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I'm not and old ubuntu user so I'm here to question a problem. Yesterday I updated the Nvidia driver to 331 (as the reccomended updates say) and after restart I had a beatiful gift: the screen is similar to default (eg 800x600) and I don't have menu or icons desktop... Nothing, just the cursor. I tried to open with keyboard the Terminal but nothing happens. I tried to restore filesystems but didn't work... I really don't know what to do. As I read on other discussions, don't say me "give me logs" or something like that because I can't access my ubuntu desktop.

EDIT: I tried deleting Nvidia drivers and reinstalling, nothing changed Restarting often the computer brought the desktop back but on 800x600 and there wasn't the left menu and icons weren't all. Indeed I tried to change resoluton but there was jut 800x600. I tried to install boot-repair but I don't have a GUI to launch it. I don't know what to do!


So I did: reinstall unity and ubuntu desktop and reboot but nothing works. I can only access the first login screen (password) and after that I only see desktop and cursor. I really don't know what's the problem. By the way I can access terminal with ctrl alt f1 so if you need something just say me.

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  • Try to check one thing. open the terminal and put in: cd /etc/X11 then write dir and hit enter. How many xorg.conffiles do you see? Probably the Nvidia update left a empty xorg.conf file.
    – Zbunjeni
    Dec 11, 2014 at 20:25
  • I answered this [issue here][1], so try JQL's solution and see [1]: askubuntu.com/questions/526571/…
    – JQL
    Dec 12, 2014 at 6:51

1 Answer 1

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This is related to a version conflict with the kernel module. I am not sure why this happens.

/var/log/kern.log:

API mismatch: the client has the version 331.113, but this kernel module has the version 331.89.

Try this:

Ctrl+Alt+F2
$ sudo apt-get purge nvidia-*
$ sudo apt-get autoremove
$ sudo reboot

Back in a desktop (I wish I knew a better procedure for this/why it worked):

Ctrl+Alt+F2
$ DISPLAY=:0 unity
Ctrl+Alt+F7
Right Click Desktop -> Open In terminal
$ dconf reset -f /org/compiz/
$ unity

There should now be a unity interface (but slow as molasses)

Reboot

Back in unity:

Software & Updates -> Additional Drivers -> 331.113 updates
Apply & Wait & Wait & Wait
Reboot... (When done)

Victory!

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  • Thanks big time! sudo apt-get purge nvidia-* seemed to have solved everything for me, though I'm not sure I had the exact same problem. May 11, 2016 at 16:48

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