[Drivers] Disabling nouveau CentOS 7

Owned by Joey Houy (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Feb 18, 2019Version comment
2 min read

Do not use this article unless you are using CentOS 7.2 - 7.4. If you need instructions for disabling Nouveau for latest CentOS kernels/versions (7.5 - 7.6 at the time of this edit Feb 2019), please use the following article below:

CentOS 7.x NVIDIA Driver installation

When you are installing NVIDIA drivers, and it complains you have Nouveau running. Some GUI related issues with CentOS 7 included in this article.

Step-by-step guide

Open up a terminal

  1. Search for your OS's blacklist '.conf' file and edit it
    I found mine at '/usr/lib/modprobe/dist-blacklist.conf'
  2. Add 'blacklist nouveau' at the end of the 'frame-buffers' list
  3. 'dracut -f', then wait until you can use your terminal again
  4. Reboot your system
  5. Be sure to 'init 3' again, then try to install your NVIDIA drivers again


What it looks like:

[exxact@localhost exx]# sudo -s nano /usr/lib/modprobe.d/dist-blacklist.conf


##add 'blacklist nouveau' at end of '# framebuffer drivers' list
...
...
blacklist nouveau
##save changes


[root@localhost ~]# dracut -f
##wait a few seconds until your terminal is responsive again


[root@localhost ~]# reboot
##rebooting


[exxact@localhost ~]# init 3
[exxact@localhost ~]# ./NVIDIA*
##Done

##If you are still getting issues with nouveau after you blacklisted it, ran 'dracut -f', and rebooted system, please run 'dracut f' and reboot again. It sometimes takes another reboot if you ran updates before rebooting the first time.

GUI issues

Sometimes the GUI does not display properly when:

  • Re-installing NVIDIA drivers
  • Using VGA with NVIDIA drivers installed, while on CentOS 7.x

If you get video issues like CentOS loading bar get stuck or can only see the CentOS 7.x background with no login prompt, try to access a terminal (press Ctrl-Alt-F2), and try the following.

NOTE: After performing the NVIDIA driver installation, you may start to get a i8042: No Controller Found pop-up before the OS loads, and when powering off the system. The notification does appear, but does not hinder the system's ability to reach the OS or power off normally.


Onboard Video
[exxact@localhost ~]# rm -rf /etc/X11/xorg.conf
[exxact@localhost ~]# startx
##Check for video on your monitor by switching the monitor to VGA video source... 
the input button on the monitor
Offboard Video
[exxact@localhost ~]# rm -rf /etc/X11/xorg.conf
[exxact@localhost ~]# nvidia-xconfig
##Will state missing files, but at the end says a new file was written
[exxact@localhost ~]# startx
##Check for video on your monitor by switching the mode to whatever output you are using (DVI/HDMI/DP)
the input button on the monitor
##Make sure to remove the VGA cable after making this change; so when CentOS 7 is idle, and the screen sleeps, it does
not revert back to VGA, where it will show the CentOS 7 background with no login prompt

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