📖 ~1 min read
Table of contents
Symptom & Impact
NVIDIA drivers fail to install or load, causing poor graphics performance and limited display capabilities.
Environment & Reproduction
Installation attempts via apt or .run installer produce dependency, DKMS, or kernel module build errors.
Root Cause Analysis
Kernel header mismatches, Secure Boot interactions, and conflicting nouveau modules are frequent root causes.
Quick Triage
Confirm GPU model support, active kernel version, and whether Secure Boot is enabled.
Step-by-Step Diagnosis
Review dkms logs, package dependency state, and loaded modules to isolate why module compilation fails.
Solution – Primary Fix
Install matching kernel headers, purge conflicting drivers, and deploy supported NVIDIA packages from repository.
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Solution – Alternative Approaches
Temporarily use nouveau for stability, then reinstall NVIDIA stack after kernel and package alignment.
Verification & Acceptance Criteria
nvidia-smi reports GPU status correctly and desktop performance remains stable after reboot.
Rollback Plan
Boot recovery mode and remove proprietary driver packages if display fails after changes.
Prevention & Hardening
Pin known-good driver branches and validate compatibility before routine production rollouts.
Related Errors & Cross-Refs
Often connected to black screen login, unresolved symbols, and failed DKMS rebuild after updates.
Related tutorial: View the step-by-step tutorial for Ubuntu 16.04 LTS.
View all Ubuntu 16.04 LTS tutorials on the Tutorials Hub →
Browse all common problems & solutions on the Tutorials Hub.
References & Further Reading
Consult Ubuntu graphics driver docs and NVIDIA Linux driver release notes for supported combinations.
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