The NVIDIA driver installation often fails silently for new users.
This patch adds read-only pre-install checks to the
nvidia-kernel-support postinst script:
1. Kernel headers present — warns with exact apt command if missing
2. Secure Boot status — explains MOK enrollment steps if enabled
3. Nouveau loaded — warns to reboot after installation
These checks are read-only and do not modify system configuration.
--- debian/nvidia-kernel-support.postinst.in.orig 2026-05-05
15:25:02.733419459 +0530
+++ debian/nvidia-kernel-support.postinst.in 2026-05-05
15:26:06.968982397 +0530
@@ -4,6 +4,53 @@
if [ "$1" = "configure" ]
then
+ # Check if kernel headers are installed
+ if [ ! -d "/lib/modules/$(uname -r)/build" ] && [ ! -d
"/lib/modules/$(uname -r)/source" ]; then
+ echo ""
+ echo "=============================================="
+ echo " NVIDIA Driver Installation - WARNING"
+ echo "=============================================="
+ echo " Kernel headers not found for $(uname -r)."
+ echo " The NVIDIA kernel module cannot be built without them."
+ echo ""
+ echo " Install them with:"
+ echo " sudo apt install linux-headers-$(uname -r)"
+ echo "=============================================="
+ echo ""
+ fi
+
+ # Check if Secure Boot is enabled
+ if command -v mokutil >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+ if mokutil --sb-state 2>/dev/null | grep -q "SecureBoot
enabled"; then
+ echo ""
+ echo "=============================================="
+ echo " NVIDIA Driver Installation - NOTE"
+ echo "=============================================="
+ echo " Secure Boot is enabled on this system."
+ echo " The NVIDIA kernel module must be signed to load."
+ echo ""
+ echo " After installation, enroll the DKMS key with:"
+ echo " sudo mokutil --import /var/lib/dkms/mok.pub"
+ echo " sudo mokutil --import
/var/lib/nvidia/nvidia-modsign-key.pub"
+ echo " Then reboot. The MOK enrollment screen will appear."
+ echo "=============================================="
+ echo ""
+ fi
+ fi
+
+ # Check if nouveau is currently loaded
+ if lsmod 2>/dev/null | grep -q "nouveau"; then
+ echo ""
+ echo "=============================================="
+ echo " NVIDIA Driver Installation - NOTE"
+ echo "=============================================="
+ echo " The open-source 'nouveau' driver is currently loaded."
+ echo " It will be blacklisted automatically."
+ echo " REBOOT after installation to switch to the NVIDIA driver."
+ echo "=============================================="
+ echo ""
+ fi
+
if [ -f /etc/#PRIVATE#/nvidia-modprobe.conf.dpkg-old ] && [ ! -f
/etc/#PRIVATE#/nvidia-modprobe.conf ]
then