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xserver-xorg-video-nv package

NVidia - ubuntu 10.10 upgrade fail - no display

Asked by Campbell Boyd

I was running 10.04 (fully updated). I used the update manager to upgrade to 10.10. The process appeared to complete OK but when I rebooted I get left at a shell prompt.

I can logon at the shell prompt but cannot get a GUI running. If I try to run update-manager, I get "could not open display"

I downloaded (on another PC) and burnt the ISO and tried to install 10.10 to a different partition but it crashed. The crash message asked me to report this with a couple of log files. Unfortunately these log files don't exist.

I'm running on a dell 4600 with 2 100gb hard drives. The video card is a NVidia geforced4 MX440 with agp8x.

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Campbell Boyd
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delance (olivier-delance) said : 		#1

Could you try command "xconfig-nvidia".
Could you have a look at other questions about packet "xserver-xorg-video-nv" (click on start of page, on packet name).

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Campbell Boyd (campbell-boyd-gmail) said : 		#2

I think you mean "nvidia-xconfig". Ran it, It said it had written a new config file. Rebooted - no change.

Tried the grub editing trick (nomodeset) - no change.

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impressing (grahaig) said : 		#3

my question has been closed off now so i could not reply there. my solution to the nvidia problem was to de-activate the 3rd party driver from System>Administration>Additional drivers then boot 10.10 in safe mode. On the second window after login i was given the option of installing the generic driver. I did that and rebooted with no more problems. My system was self-built around 8 years old with an Abit AT7 motherboard and a Siluro MX400 graphics card.

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Campbell Boyd (campbell-boyd-gmail) said : 		#4

Thanks impressing. My problem is I'm stuck at the command line and can't get any GUI programs running.

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impressing (grahaig) said : 		#5

I was a bit brief in my instructions as i have already disposed of my notes. But if you initially boot up in safe mode from grub you are given the option of selecting failsafeX. Select it and the second (i think) window after that you are given the option of the generic driver. I did not select the generic driver the first time although it may have worked. After that you are presented with a 1024x768 GUI. This allows you to de-activate the 3rd party driver and logout. Reboot and follow the same procedure BUT select the generic driver this time. You should get the full screen of your monitor. Mine is 1386?x 768. Hope this is clearer

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Campbell Boyd (campbell-boyd-gmail) said : 		#6

Thanks impressing.

Unfortunately, when I select the failsafeX option, it chucks out some error messages then goes back to the Recovery Menu.
Messages include "no screens found".

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impressing (grahaig) said : 		#7

Sorry i can not provide the advice you need. I have only been using linux/ubuntu since the end of 9.04. It's nearly midnight here so I am logging out. Hope you resolve your problem soon.

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Campbell Boyd (campbell-boyd-gmail) said : 		#8

Found the workround below in the Ubuntu Forus:

sudo su to become root
run nvidia-xconfig (this was in: /usr/lib/nvidia-96/bin/nvidia-xconfig)
go into /etc/X11/xorg.conf - I used vi
modify driver from nvidia to nv - in my case this was on line 94
save file
run startx
when ok - reboot machine - should go straight into your x-windows session

Worked first time, so I'm up and walking.