Nvidia driver not active after update

Hardware Support
1

Hi, I've just done an update & found my Nvidia drivers aren't loading, I'm using my primary screen only at 1280x1024

I've checked "Secure Boot" and it is OFF

I've read some of the posts where people have similar issues but I don't really understand the solutions given

I've tried switching from "Zorin Desktop" to "Zorin Desktop under X11" with no joy

I've tried running the system updater & selected additional drivers but they're all greyed out & I can't select them

driver
driver620×434 28.1 KB

I'm running 64 bit Zorin OS 17.3 Core, graphics uses a Quadro k600, which should use the 470 driver listed above and until about half an hour ago it did

Running "inxi -G" gives
Graphics:
Device-1: NVIDIA GK107GL [Quadro K600] driver: N/A
Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.4 driver: X:
loaded: modesetting,nouveau unloaded: fbdev,vesa gpu: N/A
resolution: 1280x1024~60Hz
OpenGL: renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 15.0.7 256 bits)
v: 4.5 Mesa 23.2.1-1ubuntu3.1~22.04.3

The 470 driver is installed according to "apt list nvidia-driver-470"
Listing... Done
nvidia-driver-470/jammy-updates,now 470.256.02-0ubuntu0.22.04.5 amd64 [installed]
N: There are 2 additional versions. Please use the '-a' switch to see them.

I'm not brilliant at linux, i've used Zorin for a few years & never really had to look at the command line much, so please be gentle

2

Hello, do that it should work

sudo apt install nvidia-driver-470

The drivers should be listed correctly with choices in the Software & Updates App.

3

Thanks for the quick reply

Tried "sudo apt install nvidia-driver-470" & got the following
*Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
nvidia-driver-470 is already the newest version (470.256.02-0ubuntu0.22.04.5).
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
libfwupdplugin5 libgcab-1.0-0 libnvidia-extra-470 libsmbios-c2 lp-solve
nvidia-compute-utils-470 nvidia-utils-470 xserver-xorg-video-nvidia-470
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
0 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 0 to remove and 2 not to upgrade.
*
So I rebooted, system looked the same
I ran the system updater and all the Nvidia drivers are still greyed out

4

ok give me the output of

ubuntu-drivers list
5

That was unexpected, it didn't come back with anything

6

OK then follow this guide

7

Thank you, I may be a while

8

What Kernel is in Usage?

1 Like
9

Exactly.

The system update likely brought a newer kernel that has dropped support for the for 470. So the installed driver and modules are not seen by the kernel.

Rebooting and pulling the Grub Menu up - selecting Advanced options for Zorin and then selecting the Zorin on... earlier kernel to boot from is the swiftest test.

10

Apologies for absence, life getting in the way

"uname -a" gives
Linux Loki 6.8.0-124-generic #124~22.04.1-Ubuntu SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Tue May 26 21:05:19 UTC x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Is that what you need to know ?

Further info "ubuntu-drivers devices" gives
== /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0 ==
modalias : pci:v000010DEd00000FFAsv000010DEsd0000094Bbc03sc00i00
vendor : NVIDIA Corporation
model : GK107GL [Quadro K600]
manual_install: True
driver : nvidia-driver-390 - distro non-free recommended
driver : nvidia-driver-418-server - distro non-free
driver : nvidia-driver-470-server - distro non-free
driver : nvidia-driver-450-server - distro non-free
driver : xserver-xorg-video-nouveau - distro free builtin

Which recommends the 390 driver, my apologies I could have sworn I was using the 470

11

I looked at Nvidia's Website and for this Card, You can use the 470 Driver. The interesting Thing, I saw now here: They only offer the -server Driver.

When You now want use the 390 Driver, You would have to install an older Kernel because the 390 Driver doesn't work with the 6.8 Kernel. Do You want do that?

12

Won't the next update, update the kernel & put me back to this situation ?

13

No, when You stay on the older Kernel, that shouldn't happen. Of Course 100% Guarantee isn't possible. You would install the older Kernel and then the Nvidia Driver, but via Terminal. There we can with a Command installing a dkms Package which is for Kernel Updates. That sets up the Driver when a Kernel update comes.

14

Well it doesn't look like I've got much choice

So as long as it doesn't completely mess the system, I use it for my banking & pension access, plus email & games I'll go with the older kernel

I think it might be a good idea if I made an image backup first, just in case, sadly the last backup is several months old

15

If you are keeping use of an old kernel, I assume you have seen this:

Also, looking back to the top of this thread. Can you confirm your Software & Updates source is set to "Main Server", not a local or regional server.

16

The "Software & Updates" dialogue "Zorin Software" tab looks like this

Screenshot from 2026-06-09 14-24-04
Screenshot from 2026-06-09 14-24-04602×354 21.1 KB

Does that tell you what you need ?

17

Yes. Change that UK Server to "Main Server" for best results.

18

i used the 470 server driver and it worked just fine...was using it on the nvidia 3050 as well as the nvidia 1650 I did manually install it tho

19

Regarding grub, I can't seem to get into it

When I installed Zorin I told it to wipe the disk & as I only had Zorin on the machine I never tried to use grub

I've checked around and for non uefi systems i press the left shift key on power up & keep it pressed until I see the grub menu, for uefi systems I press esc

Checking in the bios this is a non uefi system

But having power cycled the system a few times neither left shift or esc get me into grub, I even tried right shift in case it was a typo with no joy

20

How do you do a manual install ?

nvm - guessed at it