Total Linux noob and his problems

[More Boosters]

I've got a feeling I didn't get my installation right at all!

I'm on a 64 bit Linux (Ubuntu LTS) system, and ksp.x86_64 crashes instantly with no error message, the x86 only one does nothing. I can only start the game through Steam; at least I could until I transfered over my mods and saves from my Windows install and now it crashes every time while loading when launching through steam.

Another thing is that I jumped through a lot of hoops to install Steam and then switch to the Nvidia driver and Nvidia Prime shows that my graphics card, 840M is selected and not the intel one but its performance is far poorer than the benchmarks implied (it can't even show heat effects, says the graphics card doesn't support it) so I'm not even sure if KSP is using my dedicated GPU instead of that Intel thingie.

Help?

[sal_vager]

Hi More Boosters, please upload the KSP.log from the KSP folder and Player.log from ~/home/username/.config/unity3d/Squad/Kerbal Space Program

Pastebin, mediafire or dropbox should work fine for this.

Edited September 17, 2015 by sal_vager

[More Boosters]

Hmm well I deleted a whole bunch of mods, leaving only Kerbal Engineer, Trajectories, Precise Node and Atomic Age so 32 bit works right now; it's 64 bit that doesn't. As I said I'm not sure if my graphics card is being used either. I want those re-entry effects!

In fact I believe one of the first lines points to how my Intel card is used and not my Nvidia 840M. Sorry I don't see a button for a spoiler tag, if you know how to do it go ahead.

https://www.sendspace.com/file/vn6gmo

Edited September 17, 2015 by More Boosters

[sal_vager]

Yeah there's no button unfortunately, you have to [noparse]

spoileredcontent

[/noparse] manually.

Er, every download button on sendspace just tries to download crudware, and there's a lot of buttons...

Found it, and yes it's using the Intel, I think you need bumblebee or nvidia-prime to solve this one, both will be in the software repository.

Edited September 17, 2015 by sal_vager

[More Boosters]

Yeah there's no button unfortunately, you have to [noparse]

Er, every download button on sendspace just tries to download crudware, and there's a lot of buttons...

Found it, and yes it's using the Intel, I think you need bumblebee or nvidia-prime to solve this one, both will be in the software repository.

spoileredcontent

[/noparse] manually.

That's the thing I do have nvidia prime and it says I'm using the Nvidia card. I'm also on an Nvidia driver right now -not Nouveau.

Also, can you see any reason why I shouldn't be able to launch the game in 64 bit?

[sal_vager]

Sorry no not without a log from an attempt to start the 64bit version, it's also worth using this line in a terminal.

ldd KSP.x86_64 | grep "not found"

It'll list any missing libraries, you need to open the terminal in the KSP folder or use the cd command to change to the KSP folder, more info here

[More Boosters]

Sorry no not without a log from an attempt to start the 64bit version, it's also worth using this line in a terminal.

ldd KSP.x86_64 | grep "not found"

It'll list any missing libraries, you need to open the terminal in the KSP folder or use the cd command to change to the KSP folder, more info here

It says "No such directory" when I do that.

Strangely enough it opened today, guess I had to restart the computer.

The graphics card issue is still here; I see now that Prime reverted to Intel after the restart (it never used the GPU to begin with) and I can't get back to the Nvidia card, I get a very expressive "Do not enter" sign. Using a terminal command to set it to Nvidia card says that the alternatives are not set up properly. Googling continues.

Edit:

sudo update-alternatives --config x86_64-linux-gnu_gl_conf

Typing this in the terminal and picking 1 seems to have worked, I'll now restart to see if that is the case.

Edited September 18, 2015 by More Boosters

[sal_vager]

Yeah It'll do that if you don't change username to your user name, but if it didn't list anything then KSP has all the libraries it needs.

The KSP.log and Player.log will still be written if KSP.x86_64 starts but crashes, and those logs will say what is going on, if they aren't made then try starting KSP..x86_64 via the terminal, it might say something like "no permission to run this program".

If so, the KSP.x86_64 can be made executable in the right click properties.

[More Boosters]

Yeah It'll do that if you don't change username to your user name, but if it didn't list anything then KSP has all the libraries it needs.

The KSP.log and Player.log will still be written if KSP.x86_64 starts but crashes, and those logs will say what is going on, if they aren't made then try starting KSP..x86_64 via the terminal, it might say something like "no permission to run this program".

If so, the KSP.x86_64 can be made executable in the right click properties.

Gah! Now Steam doesn't work.

Running Steam on ubuntu 14.04 64-bit
STEAM_RUNTIME is enabled automatically
[2015-09-18 13:30:57] Startup - updater built Aug 19 2015 11:27:40
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1440016726)
libGL error: No matching fbConfigs or visuals found
libGL error: failed to load driver: swrast
SteamUpdateUI: An X Error occurred
X Error of failed request:  BadValue (integer parameter out of range for operation)

[sal_vager]

Oh wait a sec I'll find the link, Steam ships with a broken library.

Edit:

Here you go.

https://askubuntu.com/questions/614422/problem-with-installing-steam-on-ubuntu-15-04

[More Boosters]

Oh wait a sec I'll find the link, Steam ships with a broken library.

Edit:

Here you go.

https://askubuntu.com/questions/614422/problem-with-installing-steam-on-ubuntu-15-04

Well I tried the top rated answer and it didn't change anything. Besides, the error message is not the same one as I get. I also use 14.10 LTS and not 15.04.

[sal_vager]

Okay, I have not run into this one personally but a quick google shows this.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2293235

I guess something broke, I don't know what driver you installed but if you stick to the one in the repo (331 I think) and the Steam client from the repo (not the one from the website) it will be fine.

[More Boosters]

Okay, I have not run into this one personally but a quick google shows this.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2293235

I guess something broke, I don't know what driver you installed but if you stick to the one in the repo (331 I think) and the Steam client from the repo (not the one from the website) it will be fine.

Another thing... I don't have a desktop icon for Steam and installing Steam Launcher from the Software Center also doesn't make it show up. In fact,I don't even see those files anywhere; I installed Steam through the terminal and that's what I used to enter it while it worked. And from there I could go to KSP files using Browse Local Files but otherwise I can't see my own files, and I don't see my HDD and SDD seperately. I guess I had to split them up myself? In Windows that's automatic.

I am using 346.82 from nvidia-346 (proprietary, tested)

Will purging Steam as per the instructions there also remove the backup I made for KSP? I don't want to have to download it for the third time.

Edit: Derp everything is a hidden file, I see them now. Though the other problems still remain.

Edited September 18, 2015 by More Boosters

[sal_vager]

Yeah default behaviour is to not clutter the desktop with everything you install, that's just untidy, but if you right click the application in the menu there should be the option to add it to the taskbar or the desktop.

It's really hard to tell you the particulars of your system without physically sitting in front of it and seeing how you have it set up, but your system files should be there, try enabling hidden files with Control+H

[More Boosters]

Yeah default behaviour is to not clutter the desktop with everything you install, that's just untidy, but if you right click the application in the menu there should be the option to add it to the taskbar or the desktop.

It's really hard to tell you the particulars of your system without physically sitting in front of it and seeing how you have it set up, but your system files should be there, try enabling hidden files with Control+H

Yeah that's okay I figured it out. Hidden files are now displayed. Though the SOLUTION there is awfully vague and dramatic. Purging everything and then re-installing isn't something I haven't done before. Also which driver? I used whatever command that was to download the most recent stable NVidia driver.

[sal_vager]

There's a few in the repo, the latest one is numbered 331 though it's possible to add more recent versions with Ubuntu's official repo for proprietary drivers, there's install instructions there too.

[More Boosters]

There's a few in the repo, the latest one is numbered 331 though it's possible to add more recent versions with Ubuntu's official repo for proprietary drivers, there's install instructions there too.

Which repository are you talking about? I'm very new to all this I don't know many commands by heart.

[sal_vager]

The one I linked

But it shouldn't be needed yet, sorry I don't want to confuse you.

KSP does run fine on the driver from the Ubuntu software repository, it should run "out of the box" on an Ubuntu 14.04 LTS 32bit install, but as that comes with the open source graphics driver pre-installed by default, performance with KSP is slow.

Ubuntu has a graphical tool to install proprietary drivers but it's a bit old now, so probably the easiest way to make Ubuntu ready for KSP on Steam with Nvidia hardware is to open a terminal and use:

sudo apt install nvidia-331 nvidia-settings steam

Reboot after it's done and that should be it, that will get the 32bit KSP working on a 32bit Ubuntu OS, for 32bit KSP on a 64bit Ubuntu you'd need this:

sudo apt install nvidia-331 nvidia-settings steam libgl1-mesa-glx:i386

That installs the 32bit stuff so 32bit KSP will start on a 64bit OS.

64bit KSP should only need the first line (sudo apt install nvidia-331 nvidia-settings steam) to run on a 64bit copy of Ubuntu, but Steam will start the 32bit by default, so the Steam launch option needs this added to it:

&command&_64

And the KSP.x86_64 is not marked as an executable file, so it needs to be set as executable by right clicking on it and changing its properties.

If you had an AMD card the commands above would be a little different:

sudo apt install fglrx fglrx-amdcccle steam

And:

sudo apt install fglrx fglrx-amdcccle steam libgl1-mesa-glx:i386

Respectively.

Then you just start Steam, login, and play

If there's an error it's generally a good idea to google first as someone will have run into it, another search for your error shows this on the steam forums <--- link

So it definitely looks like the graphics driver is having an issue, and as you are using a 64bit OS I suggest you try this first:

sudo apt install libgl1-mesa-glx:i386

And checking that the KSP.x86_64 is marked as executable, then try removing the Nvidia driver and reinstalling if that doesn't fix it

[More Boosters]

The one I linked

But it shouldn't be needed yet, sorry I don't want to confuse you.

KSP does run fine on the driver from the Ubuntu software repository, it should run "out of the box" on an Ubuntu 14.04 LTS 32bit install, but as that comes with the open source graphics driver pre-installed by default, performance with KSP is slow.

Ubuntu has a graphical tool to install proprietary drivers but it's a bit old now, so probably the easiest way to make Ubuntu ready for KSP on Steam with Nvidia hardware is to open a terminal and use:

sudo apt install nvidia-331 nvidia-settings steam

Reboot after it's done and that should be it, that will get the 32bit KSP working on a 32bit Ubuntu OS, for 32bit KSP on a 64bit Ubuntu you'd need this:

sudo apt install nvidia-331 nvidia-settings steam libgl1-mesa-glx:i386

That installs the 32bit stuff so 32bit KSP will start on a 64bit OS.

64bit KSP should only need the first line (sudo apt install nvidia-331 nvidia-settings steam) to run on a 64bit copy of Ubuntu, but Steam will start the 32bit by default, so the Steam launch option needs this added to it:

&command&_64

And the KSP.x86_64 is not marked as an executable file, so it needs to be set as executable by right clicking on it and changing its properties.

If you had an AMD card the commands above would be a little different:

sudo apt install fglrx fglrx-amdcccle steam

And:

sudo apt install fglrx fglrx-amdcccle steam libgl1-mesa-glx:i386

Respectively.

Then you just start Steam, login, and play

If there's an error it's generally a good idea to google first as someone will have run into it, another search for your error shows this on the steam forums <--- link

So it definitely looks like the graphics driver is having an issue, and as you are using a 64bit OS I suggest you try this first:

sudo apt install libgl1-mesa-glx:i386

And checking that the KSP.x86_64 is marked as executable, then try removing the Nvidia driver and reinstalling if that doesn't fix it

I purged Nvidia and then installed 331. What happened was that on reboot, I got this extremely weird flicker that alternated between the login screen and that screen with a flickering - on the top left. I had to reinstall Ubuntu so my system is now a fresh install and there goes my KSP backup...

This was before I read this btw, trying your way now.

Edited September 18, 2015 by More Boosters

[sal_vager]

So you didn't try libgl1-mesa-glx:i386 first, okay well I'd have liked to have known if that would have solved it, and I'd have liked to have seen your logs which I mentioned a few times, as they would have told me why it wouldn't start.

But look on the bright side, now you can start from a clean slate

What's your gfx card btw?

Edited September 18, 2015 by sal_vager

[More Boosters]

So you didn't try libgl1-mesa-glx:i386 first, okay well I'd have liked to have known if that would have solved it, and I'd have liked to have seen your logs which I mentioned a few times, as they would have told me why it wouldn't start.

But look on the bright side, now you can start from a clean slate

What's your gfx card btw?

When I try that I get:

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 libgl1-mesa-glx:i386 : Depends: libglapi-mesa:i386 (= 10.1.3-0ubuntu0.4)
                        Recommends: libgl1-mesa-dri:i386 (>= 7.2)
 unity-control-center : Depends: libcheese-gtk23 (>= 3.4.0) but it is not going to be installed
                        Depends: libcheese7 (>= 3.0.1) but it is not going to be installed
E: Error, pkgProblemResolver::Resolve generated breaks, this may be caused by held packages.

My card is Nvidia GeForce 840M

Edit: Followed each of your steps, 64 bit KSP does the same thing; instant crash with no error message and no log.

Second Edit: Back to the issue of being unable to use my main GPU, but 64 it KSP seems to launch after a reboot.

Edited September 18, 2015 by More Boosters

[sal_vager]

Okay, the card is newer than the available drivers support for that version of Ubuntu, meaning you'd need to add the official personal package archive (PPA) that contains them or use a newer version of Ubuntu, as due to updates there's separate repositories for each version.

If it helps I'm using Ubuntu 15.04 here, which has the 346 driver in the repository.

But I suggest just installing the driver you previously used as it was working, and then posting the KSP.log from the games folder, and Player.log from ~/putyourusernamehere/.config/unity3d/Squad/Kerbal Space Program/ so I can see what's going on.

[More Boosters]

Okay, the card is newer than the available drivers support for that version of Ubuntu, meaning you'd need to add the official personal package archive (PPA) that contains them or use a newer version of Ubuntu, as due to updates there's separate repositories for each version.

If it helps I'm using Ubuntu 15.04 here, which has the 346 driver in the repository.

But I suggest just installing the driver you previously used as it was working, and then posting the KSP.log from the games folder, and Player.log from ~/putyourusernamehere/.config/unity3d/Squad/Kerbal Space Program/ so I can see what's going on.

The driver that I previously used was Nouveau and it didn't let me use my card. Replacing that with the Nvidia driver fixed the card and broke Steam. Trying to fix steam broke Ubuntu and I had to reinstall. I've been beating my head against the wall for 10 hours now. I'll launch KSP x64 anyway.

Edit: Yeah it works, without the right card though. Ubuntu so far is really pushing my patience.

Edited September 18, 2015 by More Boosters

[sal_vager]

Yeah Steam doesn't like Nouveau, and Valve just recommends you use the proprietary driver.

[More Boosters]

Edit: It's at the top because Steam in game is messed up, well I think 346 worked when I tried but it still didn't let me use my GPU.

Yeah Steam doesn't like Nouveau, and Valve just recommends you use the proprietary driver.

It's the opposite! Steam only works with Nouveau for me!

Edited September 18, 2015 by More Boosters