GT70 GT208B Ubuntu 24.04: black screen with nvidia-driver-470_470.256.02-0ubuntu0.24.04.1_amd64.deb

Graphics / Linux Linux
1 
~ uname -a
Linux cytro 6.8.0-40-generic #40-Ubuntu SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Fri Jul  5 10:34:03 UTC 2024 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
~ inxi -G
Graphics:
  Device-1: NVIDIA GK208B [GeForce GT 710] driver: nouveau v: kernel
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.11 driver: X: loaded: modesetting
    dri: nouveau gpu: nouveau resolution: 3440x1440~30Hz
  API: EGL v: 1.5 drivers: nouveau,swrast
    platforms: gbm,x11,surfaceless,device
  API: OpenGL v: 4.5 compat-v: 4.3 vendor: mesa v: 24.0.9-0ubuntu0.1
    renderer: NV106
  API: Vulkan v: 1.3.275 drivers: N/A surfaces: xcb,xlib

I’ve ran this PC for years with the nvidia-driver-470, but a few months ago (possibly after upgrading to Ubuntu 24.04 Mate Edition), it stopped working. I just get a black screen after a reboot, and I need to SSH into the machine to uninstall the nvidia driver and revert back to the nouveau driver. Unfortunately, the nouveau driver seems to be a lot slower for me, there is a lot of lag when I move my mouse which makes working on this PC much less pleasant. I’ve searched extensively for a solution to this but haven’t been able to find anything yet.

[edit] To expand on “black screen”, I mean I do not even get to see any linux console output, and cannot switch to a console (CTRL-ALT-1/2/…) (well, it’s probably switching, but I don’t see anything).

[edit] I just discovered that if I boot into single user mode, then enter maintenance mode (ENTER) and then continue (CTRL-D), the NVIDIA driver does work correctly! If I skip first going into maintenance mode, it does not.

Does anybody have any suggestions on how to get this to work again? As per the nvidia driver page, this card is still supported by the 470.xx legacy driver series: Linux x64 (AMD64/EM64T) Display Driver | 470.256.02 | Linux 64-bit | NVIDIA

[edit] Attached the nvidia-bug-report.sh log file to assist in any investigations.
nvidia-bug-report.log.gz (273.4 KB)

2

Hello
I have the same hardware NVIDIA GK208B [GeForce GT 710] on a old Dell Precision workstation.
On Ubuntu canonical 22.04 and NVIDIA 470.256.02 driver, I have got a problem after the upgrade to the kernel 6.8.0-40-generic #40~22.04.3-Ubuntu SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC.
After the system boot, the generated screen has a larger size than the video size, it’s seem to be a 16:9 instead of a 16:10; if I simulated a change of the resolution screen to a wrong value and after retrieval the correct default value, the problem is solved until the next startup .
I have got the same problem on the same hardware machine with Mint Virginia and 6.8.0-40 kernel and 470.256.02 NVIDIA driver, it seem to be definitively solve after the upgrade to Mint Wilma, which install the 6.8.0-41-generic #41-Ubuntu, always with 470.256.02 NVIDIA driver.
but if I run
apt list nvidia* |grep installed
on Ubuntu I see all packages with the 22.04 suffix, ex.
nvidia-kernel-source-470/jammy-updates,jammy-security,now 470.256.02-0ubuntu0.22.04.1 amd64

on Wilma I see all packages with the 24.04 suffix, ex.
nvidia-kernel-source-470/noble-updates,noble-security,now 470.256.02-0ubuntu0.24.04.1 amd64

I don’t know If the different driver version suffix indicates also a different driver codes or is just a mnemonic, do you know ?
Even if so, I think it’s a gamble to install Wilma’s nvidia packages on our ubuntu machine with the 6.8.0-40 kernel, I hope in a short update to a 6.8.0-41-generic #41-Ubuntu kernel on my canonical distro.

Thanks in advance for the answer.
P.

3

Hello,
my problem described above has been solved by installing kernel 6.8.0-41 (Ubuntu 24.04 Noble)
regards

4

My problem still occurs as described in the original post with nvidia-driver-470 470.256.02-0ubuntu0.24.04.1 and updated kernel 6.8.0.44:

Linux cytro 6.8.0-44-generic #44-Ubuntu SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Tue Aug 13 13:35:26 UTC 2024 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Using the workaround of booting in single user mode, entering maintenance mode and then continuing the boot process also still works.