Nvidia Update Failed. initramfs Issue

[Rauf]

From a friend's assessment: The kernel starts, but it fails to mount my root filesystem during early boot, so it falls back to initramfs. (I have yet to understand what was said)

This happened because I wasn't doing research on what not to touch in the system: I was enticed to update the nvidia once I saw it on the apt upgradable list, not knowing the consequences of casually updating nvidia.

So I attempted to updatee my nvidia-590.
I was using a metered 4G connection.
Once finished , I restarted my laptop.
Instead of booting successfully to my Zorin OS, i am redirected to a black screen terminal -- initramfs.
To escape from this empty screen, I power off my laptop and pressed 'esc' key to display the boot menu:
• Zorin OS
• Advanced Options for Zorin OS
• UEFI Firmware Settings

I chose 'Advanced Options'.
There inside, is a list of my kernel versions ---I chose the older version that was unaffected by the broken update.
It successfully loaded ro Zorin OS.

However, i return to initramfs whenever i turn my laptop off. Forcing me to redo all those steps to load to my Zorin;
Shutdown > Esc > Boot menu > Advanced Options > Older kernel

I checked my SSD -- it's all fine and healthy:
• sudo nvme smart-log /dev/nvme0n1
• critical_warning : 0
• percentage_used : 10%
• media_error : 0

I blacklisted nvidia . In hopes that it will be fixed.
Now my kernel in use is i915.
I restarted again.
Again, I am returned to black screen terminal of initramfs.

I attempted to fix it by reinstalling the kernel and rebuilding initramfs:
• sudo apt install --reinstall linux-image-6.14.0-33-generic linux-modules-6.14.0-33-generic linux-modules-extra-6.14.0-33-generic -y
• sudo update-initramfs -c -k 6.14.0-33-generic
• sudo update-grub
• sudo reboot

Instead of booting directly to Zorin OS, I was again faced with initramfs.

I have yet to learn how to configuring my way out of this, best I could do when the issue began was call A.I to assist me with fixing, though I refrain from asking for further help because it's getting too complicated for my small brain to follow. I came here to seek help, I am recently migrated to linux and I heard many positive comments about the Zorin OS community and Linux community as a whole.

[Aravisian]

Follow these steps here:

[HOW TO] set an older kernel to default boot

You may need to use an earlier kernel than the current kernel used by Zorin. This method allows you to set the kernel that you will boot into by default. To set the new kernel to default: Boot into the kernel you wish to be Saved. Open terminal and run: sudo nano /etc/default/grub Change GRUB_DEFAULT=0 to GRUB_DEFAULT=saved Hit enter to drop down a line. Add GRUB_SAVEDEFAULT=true ctrl+x to exit, then the y key to say yes to save, then the enter key to save as current configuration. Ru…

It sounds like you did successfully install the newer Nvidia driver - but the 6.17 kernel did not like it. The 6.17 kernel has had a variety of issues - I am amazed it was released - much less just left in the upgrader pipe.

[Rauf]

@Aravisian

Follow these steps here:

You may need to use an earlier kernel than the current kernel used by Zorin. This method allows you to set the kernel that you will boot into by default.

To set the new kernel to default:

Boot into the kernel you wish to be Saved.
Open terminal and run:

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

Change GRUB_DEFAULT=0 to GRUB_DEFAULT=saved
Hit enter to drop down a line.
Add GRUB_SAVEDEFAULT=true
ctrl+x to exit, then the y key to say yes to save, then the enter key to save as current configuration.

Run

sudo update-grub

to make the changes take effect.

Remember: if you boot into the later kernel for some reason (testing or whatever), that will become the new Saved Kernel at next reboot. So you must hit tab or esc at the M.B. splash screen to get to Advanced Options for Zorin and reselect the preferred kernel and boot into it. Once done, it will then remain as the Saved Default.

It sounds like you did successfully install the newer Nvidia driver - but the 6.17 kernel did not like it. The 6.17 kernel has had a variety of issues - I am amazed it was released - much less just left in the upgrader pipe.

Thank you very much. May I also ask how I can unblacklist my Nvidia safely?

[Aravisian]

ls /usr/lib/modprobe.d/

Do you have any Blacklist Nvidia Files there?
If so, you can just remove those files.

[Rauf]

I chose my older safer kernel 6.14, I followed every step. It worked, I am now relieved, thank you so much. Now regarding again about the Nvidia blacklist, I ran the

ls /usr/lib/modprobe.d/
command

Inside the list, I see later versions:
linux-hwe-6.17.0-14-generic.conf nvidia-kms.conf
linux-hwe-6.17.0-19-generic.conf nvidia-runtime.conf

Should I remove these files along with the blacklist_linux-hwe-6.14.0-33 ? Just being cautious

[Aravisian]

@Rauf

Should I remove these files along with the blacklist_linux-hwe-6.14.0-33 ? Just being cautious

No, you should not.

Unless you specifically create a blacklist for a module, you should not remove any.
System created (Or included) blacklists are in place in order to block known bugs or regressions from initializing.
So the only time to remove a blacklisting on a module is if you created it seeking to solve an issue - but discovered that was not the solution.

Also note that neither of those files are blacklist files. Those are configuration files for the Hardware Enablement Kernel modules.
Blackilsting files always say blacklist