[SOLVED] Ubuntu Media Players Constantly Crashing

P_new2Linux · 06-30-2011, 08:46 PM

Thanks "widget", for the advice I really appreciate it.

"tommcd" I ran the command line as you suggested this morning, unfortunately the result are still just about the same. and I'm still get the "this driver is activated but not in use" in the Additional Drivers menu. Although the drivers have now change in the menu:
- NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernal module and VDPAU library
- nvidia_173
- nvidia_current (this is the driver that is selected)

When I 1st ran the "sudo nvidia-xconfig" I got the following:

Using X configuration file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf".

VALIDATION ERROR: Data incomplete in file /etc/X11/xorg.conf.
Undefined Device "(null)" referenced by Screen "Default
Screen".

Backed up file '/etc/X11/xorg.conf' as '/etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup'
New X configuration file written to '/etc/X11/xorg.conf'

I may be wrong I think it installed a more advance driver automatically, to make it compatibly with "NVIDIA X Server Setting" but I don't believe this is significant. Well on the plus side I am finally able to access "NVIDIA X Server Setting", which I wasn't able to before. I think it's because of the reinstall.

is there a way to take it out of the "this driver is activated but not in use" mode? If it was in use I suspect this would solve my issues. Or should I try running the command line again, or should I try a manually install as suggested within the forums, and sites?

Thank you guys, for all the help.

tommcd · 07-01-2011, 12:47 AM

First, install the aptitude package manager so I can see what nvidia stuff you have installed:

Code:

sudo apt-get install aptitude

Then run this search:

Code:

aptitude search nvidia

and post the output here. A "i" before a package in the aptitude output means the package is installed. A "p" before a package means that it is purged (i.e., not installed.
Also post your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file so we can see what is up with that.

This is a desktop computer right?
Also, what monitor are you using and how is it connected to the computer?

P_new2Linux · 07-02-2011, 01:46 PM

Hi, sorry for the delay, been really busy

"tommcd", yes it's a desktop Dell PC. The Monitor is "Dell E172FP", and it is connected to my PC through a "ATEN CS22U KVM switch - 2 ports - USB". I doubt the port connection to the switch is realated. I was having the same problems when I had the monitor connected directly to the PC, and when I had Dell CRT monitor connected to the PC. But if you think it will make a difference or help I can connect the monitor directly my PC. Also I don't seem to have this problem when I'm using Windows.

I believe this is what you are asking for. (see below):

user1@userPC:~$ aptitude search nvidia
i nvidia-173 - NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernel module and
p nvidia-173-dev - NVIDIA binary Xorg driver development files
p nvidia-173-kernel-source - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-173-kern
p nvidia-180-kernel-source - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-185-kern
p nvidia-180-libvdpau - Transitional package for nvidia-185-libvdpau
p nvidia-180-libvdpau-dev - Transitional package for nvidia-185-libvdpau
p nvidia-180-modaliases - Transitional package for nvidia-185-modalias
p nvidia-185-kernel-source - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-185-kern
p nvidia-185-libvdpau - Transitional package for nvidia-185-libvdpau
p nvidia-185-libvdpau-dev - Transitional package for nvidia-185-libvdpau
p nvidia-96 - NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernel module and
p nvidia-96-dev - NVIDIA binary Xorg driver development files
p nvidia-96-kernel-source - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-96-kerne
p nvidia-cg-toolkit - Cg Toolkit - GPU Shader Authoring Language
p nvidia-common - Find obsolete NVIDIA drivers
i nvidia-current - NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernel module and
p nvidia-current-dev - NVIDIA binary Xorg driver development files
p nvidia-glx-173 - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-173
p nvidia-glx-173-dev - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-173-dev
p nvidia-glx-180 - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-185
p nvidia-glx-180-dev - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-185-dev
p nvidia-glx-185 - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-185
p nvidia-glx-185-dev - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-185-dev
p nvidia-glx-96 - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-96
p nvidia-glx-96-dev - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-96-dev
i nvidia-settings - Tool of configuring the NVIDIA graphics driv
v nvidia-va-driver -
user1@userPC:~$

I not sure but I think this is the "/etc/X11/xorg.conf" file you wanted

user1@userPC:~$ glxinfo | grep -i render
direct rendering: Yes
OpenGL renderer string: Quadro FX 1400/PCI/SSE2
GL_NV_vertex_program3, GL_NVX_conditional_render, GL_OES_depth24,
GL_OES_fbo_render_mipmap, GL_OES_get_program_binary, GL_OES_mapbuffer,
user1@userPC:~$

Thank you, guys.

tommcd · 07-02-2011, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P_new2Linux

But if you think it will make a difference or help I can connect the monitor directly my PC.

I would try it without the KVM switch until you get this sorted out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by P_new2Linux

user1@userPC:~$aptitude search nvidia
i nvidia-173 - NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernel module and
i nvidia-current - NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernel module and
user1@userPC:~$

It looks like you have both the nvidia-173 and the nvidia-current drivers installed. You should only have nvidia-current. So run these commands again without the KVM switch:

Code:

sudo apt-get --purge remove nvidia-*
sudo apt-get install nvidia-current nvidia-settings mesa-utils
sudo reboot

Then when the system reboots run:

Code:

sudo nvidia-xconfig

Quote:

Originally Posted by P_new2Linux

I not sure but I think this is the "/etc/X11/xorg.conf" file you wanted

You should have an xorg.conf file in the /etc/X11/ directory. Is there an xorg.conf there?

Quote:

Originally Posted by P_new2Linux

user1@userPC:~$ glxinfo | grep -i render
direct rendering: Yes
OpenGL renderer string: Quadro FX 1400/PCI/SSE2
GL_NV_vertex_program3, GL_NVX_conditional_render, GL_OES_depth24,
GL_OES_fbo_render_mipmap, GL_OES_get_program_binary, GL_OES_mapbuffer,
user1@userPC:~$

Your output from glxinfo indicates that the nvidia driver is working despite having both nvidia-173 and nvidia-curent installed. I would get rid of nvidia-173 though just to avoid any conflicts.

P_new2Linux · 07-03-2011, 02:03 PM

Hi "tommcd",

Yeah, I'm connected my monitor, mouse, keyboard directly to my PC and ran the commands, and still no luck, same problem. and I'm still getting the "this driver is activated but not in use" in the Additional Drivers menu. I'm considering going out to get another Video Card. Although I don't seem to have this problem with the other OS's, Lmint, Madriva..etc.
This was in the Additional Drivers List
- NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernal module and VDPAU library
- nvidia_current (this is the driver that is selected)
- NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernal module and VDPAU library

Well I re-ran the "aptitude search nvidia" just in-case you wanted to see what's on the system after the purge.

user1@userPC:~$ aptitude search nvidia
p nvidia-173 - NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernel module a
p nvidia-173-dev - NVIDIA binary Xorg driver development file
p nvidia-173-kernel-source - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-173-ke
p nvidia-180-kernel-source - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-185-ke
p nvidia-180-libvdpau - Transitional package for nvidia-185-libvdp
p nvidia-180-libvdpau-dev - Transitional package for nvidia-185-libvdp
p nvidia-180-modaliases - Transitional package for nvidia-185-modali
p nvidia-185-kernel-source - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-185-ke
p nvidia-185-libvdpau - Transitional package for nvidia-185-libvdp
p nvidia-185-libvdpau-dev - Transitional package for nvidia-185-libvdp
p nvidia-96 - NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernel module a
p nvidia-96-dev - NVIDIA binary Xorg driver development file
p nvidia-96-kernel-source - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-96-ker
p nvidia-cg-toolkit - Cg Toolkit - GPU Shader Authoring Language
p nvidia-common - Find obsolete NVIDIA drivers
i nvidia-current - NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernel module a
p nvidia-current-dev - NVIDIA binary Xorg driver development file
p nvidia-glx-173 - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-173
p nvidia-glx-173-dev - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-173-de
p nvidia-glx-180 - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-185
p nvidia-glx-180-dev - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-185-de
p nvidia-glx-185 - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-185
p nvidia-glx-185-dev - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-185-de
p nvidia-glx-96 - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-96
p nvidia-glx-96-dev - Transitional package for nvidia-glx-96-dev
i nvidia-settings - Tool of configuring the NVIDIA graphics dr
v nvidia-va-driver -
user1@userPC:~$

Thanks guys

widget · 07-03-2011, 02:51 PM

The "aptitude search nvidia" command does not tell you what is on the system. It tells you what is available in the repos.

tommcd · 07-04-2011, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by widget

The "aptitude search nvidia" command does not tell you what is on the system. It tells you what is available in the repos.

When you run aptitude search nvidia (or any other package name) the "i" before a package means that it is installed. A "p" before a package means that it is purged (i.e., not installed).

Post #2 here gives a good overview of the aptitude search results: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1584652

P_new2Linux
It looks like you now only have the nvidia-current driver installed. If your output from the
glxinfo | grep -i render command is still the same as it was in post #19 of this htread, then you nvidia driver is working as near as I can tell.

Do you have a /etc/X11/xorg.conf file? If so can you post it here? The nvidia-xconfig command should generate at least a minimal xorg.conf file.

As per your original problem, can you now watch videos without using the KVM switch and without problems with video players crashing.

P_new2Linux · 07-05-2011, 11:46 PM

Hi "tommcd",

This is the results of the "sudo nvidia-xconfig" command.

Using X configuration file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf".
Backed up file '/etc/X11/xorg.conf' as '/etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup'
New X configuration file written to '/etc/X11/xorg.conf'

Nope, pretty much the same problem, I can't watch videos other than VLC, which goes blank when full screen. It works okay if it's the 1st program I run when I long in.

Thanks for the help

tommcd · 07-06-2011, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P_new2Linux

This is the results of the "sudo nvidia-xconfig" command.
Using X configuration file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf".
Backed up file '/etc/X11/xorg.conf' as '/etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup'
New X configuration file written to '/etc/X11/xorg.conf'

So do you have a /etc/X11/corg.conf file? If so, post it here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by P_new2Linux

Nope, pretty much the same problem, I can't watch videos other than VLC, which goes blank when full screen. It works okay if it's the 1st program I run when I long in.

Did you run the commands I posted in post #19 without the KVM switch?
And does the video problem occur without the KVM switch as well?

If you have followed the instructions exactly as I have posted them here then I am not sure what else to suggest

P_new2Linux · 07-06-2011, 09:48 PM

Yes, I believe I have.

Okay, I guess sometime this week I’ll back up my files and try the manual installation of the drivers that was suggested in the links. And, if that doesn’t work, I guess I’ll try reinstallation of the OS and only do a few updates at time, at 1st. I know when I was using Ubuntu 9, I wasn’t having any problems until at one point I did one of the updates through the update manager, that’s when I started having issues. So I'm guessing that it be related and it's some kind of compatbilly issue with the Linux video drivers, and the card. I actually stop using ubuntu for awhile because of it. I just replace Ubuntu 9, with Ubuntu Studio 11.04 (on separate hard drive, same PC). So I’ll see if I will have the same problems, after I go through the few updates.

On the positive side the other person’s PC that I installed Ubuntu on, doesn’t appear to be having these problems. So I guess it’s only my PC or video card. I’ll probably try a different or new video card later if I'm not able to fix it.

I’ll let you know how everything turns out. Still learning, so thanks for your tactfulness in helping this linux newbie,

Thanks you cascade9, tommcd, widget, grail, frankbell

P_new2Linux · 07-09-2011, 02:34 PM

Hi Guys,

Wow, I manage to fix the error somehow. Although I'm not totally certain as to what I did, and if it's temporary. I could be wrong, but I think an older version of the drivers was installed after I did my changes. Here is sort of list of what I did, although I'm not sure if I did everything right or properly

1st I downloaded drivers from nvidia website. Right clicked/ Permissions-Then checked "Allow executing file as program"/ select "run from terminal".
That still didn't work,
so I ran the "sudo apt-get --purge remove nvidia-*" command, to remove all nvidia drivers.
But, I didn't run the "sudo apt-get install nvidia-current nvidia-settings mesa-utils" command on purpose or either I forgot(I was tire and it was late). After I did a restart, I wasn't able to log on to my system, after that. And I don't remember what the error screen stated. So I went through the GRUB's "recovery mode" twice. 1st I selected dpkg (Which I don't think it worked), So after I did another restart, I went through the failsafex / Reconfigure graphics . And I believe this is what fixed the video problem, and allowed me to log back in.

However I don't believe these drivers are the most up to date versions, or even active. I've notice now, that I no longer have "NVIDIA X Server Setting", and after I ran the "aptitude search nvidia" command, most of the drivers appear to have a "p" for purge drivers, and a "v" for this driver; "nvidia-va-driver" (not sure what v means yet but I will find out). Now, I'm little hesitant to do any video driver updates, or activate any drivers from the "Additional Drivers". Which now has 4 drivers listed.
- Expermantal 3D support for NVIDIA carda
- NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernel module and VDPAU library (appears 3 times)

I'll take it slow installing updates for drivers for now on. But most of the Video Players are working the way they should now. VLC working Full Screen, and the default Movie player, and Dragon Player doesn't crash.

Thanks guys for all the help, I'll mark topic as "SOLVED" later on today or tomorrow, in case anyone has anymore input