3

This how I used to setup my X Server on Ubuntu 13.

apt-get update
apt-get upgrade

# nvidia
apt-get -y install nvidia-current
apt-get -y install nvidia-current-updates

# x server
apt-get -y install xserver-xorg
apt-get -y install x11-xserver-utils

export DISPLAY=localhost:0.0

X :0 &
xhost +

On Ubuntu 14, I am getting the following error when I do X :0:

[  3491.124] (II) Module wfb: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[  3491.124]    compiled for 1.15.1, module version = 1.0.0
[  3491.124]    ABI class: X.Org ANSI C Emulation, version 0.4
[  3491.124] (II) Loading sub module "ramdac"
[  3491.124] (II) LoadModule: "ramdac"
[  3491.124] (II) Module "ramdac" already built-in
[  3491.125] (**) NVIDIA(0): Depth 24, (--) framebuffer bpp 32
[  3491.125] (==) NVIDIA(0): RGB weight 888
[  3491.125] (==) NVIDIA(0): Default visual is TrueColor
[  3491.125] (==) NVIDIA(0): Using gamma correction (1.0, 1.0, 1.0)
[  3491.125] (**) NVIDIA(0): Enabling 2D acceleration
[  3491.569] (II) NVIDIA(0): NVIDIA GPU GeForce GTX 650 Ti (GK106) at PCI:1:0:0 (GPU-0)
[  3491.569] (--) NVIDIA(0): Memory: 2097152 kBytes
[  3491.569] (--) NVIDIA(0): VideoBIOS: 80.06.3c.00.11
[  3491.569] (II) NVIDIA(0): Detected PCI Express Link width: 16X
[  3491.569] (--) NVIDIA(0): Interlaced video modes are supported on this GPU
[  3491.572] (--) NVIDIA(0): Valid display device(s) on GeForce GTX 650 Ti at PCI:1:0:0
[  3491.572] (--) NVIDIA(0):     CRT-0
[  3491.572] (--) NVIDIA(0):     DFP-0
[  3491.572] (--) NVIDIA(0):     DFP-1
[  3491.572] (--) NVIDIA(0): CRT-0: 480.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
[  3491.572] (--) NVIDIA(0): DFP-0: 165.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
[  3491.573] (--) NVIDIA(0): DFP-0: Internal Single Link TMDS
[  3491.573] (--) NVIDIA(0): DFP-1: 330.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
[  3491.573] (--) NVIDIA(0): DFP-1: Internal Single Link TMDS
[  3491.573] (EE) NVIDIA(0): Failed to assign any connected display devices to X screen 0
[  3491.598] (EE) NVIDIA(0): Failing initialization of X screen 0
[  3491.782] (II) UnloadModule: "nvidia"
[  3491.782] (II) UnloadSubModule: "wfb"
[  3491.782] (II) UnloadSubModule: "fb"
[  3491.782] (EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.
[  3491.782] (EE) 
Fatal server error:
[  3491.782] (EE) no screens found(EE)

What else can be done?

Wagner Patriota
  • 367
  • You should try rebooting to see if that resolves the problem after installing the nvidia driver. – Panther Apr 29 '14 at 18:52
  • I always reboot after any changes... I also have the DISPLAY=localhost:0.0 in /etc/environment – Wagner Patriota Apr 29 '14 at 18:59
  • Not sure why you feel you need to set the DISPLAY variable, X will start without setting this variable. I am not sure if that is even a problem or why you are setting xhost ;) – Panther Apr 29 '14 at 19:09
  • actualy nevermind about the DISPLAY variable... this is for sure not the issue. The thing is that I can't turn X Server on... – Wagner Patriota Apr 29 '14 at 19:16
  • OK, check the logs to see if there is a more specific error. Assuming the closed source driver is not working and the logs do not geve more information, your options are going to be limited to : 1. File a bug with Nvidia ; and / or use the open source driver (nouveau). The open source driver is built into the kernel (well module) so remove the nvidia driver and try again. – Panther Apr 29 '14 at 19:48
  • What graphics card do you have? Is it dual Intel/Nvidia? Could you upload the full Xorg.0.log (found in /var/log) to paste.ubuntu.com and link it here? – Seth Apr 29 '14 at 20:07
  • It looks like a problem with NVIDIA this discussion may help with your problem also google the two errors you have. "NVIDIA(0): Failed to assign any connected display devices to X screen 0" and "Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration" both of kind of lean towards drivers for NVIDIA graphics and ubuntu. –  Apr 29 '14 at 18:44
  • That is an old link on the forums and does not really answer the question. "... Screen not found" is a very non-specific error message. – Panther Apr 29 '14 at 19:57
  • I don't think it's dual. When I do lspci, I only get 1 VGA [VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GK106 [GeForce GTX 650 Ti] (rev a1)] – Wagner Patriota Apr 29 '14 at 20:10
  • if you saw the other log, ignore it. I posted the wrong thing... now, my scenario is this: http://pastebin.com/Ex4K824g bacause I tried to install the driver from NVIDIA and from apt-get and removed many times... It seems to be conflicting now... – Wagner Patriota Apr 29 '14 at 20:21
  • What is the output of apt-cache policy nouveau? edit it into your question and then let me know :) – Seth Apr 29 '14 at 20:24
  • I did what you said and something else... I will post as aswer for somebody else... thank you very much! – Wagner Patriota Apr 29 '14 at 20:39
  • Thank you @Seth and bodhi.zazen! It's working now! It happened because it's a server and doesn't have any monitor connected. – Wagner Patriota Apr 29 '14 at 20:48

2 Answers2

9

I found the final solution here: http://www.nvidia.com.br/download/driverResults.aspx/69539

There's an item it says:

  • Add a new option, AllowEmptyInitialConfiguration, which allows the X server to start even if no connected display devices are detected at startup. This option can be enabled by running "sudo nvidia-xconfig --allow-empty-initial-configuration"

So I did:

sudo nvidia-xconfig --allow-empty-initial-configuration

And it worked.

It happened because this is a server and in fact it doesn't have any display device connected.

Also, before it I followed the advice of bodhi.zazen. I blocked the nouveau drivers [and other stuff I think]

I added to /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf

blacklist vga16fb
blacklist nouveau
blacklist rivafb
blacklist nvidiafb
blacklist rivatv

Then I rebooted, reinstalled the NVDIA drivers... and rebooted again!

Wagner Patriota
  • 367
  • just to be clear, does this mean that if you log into your remote machine, and type in nvidia-smi, you will see /usr/lib/xorg/Xorg as one of the process names? I'm in the same situation as you with Ubuntu + no display device (but with NVIDIA GPUs). – ComputerScientist Apr 29 '20 at 18:04
0

I had the exact same problem. ensuring the dvi cable was correctly fixed was the solution.

Actually the nvidia driver seem to be checking the connection with the screen, so even so when the screen seems to display correctly and nouveau driver works, an incorrect connection can prevent the nvidia driver to work.

Mathieu Westphal
  • 211