Here is a link to the nvidia forum. Maybe you'll find it helpful.
https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/search?q=nvidia.ko

I have a few more questions. What does your boot loader look like? Have you modified any settings relating to video?

When did you do the last update when everything worked: http://www.slackware.com/changelog/c...php?cpu=x86_64

What do you get with:
What does look like.

You can probably update the slackbuilds and use a newer driver if that is what you want to use.

Scripts:
https://gitlab.com/Ponce/slackbuilds...current/system
Here is where to get the required files: https://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/

Slackbuilds.org can help figure out which script runs what:
https://slackbuilds.org/repository/1...nvidia-driver/
https://slackbuilds.org/repository/1...idia-firmware/
https://slackbuilds.org/repository/1...nvidia-kernel/

I had already been there and saw about 20 post reporting the error "Unable to load the kernel module ‘nvidia.ko’". The best reply i came across was "the error must be along the lines described in the error message; look through it". I am not sure if the nvidia developers join the forum too but no one at the nvidia forum seemed to have a clue or a solution for this problem.

did not make any video setting related changes after problem started, upgrade of 21st of Dec (all was good before).

bash-5.1$ su
Password:
bash-5.1# ldconfig -p | grep 'nvidia'
bash-5.1#

I see one Xorg.0.log (modified/edited the20th of Dec/20) and one Xorg.0.log.old (modified/edited the 12th of Dec/20); i attached them both

my packages are updated to ponce's current (at least I updated it last week; not sure if that has changed in a week too!

someone very clever once said "insanity is repeating the same thing over and over expecting different result"! well, i must be insane then bcos I have tried to run the nvidia installer version 455 and 460 about 10times each hoping that something different would happen (not unusual on linux anyway). But every attempt ended with the same error message
and now i am presented with a list of files which i assume have no utility unless I first successfully install the nvidia driver

Moreover, I was led to understand slackbuild.org only support files slackware14.2

But i will update sbo-git directory again and check whether something else has changed (in the meantime, also the laptop has crashed; so the same resolution for both screens is not a working solution)

p.s.: one thing that puzzles me is the fact that every time i run the nvidia installer (as root and from init 3) the first screen warns me of an existing older nvidia driver 450.X.X which will be deleted if i continue with the installation process of the newer driver 455.X.X or 460.X.X. The peculiarity is that i do not have any nvidia driver installed, i have looked everywhere! How can the installer see an existing older driver when my box is only running the nouveau driver?

edit: i realized that i can not attach the Xorg.0.log.old file so, i attached the next Xorg.1.log file

Attached Files

	Xorg.0.log (62.5 KB, 6 views)
	Xorg.1.log (76.1 KB, 8 views)

Are you passing anything regarding the video card to the kernel with your bootloader?

Have you ever installed the 450.X.X? The one on slackbuilds is 450.X.X. If nvidia is picking it up then it must be on your computer in some form. Check sbopkg to see if you haven't done so.

From both logs attached to post #32:In the newer of those two logs, I recognize no errors of consequence. There are two. Both are benign. In the older of those two logs, there are several errors of consequence, lines including (EE), other than the first. You'll need to search for, or wait for someone else to explain, their consequence, as I'm not familiar with them or what might cause them.

1 members found this post helpful.

Not passing anything re.: video with bootloader. I have not changed any settings as everything was working perfectly before 21st of December, update to kernel 5.10.2

Yes i did install the 450.X.X and also uninstalled it (not present on my installed, pkgtool, package list). So, i don't know what the installer is picking up and from where!

p.s.: Could i switch back to the kernel version before 5.10.2 without risking a total system crash and losing all my work?

1 members found this post helpful.

People have different kernels on their computers. You should be able to go back to 5.4.xx. I'm no expert though since I use the stock kernel. More knowledgeable forum members can give you a certain "yes" or "no."

sbopkg splits the nvidia driver into 3. I never use it unless I have to. I accidentally made symbolic link spaghetti with it ~4 years ago on 14.1 or 14.2 which I had to manually fix.

You could drop to runlevel 3 and see if
works. Something is on the system if the nvidia installer is picking it up.

Sorry that I'm not much help.

All help is highly appreciated. Thank you so much for all the hints & tips.

I am now trying a new possible solution given here

I will have to get rid of that message first

Attached Thumbnails

 

it didn't work!
I searched the entire file system for any nvidia refernces and I found 8 nvidia.x.x.bz2 files in /var/cache/sbopkg; I deleted all of them but it still didnt clear the system as the 'error' message showed above still comes up

I've seen it suggested more than once that a reinstallation of the unwanted NVidia driver be done in order to make --uninstall work.

1 members found this post helpful.

Thank you. It did solve the issue of completely removing the old driver from the system.

however, the problem with installing the new nvidia proprietary driver persist; same error message:
The nvidia kernel just will not build

After upgrading to the new kernel 5.10.3, the screen glitching and random crash/freeze still happen on both desktop (with reasonably new video card) and laptop (using an nvidia legacy driver).

comparing the desktop packages with the packages installed on the laptop (they are both running on slackare current with same upgrades). I realized that, somehow, i must have mistakenly uninstalled the nouveua accelerated diver (xf86-video-nouveau.X package). I reinstalled it and I have had no system crash/freeze so far, however the glitching seems to have increased.

Before the kernel 5.10 upgrade (to 5.10.2) i also had cudatoolkit installed (which i uninstalled to try to replace it with the proprietary nvidia driver). I have learned that the cudatoolkit contains several nvidia accelerator libraries but the queue file will also install, again, the old nvidia kernel and driver (nvidia-driver450.80.02-2).

Would it make any sense to reinstall the full cudatoolkit at all? and if so, the whole queue file or, just the package?

and again, ignore my previous msg!
system crashed (although, I still had the use of keyboard, so ctrl+alt+del to log out and log back in)
waiting desperately for next kernel patch (

I would remove the cudatoolkit until you get the driver situation figured out. Is there a reason why you are using it?

nvidia 460 driver is on slackbuilds.org. Maybe contact the maintainer (email listed on slackbuilds.org):
https://slackbuilds.org/repository/1...nvidia-kernel/ (you installed nvidia-kernel before nvidia-driver right?)
https://slackbuilds.org/repository/1...nvidia-driver/

I just use the nvidia.run file so I don't know what is going on.

I think some months ago i installed it as a dependency of another package but, no i don't need it anymore

for months, maybe years, i have been led to believe that slackbuilds packages were acceptable for slackware 14.2, not current; thats why i haven't considered it

tried several/may times! the outcome was always the "Unable to load the kernel module ‘nvidia.ko'..." message

it's also hard to try one solution when someone gives conflicting hints (not to install the nouveau-blacklist package and then someone else tells you the opposite)

now, i tried to:

1) build the nvidia-kernel with no variable
2) build the nvidia-driver passing the COMPAT32="yes" and CURRENT="yes" variables, as suggested on the README file
3) blacklist nouveau, as suggested on the README file
4) install the TGZs pckgs with installplkg
5) rebooted
OUTCOME
1) screen resolution 1024x768
2) both nvidia kernel and driver 460.X.X are installed
3) nvidia-settings from console gives me:
the drivers are there but the settings are unable to load. What am i not doing this time?

The important thing is to not be running the nouveau driver!

Maybe this will help:
https://www.tecmint.com/load-and-unl...ules-in-linux/

What does your /etc/X11/xorg.conf look like?
https://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/...vidiaxcon2beec

1 members found this post helpful.