gfxpayload is for configuring how the kernel sets up the framebuffer. It's appropriate for X drivers with kernel modesetting support, but -nvidia does not support KMS, so changes to that parameter probably just aren't valid with proprietary drivers.
Possibly this is a WONTFIX or WISHLIST maybe, but ideally the kernel should simply reject the parameter specification if non-KMS drivers are being loaded. The reason I think it may be WONTFIX is because I'm not sure whether the kernel actually knows early enough whether or not a non-KMS driver is going to be loaded. But I'll bump it to the kernel queue for further analysis. ** Package changed: nvidia-graphics-drivers (Ubuntu) => linux (Ubuntu) ** Changed in: linux (Ubuntu) Status: New => Incomplete -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/738546 Title: X fails to start with nvidia-current and set gfxpayload -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs