Nvidia kernel driver not loaded, low resolution and no acceleration, since kernel 5.8.0-45.51

[Erfan Motallebi]

My ubuntu resolution stuck at 640 * 480 after update

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
Package: xorg 1:7.7+19ubuntu14
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.8.0-45.51~20.04.1-generic 5.8.18
Uname: Linux 5.8.0-45-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.16
Architecture: amd64
BootLog: Error: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/var/log/boot.log'
CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
CompositorRunning: None
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Tue Mar 16 10:47:35 2021
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: focal
DistroVariant: ubuntu
ExtraDebuggingInterest: I just need to know a workaround
GraphicsCard:
 NVIDIA Corporation GF119M [GeForce GT 520M] [10de:1050] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Sony Corporation GF119M [GeForce GT 520M] [104d:9089]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2021-03-16 (0 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 20.04.2.0 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Release amd64 (20210209.1)
MachineType: Sony Corporation VPCF225FG
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.8.0-45-generic root=UUID=07adf20e-fc3e-4113-9c16-70e8baf8bb71 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xorg
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 09/05/2011
dmi.bios.release: 11.90
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: R1190V3
dmi.board.asset.tag: N/A
dmi.board.name: VAIO
dmi.board.vendor: Sony Corporation
dmi.board.version: N/A
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: N/A
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Sony Corporation
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.ec.firmware.release: 11.90
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrR1190V3:bd09/05/2011:br11.90:efr11.90:svnSonyCorporation:pnVPCF225FG:pvrC6090QKJ:rvnSonyCorporation:rnVAIO:rvrN/A:cvnSonyCorporation:ct10:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.family: VAIO
dmi.product.name: VPCF225FG
dmi.product.sku: N/A
dmi.product.version: C6090QKJ
dmi.sys.vendor: Sony Corporation
version.compiz: compiz N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.102-1ubuntu1~20.04.1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 20.2.6-0ubuntu0.20.04.1
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx N/A
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.20.9-2ubuntu1.2~20.04.1
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:19.1.0-1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.917+git20200226-1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.16-1

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

It sounds like the Nvidia driver is not happy with the new kernel.

Please try booting an older kernel or forcefully reinstalling the Nvidia kernel driver:

  sudo apt install --reinstall nvidia-driver-390 nvidia-dkms-390

and then reboot (because the Nvidia web site tells me your GPU is only supported by driver version 390).

You can also find other kernels to test at https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/?C=M;O=D

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Andy Whitcroft (apw)]

Could you update your linux-nvidia-modules-<stream>-generic or -generic-hwe-20.04 to the latest version; we have since released a +1 version which likely resolves this. Please report back here. Thanks.

[Magnus Morton (jaffachief)]

I had uninstalled all the nvidia packages after encountering this. Reinstalled this morning and the nvidia modules built and loaded correctly.