Can't enable nouveau driver

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1

Ubuntu version : 24.04.3 LTS
Gnome 46.0
Kernel : 6.17.6

Hi,
I’ve installed xserver-xorg-video-nouveau however i can’t enable nouveau driver.

filip@ubuntu-pc:~$ inxi -G
Graphics:
  Device-1: NVIDIA GM204 [GeForce GTX 970] driver: N/A
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.11 with: Xwayland v: 23.2.6 driver: X:
    loaded: modesetting,nouveau dri: swrast gpu: N/A resolution: 1280x1024~60Hz
  API: EGL v: 1.5 drivers: swrast platforms: x11,surfaceless,device
  API: OpenGL v: 4.5 vendor: mesa v: 25.0.7-0ubuntu0.24.04.2
    renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 20.1.2 256 bits)

Any idea to fix that ?
Thanks

2

Its there. It’s loaded. If you run:

lsmod | grep nouveau

Is there an output? If so, it’s loaded

4

If you open Software and Updates>Additional Drivers tab and if you are connected to the internet and if you wait, the utility will search for additional proprietary video drivers if there are any available. And you can activate one. Or, if one is already activated you can disable it. Then, when you reboot you will be running on Nouveau the open source video driver for Nvidia video adapters.

Open source video drivers are part of the default installation of Ubuntu. It is the proprietary video driver that has to be specially installed. Either, during installation (through ticking a box) or after.

Regards

5

it’s not loaded

filip@ubuntu-pc:~$ lsmod | grep nouveau
filip@ubuntu-pc:~$

No output

6

I have been thinking.

You are using Ubuntu 24.04.3 with the Linux 6.17.6 kernel. Ubuntu 25.10 comes with Linux kernel 6.17. Ubuntu 24.04.3 is still on kernel 6.14.

Did you have the Nvidia proprietary video driver activated when you installed kernel 6.17? It could be that the proprietary video driver that worked with the 6.14 kernel does not work with the 6.17 kernel.

When that happens the OS falls back to using llvmpipe. This is a low resolution open source driver. The low resolution is noticable. Is this why you need Nouveau?

De-activate the proprietary video driver and reboot and the desktop will load using Nouveau.

Regards

1 Like
7

I found the solution.
I had the nvidia driver, which I uninstalled, and the nouveau driver remained blacklisted.
Thank you for your help.

8

Glad to hear it. Please mark the solution (checkbox) for the post that has the solution to help others with this. Thank you.

1 Like
9

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