Problems with graphic card drivers GeForce GTX 550 Ti and Ubuntu 15.04

[kubanc]

Hello,
My graphic card drivers worked well under Ubuntu 14.04, but my HDMI audio was not recognized. So I decided to upgrade my Ubuntu to version 14.10. After the upgrade I found out that my graphic card driver is not working well, so I decided to upgrade to the latest version of Ubuntu. That is 15.04.

At first every time I could not see the desktop only the log in window. But when I entered my password, the screen went black for a few moments and then the login screen came back.
So, I decided to install some other drivers. That managed to sort this problem out, so I was able to log in into the desktop.

But now, there is another problem. I cannot see the dash, or the panel on the top of my desktop. I can only see the desktop and the icons.

I have tried to install the drivers with this command:

sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:xorg-edgers/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install nvidia-340 nvidia-settings

The solution did not work. This are the drivers that are installed at the moment

sudo dpkg -l | grep -i nvidia

ii bbswitch-dkms            0.7-2ubuntu1                               amd64 interface for toggling the power on nVidia Optimus video cards
rc libcuda1-304             304.125-0ubuntu2                         amd64 NVIDIA CUDA runtime library
ii libcuda1-304               340.76-0ubuntu2                          amd64 NVIDIA CUDA runtime library
ii nouveau-firmware        20091212-0ubuntu1                       all   Firmware for nVidia graphic cards
ii nvidia-340                  340.76-0ubuntu2                           amd64 NVIDIA binary driver - version 340.76
ii nvidia-opencl-icd-340   340.76-0ubuntu2                           amd64 NVIDIA OpenCL ICD
ii nvidia-prime                0.8.1                                           amd64 Tools to enable NVIDIA's Prime
ii nvidia-settings            352.21-0ubuntu0~xedgers 15.04.1    amd64 tool for configuring the NVIDIA graphic driver

I have tried to uninstall nvidia driver with the command:

sudo apt-get remove --purge nvidia-*
E: Unable to locate package nvidia-bug-report.log.gz
E: Couldn't find any package by regex 'nvidia-bug-report.log.gz'
E: Unable to locate package nvidia-bug-report.log.old.gz
E: Couldn't find any package by regex 'nvidia-bug-report.log.old.gz'

And I used this command to uninstall nvidia drivers:

sudo apt-get purge $(dpkg -l | awk '$2~/nvidia/ {print $2}')

But this did not delete the nouveau-firmware drivers.

I found out this solution, perhaps it will work: https://www.benburwell.com/posts/get...-15.04-nvidia/, but this solution is for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750

wget http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree86/\   Linux-x86_64/349.16/NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-349.16.run $ chmod u+x NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-349.16.run $ sudo service lightdm stop $ sudo ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-349.16.run

I assume that I must uninstall all the previus driver for graphic card and install the right one?
With kindly regards,

[dino99]

your first choice was the good one: nvidia-340 (or up); so now run

sudo apt-get purge nvidia*

then

sudo apt-get install nvidia-340

the dash & icons issues might be related to 'unity'; check the options/settings with the unity-tweak-tool; or use gnome-shell

and as that system has made several dist-upgrades, think to clean the system with clean/autoclean/autoremove/gtkorphan it might help

[Temüjin]

I would get rid of the xorg-edgers PPA and everything it installed (use ppa-purge). You don't need xorg-edgers for Ubuntu 15.04, because the latest stable driver for your card (340.76) is available in the standard repos.

I found out this solution, perhaps it will work

NO. Not only does that specific driver version not support your card, but installing directly from the .run file (i.e. not a package) is a very bad idea.

[kubanc]

I have now deleted all the drivers with the command

sudo apt-get purge 'nvidia-*'

The command:

sudo apt-get purge nvidia-*

does not work.

I have removed the ppa with the command:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:xorg-edgers/ppa

and have installed the drivers with the command:

sudo apt-get install nvidia-340

After that I have restarted the computer and the result is the same.
I still cannot see dock or menu at the top. If I click on the desktop with the right mouse button I get a menu, but this menu has a big black border. I am assuming that 3D support for unity is not working.

This are the drivers that are installed at the momen:

sudo dpkg -l | grep -i nvidia
ii bbswitch-dkms            0.7-2ubuntu1                               amd64 interface for toggling the power on nVidia Optimus video cards
ii libcuda1-340            340.76-0ubuntu2                            amd64 NVIDIA CUDA runtime library
ii nvidia-340                  340.76-0ubuntu2                           amd64 NVIDIA binary driver - version 340.76
ii nvidia-opencl-icd-340   340.76-0ubuntu2                           amd64 NVIDIA OpenCL ICD
ii nvidia-prime                0.8.1                                           amd64 Tools to enable NVIDIA's Prime
ii nvidia-settings	   346.59-0Ubuntu1			amd65 Tool for configuring the NVIDIA graphics driver

I have also done the

sudo apt-get autoremove

[Temüjin]

sudo apt-get install ppa-purge
sudo ppa-purge xorg-edgers
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install nvidia-340

BTW, you don't need to worry about nouveau-firmware package. It won't interfere with nvidia proprietary driver.

[kubanc]

When I do

sudo ppa-purge xorg-edgers

I get

Updating package lists
w: There is no public key available for the following IDs:
63F7D4AFF6D61D45
PPA to be removed: xorg-edgers-ppa
Warning: Could not find package list for PPA: xorg-edgers-ppa

[kubanc]

I've added this code:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:xorg-edgers/ppa 

to solve the problem with not finding the package, but the problem is still the same.

[dino99]

i see your hardware is provided with 'optimus'; so check that 'nvidia-prime' & 'bbswitch-dkms' packages are installed. Also check into the bios/uefi how optimus is set

[kubanc]

I have also installed this drivers:

ii bbswitch-dkms 0.7-2ubuntu1 amd64 Interface for toggling the power on Nvidia Optimus Video Card
ii nvidia-prime 0.8.1 amd64 Tools to enable NVIDIA's Prime

[Temüjin]

i see your hardware is provided with 'optimus'; so check that 'nvidia-prime' & 'bbswitch-dkms' packages are installed. Also check into the bios/uefi how optimus is set

How did you come to the conclusion that this is an Optimus laptop (or even a laptop at all)? A GTX 550 Ti is a discrete graphics card used in desktops.

I've added this code: to solve the problem with not finding the package, but the problem is still the same.

You're getting way ahead of me. I gave you the ppa-purge command to make sure xorg-edgers was removed (which it already was). You then went and added it back. Let's try it again:
Run ALL these commands, in order and give the output.

sudo apt-get install ppa-purge
sudo ppa-purge xorg-edgers
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install nvidia-340

I have also installed this drivers: bbswitch-dkms nvidia-prime

They're not really drivers (more like utilities), and they're not needed for a GTX 550Ti.