We have observed failures of the Linux X11 desktop to start after a kernel update.

The problem is that the Nvidia video driver for X11 needs to be recompiled after kernel updates.

We recommend that the user refrain from system updates in order to avoid this problem.  However, because the "yum" system that is used to do Maxwell updates also does system updates, a small typo when doing a Maxwell update could inadvertently cause a kernel update to occur as well.

The video driver can be recompiled only when the system does not have the X11 system running.

Follow the following instructions to recompile the Nvidia video driver.  These instructions will take you out of the graphical desktop and give you a command-line environment from which you can rebuild the driver and then reboot the system.

Note: The current version of the Nvidia driver is 173.14.09 (the name of the driver distribution file is NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-173.14.09-pkg2.run).  You can fetch this file from the Nvidia website.  You will need to find your way through their website's pages to the "Download Drivers" page.  On that page select the driver with the following characteristics:

• GeForce
• GeForce 6 Series or GeForce 7 Series
• Linux 64-bit

Note: You may find yourself in a situation in which the graphical interface does not start at all.  If this occurs try to obtain a command prompt by pushing the Ctrl and c keys at the same time.  Then begin with the second step below.

1. Simultaneously press the Ctrl, Alt, and F1 keys.  This will take you to a command line screen.  Each of the commands below are entered using the "Enter" key on your keyboard.

2. Become the super-user by entering the following command:
        sudo -s

3. Turn off the graphical interface system by entering the following command:
        telinit 3

   You might have to wait a few moments for it to complete, or, if after 20 seconds or so you do not get a new command prompt, simply hit Enter to elicit a prompt.

4. Move to the directory where the driver resides:
        cd /etc/X11

5. See what driver package is present.  The driver package files have a name that looks something like NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-169.12-pkg2.run, however the particular numbers may be different.
        ls

6. Begin to build the driver.  To do this you will need to enter the name of the driver package.  Fortunately Linux has file-name completion, so once you type the first few characters of the file name you can hit the Tab key to let the system fill in the remainder of the file name.

    

        sh NVIDIA<tab-key>

7. You should now see a graphical screen built using simple character graphics.  It should be asking you whether you wish to accept the Nvidia license or not.

   Accept the license by using the tab key to select the proper box and then hit the Enter key.

8. You will be presented with a sequence of questions interspersed with some compilation activity.  Accept the default answer to each question by simply pressing the Enter key.  Eventually you will have worked through all of the questions and compilation steps and the graphic screen will end, leaving you at a normal command line prompt.

9. Reboot the system:
        reboot