[Solved] nvidia driver – Fatal server error: no screens found

X server (init 5) startup issues after deploying NVIDIA graphics driver

You may end up breaking your Linux system’s graphics console (x session start up) after you deploy NVIDIA drivers.

If you have a look at your X server log you will notice the following. I had faced the same problem and I was able to solve it. I thought it would help you as well, please read through.

 

Following is the snip of  X server log:

[ 595.336] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0):
[ 595.336] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): DFP-1: disconnected
[ 595.336] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): DFP-1: Internal TMDS
[ 595.336] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): DFP-1: 165.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
[ 595.336] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0):
[ 595.337] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): DFP-2: disconnected
[ 595.337] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): DFP-2: Internal TMDS
[ 595.337] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): DFP-2: 165.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
[ 595.337] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0):
[ 595.337] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): DFP-3: disconnected
[ 595.337] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): DFP-3: Internal TMDS
[ 595.337] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): DFP-3: 330.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
[ 595.337] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0):
[ 595.337] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): DFP-4: disconnected
[ 595.337] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): DFP-4: Internal DisplayPort
[ 595.337] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): DFP-4: 960.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
[ 595.337] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0):
[ 595.337] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): DFP-5: disconnected
[ 595.337] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): DFP-5: Internal DisplayPort
[ 595.337] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): DFP-5: 960.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
[ 595.337] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0):
[ 595.337] (EE) NVIDIA(0): Failed to assign any connected display devices to X screen 0.
[ 595.337] (EE) NVIDIA(0): Set AllowEmptyInitialConfiguration if you want the server
[ 595.337] (EE) NVIDIA(0): to start anyway
[ 595.337] (EE) NVIDIA(0): Failing initialization of X screen 0
[ 595.405] (II) UnloadModule: "nvidia"
[ 595.405] (II) UnloadSubModule: "wfb"
[ 595.405] (II) UnloadSubModule: "fb"
[ 595.405] (EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.
[ 595.405] (EE)
Fatal server error:
[ 595.405] (EE) no screens found(EE)
[ 595.405] (EE)
Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support
at http://wiki.x.org
for help.
[ 595.405] (EE) Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.1.log" for additional information.
[ 595.405] (EE)
[ 595.406] (EE) Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.

 

Step 1: Make sure your NVIDIA driver is installed properly and your X server is running on Graphics card. In the following screenshot, the X server is NOT running on the graphics card. To fix this, do as in step 2.

If “nvidia-smi” command is not found, you may have to download suitable nvidia driver from the official website.

Note: Make sure you enter in to run-level 3 before installing nvidia driver. Also you have to blocklist “nouveau” driver before installing nvidia drivers.

Step 2:  Fix  xorg.conf file. Generate new xorg.conf  using “nvidia-xconfig” as follows. This will  replace your existing xorg.conf file  if any. However, it takes backup of your old config file. This will add proper entries of nvdia graphics device, screens etc., to the xorg.conf file.

# nvidia-xconfig --no-xinerama --probe-all-gpus --use-display-device=none

Option “–use-display-device=none” will help you to  resolve “no screens found ” issue. If your graphics machine is hosted in datacentre and you have not coonected any monitor to it, you must use this option.

Step 3:  Switch to run level 5

#init 5

Now you should be able to start your X session.

Step 4 :  Make sure your Xorg (X server) is running on graphics card by running “nvidia-smi”. See below screenshot.

Notice that “/usr/bin/X” is a process running on GPU using GPU cores and memory.

 

Hope this helped.