Can't login with kernel update and NVIDIA

[billquinn]

Despair is mounting. The last time I installed the latest kernel, the terminal window became completely unusable. To solve this problem I had to get another kernel, 2.6.42.12-1.fc15.i686.PAE, by going to a koji page! If interested in the details, see

http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=277763

Today I have just installed the latest and greatest kernel, 2.6.43.2-6.fc15.i686.PAE, and now I can't log in.

The only thread I found that mentions this new kernel I just now installed is

http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=279217

But he had a completely different problem.

My system uses two monitors. When booting the new kernel, the Intel screen appears, as it always has, on both monitors, and the GRUB menu appears on both monitors, as it always has. When I select the newest kernel, the first monitor goes blank, and that is where the user login window always used to appear. The second monitor has the pretty blue F15 wallpaper with the two birds, but there is no login window. The beep that accompanies the display of the login window is heard, but no window!

Does anyone know a solution to this problem, or do I keep running my koji kernel?

Thanks.

Bill

[mikeewales]

Linux version 2.6.42.12-1.fc15.i686 (mockbuild@x86-17.phx2.fedoraproject.org) (gcc version 4.6.1 20110908 (Red Hat 4.6.1-9) (GCC) ) #1 SMP Tue Mar 20 16:26:27 UTC 201

When rebooting with a new kernel I can't login.

I 'm using the NVIDIA proprietory driver, installed by running NVIDIA-Linux-x86-173.14.31-pkg1.run Why? Because VariCad only runs properly using these drivers. The problem is that after booting with a new kernel, there's obviously no NVIDIA driver present for the new kernel. What used to happen is that it would fail to start X then I could ctrl-alt-F2 to a console login prompt from where I could log in as root, recompile the driver then init5 to enter X environment. Lately I can't ctrl-alt-F2 to get a console, ctrl-c and ctrl-d do nothing. In fact nothing works not even ctrl-del to reboot, I have to to a hard reset. Which causes a fsck etc... My only way in is to ssh in from my laptop, su to root and "init 3", return to the PC and login. Now I can compile a driver and "init 5". (Still not got used to systemD, just a PITA for me). I've now added "single" to the grub.conf kernel line to avoid this problem. SElinux is disabled. Note that without a networked laptop to login from I'd have been totally screwed.

Finally to my question. Is this a SystemD or Xorg issue and how to better circumvent this? Other than already described above.

Ubuntu is looking more and more inviting every upgrade.

Mike Evans

[george_toolan]

You can always edit kernel parameter in grub and add the 3 at the end of the line or use a live cd.

This problem doesn't occur if you update kernels and graphic drivers at the same time, but I'm not sure if rpmfusion still builds modules for Fedora 15.

[mikeewales]

I agree adding 3 would at least get me a login prompt. VariCad seems only to work with the drivers provided by NVIDIA though so I have to compile and install manually.

I'm mainly curious as to why this issue started recently, after FC15 upgrade and whether this is SytemD related.

[DBelton]

Originally Posted by mikeewales

I agree adding 3 would at least get me a login prompt. VariCad seems only to work with the drivers provided by NVIDIA though so I have to compile and install manually.

I'm mainly curious as to why this issue started recently, after FC15 upgrade and whether this is SytemD related.

The kmod/akmod nvidia packages in rpmfusion ARE the drivers provided by Nvidia.

My preference is to install the akmod nvidia package since it will rebuild the kernel module for you when you update your kernel.

[AlanSac]

Mike:
I'm not an expert, and have made tons of mistakes - but am gradually learning what works and what doesn't - especially in kernel problems. Why are you using the Nvidia module from Nvidia, rather than the kmod-nvidia RPM? Will your program work with the kmod-nvidia?
I have found out the hard way that I always need a kernel that works, and have two newer kernels that have all the "fancy stuff". See if you can get an older kernel to work with the kmod-nvidia - or even nouveau. It will let you log in and play with the latest. Running Fedora 16-64, I use the base kernel in nouveau, and the others in Nvidia (k-mod). They all work, but occasionally an update crashes the newest ones, and I can at least use "old faithful" to get into the system and fix it. By the way, even with problems I far prefer Fedora 16 to f-15. The experts seem to agree that the best way is a fresh install. If you can get back up with your kernel that works, you can wait and see if you want to wait for Fedora 17 - coming in a few weeks, or go with Fedora 16

Don't forget to back up your data frequently. I use an external hard drive - less that $100 - cheaper than tranquillizers and ulcer pills!

[mikeewales]

Aha! Thanks for that. Maybe that will "solve" the problem.

---------- Post added at 05:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:26 PM ----------

My point though was that Fedora shouldn't fail to a state where I can't login just because X wouldn't start. I was wondering what had changed to lead to this situation and if it were connected with SystemD?

[SteveGYBE]

Note that there are problems with the nVidia 295.40 drivers: Please do not use 295.40 or the security patch with GeForce 6, 7 or 8800GTX/GTS cards

I reverted to the Nouveau drivers for my GeForce 7025, but then installed the 295.33 drivers from nVidia (despite the damage these will do to my installation) as I am not convinced a quick fix will be available.

[Dan]

There are no 173xx drivers available in the repos for anything past F14~F15. And as Nouveau is a great white fail-whale on many older cards, (Specifically the GeForce FX5200 and the GeForce 7150M) If you want a decent video experience, the nvidia blob is the only game in town.

Which, by the way, is starting to annoy the devil out of me, too. <....>

[pi3832]

Originally Posted by Dan

There are no 173xx drivers available in the repos for anything past F14~F15. And as Nouveau is a great white fail-whale on many older cards...

So, maybe I should go with my thought of buying some other video card? Since it might not only be the easiest route to solving my current problem, but should help prevent future ones? I mean, it's very frustrating that older kernels work fine, and, besides, I'm not trying to do anything fancy!

(Or, indeed, maybe I should get a completely different motherboard, considering that I've also got serious issues with data transfer speeds to USB. Which are endemic to the Linux kernel, AFAICT, but at least I could get a replacement MoBo with some actual documentation, so that maybe I might have a hope in hell of figuring out what's wrong.)

[picasso_1.2.13]

i'm on F15/i386 and I'm having issues with the Nvidia driver. it seems to work perfectly with 2.6.42.9-2.fc15, but it breaks with 2.6.43.2-6.fc15. the Nvidia install log doesn't say much as to why it's choking. Anyone know what changed in the 2.6.43.2-6.fc15 kernel that breaks the Nvidia installer or know how to make the Nvidia install tell me exactly what it's checking that causes it to fail?

[diamond_ramsey]

Originally Posted by picasso_1.2.13

i'm on F15/i386 and I'm having issues with the Nvidia driver. it seems to work perfectly with 2.6.42.9-2.fc15, but it breaks with 2.6.43.2-6.fc15. the Nvidia install log doesn't say much as to why it's choking. Anyone know what changed in the 2.6.43.2-6.fc15 kernel that breaks the Nvidia installer or know how to make the Nvidia install tell me exactly what it's checking that causes it to fail?

Here's where I get my kernels - http://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/p...fo?packageID=8

Information for build kernel-2.6.43.2-6.fc15 - http://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/b...buildID=314512

See the Changelog notes below the kernel downloads.

Hope this helps.

[picasso_1.2.13]

Originally Posted by diamond_ramsey

Here's where I get my kernels - http://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/p...fo?packageID=8

Information for build kernel-2.6.43.2-6.fc15 - http://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/b...buildID=314512

See the Changelog notes below the kernel downloads.

Hope this helps.

i can't tell if you're trying to be helpful or pointing out the obvious because you think i'm an idiot and missing an obvious point?

do you know why the Nvidia installer is choking?

[fatAngel]

Originally Posted by picasso_1.2.13

i can't tell if you're trying to be helpful or pointing out the obvious because you think i'm an idiot and missing an obvious point?

do you know why the Nvidia installer is choking?

hi picasso,

i had the same problem and solved it by downloading the latest NVIDIA-driver.
do u use the installer NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-285.05.09.run?

for me it worked to use NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-295.49.run.
but u may need to run the installer twice. during my first try an error occured (/usr/lib64/xorg/modules/extensions/libglx.so is not a symbolic link).

hope this helps

greets from austria

Originally Posted by picasso_1.2.13

i'm on F15/i386 and I'm having issues with the Nvidia driver. it seems to work perfectly with 2.6.42.9-2.fc15, but it breaks with 2.6.43.2-6.fc15. the Nvidia install log doesn't say much as to why it's choking. Anyone know what changed in the 2.6.43.2-6.fc15 kernel that breaks the Nvidia installer or know how to make the Nvidia install tell me exactly what it's checking that causes it to fail?

Yes it's the 3.3 kernel changes, rpmfusion patched the driver so it would work unlike nvidia.com.

%changelog
* Tue Apr 03 2012 leigh scott <leigh123linux@googlemail.com> - 173.14.31-2
- patched to build with 3.3.0 kernel

* Tue Apr 03 2012 Nicolas Chauvet <kwizart@gmail.com> - 173.14.31-1.27
- rebuild for updated kernel

http://cvs.rpmfusion.org/viewvc/rpms...ee&view=markup