Nvidia driver activated but currently not in use

There is bugs reports for this issue at launchpad: jockey/+bug/771788 e nvidia-graphics-drivers-173/+bug/772207. Add your card details then mark it to report that you have the issue. Hopefully, it will be fixed soon!

I have had problems with my nvidia card as well, and I think my answer to a similar question might help you. It list all my attempts (everything I found), plus what finally worked for me: adding nopat to the kernel parameters when booting. It is a known problem with nvidia cards.

For this case, what I hope should work is:

• use the 173 version of the nvidia driver
• force starting unity, by adding UNITY_FORCE_START=1 to /etc/environment

It appears to be a bug at the app that checks for drivers update - jockey see this.

You can test if it is in use at least in three ways. Check the commands and the outputs following:

/usr/lib/nux/unity_support_test -p  

lspci | grep nVidia  

sudo lshw -C display

Reference.

I have same configuration and exactly same message as you. But phrase "driver not currently in use" is false. Driver IS used. Check glxgears, if you have ~7800 fps, just relax.

To quote your screenshot,

This driver is activated but not currently in use.

Have you restarted after you installed the Nvidia driver? You can't use it as long as the old driver is still loaded in the kernel.