Install Nvidia 304.116 for Legacy GPUs in Ubuntu, Linux Mint

Last updated: November 8, 2013

Nvidia 304.116 ubuntu

The latest Nvidia Legacy GPU driver 304.116 has improved compatibility with recent Linux kernels. Here’s how to intall it if you have an old graphics card that is no longer supported in the regular NVIDIA Unified Graphics Driver.

What’s New in Nvidia 304.116:

  • Updated nvidia-installer to consider the “libglamoregl.so” X loadable extension module to be in conflict with the NVIDIA OpenGL driver. This module can cause the NVIDIA libGL to be loaded into the same process (the X server) as the NVIDIA libglx.so extension module, which is not a supported use case.
  • Improved compatibility with recent Linux kernels.
  • Updated the NVIDIA OpenGL driver to write temporary files to $TMPDIR if it is set, instead of unconditionally writing to /tmp.
  • Updated a fallback of writing temporary files to $HOME/.nvidia to use $HOME/.nv instead, as the latter path is already used for other NVIDIA driver related files.
  • Install Nvidia 304.116:

    Before getting started, remove previous installed Nvidia proprietary drivers in terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T):

    sudo apt-get purge nvidia-current

    Then download the driver from official links below:

    Nvidia 304.116 for Linux 32 bit

    Nvidia 304.116 for Linux 64 bit

    Follow the steps below to install it:

    1. Press Ctrl+Alt+F1 to switch to command console. Login with your username and pasword.

    2. Kill the graphic session with the command below:

  • For default LightDM:
    sudo service lightdm stop
  • For Gnome GDM:
    sudo service gdm stop
  • For Linux Mint MDM:
    sudo service mdm stop
  • 3. Give executable permission to the installer:

    chmod +x ~/Downloads/NVIDIA-Linux-*-304.116.run

    4. Start the installer and follow on screen prompts:

    sudo sh ~/Downloads/NVIDIA-Linux-*-304.116.run

    5. Restart and done.

    sudo reboot

    If for some reason the driver does not work properly for you, re-do step 1 & 2 and followed with command below to uninstall this driver:

    sudo sh ~/Downloads/NVIDIA-Linux-*-304.116.run --uninstall

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    2 responses to Install Nvidia 304.116 for Legacy GPUs in Ubuntu, Linux Mint

    1. Is Nvidia 304.116 for Linux 64 bit driver is the right driver for my Nvidia GeeForce 640 running on i7 machine in ubuntu 12.04 64 bit environment ?

      Thank you.