.0.26.95 today knocked out video drivers. XOrg drivers don't work. nVidia divers don't work. System boots OK but with very low res video and an error message saying that no video drivers are in use.

Easily resolved by booting back to 5.0.0.37.95.

Cheers.

Edited subject line to more accurately reflect the problem

[ajgringo619]

What driver version are you using?

[stephanieswitzer]

I upgraded and had no issues - Intel 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics. I had nothing but problems with Kernel updates and nvidia drivers. One of the reasons I steered clear of systems with nvidia graphics.

[D Canard]

What driver version are you using?

Sorry. I should have said.

nVida 390.116-0ubuntu.18.04.1 (recommended)

XOrg version: 1:1.0.15-2

These are the two main drivers available, and the nVidia binary driver, the third choice. Neither of the two drivers work anymore (for me) with the kernel update.

The system is a pretty clean build only installed a day or two ago.

The MOBO is generic Intel vanilla all the way.

[D Canard]

I upgraded and had no issues - Intel 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics. I had nothing but problems with Kernel updates and nvidia drivers. One of the reasons I steered clear of systems with nvidia graphics.

Interesting how peoples experiences vary. I have never had any problems ever with nVidia drivers and have been using Linux on and off since Ubuntu Dapper.

AMD/ATI is a different story, however. Periodic bouts of wailing and gnashing of teeth over the years.

And, yes, I have never had any issue with Intel video chipsets. But I am drifting off topic.

[benjellos]

I had the same experience, these updates killed my Nvidia driver and made navigating difficult.
Had to restore a Timeshift to get back to normal. Until today, no issues with updates.
Not sure which one of these updates wrecked it. Guess I'll hold off for now unless anyone has any ideas.

Linux Kernel 5.3.0.26.95
libdrm 2.4.99
mesa 19.2.1

I'm running the Nvidia driver 390 which is recommended.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

[D Canard]

Had to restore a Timeshift to get back to normal.
Any thoughts or suggestions?

Hi,

The alternative to Time Shift is to press the Esc key while booting and then choose the LM Advanced options and choose an earlier kernel to boot to.

Cheers.

[ajgringo619]

Unless you need something new, I'd stay away from the 5.3 kernel branch. I'm running the latest Nvidia driver (440.48.02) with kernel v5.0 and it works great. I also tried the new kernel and my WiFi dongle didn't work, so I went back.

[benjellos]

I'm pretty new to Linux and figured most updates are good. Are we confident that it's the kernel that's breaking the video drivers?

What's a good rule of thumb when it comes to updates? And kernel updates?

I guess I'm just use to Windows updates and figured I should install them all.

[ajgringo619]

The Nvidia 560 is old, hence the recommended v390 driver. Going to the 5.3 kernel branch is not an update, it's an upgrade. Like I said, unless you have newer hardware that specifically needs a newer kernel, there's no reason to switch from v5.0.

[benjellos]

What's a good rule of thumb for this newb? Just ignore the kernel upgrades in software updates and wait until there's a new mint release?

[smurphos]

The Nvidia 560 is old, hence the recommended v390 driver. Going to the 5.3 kernel branch is not an update, it's an upgrade. Like I said, unless you have newer hardware that specifically needs a newer kernel, there's no reason to switch from v5.0.

If update manager is bumping people on 5.0.0.37 up to 5.3.0.26 (which is has me this morning) then that suggests the 5.0.0.37 series has reached end of life a little early so the 5.0.0 series is no longer getting security updates. I'd suggest that systems having problems with 5.3 should install and boot into the latest 4.15 kernel and see if everything is working there. If it is uninstall all 5.0.0 and 5.3.0 kernels and stick with 4.15 series.

Code: Select all

steve@steve-Inspiron-5580:~$ apt depends linux-image-generic-hwe-18.04
linux-image-generic-hwe-18.04
  Depends: linux-image-5.3.0-26-generic
  Depends: linux-modules-extra-5.3.0-26-generic
  Depends: linux-firmware
  Depends: intel-microcode
  Depends: amd64-microcode
  Recommends: thermald

[D Canard]

The Nvidia 560 is old, hence the recommended v390 driver. Going to the 5.3 kernel branch is not an update, it's an upgrade. Like I said, unless you have newer hardware that specifically needs a newer kernel, there's no reason to switch from v5.0.

It is curious that the XOrg drivers are broken by the 5.3 kernel branch, as well, though, isn't it?.

[ajgringo619]

I just ran my update script and was prompted to upgrade to v5.3, which I can't use because my WiFi drivers won't compile. Guess I'm going back to the v4.15 kernel.

[D Canard]

What's a good rule of thumb for this newb? Just ignore the kernel upgrades in software updates and wait until there's a new mint release?

Good question. I am perhaps not the best person to answer it, though. With this caveat, here is my two bits. It is generally better to update/upgrade than not, but it is not a perfect world and sometimes things go awry. I have had the occasional horror show with Linux updates/upgrades (and this situation here is not a horror show), but with very few exceptions, the horror shows have been resolved with the help of friendly people such as those who frequent this forum. And the horror shows have been less frequent and less severe than those I have experienced with the installation and update process of Win 10, for example. Life's an adventure.

[ajgringo619]

This whole experience has been a nightmare (thank the gods for Timeshift!). Since when does Mint shove non-LTS kernels down its users' throats??? I was perfectly happy with 4.15 and 5.0, but now it seems I'll have to blacklist the fricking kernel to avoid getting the 5.3 branch. Prime example - I just tried to dump my 5.0-37 (hoping that would stop Update Manager for wanting to upgrade to 5.3) and 4.15-74 (which destroyed my Nvidia drivers). I rebooted into 4.15-72, selected removal of the aforementioned kernels...and the SOB still installed 5.3; this was during a f'ing removal, not an upgrade!

Clem, you guys screwed the pooch on this one.

[smurphos]

This whole experience has been a nightmare (thank the gods for Timeshift!). Since when does Mint shove non-LTS kernels down its users' throats??? I was perfectly happy with 4.15 and 5.0, but now it seems I'll have to blacklist the fricking kernel to avoid getting the 5.3 branch. Prime example - I just tried to dump my 5.0-37 (hoping that would stop Update Manager for wanting to upgrade to 5.3) and 4.15-74 (which destroyed my Nvidia drivers). I rebooted into 4.15-72, selected removal of the aforementioned kernels...and the SOB still installed 5.3; this was during a f'ing removal, not an upgrade!

Clem, you guys screwed the pooch on this one.

I just tried a test downgrade in my 19.3 virtual machine. Allowed it apply the pending upgraded to kernel 5.3.0.26, rebooted, installed 4.15.0.74, rebooted into that kernel then selected all the installed 5.0 and 5.3 kernels for queued removal. That went through fine including the removal of the metapackage linux-generic-hwe-18.04 which depends on 5.3.0.26 currently. Update manager then offered metapackage linux-generic which depends on 4.15.0.74 at the moment. Accepted that and all good.

You need to ensure the linux-generic-hwe-18.04 metapackage is gone to avoid the 5.3.0 update being offered if you are dropping back to 4.15.0.x

[ajgringo619]

This whole experience has been a nightmare (thank the gods for Timeshift!). Since when does Mint shove non-LTS kernels down its users' throats??? I was perfectly happy with 4.15 and 5.0, but now it seems I'll have to blacklist the fricking kernel to avoid getting the 5.3 branch. Prime example - I just tried to dump my 5.0-37 (hoping that would stop Update Manager for wanting to upgrade to 5.3) and 4.15-74 (which destroyed my Nvidia drivers). I rebooted into 4.15-72, selected removal of the aforementioned kernels...and the SOB still installed 5.3; this was during a f'ing removal, not an upgrade!

Clem, you guys screwed the pooch on this one.

I just tried a test downgrade in my 19.3 virtual machine. Allowed it apply the pending upgraded to kernel 5.3.0.26, rebooted, installed 4.15.0.74, rebooted into that kernel then selected all the installed 5.0 and 5.3 kernels for queued removal. That went through fine including the removal of the metapackage linux-generic-hwe-18.04 which depends on 5.3.0.26 currently. Update manager then offered metapackage linux-generic-18.04 which depends on 4.15.0.74 at the moment. Accepted that and all good.

You need to ensure the linux-generic-hwe-18.04 metapackage is gone to avoid the 5.3.0 update being offered if you are dropping back to 4.15.0.x

It still doesn't explain why I was forced to take the 5.3 upgrade when I was removing old kernels. I was happy with the 5.0 series, but it doesn't look like it's going to be upgraded past the current 37 version. For now, I've marked the 4.15 kernel at the 72 version until another comes out to supersede the 74 version (any idea why Update Manager ignores my holds???). Hopefully I can find an updated driver for my WiFI so I can upgrade to 5.3 and be done with all this.

[Freshly_Minted]

Another 19.3 user here with an nvidia 560 card and the kernel update ate my video drivers also.

[smurphos]

Another 19.3 user here with an nvidia 560 card and the kernel update ate my video drivers also.

Reboot, access the grub menu (hold shift on the OEM splash screen is the normal way if it doesn't display on your system), select Advanced options for Linux Mint 19.3, select the 5.0.0.37 kernel and reboot. Report back if that gives you working drivers and depending on the outcome we can go through your options.