[nvidia] Login screen doesn't show up after installing the Nvidia driver, on a desktop with only an Nvidia GPU

[Shahar Or]

Attempting to boot after installing nvidia-driver-435, the login screen does not show up.

I tried editing /etc/gdm3/custom.conf and uncommenting the line:

  #WaylandEnable=false

And then rebooting. No apparent change. Still no login screen.

Screenshot attached.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 19.10
Package: nvidia-driver-435 435.21-0ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.3.0-24.26-generic 5.3.10
Uname: Linux 5.3.0-24-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu8.2
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Mon Dec 16 10:46:58 2019
InstallationDate: Installed on 2010-10-12 (3351 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Release amd64 (20101007)
SourcePackage: nvidia-graphics-drivers-435
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to eoan on 2019-10-23 (53 days ago)

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

While on the purple screen, please open a virtual terminal via Ctrl+Alt+F4, login and then run:

  dmesg > dmesg.txt
  journalctl -b0 > journal.txt

Please then attach those files to this bug.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Please also run:

  lspci -k > lspcik.txt

and attach the file 'lspcik.txt'.

[Shahar Or (mightyiam)]

Thank you for the instructions, Daniel.

When nvidia-driver-435 is not installed, I can get to a console login prompt from the login screen by pressing CTRL+ALT+F2 through 6. But when nvidia-driver-435 is installed and I press any of those, I get to a black screen with a blinking cursor.

Any clues on that, please?

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Maybe switch back to nouveau and then just follow comment #3 for now.

[Shahar Or (mightyiam)]

Thank you, Daniel. Here it is.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Here's an idea:

Please reinstall the Nvidia driver, reproduce the bug, then revert to nouveau again.

Assuming the problem with the Nvidia driver was the _previous_ boot:

  journalctl -b-1 > prevboot.txt

and then attach the file prevboot.txt

[Shahar Or (mightyiam)]

Thank you, Daniel.

From one boot after the failed one, here it is attached.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Thanks. This appears likely to be the problem; the Nvidia driver can't find a monitor!?

Dec 17 15:07:44 shahar-desktop /usr/lib/gdm3/gdm-x-session[2137]: (II) NVIDIA(0): Validated MetaModes:
Dec 17 15:07:44 shahar-desktop /usr/lib/gdm3/gdm-x-session[2137]: (II) NVIDIA(0): "NULL"
Dec 17 15:07:44 shahar-desktop /usr/lib/gdm3/gdm-x-session[2137]: (II) NVIDIA(0): Virtual screen size determined to be 640 x 480
Dec 17 15:07:44 shahar-desktop /usr/lib/gdm3/gdm-x-session[2137]: (WW) NVIDIA(0): Unable to get display device for DPI computation.
...
Dec 17 15:07:44 shahar-desktop /usr/lib/gdm3/gdm-x-session[2137]: (II) NVIDIA(0): Setting mode "NULL"