unity does not start with nvidia173.14.30

[zniavre]

Binary package hint: unity

installed nvidia 173.14.30 drivers (from nvidia.com and then from repos) broke unity

after gdm the desktop is blinking and won't load, i able to start compiz with gnome-classic

i was using nouveau driver + libdri-experimental (i just experienced the 'no-icon-in-launcher bug)

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: unity 3.8.10-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-8-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
.proc.driver.nvidia.agp.card:
 Fast Writes: Supported
 SBA: Supported
 AGP Rates: 8x 4x
 Registers: 0x1f000e1b:0x1f004302
.proc.driver.nvidia.agp.host.bridge:
 Host Bridge: PCI device 10de:01e0
 Fast Writes: Supported
 SBA: Supported
 AGP Rates: 8x
 Registers: 0x1f00421a:0x00000302
.proc.driver.nvidia.agp.status:
 Status: Enabled
 Driver: AGPGART
 AGP Rate: 8x
 Fast Writes: Disabled
 SBA: Enabled
.proc.driver.nvidia.version:
 NVRM version: NVIDIA UNIX x86 Kernel Module 173.14.30 Thu Apr 14 08:47:14 PDT 2011
 GCC version: gcc version 4.5.2 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.5.2-8ubuntu4)
Architecture: i386
CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,composite,opengl,decor,compiztoolbox,obs,resize,place,grid,vpswitch,move,wobbly,regex,animation,cube,expo,rotate,switcher,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: None
Date: Wed Apr 20 22:01:09 2011
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: natty
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus: nvidia-173, 173.14.30, 2.6.38-8-generic, i686: installed
GraphicsCard: nVidia Corporation NV34 [GeForce FX 5500] [10de:0326] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Lsusb:
 Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 002 Device 002: ID 03eb:0902 Atmel Corp. 4-Port Hub
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=fr_FR:en
 LANG=fr_FR.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=cacef3ef-57ff-4a1a-8ba1-d358c288a63f ro splash quiet vt.handoff=7
ProcVersionSignature_: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
ProcVersionSignature__: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
Renderer: Unknown
SourcePackage: unity
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 05/14/2003
dmi.bios.vendor: Phoenix Technologies, LTD
dmi.bios.version: 6.00 PG
dmi.board.name: NF7-S/NF7 (nVidia-nForce2)
dmi.board.vendor: http://www.abit.com.tw/
dmi.board.version: 2.X
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnPhoenixTechnologies,LTD:bvr6.00PG:bd05/14/2003:svn:pn:pvr:rvnhttp//www.abit.com.tw/:rnNF7-S/NF7(nVidia-nForce2):rvr2.X:cvn:ct3:cvr:
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.4+bzr20110415-0ubuntu2
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.23-1ubuntu6
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.10.2-0ubuntu2
version.nvidia-graphics-drivers: nvidia-graphics-drivers N/A
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+4ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau N/A

[Didier Roche-Tolomelli (didrocks)]

After discussing with zniavre, it seems a regression from the previous nvidia173 version. It only impacts the unity session, compiz alone run fine (FBO support issue?), RAOF, tseliot, can you have a look?

[Martin Pitt (pitti)]

Does that also happen with nvidia-current? Or does that one not support your graphics card?

[Fabien Tassin (fta)]

nvidia-current wfm, but only after a reboot. Logout alone doesn't work (it returns to a console, instead of to gdm), and gdm isn't restartable. The logs show the kernel complaining about mismatching API, but unity didn't ask for a reboot (the driver needs to touch /var/run/reboot-required).
Confirmed by didrocks on irc.

[zniavre (zniavre2048-gmail)]

@Martin Pitt

my gfx does not use nvidia-current (if it is 270.xx driver)

Fx5500 use 173.14.xx 'legacy' drivers

[Didier Roche-Tolomelli (didrocks)]

@fta: zniavre confirmed it worked then on the ubuntu classic session with compiz, so not related to that one.

[Fabien Tassin (fta)]

@didrocks: oh, ok (and for the records, it wfm with a GTX 260 and a 9600GS)

[Alberto Milone (albertomilone)]

It seems that libnux-graphics-0.9.so.0.942.4 segfaults with the driver. It's all in dmesg.

[Didier Roche-Tolomelli (didrocks)]

assigning Jay then, Jay, do you have that kind of hardware to test? do you need additional output like a stacktrace?

[Didier Roche-Tolomelli (didrocks)]

@Jay: can you have look at bug #768178 which has the stacktrace retraced?