Cannot install Nvidia Drivers - No original module exists within this kernel

[DebianSidUser]

I haven't been able to install the nvidia drives on any kernals past 2.6.32-15-generic.

nvidia-current.ko:
Running module version sanity check.
 - Original module
   - No original module exists within this kernel
 - Installation
   - Installing to /lib/modules/2.6.32-19-generic/updates/dkms/

That's what it says in the terminal when I tried to install it. Full log attached below.

[DebianSidUser (raza)]

BUMP someone please tell me how to fix this!

[DebianSidUser (raza)]

I don't think this is a duplicate, I'm still having probs and people are saying that bug is fixed.

[DebianSidUser (raza)]

Bump! This is still a prob even in -21 kernel

[IanW (launchpad-washuu)]

I've found that dkms seems to build "/lib/modules/($uname -r)/updates/dkms/nvidia-current.ko"
whereas xorg is looking for "/lib/modules/($uname -r)/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia/nvidia.ko"

My workaround is to create a symlink to point at the built driver:-

"sudo ln -s /lib/modules/($uname -r)/updates/dkms/nvidia-current.ko /lib/modules/($uname -r)/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia/nvidia.ko"

Substituting your kernel version for ($uname -r) of course.

[Alberto Milone (albertomilone)]

@illbashu
1) "No original module exists within this kernel" means that there was no nvidia proprietary module before the installation of the driver. This is correct as the nvidia module is proprietary and, as such, is not available in the Linux kernel. This is not an error, it's a statement.

2) the attached nvidia-installer.log shows a failure to modprobe the nvidia module because no nvidia card was detected. It's likely that you tried to install the driver in Virtualbox. If so, this is expected (as you can't use the nvidia driver in Virtualbox). Furthermore we don't support the installation from the Nvidia installer.

3) You haven't provided any Xorg.0.log or dmesg which could help me understand what the problem is.

@IanW
That's expected and, if you enable the driver correctly, there's no need to create a symlink for that:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Drivers

[DebianSidUser (raza)]

I'm having this prob with the official drivers (nvidia-current) too...

[Stuart Gillies (gillies)]

My problem is much the same:
- only appeared since Lynx was installed and affects both machines i installed it to
- nvidia xserver settings item on System/Admin says that the nvidia driver is activated
- Xserver box (with 'x' cursor) at startup time says problem with kernel ( don't have a copy of it to refer to unfortunately) and offers 'one-time use of low resolution settings'.
- reinstalling driver does nothing
- the symbolic link in reply #6 didn't work

Did somebody break something in Lynx?

[Alberto Milone (albertomilone)]

@illbashu
I can't help you if you don't provide the logs that I mentioned in point 3.

@Stuart
You can save the logs from failsafe X mode (which is what allows you to run Ubuntu in low resolution)

[DebianSidUser (raza)]

@Alberto

What logs do you need? and from where?