Linux Mint can't switch to console when using nVidia driver

Graphics / Linux Linux
1

Running Mint 16 amd64. With the Nouveau driver installed, I can switch to console mode with CTRL+ALT+F1(F2-F6) no problem. With the 331.20 nVidia driver installed, when I switch to console mode with CTRL+ALT+F1(F2-F6) I just get a completely blank black screen. I can switch back to the GUI with CTRL+ALT+F8, but I can’t get console mode to work at all.

I have seen the same problem reported on the Mint forums by another user who was running Mint 15 amd64 and the nVidia 313 driver.

2

Well, I’ve found the fix for this problem is to add “video=vesa:off vga=normal” to the Linux kernel boot command line. Adding that also enables me to see boot messages on the screen, which weren’t previously displaying with the nVidia driver installed.