X quits, instead of waiting for kernel module to load

[David Henningsson]

Symptom: I'm left at a text screen listing starting services, instead of starting lightdm.
Workaround: Switch to VT (Ctrl-Alt-F1), and in a root shell execute "stop lightdm; start lightdm"
Relevant Dmesg: http://paste.ubuntu.com/701496/
Relevant X log: http://paste.ubuntu.com/701490/

<tjaalton> diwic: ok, so it start's loading the module at 3.9s, X barfs at 4.4s, and then at 5.1s the loading is complete
<tjaalton> an interesting race condition.. maybe a bug in the xserver
<tjaalton> diwic: or in the nvidia driver rather

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: nvidia-current 280.13-0ubuntu5
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-12.19-generic 3.0.4
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-12-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
.proc.driver.nvidia.gpus.0: Error: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/proc/driver/nvidia/gpus/0'
.proc.driver.nvidia.registry: Binary: ""
.proc.driver.nvidia.version:
 NVRM version: NVIDIA UNIX x86_64 Kernel Module 280.13 Wed Jul 27 16:53:56 PDT 2011
 GCC version: gcc version 4.6.1 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.6.1-9ubuntu3)
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,decor,mousepoll,grid,imgpng,vpswitch,unitymtgrabhandles,wall,gnomecompat,resize,snap,move,place,compiztoolbox,regex,animation,session,expo,fade,workarounds,scale,ezoom,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: compiz
Date: Mon Oct 3 09:29:01 2011
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: oneiric
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus: nvidia-current, 280.13, 3.0.0-12-generic, x86_64: installed
GraphicsCard:
 nVidia Corporation GF108 [GeForce GT 430] [10de:0de1] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: nVidia Corporation Device [10de:0000]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Alpha amd64 (20110802.1)
JockeyStatus:
 xorg:nvidia_current - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Enabled, In use)
 xorg:nvidia_current_updates - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (post-release updates) (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
MachineType: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. GA-MA770T-UD3P
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic root=UUID=20d7bd2d-3fb5-4a38-b8fd-781d352fbe4e ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: nvidia-graphics-drivers
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
XorgConf:
 Section "Device"
  Identifier "Default Device"
  Option "NoLogo" "True"
 EndSection
dmi.bios.date: 06/24/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: Award Software International, Inc.
dmi.bios.version: F2
dmi.board.name: GA-MA770T-UD3P
dmi.board.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.board.version: x.x
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAwardSoftwareInternational,Inc.:bvrF2:bd06/24/2009:svnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:pnGA-MA770T-UD3P:pvr:rvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:rnGA-MA770T-UD3P:rvrx.x:cvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:ct3:cvr:
dmi.product.name: GA-MA770T-UD3P
dmi.sys.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu1
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs 20090808ubuntu25
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.26-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.11-0ubuntu3
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.11-0ubuntu3
version.nvidia-graphics-drivers: nvidia-graphics-drivers N/A
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+7ubuntu7
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.6.0-1ubuntu13
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.99~git20110811.g93fc084-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.15.901-1ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110411+8378443-1

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Hey diwic,

Hi, thanks for reporting this issue during the development period of
Ubuntu.

I notice there's not been further comments to the bug report since the
release came out, would you mind updating us on the status of it in the
release?

Are you still able to reproduce the issue? If not, do you think the bug
report can be closed, or do you think we should continue tracking it?

[bugbot (bugbot)]

We're closing this bug since it is has been some time with no response from the original reporter. However, if the issue still exists please feel free to reopen with the requested information. Also, if you could, please test against the latest development version of Ubuntu, since this confirms the bug is one we may be able to pass upstream for help.

[roothorick (8-roothorick-gmail-com)]

Seeing the same problem in 12.04. About one in five boots, X fails to start, with the same all-too-familiar "Failed to initialize NVIDIA kernel module" error. Naturally, by the time I get to a shell, the kernel module has already successfully loaded and starting X manually works just fine.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Gustaf Johansson (agruman)]

I have the same problem on a GeForce GT 220, running 302.17
Ubuntu 12.04 and I upgraded to that (from 10.04 originally).

A manual 'sudo start lightdm' works perfectly, so I guess X tries to start before the Nvidia kernel module is loaded.
This happens on almost every boot.

[Russell Sears (sears)]

I'm also seeing this in ubuntu 12.04. As a workaround, I added a "sleep 5" to the top of the "script" section in /etc/init/gdm.conf and /etc/init/lightdm.conf

Like other posters on duplicate bugs, according to /var/log/Xorg.0.log and dmesg, X bombs out a bit under 5 seconds after boot (after the kernel module starts loading), and the kernel module finishes loading at a bit under 6 seconds.

It looks like X needs to wait for the kernel module to come up.

[dino99 (9d9)]

That version is no more supported; please open a new bug report if the actual archive found version also has the same issue.