I’m setting up a GeForce GT 710 on Ubuntu 24.04 (Linux kernel 6.11+) and need help choosing the correct proprietary NVIDIA driver version.
Key Details
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GT 710
OS: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (kernel 6.11.0-29).
Driver Options:
Open-source: nouveau (works but lacks performance/features).
Proprietary: Need version that supports both GT 710 and kernel 6.11.
What I’ve Tried
Checked NVIDIA’s legacy driver list — latest supported for GT 710 is 470.xx.
Tested ubuntu-drivers devices, which recommends nvidia-driver-535 (but unsure if GT 710 is fully compatible).
Attempted installing 470.xx manually, but it fails to compile on kernel 6.11.0-29 (an error occurs) nvidia-installer.log (1.5 MB)
Questions
Which version of the GeForce GT 710 video card driver is suitable for Ubuntu 24.04?
Is 470.xx the last compatible version for GT 710? If so, how to install it on Ubuntu 24.04 (given kernel 6.11 conflicts)?
If you’re struggling to get your NVIDIA GT 730 (Kepler architecture) working with the proprietary 470.x.x driver on Ubuntu Studio 25.04 (Plucky Puffin), here’s the most direct and successful method I found. The key issues are the newer default kernel (6.14.x) being incompatible and the 470 driver package not being available for 25.04 through standard PPAs.
This guide will show you how to:
Install a compatible, older kernel (e.g., 6.8.x).
Install the NVIDIA 470.256.02 driver using the official .run file.
Crucial First Step: Timeshift Snapshot! Seriously, do this first. It’s your safety net.
sudo apt install timeshift
sudo timeshift-gtk (Create an RSYNC snapshot).
The Simplified Fix:
Step 1: Download the NVIDIA 470.256.02 Driver
Go to NVIDIA’s official driver download page: https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx
Download NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-470.256.02.run (or the latest 470.x.x version) to your ~/Downloads folder. Keep this file handy.
Step 2: Install a Compatible Kernel (e.g., 6.8.x) The 6.14.x kernel (default for Ubuntu 25.04) has compatibility issues with the 470 driver’s compilation. We need an older kernel.
Add the Mainline Kernel Installer PPA:sudo add-apt-repository ppa:cappelikan/ppa
Update and Install the Tool:sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y mainline
Launch Mainline Kernels: Open your applications menu, search for “Mainline Kernels” and launch the graphical tool.
Install a 6.8.x kernel: In the tool, scroll down and select a stable kernel from the 6.8.x series (e.g., 6.8.12-060812-generic worked for me). Avoid any rc (release candidate) versions. Click “Install” and let it finish.
Step 3: Prepare for Driver Installation & Reboot to New Kernel We need to blacklist the open-source nouveau driver and then boot into our new, compatible kernel.
Blacklist Nouveau:Bashecho "blacklist nouveau" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-nvidia-nouveau.conf echo "options nouveau modeset=0" | sudo tee -a /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-nvidia-nouveau.conf sudo update-initramfs -u -k $(uname -r)
Reboot:sudo reboot
Select New Kernel in GRUB: As your system restarts, repeatedly press Esc or Shift to enter the GRUB boot menu. Go to “Advanced options for Ubuntu” and select the 6.8.12-060812-generic kernel (or your chosen 6.8.x version) to boot.
Expect a Black Screen: After selecting the kernel, you’ll likely boot to a black screen. This is normal; it means nouveau is disabled and the NVIDIA driver isn’t fully loaded yet.
Step 4: Access TTY and Run NVIDIA Installer From the black screen, we’ll proceed with the installation.
Access TTY: Press Ctrl + Alt + F3 (or Ctrl + Alt + Fn + F3 on laptops) to get a text-only login prompt. Log in with your username and password.
Install GCC-13: The 6.8.x kernel was built with GCC-13, and the NVIDIA installer needs to use that for compatibility. sudo apt install gcc-13
Stop Display Manager (SDDM for KDE Plasma):sudo systemctl stop sddm (No output is normal here).
Navigate to Downloads:cd ~/Downloads
Make Installer Executable:chmod +x NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-470.256.02.run
Run the NVIDIA Installer (CRITICAL: Specify GCC-13):sudo CC=/usr/bin/gcc-13 ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-470.256.02.run
Follow Installer Prompts Carefully:
Accept the license.
YES to install 32-bit compatibility libraries.
YES to DKMS (Dynamic Kernel Module Support).
YES to run nvidia-xconfig to update your X configuration.
Step 5: Final Reboot and Verify
After the installer finishes, you’ll be back at your TTY. Reboot your system: sudo reboot
Again, ensure you select the 6.8.12-060812-generic kernel in GRUB.
Your graphical desktop should now load normally with the NVIDIA driver!
To Verify Installation:
Open a terminal and run: nvidia-smi (You should see detailed info about your NVIDIA GPU and driver version 470.256.02)
And confirm your kernel: uname -r (Should show 6.8.12-060812-generic)
This process successfully got my GT 730 running flawlessly on Ubuntu Studio 25.04. Good luck!