3

I recently noticed that there was a kernel warning saying that the nvidia driver wasn't compatible with booting into a video mode terminal, so I edited /etc/default/grub, to make it boot into a text only terminal. This worked fine for several days, but now suddenly When I go into a tty I only get a black screen and a flashing cursor. The resolution is also very low. I am actually able to log in and run commands, I just don't get any output, all happens is the cursor moves. What I have tried:

  • Setting it to boot back into video mode - same in a tty apart from this time there were vertical blue lines running down it
  • echo FRAMEBUFFER=y > /etc/initramfs-tools/conf.d/splash - No difference, although plymouth did start earlier in the boot. Neither of these have worked, what do you recommend I try next?
  • Adding nomodeset in grub - no change

[EDIT] As requested output from lsmod

$ lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
nls_iso8859_1          12713  1 
nls_cp437              16991  1 
vfat                   17585  1 
fat                    61512  1 vfat
pci_stub               12622  1 
vboxpci                23237  0 
vboxnetadp             13382  0 
vboxnetflt             23478  0 
vboxdrv               287082  3 vboxpci,vboxnetadp,vboxnetflt
kvm_amd                55848  0 
kvm                   415550  1 kvm_amd
parport_pc             32866  0 
ppdev                  17113  0 
bnep                   18281  2 
rfcomm                 47604  0 
bluetooth             180153  10 bnep,rfcomm
binfmt_misc            17540  1 
snd_hda_codec_realtek   224173  1 
ip6t_LOG               16974  4 
xt_hl                  12521  6 
ip6t_rt                12558  3 
nf_conntrack_ipv6      13906  7 
nf_defrag_ipv6         13412  1 nf_conntrack_ipv6
ipt_REJECT             12576  1 
ipt_LOG                12919  5 
xt_limit               12711  12 
xt_tcpudp              12603  42 
xt_addrtype            12713  4 
xt_state               12578  14 
nvidia              11300349  40 
ip6table_filter        12815  1 
ip6_tables             27864  3 ip6t_LOG,ip6t_rt,ip6table_filter
nf_conntrack_netbios_ns    12665  0 
nf_conntrack_broadcast    12589  1 nf_conntrack_netbios_ns
nf_nat_ftp             12704  0 
nf_nat                 25891  1 nf_nat_ftp
nf_conntrack_ipv4      19716  9 nf_nat
nf_defrag_ipv4         12729  1 nf_conntrack_ipv4
nf_conntrack_ftp       13452  1 nf_nat_ftp
nf_conntrack           81926  8 nf_conntrack_ipv6,xt_state,nf_conntrack_netbios_ns,nf_conntrack_broadcast,nf_nat_ftp,nf_nat,nf_conntrack_ipv4,nf_conntrack_ftp
iptable_filter         12810  1 
snd_hda_intel          33719  3 
snd_hda_codec         127706  2 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel
snd_hwdep              17764  1 snd_hda_codec
ip_tables              27473  1 iptable_filter
x_tables               29891  13 ip6t_LOG,xt_hl,ip6t_rt,ipt_REJECT,ipt_LOG,xt_limit,xt_tcpudp,xt_addrtype,xt_state,ip6table_filter,ip6_tables,iptable_filter,ip_tables
snd_pcm                97275  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec
snd_seq_midi           13324  0 
arc4                   12529  2 
snd_rawmidi            30748  1 snd_seq_midi
rt2800pci              18715  0 
rt2800lib              58967  1 rt2800pci
crc_ccitt              12707  1 rt2800lib
k10temp                13166  0 
rt2x00pci              14620  1 rt2800pci
rt2x00lib              55326  3 rt2800pci,rt2800lib,rt2x00pci
mac80211              506862  3 rt2800lib,rt2x00pci,rt2x00lib
edac_core              53746  0 
psmouse                97485  0 
edac_mce_amd           23709  0 
serio_raw              13211  0 
cfg80211              205774  2 rt2x00lib,mac80211
eeprom_93cx6           12767  1 rt2800pci
snd_seq_midi_event     14899  1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq                61929  2 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_timer              29990  2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device         14540  3 snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
snd                    79041  15 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
soundcore              15091  1 snd
snd_page_alloc         18529  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
mac_hid                13253  0 
i2c_nforce2            13058  0 
lp                     17799  0 
parport                46562  3 parport_pc,ppdev,lp
usbhid                 47238  0 
hid                    99636  1 usbhid
ums_realtek            18248  0 
usb_storage            49243  2 ums_realtek
forcedeth              63460  0 
sata_nv                32286  2

lspci -v:

$ lspci -v

    00:00.0 RAM memory: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 Memory Controller (rev a1)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 2a99
        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0
        Capabilities: <access denied>

    00:01.0 ISA bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 LPC Bridge (rev a2)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 2a99
        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0
        I/O ports at 4f00 [size=256]

    00:01.1 SMBus: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 SMBus (rev a2)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 2a99
        Flags: 66MHz, fast devsel, IRQ 11
        I/O ports at 4900 [size=64]
        I/O ports at 4d00 [size=64]
        I/O ports at 4e00 [size=64]
        Capabilities: <access denied>
        Kernel driver in use: nForce2_smbus
        Kernel modules: i2c-nforce2

    00:01.2 RAM memory: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 Memory Controller (rev a2)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 2a99
        Flags: 66MHz, fast devsel

    00:02.0 USB controller: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 USB 1.1 Controller (rev a3) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 2a99
        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 23
        Memory at fbeff000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
        Capabilities: <access denied>
        Kernel driver in use: ohci_hcd

    00:02.1 USB controller: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 USB 2.0 Controller (rev a3) (prog-if 20 [EHCI])
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 2a99
        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 22
        Memory at fbefec00 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
        Capabilities: <access denied>
        Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd

    00:04.0 PCI bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 PCI bridge (rev a1) (prog-if 01 [Subtractive decode])
        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0
        Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=64
        Capabilities: <access denied>

    00:05.0 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 High Definition Audio (rev a2)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 2a99
        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 22
        Memory at fbef8000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
        Capabilities: <access denied>
        Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
        Kernel modules: snd-hda-intel

    00:07.0 Bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 Ethernet (rev a2)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 2a99
        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 43
        Memory at fbefd000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
        I/O ports at e480 [size=8]
        Capabilities: <access denied>
        Kernel driver in use: forcedeth
        Kernel modules: forcedeth

    00:08.0 IDE interface: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 SATA Controller (rev a2) (prog-if 85 [Master SecO PriO])
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 2a99
        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 21
        I/O ports at e400 [size=8]
        I/O ports at e080 [size=4]
        I/O ports at e000 [size=8]
        I/O ports at dc00 [size=4]
        I/O ports at d880 [size=16]
        Memory at fbefc000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
        Capabilities: <access denied>
        Kernel driver in use: sata_nv
        Kernel modules: sata_nv

    00:08.1 IDE interface: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 SATA Controller (rev a2) (prog-if 85 [Master SecO PriO])
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 2a99
        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 20
        I/O ports at d800 [size=8]
        I/O ports at d480 [size=4]
        I/O ports at d400 [size=8]
        I/O ports at d080 [size=4]
        I/O ports at d000 [size=16]
        Memory at fbef3000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
        Capabilities: <access denied>
        Kernel driver in use: sata_nv
        Kernel modules: sata_nv

    00:09.0 PCI bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 PCI Express bridge (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
        Bus: primary=00, secondary=02, subordinate=02, sec-latency=0
        Capabilities: <access denied>
        Kernel driver in use: pcieport
        Kernel modules: shpchp

    00:0b.0 PCI bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 PCI Express bridge (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
        Bus: primary=00, secondary=03, subordinate=03, sec-latency=0
        Capabilities: <access denied>
        Kernel driver in use: pcieport
        Kernel modules: shpchp

    00:0c.0 PCI bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 PCI Express bridge (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
        Bus: primary=00, secondary=04, subordinate=04, sec-latency=0
        Memory behind bridge: fbf00000-fbffffff
        Capabilities: <access denied>
        Kernel driver in use: pcieport
        Kernel modules: shpchp

    00:0d.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation C61 [GeForce 6150SE nForce 430] (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 2a99
        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 21
        Memory at fa000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
        Memory at e0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
        Memory at f9000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
        [virtual] Expansion ROM at fbec0000 [disabled] [size=128K]
        Capabilities: <access denied>
        Kernel driver in use: nvidia
        Kernel modules: nvidia_current, nouveau, nvidiafb

    00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 10h Processor HyperTransport Configuration
        Flags: fast devsel
        Capabilities: <access denied>

    00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 10h Processor Address Map
        Flags: fast devsel

    00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 10h Processor DRAM Controller
        Flags: fast devsel
        Kernel modules: amd64_edac_mod

    00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 10h Processor Miscellaneous Control
        Flags: fast devsel
        Capabilities: <access denied>
        Kernel driver in use: k10temp
        Kernel modules: k10temp

    00:18.4 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 10h Processor Link Control
        Flags: fast devsel

    04:00.0 Network controller: Ralink corp. RT3090 Wireless 802.11n 1T/1R PCIe
        Subsystem: Lite-On Communications Inc Device 7602
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 19
        Memory at fbff0000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64K]
        Capabilities: <access denied>
        Kernel driver in use: rt2800pci
        Kernel modules: rt2800pci

Uname -a:

Linux ********* 3.2.0-39-generic #62-Ubuntu SMP Thu Feb 28 00:28:53 UTC 2013 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
6
  • @geezanansa I've added the details requested, I had already found that question, and most of what was said I've already tried. I haven't tried nomodeset, however so I may look into that. Also reccomened was heightening the resolution, which would make sense, as at some points the cursor disappears off the screen. However I don't want to up my grub resolution as that results in no input signal errors at grub. How can I increase boot resolution without changing grub? Apr 1, 2013 at 10:26
  • Update: nomodeset doesn't work either. Apr 1, 2013 at 10:45
  • @geezanansa I'll try disabling plymouth, however I need nvidia-current to run certain applications. Apr 1, 2013 at 12:46
  • Moved to chat, this is getting long. Apr 1, 2013 at 12:51
  • let us continue this discussion in chat Apr 1, 2013 at 12:51

2 Answers 2

4

OK, I found a fix for myself, and I am leaving it here in case other people with the same problem find this. First run sudo apt-get install v86d Then run cat /sys/bus/platform/drivers/uvesafb/uvesafb.0/vbe_modes, and remember the highest of the modes it outputs. (If this doesn't output anything you may need to restart your computer after installing v86d, I can't quite remember). Then run gksudo gedit /etc/default/grub, and make the grub_cmdline_linux_default look like this: GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash nomodeset video=uvesafb:mode_option=1024x768-32,mtrr=3,scroll=ywrap", also check if this file contains the GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=something or other line. If it does, then remove it. But replace 1024x768-32 with the highest listed resolution from the second step. Then run gksudo gedit /etc/initramfs-tools/modules, and add this to the bottom: uvesafb mode_option=1024x768-32 mtrr=3 scroll=ywrap Once again replacing 1024x768-32 with the mode you found. Then run gksudo gedit /etc/grub.d/10_linux, and find the part which looks like this:

function gfxmode {
    set gfxpayload="${1}"
    if [ "${1}" = "keep" ]; then
        set vt_handoff=7
    else
        set vt_handoff=
    fi
}

and make it look like this:

function gfxmode {
    set gfxpayload="${1}"
    if [ "${1}" = "keep" ]; then
        set vt_handoff=
    else
        set vt_handoff=
    fi
}

Then run sudo update-grub; sudo update-initramfs -u. Reboot and the problem will be fixed :)

3
  • 1
    I'm experiencing this problem in Ubuntu 14.10, and when I try your steps above after installing v86d (and rebooting) my /sys/bus/platform/drivers has no uvesafb/ subdirectory... any idea why?
    – JPL
    Feb 10, 2015 at 21:33
  • 1
    Same here, no directory, Ubuntu 14.04 Feb 26, 2015 at 5:05
  • 2
    JPL, all you might need to do is just add nomodeset to both GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT= GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX= Just this fixed it for me :) Feb 27, 2015 at 1:07
3

For me, all I needed to do was add nomodeset to both

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=

in the file /etc/default/grub and run sudo update-grub afterwards.

I'd suggest trying this first before going through all those complicated steps as it may be unnecessary :)

1
  • didn't work for me on Kubuntu 15.10 using Kaveri chipset
    – pbhj
    Jul 21, 2016 at 23:58

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