I am aware that this is nominally a duplicate question, however I've read the other questions and haven't been able to resolve my problem after many hours and attempts, so please don't delete it. Additionally, it seems like many answers to the other questions are specifically dependent on certain situations. My situation being different from the others I found represented, here's my question.
Until last night, I had Ubuntu 12.04 installed with Wubi, and it ran ok, though slowly and with occasional hangs. So I partitioned the drive and installed 12.04 in its own partition.
Now when I start it, I am stuck using 2D. I believe this is an NVIDIA bug.
My NVIDIA card is a GT 520M and my machine has Optimus.
Additional Drivers only displays my wireless driver.
Going to System Settings Details Graphics shows Driver:Unknown, Experience:Standard.
I downloaded the driver from the NVIDIA website, and ran the installer with no errors, except that the "distribution-provided pre-install script failed".
After rebooting, my screen was stuck at 640X480, which was fixed by editing /etc/X11/xorg.conf
However, I still was stuck in 2D, and nothing else had changed either.
A thread suggested something called Bumblebee. I tried that, and when I ran optirun firefoxI got a frozen blank screen.
Following another suggestion, I checked the BIOS to try and disable Optimus.
I found and ran myriad other commands to try and fix the problem and nothing changed.
Now I have just done a clean re-install of Ubuntu. From there, I:
Installed all the updates
Downloaded the NVIDIA driver
Installed it
Got screen stuck at 640X480, fixed in xorg.conf.
To recap the problem:
I can't get the NVIDIA drivers working
I am stuck using 2D
I'm an idiot
I think if the first one is solved, the solution to the second will naturally follow. If you need me to provide any other information, I'd be happy to.
From what I've seen in other threads, I think this information may help:
lsmod:
dh@donsMachine:~$ lsmod
Module Size Used by
nvidia 12353161 0
snd_hda_codec_hdmi 32474 1
snd_hda_codec_realtek 223867 1
joydev 17693 0
parport_pc 32866 0
ppdev 17113 0
rfcomm 47604 0
bnep 18281 2
bluetooth 180104 10 rfcomm,bnep
snd_hda_intel 33773 3
snd_hda_codec 127706 3 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel
snd_hwdep 13668 1 snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm 97188 3 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec
uvcvideo 72627 0
videodev 98259 1 uvcvideo
v4l2_compat_ioctl32 17128 1 videodev
snd_seq_midi 13324 0
snd_rawmidi 30748 1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event 14899 1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq 61896 2 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
lib80211_crypt_tkip 17390 0
wl 2568210 0
lib80211 14381 2 lib80211_crypt_tkip,wl
snd_timer 29990 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device 14540 3 snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
snd 78855 16 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
psmouse 87692 0
serio_raw 13211 0
i915 468745 2
soundcore 15091 1 snd
snd_page_alloc 18529 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
drm_kms_helper 46978 1 i915
drm 242038 3 i915,drm_kms_helper
mei 41616 0
i2c_algo_bit 13423 1 i915
mxm_wmi 12979 0
acer_wmi 28418 0
sparse_keymap 13890 1 acer_wmi
video 19596 1 i915
wmi 19256 2 mxm_wmi,acer_wmi
mac_hid 13253 0
lp 17799 0
parport 46562 3 parport_pc,ppdev,lp
tg3 152032 0
sdhci_pci 18826 0
sdhci 33205 1 sdhci_pci
lspci -nn | grep VGA
dh@donsMachine:~$ lspci -nn | grep VGA
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0116] (rev 09)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: NVIDIA Corporation Device [10de:0df7] (rev a1)
lshw
dh@donsMachine:~$ sudo lshw
[sudo] password for dh:
donsmachine
description: Notebook
product: EasyNote TS44HR ()
vendor: Packard Bell
version: V1.12
serial: LXBWZ02017134209D71601
width: 64 bits
capabilities: smbios-2.7 dmi-2.7 vsyscall32
configuration: boot=normal chassis=notebook uuid=16FE576B-CA15-11E0-B096-B870F4E51243
*-core
description: Motherboard
product: SJV50_HR
vendor: Packard Bell
physical id: 0
version: Base Board Version
serial: Base Board Serial Number
slot: Base Board Chassis Location
*-firmware
description: BIOS
vendor: Packard Bell
physical id: 0
version: V1.12
date: 07/11/2011
size: 1MiB
capacity: 2496KiB
capabilities: pci upgrade shadowing cdboot bootselect edd int13floppynec int13floppytoshiba int13floppy360 int13floppy1200 int13floppy720 int13floppy2880 int9keyboard int10video acpi usb biosbootspecification
*-memory
description: System Memory
physical id: 1b
slot: System board or motherboard
size: 4GiB
*-bank:0
description: SODIMM DDR3 Synchronous 1333 MHz (0.8 ns)
product: NT2GC64B88B0NS-CG
vendor: Nanya Technology
physical id: 0
serial: 598E126E
slot: ChannelA-DIMM0
size: 2GiB
width: 64 bits
clock: 1333MHz (0.8ns)
*-bank:1
description: DIMM [empty]
physical id: 1
slot: ChannelA-DIMM1
*-bank:2
description: SODIMM DDR3 Synchronous 1333 MHz (0.8 ns)
product: NT2GC64B88B0NS-CG
vendor: Nanya Technology
physical id: 2
serial: 159E126C
slot: ChannelB-DIMM0
size: 2GiB
width: 64 bits
clock: 1333MHz (0.8ns)
*-bank:3
description: DIMM [empty]
physical id: 3
slot: ChannelB-DIMM1
*-cpu
description: CPU
product: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-2330M CPU @ 2.20GHz
vendor: Intel Corp.
physical id: 2e
bus info: cpu@0
version: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-2330M CPU @ 2.20GHz
slot: CPU1
size: 2GHz
capacity: 4GHz
width: 64 bits
clock: 1333MHz
capabilities: x86-64 fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe syscall nx rdtscp constant_tsc arch_perfmon pebs bts rep_good nopl xtopology nonstop_tsc aperfmperf pni pclmulqdq dtes64 monitor ds_cpl vmx est tm2 ssse3 cx16 xtpr pdcm pcid sse4_1 sse4_2 x2apic popcnt tsc_deadline_timer xsave avx lahf_lm arat epb xsaveopt pln pts tpr_shadow vnmi flexpriority ept vpid cpufreq
configuration: cores=2 enabledcores=2 threads=4
*-cache:0
description: L1 cache
physical id: 30
slot: L1 Cache
size: 32KiB
capacity: 32KiB
capabilities: synchronous internal write-through instruction
*-cache:1
description: L2 cache
physical id: 31
slot: L2 Cache
size: 256KiB
capacity: 256KiB
capabilities: synchronous internal write-through unified
*-cache:2
description: L3 cache
physical id: 32
slot: L3 Cache
size: 3MiB
capacity: 3MiB
capabilities: synchronous internal write-through unified
*-cache
description: L1 cache
physical id: 2f
slot: L1 Cache
size: 32KiB
capacity: 32KiB
capabilities: synchronous internal write-through data
*-pci
description: Host bridge
product: 2nd Generation Core Processor Family DRAM Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 100
bus info: pci@0000:00:00.0
version: 09
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
configuration: driver=agpgart-intel
resources: irq:0
*-pci:0
description: PCI bridge
product: Xeon E3-1200/2nd Generation Core Processor Family PCI Express Root Port
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1
bus info: pci@0000:00:01.0
version: 09
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci pm msi pciexpress normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:40 ioport:2000(size=4096) memory:d0000000-d10fffff ioport:a0000000(size=301989888)
*-display
description: VGA compatible controller
product: NVIDIA Corporation
vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
version: a1
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
configuration: driver=nvidia latency=0
resources: irq:16 memory:d0000000-d0ffffff memory:a0000000-afffffff memory:b0000000-b1ffffff ioport:2000(size=128) memory:d1000000-d107ffff
*-display
description: VGA compatible controller
product: 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 2
bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
version: 09
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: msi pm vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
configuration: driver=i915 latency=0
resources: irq:43 memory:d1400000-d17fffff memory:c0000000-cfffffff ioport:3000(size=64)
*-communication
description: Communication controller
product: 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 16
bus info: pci@0000:00:16.0
version: 04
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=mei latency=0
resources: irq:42 memory:d1a04000-d1a0400f
*-usb:0
description: USB controller
product: 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #2
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1a
bus info: pci@0000:00:1a.0
version: 04
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm debug ehci bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ehci_hcd latency=0
resources: irq:16 memory:d1a0a000-d1a0a3ff
*-multimedia
description: Audio device
product: 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1b
bus info: pci@0000:00:1b.0
version: 04
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=snd_hda_intel latency=0
resources: irq:44 memory:d1a00000-d1a03fff
*-pci:1
description: PCI bridge
product: 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 1
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1c
bus info: pci@0000:00:1c.0
version: b4
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci pciexpress msi pm normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:17 memory:9fb00000-9fbfffff ioport:d1800000(size=1048576)
*-network
description: Ethernet interface
product: NetLink BCM57785 Gigabit Ethernet PCIe
vendor: Broadcom Corporation
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:02:00.0
logical name: eth0
version: 10
serial: b8:70:f4:e5:12:43
capacity: 1Gbit/s
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi msix pciexpress bus_master cap_list rom ethernet physical tp 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt 1000bt-fd autonegotiation
configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=tg3 driverversion=3.121 firmware=sb latency=0 link=no multicast=yes port=twisted pair
resources: irq:16 memory:d1830000-d183ffff memory:d1840000-d184ffff memory:d1850000-d18507ff
*-generic:0
description: SD Host controller
product: NetXtreme BCM57765 Memory Card Reader
vendor: Broadcom Corporation
physical id: 0.1
bus info: pci@0000:02:00.1
version: 10
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=sdhci-pci latency=0
resources: irq:17 memory:d1800000-d180ffff
*-generic:1 UNCLAIMED
description: System peripheral
product: Broadcom Corporation
vendor: Broadcom Corporation
physical id: 0.2
bus info: pci@0000:02:00.2
version: 10
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list
configuration: latency=0
resources: memory:d1810000-d181ffff
*-generic:2 UNCLAIMED
description: System peripheral
product: Broadcom Corporation
vendor: Broadcom Corporation
physical id: 0.3
bus info: pci@0000:02:00.3
version: 10
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list
configuration: latency=0
resources: memory:d1820000-d182ffff
*-pci:2
description: PCI bridge
product: 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 2
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1c.1
bus info: pci@0000:00:1c.1
version: b4
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci pciexpress msi pm normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:16 memory:d1900000-d19fffff
*-network
description: Wireless interface
product: BCM43225 802.11b/g/n
vendor: Broadcom Corporation
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:03:00.0
logical name: eth1
version: 01
serial: 68:a3:c4:44:81:96
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=wl0 driverversion=5.100.82.38 ip=192.168.0.12 latency=0 multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11bgn
resources: irq:17 memory:d1900000-d1903fff
*-usb:1
description: USB controller
product: 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #1
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1d
bus info: pci@0000:00:1d.0
version: 04
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm debug ehci bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ehci_hcd latency=0
resources: irq:23 memory:d1a09000-d1a093ff
*-isa
description: ISA bridge
product: HM65 Express Chipset Family LPC Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1f
bus info: pci@0000:00:1f.0
version: 04
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: isa bus_master cap_list
configuration: latency=0
*-storage
description: SATA controller
product: 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family 6 port SATA AHCI Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1f.2
bus info: pci@0000:00:1f.2
logical name: scsi0
logical name: scsi1
version: 04
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: storage msi pm ahci_1.0 bus_master cap_list emulated
configuration: driver=ahci latency=0
resources: irq:41 ioport:3098(size=8) ioport:30bc(size=4) ioport:3090(size=8) ioport:30b8(size=4) ioport:3060(size=32) memory:d1a08000-d1a087ff
*-disk
description: ATA Disk
product: ST9500325AS
vendor: Seagate
physical id: 0
bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0
logical name: /dev/sda
version: 0001
serial: S2W1AMSX
size: 465GiB (500GB)
capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos
configuration: ansiversion=5 signature=a45f21e9
*-volume:0
description: Windows NTFS volume
physical id: 1
bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0,1
logical name: /dev/sda1
version: 3.1
serial: 46aa-2a25
size: 19GiB
capacity: 20GiB
capabilities: primary ntfs initialized
configuration: clustersize=4096 created=2011-08-25 21:32:00 filesystem=ntfs label=PQSERVICE state=clean
*-volume:1
description: Windows NTFS volume
physical id: 2
bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0,2
logical name: /dev/sda2
version: 3.1
serial: 10aa-ad1a
size: 98MiB
capacity: 100MiB
capabilities: primary bootable ntfs initialized
configuration: clustersize=4096 created=2011-08-25 21:32:03 filesystem=ntfs label=SYSTEM RESERVED state=clean
*-volume:2
description: Windows NTFS volume
physical id: 3
bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0,3
logical name: /dev/sda3
version: 3.1
serial: 668c5afc-182e-ff4b-b084-3cc09f54972d
size: 395GiB
capacity: 395GiB
capabilities: primary ntfs initialized
configuration: clustersize=4096 created=2011-08-25 21:32:03 filesystem=ntfs label=Don's Machine state=clean
*-volume:3
description: Extended partition
physical id: 4
bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0,4
logical name: /dev/sda4
size: 49GiB
capacity: 49GiB
capabilities: primary extended partitioned partitioned:extended
*-logicalvolume:0
description: Linux swap / Solaris partition
physical id: 5
logical name: /dev/sda5
capacity: 3945MiB
capabilities: nofs
*-logicalvolume:1
description: Linux filesystem partition
physical id: 6
logical name: /dev/sda6
logical name: /
capacity: 46GiB
configuration: mount.fstype=ext4 mount.options=rw,relatime,errors=remount-ro,user_xattr,barrier=1,data=ordered state=mounted
*-cdrom
description: DVD-RAM writer
product: DVD-RW DVRTD11RS
vendor: PIONEER
physical id: 1
bus info: scsi@1:0.0.0
logical name: /dev/cdrom
logical name: /dev/cdrw
logical name: /dev/dvd
logical name: /dev/dvdrw
logical name: /dev/sr0
version: 1.01
capabilities: removable audio cd-r cd-rw dvd dvd-r dvd-ram
configuration: ansiversion=5 status=nodisc
*-serial UNCLAIMED
description: SMBus
product: 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1f.3
bus info: pci@0000:00:1f.3
version: 04
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
configuration: latency=0
resources: memory:d1a06000-d1a060ff ioport:3040(size=32)
*-power UNCLAIMED
description: OEM_Define1
product: OEM_Define5
vendor: OEM_Define2
physical id: 1
version: OEM_Define6
serial: OEM_Define3
capacity: 75mWh
*-battery
description: Lithium Ion Battery
product: CRB Battery 0
vendor: -Virtual Battery 0-
physical id: 2
version: 10/12/2007
serial: Battery 0
slot: Fake
