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Asked: 2024-09-23T19:28:22+05:30 In:

What steps should I follow to completely remove an NVIDIA driver from my system on Ubuntu?

I’ve been having some serious issues with my NVIDIA driver lately, and I think it’s high time I just completely removed it from my Ubuntu system. Honestly, I’m not sure where to start. I’ve read about people having various experiences with driver conflicts and it seems like the cleanest way might be to uninstall everything related to it and start fresh.

The thing is, I’m somewhat concerned about messing something up during the process. You know how it is—one wrong command in the terminal and things can go south really fast! I’ve got a couple of important projects I’m working on, so I can’t afford to screw up my system.

Ideally, I’m looking for a step-by-step guide, because I’m more of a visual learner. Can anyone break down the process for me? Like, what commands do I need to run in the terminal to uninstall everything? Are there specific directories or files I should be looking out for? Also, will removing the drivers affect my current display? I wouldn’t know what to do if my screen turned black or went haywire during the process.

And once I’ve uninstalled the NVIDIA driver, do I need to do anything else, like install an open-source driver or go for a new NVIDIA driver right away? I just want to make sure I’m not left in the lurch with a system that can’t even boot up properly.

If you’ve been through this before or have some handy tips, please share! I’m all ears, and I’d really appreciate any little tricks or advice to make this go smoothly. I’m sure others might find this info useful too! Thanks a bunch!

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    2 Answers

    1. How to Completely Remove NVIDIA Drivers from Ubuntu

      If you’re looking to uninstall the NVIDIA driver from your Ubuntu system, here’s a step-by-step guide that might help. Don’t worry; I’ve got your back!

      1. Open the Terminal

      First things first! You need to open the terminal. You can do this by searching for “Terminal” in your applications or just pressing Ctrl + Alt + T.

      2. Check Installed NVIDIA Packages

      To see what NVIDIA packages you have installed, run the following command:

      dpkg -l | grep nvidia

      3. Remove NVIDIA Drivers

      Now, to uninstall all those NVIDIA drivers, use the following command:

      sudo apt-get remove --purge '^nvidia-.*'

      This command will remove all packages that start with “nvidia-“. Simple, right?

      4. Remove Additional Dependencies

      After uninstalling, it’s a good idea to clean up any leftover dependencies using:

      sudo apt-get autoremove

      5. Check for Blacklist Entries

      Make sure that NVIDIA modules aren’t blacklisted by checking this file:

      cat /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf

      If you see any lines like blacklist nvidia, you can comment them out by adding a # at the beginning of those lines.

      6. Reboot Your System

      Time for a little reboot! Run:

      sudo reboot

      Your display should still work since you’re removing NVIDIA drivers. But just in case something goes wrong, don’t panic. If your screen goes black, you can always boot into recovery mode and fix it.

      7. Install New Drivers (Optional)

      If you want to install the open-source NVIDIA driver instead, you can do it using:

      sudo apt install xserver-xorg-video-nouveau

      Or, if you’re looking to reinstall the NVIDIA proprietary driver, just go to the “Software & Updates” > “Additional Drivers” tab after the reboot. Choose the driver that suits your needs and hit apply.

      8. Final Thoughts

      It’s always good to ensure your important files are backed up before diving into driver removal. Just in case things go haywire. Follow these steps carefully, and you should be fine!

      Good luck, and may your display remain intact!

    2. To completely remove the NVIDIA driver from your Ubuntu system, you’ll want to start by opening the terminal. You can do this by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T. The first step is to check which NVIDIA packages are currently installed. You can do this by running the command:

      dpkg -l | grep nvidia

      This will list all NVIDIA-related packages. To uninstall them, use the command:

      sudo apt-get purge nvidia-*

      Following this, it’s crucial to remove any residual configuration files with:

      sudo apt-get autoremove

      Additionally, you might want to update your initramfs to ensure that your system is ready for the next boot by running:

      sudo update-initramfs -u

      After uninstalling the drivers, your display may switch to a fallback driver and you may notice a resolution change. To mitigate any issues, it’s prudent to first check if you have an open-source driver (like Nouveau) installed. You can check it by running:

      lsmod | grep nouveau

      If it’s not installed, you can install it by using:

      sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-video-nouveau

      Once you’ve confirmed that an open-source driver is in place, you’re free to reboot your system. After confirming everything is operational, you can decide whether to reinstall an NVIDIA driver or continue using the open-source one. Remember to back up any important data before proceeding, as a precaution. This methodical approach should help ensure a clean transition and minimize the risk of system issues.

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