Ubuntu 20.04 video driver issues

[mike430]

AhHa! Got it to work. Truly unbelievable... So I'll make this short. Upgraded from 18.04 to 20.04 a month ago. Running GeForce 210 supported up to Kernel 5.4. During that month Kernel upgraded to 5.8 through updates rendering my geforce 210 incompatible. Was not aware of the incompatibility at the time, but discovered my graphics driver switched to Nouveau because of my cpu being taxed to all could be. Still not aware of the incompatibility of the nvidia 340.108 driver and then attempted to upgrade graphics driver by installing nvidia 340.108 driver directly from nvidia support. After this package install was unable to load nvidia driver or nouveau. Now was facing the prospect of a total reinstall of Ubuntu.


So what I did was purge all nvidia stuff [sudo apt-get remove --purge '^nvidia-.*]
Installed 5.4 Kernel [sudo apt install linux-generic]
Ran [sudo grub-mkconfig | grep -E 'submenu |menuentry '] to identify old Kernel so to start at grub.
Updated /etc/default/grub [GRUB_DEFAULT="Advanced options for Ubuntu>Ubuntu, with Linux 5.4.0-60-generic"] Grub menu now defaulted to advanced with the old Kernel highlighted for boot
From command line reinstalled [sudo apt install nvidia-340] but created errors, specifically could not overwrite files in /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/[libGL.so.1 and libGLESv2.so.2.distrib] I simply deleted them
Rebooted and I am up and running.


Thanks Mastablasta for your help!! Kindly -Mike

[mastablasta]

well thanks for letting us know. i didn't know the exact procedure, but as you did it, it looks like grub has to be reconfigured and updated. so you got 4.5 more years out of the hardware (or more if you buy extended support). i really wish nvidia would at least release the old binaries as opensource. i mean the hardware works and does the job, but lacks software support.

CentOS used to offer 10 years support, but IBM pulled the plug on that. so new linux will likely be forked (Rocky linux?!) and if that one can offer 10 year support, we just might be able to keep this hardware going for 10 more years. or if at least nvidia helped nouveau get the driver to support hardware acceleration.

I have an old AMD chip that lost support. i stayed on 14.04 LTS for long time because of that. before they had closed source drivers to do the job for that specific chip. opensource drivers were terrible on this chip as CPU was tasked too much. i tried a few live sessions, but it was not good at all. but with the help of AMD, they got the GPU hardware acceleration working. in 2019 i installed 18.04 with HWE kernel and i must say performance on this chip is at same level as with closed source. suddenly even the old games or their opensource implementation work well. nvidia should do something similar.

i am all for new tech, but we should just thrown away old things because we have a newer model available. i really think about transforming my current very old desktop PC to a media server and add a controler or two to it for some light gaming on TV. plenty of ram (4GB) for that, GT730 will take care of old games and such. CPU is not strong (single core) but get's the job done and continues to chug along for the 17th year now.

[cberdullas]

Hi Mike
I read all the thread with great attention.
I'm in the same problem (with same graphic card gen: GT218 obviously same driver 340.108).
As with your PC, my problems begun with the upgrade one and half moths ago.
I partially resumed my PC (desktop) work installing the NOUVEAU driver but...
... my machine resists itself to SUSPEND.
When giving order of SUSPEND, the PC goes into suspension BUT when intending to "revive" the system, refuses to show the DESKTOP.
Reading a lot in ubuntu jungle online, your problem ---> solution comes to be the easiest.
My first question is: once your kernel was downgraded, DO YOU HAVE THE SUSPENSION MODE OPERATIVE in your PC?
Depending on your answer, I may have some more questions

[mastablasta]

suspend mode depends on motherboard and can also depend on GPU power management. if the opensource nouveau GPU drivers do not offer good support, then they are very likely the ones causing the issues with suspend.

furthermore there are various ways to do power management and you could also try installing some other services or applications that provide that functionality (if it is necessary for you). for example TLP, laptop-mode-tools.

Arch linux is not too user friendly for people new to linux. But they do have great documentation and i would often use it if nothing else to find some ideas for solutions:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Power_management

[cberdullas]

suspend mode depends on motherboard and can also depend on GPU power management. if the opensource nouveau GPU drivers do not offer good support, then they are very likely the ones causing the issues with suspend.

Thanks for your answer, Mastablasta
Yeps- I already knew this but...
Two different motherboards (desktops, not laptops: one Intel the other Gigabyte) working with Ubuntu 18 and NVIDIA DRIVERS SUSPENDED with no problem.
THIS PC (motherboard Gigabyte) worked fine (Nvidia drivers under Ubuntu 20.04) until the last month UPDATE (there's been another kernel update three days ago and no solution for the nvidia driver issue).

In another forum there are several mentions to "suspend mode issues" with Ubuntu20 + Nvidia driver BUT NO SOLUTION (all mention the way of solving the black screen after restarting -this also happened to me- but the suspend mode still persisting).

If I have enough free time this weekend I'll try to DOWNGRADE my kernel and... let's see.

BTW: still intending to know if Mike's PC can go into SUSPEND MODE. Would be of great help...



EDIT: I'd be glad if I'd restore the SUSPEND MODE. Not need to work under Nvidia: the NOUVEAU driver makes it good for my needs.

EDIT 2: I'll try to explain MY ISSUES.

The system works fine with the NOUVEAU driver.
When I click on the SUSPEND option, the PC SUSPENDS (ergo ---> the motherboard isn't in truble with ubuntu-OS/kernel)
Here comes the trouble: when I try to WAKE UP the system, the PC wakes up BUT the graphic card DOESN'T and the screen comes PLAIN DOTTED IN CLEAR MULTICOLOR RAINY DOTS/pixels, not showing the DESKTOP.
AND: desktop is HIDDEN BUT RUNNING (ergo---> the system wakes up but the Nvidia graphic card doesn't wake-up running with the NOUVEAU driver).
This issue obliges me to press the RESET button; THEN THE SYSTEM BEGINS NORMALLY.
When installed the Nvidia 340.108 driver the problem comes bigger: it works the FIRST TIME. Then:
a.- When intending to suspend, doesn't obey.
b.- When power-off or reset, the system DOESN'T LOAD and the screen shows only black. Ubuntu doesn't work (I needed to re-install Ubuntu to make my machine work again).

Thanks for any comments

[cberdullas]

Well... SOLVED

Procedure:
From a ROOT CONSOLE (ubuntu settings, advanced) with web connection

sudo apt-get install linux-generic (in my case, 5.4.1)

sudo dpkg -l | grep linux-image

This command gave me the list of kernels INSTALLED in my system

then

sudo apt-get remove --purge linux-image-x.x.x (x.x.x. exact name of EACH KERNEL VERSION: I had three 5.8.x which I removed)

reboot

Once ubuntu working "normally", opened UPDATES & DRIVERS app

Downloaded and installed (automatic) the NVIDIA DRIVER 340.108

Then opened console:

sudo apt-get remove --purge xserver-xorg-video-nouveau

reboot

Note 1: all updates are DISABLED after last reboot

Note 2: my PC SUSPENS NORMALLY.

As my PC couldn't suspend with any of the two drivers, my conclusion is that the problem is in the KERNEL 5.8.X...

[CatKiller]

Don't forget to remove the Linux HWE metapackage until you're ready to try more kernels from the 5.8 branch.

[cberdullas]

Don't forget to remove the Linux HWE metapackage until you're ready to try more kernels from the 5.8 branch.

Thanks - already done:


kernel.jpg

[mastablasta]

yes, 5.8 does not seem to support 3.40 drivers and also you have to remove those kernels to begin using 5.4.

so we get working hardware with support dropped by manufacturers. and people wonder why some still use Win XP or win 7...

[grabasimo]

Hi. I had problem with nvidia drivers to. they did't load after installation. I download drivers from nvidia.com and run manually. Removed all dkms from system and install binary drivers. Now nvidia drivers are working