Manually rebuild the Linux kernel module of the Nvidia video driver in Ubuntu

Dec 30, 2012 22:10 GMT  ·  By

The following tutorial will teach all users of the Ubuntu Linux operating system how to manually rebuild the kernel module of the Nvidia graphics driver after updating the Linux kernel packages.

Why was this tutorial created? Well, it was written especially for those times when Canonical issues a new kernel update, leaving Nvidia users (only those who use the proprietary Nvidia video driver) in the dark, with no video driver at all.

So what are you going to do in this case? The simple answer is: You need to rebuild the kernel module of the Nvidia driver, for the freshly installed Linux kernel. And, it's easier than you think!

Any requirements? Yes, you will need to install the source package of the newly installed Linux kernel. How? First of all, let's see the name of the kernel package you're running after the update. So, hit the CTRL+ALT+T key combination to open a terminal window and type the following command:

uname -r

Hit the Enter key and you will get something like this...

3.5.0-21-generic

Now, you need to install the kernel source for the "3.5.0-21-generic" package. So, type the following command in the terminal window:

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-3.5.0-21-generic

Hit the Enter key and wait for the package to be installed. When the installation is over, type the following command to rebuild the Nvidia kernel module:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure nvidia-current

That's it! All you have to do now is to log out of your current session. The Nvidia driver will be automatically activated and you will be able to log back in.

Wasn't that simple? If you have problems with the tutorial, do not hesitate to comment below!