Screen resolution dropped to default and even after reinstall reverts

[Jonners59]

Well... I explain in my Graphic Resolution Sticky (also Linked in my sig-line, that you can kill the XServer to get to a Console to run the NVidia Script to install their Binary (ut do not do that,I'll explain why you might not want to do that after this)... By doing

sudo kill $(pidof lightdm)

But, here is why you might not want to do that. It is a P.I.T.A. to do that. I used to do it this way myself years ago. The binaries work, but the script compiles to whatever the current Kernel is. When a Kernel updates (which it will), then sometimes the NVidia Binary driver would fail on the next reboot after that Kernel update, because it was compiled against an earlier kernel. What we had to do in years past, was install this driver... If just after an update, it came up to a black screen... Check to see if the kernel updated... Then boot as text only console, then reinstall the binary driver... (rerun that same script to recompile it on the newer kernel)... This was not a good solution for mid-level skilled to lower-level skilled Users.

Where as, with the newer Ubuntu Repo NVidia drivers in Restricted and in the Graphics Team PPA... Those .deb drivers are scripted to use DRM to recognize that if there is a Kernel update, to automatically recompile the video driver to the newer Kernel. That is pro-actively a much better solution, and will save you so much work and headaches in the long run. Does that make sense to you?

Why make your life harder or more challenging than it needs to be, right?

I fall in to the latter group... and a believer in KISS, so yes, absolutely. Didn't know all that. Beggers why NVIDIA couldn't have worked just that little bit closer to the Ubuntu team to create a ppa (I think that's correct terminology) so that updates are automatic.

Yes, I see from the output there that it NVidia driver 304.108 could be installed by either installing it directly from restricted, by the ubuntu-drivers utility or via the Ubuntu Graphics team PPA.

I think you mean 340, but yes, so tried to install and it said it installed but still doesn't exist.... I used synaptic again for that. Nothing seems to work. ;-(

[MAFoElffen]

What is the output from(/)

sudo apt-cache show nvidia-340

Here is what it show's on mine, but I am running 20.04.3 LTS

mafoelffen@Mikes-ThinkPad-T520:~$ sudo apt-cache show nvidia-340 | egrep -v 'Modaliases:'
Package: nvidia-340
Architecture: amd64
Version: 340.108-0ubuntu5.20.04.2
Priority: optional
Section: restricted/misc
Source: nvidia-graphics-drivers-340
Origin: Ubuntu
Maintainer: Ubuntu Core Developers <ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com>
Bugs: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+filebug
Installed-Size: 268730
Provides: libnvidia-cfg1-any, libnvidia-decode, libnvidia-encode, libnvidia-fbc1, libnvidia-gl, libnvidia-ifr1, nvidia-dkms-kernel, nvidia-driver-binary, nvidia-kernel-common, nvidia-persistenced, xorg-driver-binary, xorg-driver-video
Depends: x11-common (>= 1:7.0.0), make, sed (>> 3.0), dkms, linux-libc-dev, libc6-dev, patch, acpid, lib32gcc-s1, libc6-i386, passwd, adduser, xserver-xorg-legacy, libc6 (>= 2.2.5), libgl1, libx11-6, libxext6, xorg-video-abi-11 | xorg-video-abi-12 | xorg-video-abi-13 | xorg-video-abi-14 | xorg-video-abi-15 | xorg-video-abi-18 | xorg-video-abi-19 | xorg-video-abi-20 | xorg-video-abi-23 | xorg-video-abi-24, xserver-xorg-core (>= 2:1.19.6-1ubuntu2)
Recommends: nvidia-settings (>= 331.20), libcuda1-340, nvidia-opencl-icd-340
Conflicts: libnvidia-cfg1-any, libnvidia-decode, libnvidia-encode, libnvidia-fbc1, libnvidia-gl, libnvidia-ifr1, nvidia-dkms-kernel, nvidia-kernel-common, nvidia-persistenced, xorg-driver-binary
Replaces: libnvidia-cfg1-any, libnvidia-decode, libnvidia-encode, libnvidia-fbc1, libnvidia-gl, libnvidia-ifr1, nvidia-dkms-kernel, nvidia-kernel-common, nvidia-persistenced, xorg-driver-binary
Filename: pool/restricted/n/nvidia-graphics-drivers-340/nvidia-340_340.108-0ubuntu5.20.04.2_amd64.deb
Size: 51999180
MD5sum: a51d6c80f15ff940fd778d9bdadb696c
SHA1: edc24a35d2ec0d8e6843bc6a648f6d7275817f4d
SHA256: cad24a6ac23618cc60a2bbe21f3cde57705467aef2b03bbacd7756df55b0b2b3
SHA512: 727188e8ac7950870a747ceeff57ab5d74735e90a3f0dd0656405ecd17a507bd9de25393645a012c8359f162bfc8f0b946133390af8540645444199ce08210ac
Description-en: NVIDIA binary driver - version 340.108
 The binary driver provide optimized hardware acceleration of OpenGL
 applications via a direct-rendering X Server. AGP, PCIe, SLI, TV-out
 and flat panel displays are also supported.
 .
 This package also includes the source for building the kernel module
 required by the Xorg driver, and provides NVIDIA's implementation of
 the Video Decode and presentation API. The latter enables acceleration
 for GeForce 8 and later series cards for h264 video.
 .
 Release Notes and supported GPUs:
 http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux-display-amd64-340.108-driver.html
Description-md5: 8597c97ef19d5359374bc2742e6dd180

Package: nvidia-340
Architecture: amd64
Version: 340.108-0ubuntu2
Priority: optional
Section: restricted/misc
Source: nvidia-graphics-drivers-340
Origin: Ubuntu
Maintainer: Ubuntu Core Developers <ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com>
Bugs: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+filebug
Installed-Size: 268697
Provides: libnvidia-cfg1-any, libnvidia-decode, libnvidia-encode, libnvidia-fbc1, libnvidia-gl, libnvidia-ifr1, nvidia-dkms-kernel, nvidia-driver-binary, nvidia-persistenced, xorg-driver-binary, xorg-driver-video
Depends: x11-common (>= 1:7.0.0), make, sed (>> 3.0), dkms, linux-libc-dev, libc6-dev, patch, acpid, lib32gcc1, libc6-i386, passwd, adduser, xserver-xorg-legacy, libc6 (>= 2.2.5), libgl1, libx11-6, libxext6, xorg-video-abi-11 | xorg-video-abi-12 | xorg-video-abi-13 | xorg-video-abi-14 | xorg-video-abi-15 | xorg-video-abi-18 | xorg-video-abi-19 | xorg-video-abi-20 | xorg-video-abi-23 | xorg-video-abi-24, xserver-xorg-core (>= 2:1.19.6-1ubuntu2)
Recommends: nvidia-settings (>= 331.20), libcuda1-340, nvidia-opencl-icd-340
Conflicts: libnvidia-cfg1-any, libnvidia-decode, libnvidia-encode, libnvidia-fbc1, libnvidia-gl, libnvidia-ifr1, nvidia-dkms-kernel, nvidia-persistenced, xorg-driver-binary
Replaces: libnvidia-cfg1-any, libnvidia-decode, libnvidia-encode, libnvidia-fbc1, libnvidia-gl, libnvidia-ifr1, nvidia-dkms-kernel, nvidia-persistenced, xorg-driver-binary
Filename: pool/restricted/n/nvidia-graphics-drivers-340/nvidia-340_340.108-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb
Size: 51995952
MD5sum: 13aa2f488f58d19d661d6c58300ff5fd
SHA1: 0906d8fdd9c948dc76873dcbf34a638d58cd2352
SHA256: 9b2afc6cfd85b0cf1c4b25db9927a52680e71f58da98dafc216a2006125b1d88
Description-en: NVIDIA binary driver - version 340.108
 The binary driver provide optimized hardware acceleration of OpenGL
 applications via a direct-rendering X Server. AGP, PCIe, SLI, TV-out
 and flat panel displays are also supported.
 .
 This package also includes the source for building the kernel module
 required by the Xorg driver, and provides NVIDIA's implementation of
 the Video Decode and presentation API. The latter enables acceleration
 for GeForce 8 and later series cards for h264 video.
 .
 Release Notes and supported GPUs:
 http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux-display-amd64-340.108-driver.html
Description-md5: 8597c97ef19d5359374bc2742e6dd180

If it has none... Then maybe it's because you are on 21.10? But I see that listed in restricted for that... Strange.

Note that under 'Source' for that package, it is 'nvidia-graphics-drivers-340'... That is the package name of the same driver in the Ubuntu Graphics Team P.P.A.

[Jonners59]

What is the output from(/)

sudo apt-cache show nvidia-340

Here is what it show's on mine, but I am running 20.04.3 LTS

mafoelffen@Mikes-ThinkPad-T520:~$ sudo apt-cache show nvidia-340 | egrep -v 'Modaliases:'
Package: nvidia-340
Architecture: amd64
Version: 340.108-0ubuntu5.20.04.2
Priority: optional
Section: restricted/misc
Source: nvidia-graphics-drivers-340
Origin: Ubuntu
Maintainer: Ubuntu Core Developers <ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com>
Bugs: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+filebug
Installed-Size: 268730
Provides: libnvidia-cfg1-any, libnvidia-decode, libnvidia-encode, libnvidia-fbc1, libnvidia-gl, libnvidia-ifr1, nvidia-dkms-kernel, nvidia-driver-binary, nvidia-kernel-common, nvidia-persistenced, xorg-driver-binary, xorg-driver-video
Depends: x11-common (>= 1:7.0.0), make, sed (>> 3.0), dkms, linux-libc-dev, libc6-dev, patch, acpid, lib32gcc-s1, libc6-i386, passwd, adduser, xserver-xorg-legacy, libc6 (>= 2.2.5), libgl1, libx11-6, libxext6, xorg-video-abi-11 | xorg-video-abi-12 | xorg-video-abi-13 | xorg-video-abi-14 | xorg-video-abi-15 | xorg-video-abi-18 | xorg-video-abi-19 | xorg-video-abi-20 | xorg-video-abi-23 | xorg-video-abi-24, xserver-xorg-core (>= 2:1.19.6-1ubuntu2)
Recommends: nvidia-settings (>= 331.20), libcuda1-340, nvidia-opencl-icd-340
Conflicts: libnvidia-cfg1-any, libnvidia-decode, libnvidia-encode, libnvidia-fbc1, libnvidia-gl, libnvidia-ifr1, nvidia-dkms-kernel, nvidia-kernel-common, nvidia-persistenced, xorg-driver-binary
Replaces: libnvidia-cfg1-any, libnvidia-decode, libnvidia-encode, libnvidia-fbc1, libnvidia-gl, libnvidia-ifr1, nvidia-dkms-kernel, nvidia-kernel-common, nvidia-persistenced, xorg-driver-binary
Filename: pool/restricted/n/nvidia-graphics-drivers-340/nvidia-340_340.108-0ubuntu5.20.04.2_amd64.deb
Size: 51999180
MD5sum: a51d6c80f15ff940fd778d9bdadb696c
SHA1: edc24a35d2ec0d8e6843bc6a648f6d7275817f4d
SHA256: cad24a6ac23618cc60a2bbe21f3cde57705467aef2b03bbacd7756df55b0b2b3
SHA512: 727188e8ac7950870a747ceeff57ab5d74735e90a3f0dd0656405ecd17a507bd9de25393645a012c8359f162bfc8f0b946133390af8540645444199ce08210ac
Description-en: NVIDIA binary driver - version 340.108
 The binary driver provide optimized hardware acceleration of OpenGL
 applications via a direct-rendering X Server. AGP, PCIe, SLI, TV-out
 and flat panel displays are also supported.
 .
 This package also includes the source for building the kernel module
 required by the Xorg driver, and provides NVIDIA's implementation of
 the Video Decode and presentation API. The latter enables acceleration
 for GeForce 8 and later series cards for h264 video.
 .
 Release Notes and supported GPUs:
 http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux-display-amd64-340.108-driver.html
Description-md5: 8597c97ef19d5359374bc2742e6dd180

Package: nvidia-340
Architecture: amd64
Version: 340.108-0ubuntu2
Priority: optional
Section: restricted/misc
Source: nvidia-graphics-drivers-340
Origin: Ubuntu
Maintainer: Ubuntu Core Developers <ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com>
Bugs: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+filebug
Installed-Size: 268697
Provides: libnvidia-cfg1-any, libnvidia-decode, libnvidia-encode, libnvidia-fbc1, libnvidia-gl, libnvidia-ifr1, nvidia-dkms-kernel, nvidia-driver-binary, nvidia-persistenced, xorg-driver-binary, xorg-driver-video
Depends: x11-common (>= 1:7.0.0), make, sed (>> 3.0), dkms, linux-libc-dev, libc6-dev, patch, acpid, lib32gcc1, libc6-i386, passwd, adduser, xserver-xorg-legacy, libc6 (>= 2.2.5), libgl1, libx11-6, libxext6, xorg-video-abi-11 | xorg-video-abi-12 | xorg-video-abi-13 | xorg-video-abi-14 | xorg-video-abi-15 | xorg-video-abi-18 | xorg-video-abi-19 | xorg-video-abi-20 | xorg-video-abi-23 | xorg-video-abi-24, xserver-xorg-core (>= 2:1.19.6-1ubuntu2)
Recommends: nvidia-settings (>= 331.20), libcuda1-340, nvidia-opencl-icd-340
Conflicts: libnvidia-cfg1-any, libnvidia-decode, libnvidia-encode, libnvidia-fbc1, libnvidia-gl, libnvidia-ifr1, nvidia-dkms-kernel, nvidia-persistenced, xorg-driver-binary
Replaces: libnvidia-cfg1-any, libnvidia-decode, libnvidia-encode, libnvidia-fbc1, libnvidia-gl, libnvidia-ifr1, nvidia-dkms-kernel, nvidia-persistenced, xorg-driver-binary
Filename: pool/restricted/n/nvidia-graphics-drivers-340/nvidia-340_340.108-0ubuntu2_amd64.deb
Size: 51995952
MD5sum: 13aa2f488f58d19d661d6c58300ff5fd
SHA1: 0906d8fdd9c948dc76873dcbf34a638d58cd2352
SHA256: 9b2afc6cfd85b0cf1c4b25db9927a52680e71f58da98dafc216a2006125b1d88
Description-en: NVIDIA binary driver - version 340.108
 The binary driver provide optimized hardware acceleration of OpenGL
 applications via a direct-rendering X Server. AGP, PCIe, SLI, TV-out
 and flat panel displays are also supported.
 .
 This package also includes the source for building the kernel module
 required by the Xorg driver, and provides NVIDIA's implementation of
 the Video Decode and presentation API. The latter enables acceleration
 for GeForce 8 and later series cards for h264 video.
 .
 Release Notes and supported GPUs:
 http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux-display-amd64-340.108-driver.html
Description-md5: 8597c97ef19d5359374bc2742e6dd180

If it has none... Then maybe it's because you are on 21.10? But I see that listed in restricted for that... Strange.

Note that under 'Source' for that package, it is 'nvidia-graphics-drivers-340'... That is the package name of the same driver in the Ubuntu Graphics Team P.P.A.

YUP! No question it's to do with the upgrade. Not sure if it started during 21.04 and I missed it, but definitely 21.10. When I get a chance I'll run that cmd and see what it gives me, but it is something to do with the latest build, whether a bug or this is the direction they want to go. Should be allowed to install drivers for older cards, but 5 years is not even old. Anyway. Here we are.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++

UPDATE 1.

sudo apt-cache show nvidia-340

Package: nvidia-340
Architecture: amd64
Version: 340.108-0ubuntu8
Priority: optional
Section: restricted/misc
Source: nvidia-graphics-drivers-340
Origin: Ubuntu
Maintainer: Ubuntu Core Developers <ubuntu-devel-discuss@lists.ubuntu.com>
Bugs: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+filebug
Installed-Size: 21
Depends: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau
Filename: pool/restricted/n/nvidia-graphics-drivers-340/nvidia-340_340.108-0ubuntu8_amd64.deb
Size: 6452
MD5sum: 75d47baa1b7bb214dea660908e2a1e72
SHA1: c6d9a3b9c7a06f3bc2067beb923ba9529db5a484
SHA256: 495def2a1675784fc5c796cfce91662f43c460119866094034c1802a9cea3929
SHA512: 34eff89b2766f75375832ce6cc67a0d3e4d543dab4ed3a3cdaf16efa3d9c1bbde515158afed362e1598430f605479079d5485e712185844c855206b47ecb2ec2
Description-en: Transitional package for xserver-xorg-video-nouveau
 This is a transitional package for xserver-xorg-video-nouveau,
 and can be safely removed after the installation is complete.
Description-md5: 72561af068042237387957ca2ea4776c

And re dependency: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau is the newest version (1:1.0.17-1build1) and installed.

So this is a deliberate or error in the new upgrade. Maybe I should raise another query in "Hardware" or "Installations & Upgrades" or somewhere else? What do you think?

[Jonners59]

HUH! A clue.

https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/update...ian-10-buster/

Debian Linux 10 “Buster” released. The new version offers updated packages and five years of support. In this release, GNOME defaults to using the Wayland display server instead of Xorg. However, the Xorg display server still installed by default.