Troubleshooting guide
How to fix the problem
Secure Boot may prevent loading an unsigned NVIDIA kernel module. In this case, Windows or the Linux display itself is not necessarily broken: a signed package supported by the distribution or a correctly registered module key is required.
Possible solutions
Choose the method that matches your situation. Start with the simplest suitable option and check the result. If the problem is fixed, you do not need to continue with the other methods.
Secure Boot and module status check
First confirm the blocking reason.
Steps to follow
- Command uname -r to write down the kernel version and check how the NVIDIA driver is installed.
- If the distribution has mokutil installed, the command mokutil --sb-state shows the status of Secure Boot.
- Look at the output of the official driver installation or the system log and look for a module signature rejection instead of just a black screen.
- If there is no signature error, check driver and kernel compatibility as well.
MOK registration is provided for distribution
The following is a direction for an Ubuntu-like system, not a universal command for all Linux.
Steps to follow
- Install the recommended NVIDIA package in the official distribution tool and follow the signing procedure provided by it.
- If the installer asks for a one-time MOK registration password, keep it safe until the next run.
- After rebooting, confirm the registration of the key created during the installation according to the distribution instruction. Do not import foreign unknown keys.
- After restarting, check the driver, for example nvidia-smi, if this command is included in the package. It is usually not necessary to disable Secure Boot just for testing.
If the problem persists
If the module package is not compatible with the kernel, just registering the key will not help. On the company computer, coordinate the Secure Boot policy with the administrator. Do not follow instructions to import random keys and disable security.
Request a repair