package xserver-xorg-core 2:1.9.0.902-1ubuntu4 failed to install/upgrade: installing xserver-xorg-core would break existing software

[Daniel Knittl-Frank]

trying to purge and reinstall all video drivers for my card (nvidia G86M Quadro FX 360M) because it's simply impossible to tell jockey (or apt-get for that matter) to install the correct driver.

when trying to readd drivers (xserver-xorg-video-all) synaptics bailed out

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.9.0.902-1ubuntu4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-1.28-generic-pae 2.6.38-rc2
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-1-generic-pae i686
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
.proc.driver.nvidia.version:
 NVRM version: NVIDIA UNIX x86 Kernel Module 260.19.29 Wed Dec 8 12:09:09 PST 2010
 GCC version: gcc version 4.5.2 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.5.2-2ubuntu1)
.proc.driver.nvidia.version_:
 NVRM version: NVIDIA UNIX x86 Kernel Module 260.19.29 Wed Dec 8 12:09:09 PST 2010
 GCC version: gcc version 4.5.2 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.5.2-2ubuntu1)
Architecture: i386
Date: Tue Feb 1 17:32:55 2011
DistUpgraded: Yes, recently upgraded Log time: 2010-12-25 19:00:20.784814
DistroCodename: natty
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus: virtualbox-ose, 4.0.2, 2.6.38-1-generic-pae, i686: installed
ErrorMessage: installing xserver-xorg-core would break existing software
GraphicsCard: Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:01ff]
MachineType: Dell Inc. Precision M4300
PccardctlIdent:
 Socket 0:
   no product info available
PccardctlStatus:
 Socket 0:
   no card
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-1-generic-pae root=UUID=f957135d-b762-45ac-9e0d-6979595882aa ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
ProcKernelCmdLine_: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-1-generic-pae root=UUID=f957135d-b762-45ac-9e0d-6979595882aa ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xorg-server
Title: package xserver-xorg-core 2:1.9.0.902-1ubuntu4 failed to install/upgrade: installing xserver-xorg-core would break existing software
dmi.bios.date: 05/23/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A11
dmi.board.name: 0UY141
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA11:bd05/23/2008:svnDellInc.:pnPrecisionM4300:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn0UY141:rvr:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvr:
dmi.product.name: Precision M4300
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.23-1ubuntu3
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.10-1ubuntu1
version.nvidia-graphics-drivers: nvidia-graphics-drivers N/A
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.5+6ubuntu8
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.13.2+git20110124.fadee040-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.14.0-1ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau N/A

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Looks like you still have -nvidia installed according to your report. -nvidia itself needs updated to work with the new X stack so will be uninstallable for a while. Remove it entirely then try the upgrade again.

[Bill Wheatley (bwheatley)]

Weird that i did my full update it removed the nvidia driver and the nouveau driver doesn't work for kdm or gdm. So i guess i need to either downgrade some packages or wait for nvidia to release a new driver.

[Bill Wheatley (bwheatley)]

Here is a good reference for anyone else who wants to get around this issue until nvidia releases new drivers

http://www1.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=10441734#post10441734

[Bill Wheatley (bwheatley)]

With the key points of that link above being run.

sudo apt-get remove nvidia-common nvidia-settings
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Right, yeah the error message itself was Doing The Right Thing, to prevent you from upgrading and getting a broken X since a compatible -nvidia driver is unavailable. The fundamental issue of nvidia being unavailable is bug #711409 - I'll dupe you to that one.