linux-restricted-modules causes modules mismatch with nvidia installer

[Zen-Owl]

This is a problem concerning updating to the latest NVIDIA drivers.

When the package linux-restricted-modules-* is installed on a system, and one tries to install the NVIDIA drivers with their third-party installer, the linux-restricted-modules package keeps it's kernel module, while the X server tries to use the driver from the installer; causing a difficult to fix version mismatch. This version mismatch obviously stops the X server from starting.

The ways to fix this are,

1) To remove the installers components, `sh NVIDIA-* --uninstall`
2) To manually delete the modules in /lib that conflict (hackish)
3) To use a third party repository to gain a more up to date version of linux-restricted-modules

As you can see none of these fixes are very easy or user friendly; so, in my opinion, this behavior should be fixed.

[Dutch (straykat)]

Not sure if this is related but I seem to think it is. I have a Nvidia graphics card & have installed (via Adept ) the Nvidia GLX driver. After last set of updates which included a new kernel image etc X failed to come up on next reboot. Even tried the (new) recovery boot & at the prompt typed in kdm but still no X?
Rebooted into previous kernel with no problem!

[Zen-Owl (jtwleeds)]

Thanks for your response Dutch, I think that your problem also shows how it is difficult to manage the NVIDIA driver with the linux-restricted-modules package.

[IgnorantGuru (ignorantguru)]

I'm using Kubuntu Edgy with a GeForce 6200TD 128M AGP. I recently did a kernel update through Adept Notifier and X wouldn't start. Got the "error running install command for nvidia". I rolled the system back using a partition image I had, so now I'm back to the pre-upgrade point. Here is what I have listed in Adept Notifier:

[code]
linux-headers-2.6.17-10 (upgrade)
    Candidate version: 2.6.17.1-10.34
    Installed version: 2.6.17.1-10.33

linux-headers-2.6.17-10-generic (upgrade)
    Candidate version: 2.6.17.1-10.34
    Installed version: 2.6.17.1-10.33

linux-headers-2.6.17-11 (install)
    Candidate version: 2.6.17.1-11.35

linux-headers-2.6.17-11-generic (install)
    Candidate version: 2.6.17.1-11.35

linux-headers-generic (upgrade)
    Candidate version: 2.6.17-11
    Installed version: 2.6.17-10

linux-image-2.6.17-10-386 (upgrade)
    Candidate version: 2.6.17.1-10.34
    Installed version: 2.6.17.1-10.33

linux-image-2.6.17-10-generic (upgrade)
    Candidate version: 2.6.17.1-10.34
    Installed version: 2.6.17.1-10.33

linux-image-2.6.17-11-generic (install)
    Candidate version: 2.6.17.1-11.35

linux-image-generic (upgrade)
    Candidate version: 2.6.17.11
    Installed version: 2.6.17.10

linux-libc-dev (upgrade)
    Candidate version: 2.6.17.1-11.35
    Candidate version: 2.6.17.1-10.33

linux-restricted-modules-2.6.17-10-386 (upgrade)
    Candidate version: 2.6.17.7-10.1
    Installed version: 2.6.17.6-1

linux-restricted-modules-common (upgrade)
    Candidate version: 2.6.17.7-11.1
    Installed version: 2.6.17.6-1

nvidia-glx (upgrade)
    Candidate version: 1.0.8776+2.6.17.7-11.1
    Installed version: 1.0.8776+2.6.17.6-1
[/code]

Any suggestions on how I can do the upgrade without hitting this problem? Should I deselect some of these? Or should I wait until it is fixed?

On the Ubuntu Forums they suggested installing restricted modules for -11 and this will fix it. I tried installing nvidia-kernel-common but it said I already had the latest version. DIdn't try explicitly installing the -11 ones though - maybe that would work.

[IgnorantGuru (ignorantguru)]

Tried again... For the record, I first upgraded the -10 kernel and headers, but didn't install anything for -11, including the new nvidia-glx. Rebooted and all was well.

Then I installed the -11 offerings in Adept. Rebooted and X failed to start. Then in console

  sudo apt-get install linux-restricted-modules-2.6.17-11-386

Rebooted and all appears to be well - no dreaded EE's in X log.

BTW if anyone knows why I should install linux-restricted-modules-2.6.17-11-generic in addition to -386, please tell me.

So it appears that the Adept Notifier is for whatever reason not installing the new restricted modules when it does the kernel upgrade - seems like broken behavior to me.

[Zen-Owl (jtwleeds)]

That's exactly why I filed this bug, the various problems linux-restricted-modules with NVIDIA and X seems like broken behaviour to me as well.

[Jan Eppo Jonker (j-e-jonker)]

The way I solved this collision problem (gutsy):
- prevent loading of the lrm modules "nvidia" "nvidia-legacy" "nvidia-new"
- alias the module "nvidia" produced by the install script

The 3 nvidia restricted modules appear at boottime in /lib/modules/<kernel-version>/volatile
Loading is prevented by the line
DISABLED_MODULES="nv nvidia_new"
in the file /etc/default/linux-restricted-modules-common

The module produced by the install script is /lib/modules/<kernel-version>/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia.ko

I renamed the file to nvidia-is.ko

The alias must be registered in directory /etc/modprobe.d
I created a new file /etc/modprobe.d/nvidia-kernel-driver (filename does not matter) containing two lines:
# Make nvidia load the nvidia-is
alias nvidia nvidia-is

One may check the result :
$ modprobe --show-depends nvidia
insmod /lib/modules/2.6.22-8-generic/kernel/drivers/i2c/i2c-core.ko
insmod /lib/modules/2.6.22-8-generic/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia-is.ko

[Sitsofe Wheeler (sitsofe)]

Instructions for installing the NVIDIA .pkg can be found on https://help.ubuntu.com/community/NvidiaManual .

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

We don't support mixed installations. Don't use the third party installer unless you are able to bear the consequences.