Possible Graphics Issues After Updating

Support and Help
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1

I’m still new to Ubuntu. I have installed 25.10 and had seemed to be going on rather well for the last couple of weeks. This morning I turned on the machine and wanted to check my email. As I was reading, the machine said I needed a security update. So, I stoped and looked at it, then decided OK. The machine worked on it and then stated I had to reboot. I did so. The boot took longer than normal, but I figured the update was doing that. Then the desktop came up and the resolution was wrong. Most of my normal edge icons were missing. I tried to changed the display resolution and there were no choices other than the one listed. I tried a few other things but nothing worked, shut the machine down. Waited a minute and re started it.The boot again took some time, then the desktop came up in a new resolution. Again I tried to change it and again there was only one choice and I could not change it. Then the display went blank then blue and then the desktop came back. This behavior continued every 15 seconds or so. I tried to shut the machine down, but it would not. Not Happy. I’m going to try and reload my SSD via a mirror image I took about 10 days ago. Mike

2

Well… I successfully copied my image back onto my machine. The desktop is back to normal and I have a number of choices on the display settings. BUT, I have lost all the stuff I did over the past 6-7 days. This is making me concerned about allowing updates and am I going to have to make an image much more often. What in the world was in those security updates that I loaded this morning? My impression of Ubuntu has taken a hit, Mike

3

I mis spoke I have Ubuntu 24.04 Mike Getting mixed up with TrueNAS versions. Sorry, Mike

4

That’s curious.

The default setting for Ubuntu Desktop is that security updates are applied automatically (without prompting). Other updates like new kernels and bugfixes do prompt for updates so you can install them whnever is convenient for you.

Are you completely sure that the prompt was for security updates?

If this happens again, try selecting an older kernel at GRUB. It’s much faster and easier than restoring from a backup, and it keeps your old data.

5

Is this a disk image e.g. clonezilla or similar?

It’s advisable to regularly (daily) backup your personal data rather than an occasional disk image.

Graphics - Nvidia possibly?

6

@m-zahorik I edited your title and tags to be more specific and hopefully get you the help needed in this situation.

Please post computer information such as graphic card, CPU, or other relevant information.

Thanks

7

Ian, I turned off automatic updates, kind of a control freak. Not sure I understand what ‘an older kernel at GRUB’ is.
I used Clonezilla for my mirror images. That is a lot of work to save everyday. Yup Nvidia PG-178.
No problem changing.
Computer
Dell Precision 5820
Intel Xeon W-2223
256 Gb OS drive
64 Gb ram

8

Could you please provide the details reported by the following command:

inxi -SAGxxx
9

When Grub appears, select Advanced Options for Ubuntu
It allows access to:-

  • Alternative kernels (i.e. installed previously)
  • Recovery mode
  • Uefi Settings
1 Like
10

Yes, good suggestion
inxi is a very useful command line utility for providing PC details. Unfortunately, it is not included as a default application in Ubuntu 24.04 or 25.10.

@m-zahorik It can be installed easily with:-

sudo apt install inxi
1 Like
11

Not a direct solution, but a tool to help troubleshoot this, or future, issues, I offer the following script which references various utilities which are either already installed, or can be installed, to provide you with detailed reports on different aspects related to the Graphics component of your Hardware/Software architecture.


Script (HW_Admin__ReportGraphicsSetup.sh):

#!/bin/sh

###
###	REF:	https://ubuntu-mate.community/t/obs-studio-says-graphics-driver-update-required/29413?u=ericmarceau
###	REF:	https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/nvenc-codec-problem.186296/
###

#23456789+123456789+123456789+123456789+123456789+123456789+123456789+123456789+123456789+123456789+
echo "\n----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"
COM="glxinfo -B"
echo " Probe #1 - Get details on OpenGL H/W and S/W support status ...\n\n\t COMMAND:   ${COM}  ...\n"
eval ${COM} | awk '{ printf("\t %s\n", $0 ) ; }'


echo "\n----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"
COM="ffmpeg -codecs 2>/dev/null | grep nvenc"
echo " Probe #2 - Get details on NVIDIA encoders 'nvenc' ...\n\n\t COMMAND:   ${COM}  ...\n"
eval ${COM} | awk '{ printf("\t %s\n", $0 ) ; }'

echo "\n\n----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"
###	REF:	https://askubuntu.com/a/761185
COM="hwinfo --framebuffer"
echo " Probe #3 - Get details on video frame buffers ...\n\n\t COMMAND:   ${COM}  ...\n"
eval ${COM} | awk '{ printf("\t %s\n", $0 ) ; }'

echo "\n\n----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"
COM="hwinfo --monitor"
echo " Probe #4 - Get details on monitor capabilities ...\n\n\t COMMAND:   ${COM}  ...\n"
eval ${COM} | awk '{ printf("\t %s\n", $0 ) ; }'

echo "\n\n----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"
COM="xwininfo -root | grep Depth"
echo " Probe #5 - Get details on monitor colour depth ...\n\n\t COMMAND:   ${COM}  ...\n"
eval ${COM} | awk '{ printf("\t %s\n", $0 ) ; }'

echo "\n\n----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"
COM="xrandr --verbose"
echo " Probe #6 - Get details reported by 'xrandr' ...\n\n\t COMMAND:   ${COM}  ...\n"
eval ${COM} | awk '{ printf("\t %s\n", $0 ) ; }'

echo "\n\n----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"
COM="inxi -c2 -SAGxxx"
echo " Probe #7 - Get details reported by 'inxi' ...\n\n\t COMMAND:   ${COM}  ...\n"
eval ${COM} | awk '{ printf("\t %s\n", $0 ) ; }'

echo ""
12

System:
Host: mike-Precision-5820-Tower Kernel: 6.14.0-34-generic arch: x86_64
bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 13.3.0 clocksource: tsc
Desktop: GNOME v: 46.0 tk: GTK v: 3.24.41 wm: gnome-shell
tools: gsd-screensaver-proxy dm: GDM3 v: 46.2 Distro: Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS
(Noble Numbat)
Graphics:
Device-1: NVIDIA GP107GL [Quadro P400] vendor: Dell driver: nvidia
v: 535.274.02 arch: Pascal pcie: speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 16 ports:
active: none off: DP-2 empty: DP-1,DP-3 bus-ID: 91:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:1cb3
class-ID: 0300
Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.11 with: Xwayland v: 23.2.6
compositor: gnome-shell driver: X: loaded: nvidia
unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,nouveau,vesa gpu: nvidia,nvidia-nvswitch
display-ID: :0 screens: 1
Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1024x768 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 271x203mm (10.67x7.99")
s-diag: 339mm (13.33")
Monitor-1: DP-2 res: 1024x768 hz: 75 dpi: 28
size: 930x530mm (36.61x20.87") diag: 1070mm (42.14") modes: N/A
API: EGL v: 1.5 hw: drv: nvidia platforms: gbm: drv: nvidia
API: OpenGL v: 4.6.0 vendor: nvidia v: 535.274.02 glx-v: 1.4
direct-render: yes renderer: Quadro P400/PCIe/SSE2
Audio:
Device-1: Intel 200 Series PCH HD Audio vendor: Dell driver: snd_hda_intel
v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:a2f0 class-ID: 0403
Device-2: NVIDIA GP107GL High Definition Audio vendor: Dell
driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16
bus-ID: 91:00.1 chip-ID: 10de:0fb9 class-ID: 0403
API: ALSA v: k6.14.0-34-generic status: kernel-api
Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.5 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse
status: active 2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin