Nvidia on Ubuntu: Difference between revisions

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Why not just continue to use [https://nouveau.freedesktop.org/index.html Nouveau], a project of the [https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/ freedesktop] community? I mean "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" - right? In principle, I'd very much like to use nouveau. I'm not even sure that any alternative is "better" in any way - especially since ''I am not a gamer''<ref>I'm not opposed in any way, I just don't have the time to add another hobby. This is a clarifying statement for my use-case, and therefore, requirements.</ref>. My use case is to get the best performance from local LLMs. As I become familiar with the methods to switch video drivers reliably, I intend to run benchmarks and explore the benefits of one configuration vs another.

== Status ==

As of 2025-07-03, I'm still not running with an NVIDIA driver. According to [https://www.reddit.com/r/Ubuntu/comments/1li7wg7/how_do_i_install_nvidiadriver575_correctly/ a Reddit thread] just days ago, it's always been rather messy getting the right system together. I should "upgrade your system either to Ubuntu 25.04 for Wayland experience and no working suspend to RAM, or to 24.04 if you need suspend to RAM, but are Ok with using X11 instead of Wayland."

Since I'm on 24.04, and I've tried using X11 instead of Wayland without success, I plan to ensure my home directory is on its own partition and reinstall the OS to 25.04

== Opposite ==

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systemctl list-units --type service --all | grep nvidia

nvidia-persistenced.service loaded active running NVIDIA Persistence Daemon

</pre>dkms shows that kernel modules are installed for two kernels<pre>

</pre>[[DKMS|dkms]] shows that kernel modules are installed for two kernels<pre>

dkms status

nvidia/575.57.08, 6.8.0-60-generic, x86_64: installed (Original modules exist)

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=== Module Signing ===

On systems with Secure Boot enabled (mine), you most likely need to sign the module. See [https://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86_64/570.153.02/README/installdriver.html#modulesigning Signing NVIDIA Kernel Module]. However, I didn't get an explicit message that signing was a problem; and I did see that the installation process signs the module with a generated key. I assume that the MOK process hooks into the trust system somehow.

When troubleshooting keeps turning up mysteries, you have to check your assumptions.<syntaxhighlight lang="text">

sudo modprobe nvidia

modprobe: ERROR: could not insert 'nvidia': Key was rejected by service

</syntaxhighlight>See [[Nvidia on Ubuntu/Kernel modules|Kernel modules]]

== Tools and Troubleshooting ==

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As a regular user, my DE is KDE Plasma (using Kubuntu) rather than the GNOME default of Ubuntu

~~=== See Also ===~~

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 Why not just continue to use [https://nouveau.freedesktop.org/index.html Nouveau], a project of the [https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/ freedesktop] community? I mean "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" - right? In principle, I'd very much like to use nouveau. I'm not even sure that any alternative is "better" in any way - especially since ''I am not a gamer''<ref>I'm not opposed in any way, I just don't have the time to add another hobby. This is a clarifying statement for my use-case, and therefore, requirements.</ref>. My use case is to get the best performance from local LLMs. As I become familiar with the methods to switch video drivers reliably, I intend to run benchmarks and explore the benefits of one configuration vs another.
+== Status ==
+As of 2025-07-03, I'm still not running with an NVIDIA driver. According to [https://www.reddit.com/r/Ubuntu/comments/1li7wg7/how_do_i_install_nvidiadriver575_correctly/ a Reddit thread] just days ago, it's always been rather messy getting the right system together. I should "upgrade your system either to Ubuntu 25.04 for Wayland experience and no working suspend to RAM, or to 24.04 if you need suspend to RAM, but are Ok with using X11 instead of Wayland."
+Since I'm on 24.04, and I've tried using X11 instead of Wayland without success, I plan to ensure my home directory is on its own partition and reinstall the OS to 25.04
 == Opposite ==
@@ Line 63: / Line 68: @@
 systemctl list-units --type service --all | grep nvidia
    nvidia-persistenced.service                           loaded    active     running      NVIDIA Persistence Daemon
-</pre>dkms shows that kernel modules are installed for two kernels<pre>
+</pre>[[DKMS|dkms]] shows that kernel modules are installed for two kernels<pre>
 dkms status
 nvidia/575.57.08, 6.8.0-60-generic, x86_64: installed (Original modules exist)
@@ Line 222: / Line 227: @@
 === Module Signing ===
 On systems with Secure Boot enabled (mine), you most likely need to sign the module. See [https://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86_64/570.153.02/README/installdriver.html#modulesigning Signing NVIDIA Kernel Module]. However, I didn't get an explicit message that signing was a problem; and I did see that the installation process signs the module with a generated key. I assume that the MOK process hooks into the trust system somehow.
+When troubleshooting keeps turning up mysteries, you have to check your assumptions.<syntaxhighlight lang="text">
+sudo modprobe nvidia
+modprobe: ERROR: could not insert 'nvidia': Key was rejected by service
+</syntaxhighlight>See [[Nvidia on Ubuntu/Kernel modules|Kernel modules]]
 == Tools and Troubleshooting ==
@@ Line 244: / Line 254: @@
 As a regular user, my DE is KDE Plasma (using Kubuntu) rather than the GNOME default of Ubuntu
-=== See Also ===
+{{Subpages|}}
-{{#subpages:}}
 {{References}}