Fix: Nvidia GPU Not Detected After Fedora Update

Nov 23, 2025 by Alex Johnson 49 views

Nvidia GPU Missing After Fedora Update: Troubleshooting Guide

Experiencing issues with your Nvidia GPU after a Fedora update can be frustrating. Many users have reported that their Nvidia GPU is no longer detected after updating to Fedora 43, particularly in resource monitoring tools. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the steps to troubleshoot and resolve this issue, ensuring your system recognizes your Nvidia GPU again. We'll cover common causes, solutions, and preventative measures to keep your system running smoothly.

Understanding the Problem

When you encounter a situation where your Nvidia GPU is missing after a Fedora update, the first step is to understand the possible causes. These can range from driver incompatibilities to configuration issues. Identifying the root cause will help you apply the correct solution efficiently. Let's delve into the common reasons behind this problem.

Common Causes

Driver Incompatibility: The most frequent cause is an incompatibility between the Nvidia drivers and the updated Fedora kernel. After a major update, the existing drivers may no longer be compatible, leading to the GPU not being detected.
Incorrect Driver Installation: Sometimes, the Nvidia drivers may not have been installed correctly in the first place. This could be due to incomplete installation steps or conflicts with other software.
Secure Boot Issues: If Secure Boot is enabled in your UEFI settings, it can interfere with the loading of Nvidia drivers, especially if they are not signed properly. Secure Boot is designed to prevent unauthorized software from running during the boot process, which can sometimes include GPU drivers.
Wayland Display Server: Fedora 43 uses Wayland as the default display server, which can sometimes have compatibility issues with Nvidia drivers. Switching to X11 might resolve the detection problem.
Configuration Problems: Configuration files related to the Nvidia drivers or the system's graphics settings may have been corrupted or misconfigured during the update process.

Symptoms

Before diving into solutions, it's essential to recognize the symptoms that indicate your Nvidia GPU is not being detected:

Resource Monitor Issues: Tools like Resource Monitor may not display your Nvidia GPU under the GPU or Thermal tabs.
System Performance Degradation: You may notice a significant drop in performance, especially in graphical applications and games.
Error Messages: You might encounter error messages during boot or when trying to run applications that require the GPU.
Blank Screen or Display Problems: In some cases, the system may fail to boot properly or display a blank screen.

By understanding these symptoms and common causes, you can better diagnose the issue and apply the appropriate fixes. Now, let's explore the steps you can take to resolve the problem.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide

When your Nvidia GPU disappears after a Fedora update, a systematic approach to troubleshooting is crucial. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you identify and resolve the issue effectively. Each step builds upon the previous one, so it’s important to follow them in order.

Step 1: Verify Driver Installation

The first step is to ensure that the Nvidia drivers are installed correctly. Even if you believe they were installed properly before the update, it’s worth verifying.

Check Installed Drivers: Open your terminal and use the following command to check if the Nvidia drivers are installed:
```
nvidia-smi
```
If the Nvidia System Management Interface (nvidia-smi) command is not found or returns an error, the drivers may not be installed correctly.
List Installed Packages: You can also list installed Nvidia packages using:
```
sudo dnf list installed | grep nvidia
```
This command will show all Nvidia-related packages installed on your system. If you don’t see the expected packages, proceed to reinstalling the drivers.

Step 2: Reinstall Nvidia Drivers

If the drivers are not installed or seem corrupted, reinstalling them is the next logical step. This process can ensure that you have a clean and compatible driver installation.

Remove Existing Drivers: Before reinstalling, it’s important to remove any existing drivers to avoid conflicts. Use the following command:
```
sudo dnf remove "nvidia*"
sudo dnf autoremove
```
This will remove all packages that start with “nvidia” and then remove any orphaned dependencies.

Install Drivers Using RPM Fusion: The RPM Fusion repository is a reliable source for Nvidia drivers on Fedora. If you haven't already, add the RPM Fusion repository:

sudo dnf install https://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm
sudo dnf install https://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm

Install Nvidia Drivers: Now, install the Nvidia drivers using DNF:
```
sudo dnf install akmod-nvidia
sudo dnf install xorg-x11-drv-nvidia-cuda
```
The akmod-nvidia package ensures that the Nvidia driver is rebuilt automatically when the kernel is updated. The xorg-x11-drv-nvidia-cuda package provides CUDA support.
Reboot Your System: After installation, reboot your system to load the new drivers:
```
sudo reboot
```

Step 3: Disable Secure Boot (If Necessary)

Secure Boot can sometimes interfere with Nvidia drivers, particularly if they are not signed. Disabling Secure Boot in your UEFI settings can resolve detection issues.

Access UEFI Settings: Reboot your computer and enter the UEFI settings. This is typically done by pressing a key like Del, F2, F10, or F12 during startup. The exact key varies depending on your motherboard manufacturer.
Disable Secure Boot: Look for Secure Boot settings, usually found in the Boot or Security sections. Disable Secure Boot and save your changes.
Reboot Again: Reboot your system to see if disabling Secure Boot resolves the issue.

Warning: Disabling Secure Boot can reduce your system's security. Only disable it if necessary and understand the potential risks.

Step 4: Switch to X11 Display Server

Fedora 43 uses Wayland as the default display server, which can sometimes have compatibility issues with Nvidia drivers. Switching to X11 might provide a workaround.

Log Out of Your Session: Log out of your current desktop session.
Select X11 at Login: On the login screen, click on the gear icon or settings button. Choose “GNOME on Xorg” or a similar option that indicates X11.
Log In: Log back into your session using X11.
Test GPU Detection: Check if your Nvidia GPU is now detected in the Resource Monitor or by running nvidia-smi in the terminal.

Step 5: Check and Modify Configuration Files

Sometimes, configuration files related to Nvidia drivers or graphics settings may be misconfigured. Reviewing and modifying these files can help.

Nvidia Configuration File: Check the nvidia-xconfig file:
```
sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/nvidia.conf
```
Ensure that the file contains the correct settings for your Nvidia GPU. If the file is missing or appears incorrect, you can generate a new one using:
```
sudo nvidia-xconfig
```
Note: Be cautious when using nvidia-xconfig as it can sometimes overwrite existing configurations. Back up your current configuration before running this command.
GRUB Configuration: Edit the GRUB configuration to add kernel parameters that may help with Nvidia driver loading:
```
sudo nano /etc/default/grub
```
Add the following parameters to the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX line:

nvidia-drm.modeset=1 This parameter enables early loading of the Nvidia driver. Save the file and update GRUB: bash sudo grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg ``` 3. Reboot Your System: After making changes, reboot your system to apply them.

Step 6: Check for Kernel Module Loading

Verify that the Nvidia kernel modules are loaded correctly. Kernel modules are essential for the driver to interact with the hardware.

List Loaded Modules: Use the lsmod command to list loaded kernel modules:
```
lsmod | grep nvidia
```
You should see modules like nvidia_drm, nvidia_modeset, and nvidia. If these modules are not listed, it indicates that the drivers are not being loaded.
Manually Load Modules: If the modules are not loaded, try loading them manually:
```
sudo modprobe nvidia_drm
sudo modprobe nvidia_modeset
sudo modprobe nvidia
```
If you encounter errors while loading the modules, there may be an issue with the driver installation or kernel compatibility.

Step 7: Update Your System

Ensure that your system is fully updated. Sometimes, a system update can include fixes or updates that resolve driver compatibility issues.

Update Fedora: Use the following command to update your system:
```
sudo dnf update
```
This command will update all installed packages to their latest versions.
Reboot After Update: Reboot your system after the update is complete.

Step 8: Check for Bug Reports and Community Solutions

If none of the above steps work, search for bug reports or community discussions related to your issue. Other users may have encountered the same problem and found a solution.

Search Fedora Forums and Bugzilla: Check the Fedora Project forums and Bugzilla for discussions and bug reports related to Nvidia drivers and Fedora 43.
Nvidia Developer Forums: The Nvidia Developer Forums can also be a valuable resource for finding solutions to driver-related issues.

By following this step-by-step troubleshooting guide, you should be able to identify and resolve the issue of your Nvidia GPU not being detected after a Fedora update. Remember to take a methodical approach and document any changes you make, which can be helpful if you need to revert to a previous state.

Advanced Troubleshooting Techniques

If the basic troubleshooting steps haven't resolved the issue of your Nvidia GPU not being detected after a Fedora update, it may be necessary to delve into more advanced techniques. These methods require a deeper understanding of system configuration and driver management. Proceed with caution and ensure you have backups before making significant changes.

1. Kernel Module Signing

When Secure Boot is enabled, the kernel requires that all modules be digitally signed to ensure they haven't been tampered with. If your Nvidia drivers aren't signed, the kernel might refuse to load them. Here’s how to handle kernel module signing:

Generate a Key Pair: Create a key pair for signing modules:
```
sudo openssl req -new -x509 -newkey rsa:2048 -keyout MOK.priv -out MOK.pub -days 3650 -nodes
```
This command generates a private key (MOK.priv) and a public key (MOK.pub).

Sign the Nvidia Modules: Sign the Nvidia kernel modules using the generated key:

sudo /usr/src/kernels/$(uname -r)/scripts/sign-file sha256 ./MOK.priv ./MOK.pub $(modinfo -n nvidia)
sudo /usr/src/kernels/$(uname -r)/scripts/sign-file sha256 ./MOK.priv ./MOK.pub $(modinfo -n nvidia_modeset)
sudo /usr/src/kernels/$(uname -r)/scripts/sign-file sha256 ./MOK.priv ./MOK.pub $(modinfo -n nvidia_drm)

These commands sign the nvidia, nvidia_modeset, and nvidia_drm modules. Replace $(uname -r) with your kernel version if necessary.

Enroll the Public Key: Enroll the public key with the system's Machine Owner Key (MOK) list:
```
sudo mokutil --import MOK.pub
```
You'll be prompted to set a password. Remember this password, as you'll need it during the next reboot.
Reboot and Enroll MOK: Reboot your system. During startup, you should see a MOK management screen. Choose