Failed to load NVIDIA kernel module!

[DavinA]

sudo apt-get install nvidia-173
[sudo] password for davin:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
nvidia-173 is already the newest version.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

[DavinA]

OK, I changed the driver to the recommended and thee error I get when Gnome starts now reads:

(EE) NVIDIA: Failed to load the NVIDIA kernel module.
Please check your
(EE) NVIDIA: system's kernel log for additional error
messages.
(EE) Failed to load module "nvidia" (module-specific error, 0)
(EE) No drivers available.

My xorg.conf is the same. The new driver is loaded and active, and nvidia-settings is giving me the same error.

There is only one entry in kern.log related to this boot:
May 11 21:06:50 davin-pc kernel: imklog: Cannot read proc file system, 1.

[RJARRRPCGP]

It's possible that the kernel headers are missing.

[DavinA]

How do I fix / check that?

[GSF1200S]

Well, all I can think of is that the module is still wrong- perhaps you have remnants left over from the 9.10 install that are not being removed. This is all I can think of:

sudo apt-get purge nvidia-current nvidia-current-modaliases nvidia-173-modaliases nvidia-glx-173 nvidia-common
sudo dkms remove -m nvidia -v 185.18.36 --all
sudo dkms remove -m nvidia -v 195.36.24 --all
sudo dkms remove -m nvidia -v 173.14.22 --all
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install linux-headers-2.6.32-21-generic
sudo apt-get install nvidia-current-modaliases
sudo apt-get update

Then go to System>Administration>Hardware Drivers and enable the recommended nvidia-current drivers. Then reboot. Hopefully it will work

[DavinA]

I'll try that and post my results. Thanks.

[GSF1200S]

I'll try that and post my results. Thanks.

Crap- it prolly isnt going to work because I left out an important part Check it again and youll notice the --all at the end of the dkms commands..

[DavinA]

I caught the -all 's but it still didn't work.

The error at start up reverted to:
(EE) NVIDIA(0): Failed to load NVIDIA kernel module!
(EE) NVIDIA(0): *** Aborting ***
(EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration

and now nothing is listed in Hardware Drivers, and it appears if 173 is still installed (screenshot)


Below is my terminal session performing the procedure above:



davin@davin-pc:~$ sudo apt-get purge nvidia-current nvidia-current-modaliases nvidia-173-modaliases nvidia-glx-173 nvidia-commonReading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Package nvidia-glx-173 is not installed, so not removed
The following packages will be REMOVED:
nvidia-173-modaliases* nvidia-common* nvidia-current* nvidia-current-modaliases*
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 4 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
After this operation, 72.9MB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
(Reading database ... 202010 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing nvidia-common ...
Purging configuration files for nvidia-common ...
Removing nvidia-173-modaliases ...
Removing nvidia-current ...
Removing all DKMS Modules
Done.
update-alternatives: removing manually selected alternative - switching gl_conf to auto mode
update-alternatives: using /usr/lib/nvidia-173/ld.so.conf to provide /etc/ld.so.conf.d/GL.conf (gl_conf) in auto mode.
Purging configuration files for nvidia-current ...
dpkg: warning: while removing nvidia-current, directory '/usr/lib/nvidia-current/tls' not empty so not removed.
dpkg: warning: while removing nvidia-current, directory '/usr/lib/nvidia-current' not empty so not removed.
Removing nvidia-current-modaliases ...
Processing triggers for python-gmenu ...
Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/desktop.en_US.utf8.cache...
Processing triggers for libc-bin ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Processing triggers for python-support ...
davin@davin-pc:~$ sudo dkms remove -m nvidia -v 185.18.36

Error! Invalid number of parameters passed.
Usage: remove -m <module> -v <module-version> --all
or: remove -m <module> -v <module-version> -k <kernel-version>
davin@davin-pc:~$ sudo dkms remove -m nvidia -v 185.18.36 --all

Error! There are no instances of module: nvidia
185.18.36 located in the DKMS tree.
davin@davin-pc:~$ sudo dkms remove -m nvidia -v 195.36.24 --all

Error! There are no instances of module: nvidia
195.36.24 located in the DKMS tree.
davin@davin-pc:~$ sudo dkms remove -m nvidia -v 173.14.22 --all

Error! There are no instances of module: nvidia
173.14.22 located in the DKMS tree.
davin@davin-pc:~$ sudo apt-get update
Get:1 http://dl.google.com stable Release.gpg [189B]
Ign http://dl.google.com/linux/deb/ stable/main Translation-en_US
Get:2 http://dl.google.com stable Release [2,540B]
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid Release.gpg
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/restricted Translation-en_US
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security Release.gpg
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/main Translation-en_US
Get:3 http://dl.google.com stable/main Packages [904B]
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/restricted Translation-en_US
Hit http://archive.canonical.com lucid Release.gpg
Ign http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ lucid/partner Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/multiverse Translation-en_US
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates Release.gpg
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/multiverse Translation-en_US
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid Release
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security Release
Hit http://archive.canonical.com lucid Release
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates Release
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/main Packages
Hit http://archive.canonical.com lucid/partner Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/main Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/restricted Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/main Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/restricted Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/universe Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/universe Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/restricted Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/main Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/restricted Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/universe Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/multiverse Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/multiverse Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/main Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/restricted Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/main Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/universe Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/multiverse Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/multiverse Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/restricted Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/universe Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/universe Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/multiverse Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/multiverse Sources
Fetched 3,633B in 1s (2,254B/s)
Reading package lists... Done
davin@davin-pc:~$ sudo apt-get install linux-headers-2.6.32-21-generic
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
linux-headers-2.6.32-21-generic is already the newest version.
linux-headers-2.6.32-21-generic set to manually installed.
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
nvidia-96-modaliases
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
davin@davin-pc:~$ sudo apt-get autoremove
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
nvidia-96-modaliases
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
After this operation, 73.7kB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
(Reading database ... 201871 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing nvidia-96-modaliases ...
davin@davin-pc:~$ sudo apt-get install nvidia-current-modaliases
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following NEW packages will be installed:
nvidia-current-modaliases
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B/20.9kB of archives.
After this operation, 98.3kB of additional disk space will be used.
Selecting previously deselected package nvidia-current-modaliases.
(Reading database ... 201869 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking nvidia-current-modaliases (from .../nvidia-current-modaliases_195.36.15-0ubuntu3_i386.deb) ...
Setting up nvidia-current-modaliases (195.36.15-0ubuntu3) ...
davin@davin-pc:~$ sudo apt-get update
Hit http://archive.canonical.com lucid Release.gpg
Ign http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ lucid/partner Translation-en_US
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid Release.gpg
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/restricted Translation-en_US
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security Release.gpg
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/main Translation-en_US
Hit http://archive.canonical.com lucid Release
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/multiverse Translation-en_US
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates Release.gpg
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-security/multiverse Translation-en_US
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid Release
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security Release
Hit http://archive.canonical.com lucid/partner Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates Release
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/main Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/main Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/restricted Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/main Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/restricted Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/universe Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/universe Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/restricted Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/main Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/restricted Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/universe Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/universe Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/multiverse Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com lucid-security/multiverse Sources
Get:1 http://dl.google.com stable Release.gpg [189B]
Ign http://dl.google.com/linux/deb/ stable/main Translation-en_US
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/multiverse Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid/multiverse Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/main Packages
Get:2 http://dl.google.com stable Release [2,540B]
Get:3 http://dl.google.com stable/main Packages [904B]
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/restricted Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/main Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/restricted Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/universe Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/universe Sources
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/multiverse Packages
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com lucid-updates/multiverse Sources
Fetched 3,633B in 2s (1,607B/s)
Reading package lists... Done

[DavinA]

Oops, forgot the screenshot

[GSF1200S]

Oops, forgot the screenshot

sudo apt-get purge nvidia-173 nvidia-173-dev nvidia-173-kernel-source nvidia-common nvidia-173-modaliases
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install nvidia-common
sudo apt-get purge nvidia-current-modaliases && sudo apt-get install nvidia-current-modaliases
sudo apt-get update

Go into the Hardware Drivers dialog and enable the nvidia-current drivers and try:

sudo nvidia-xconfig

Then reboot- after this, Im all out of ideas. dkms reports no modules are left over from the karmic install, and doing the above will ensure that no 173 modules are left over, and that only 195 (current) modules/drivers are installed, and that X is up to date (nvidia-xconfig). I dont see what else could be causing a problem..