drivers - 12.10 64-bit does not want to work with the GTX 670

I have been trying to install Quantal AMD64 on the following PC:

• ASUS P8Z77-I Deluxe LGA (Z77-based)


• Ivy Bridge i5-3570K (overclocked but why would that matter?)


• EVGA GTX 670


• Dual Samsung 830 Series SSDs

Unfortunately, the quetzal seems hellbent on disappointing me. Here's how:

1. Live CD doesn't even start properly. Display is filled with colorful noise, though I can see the mouse moving.



2. Installation, however, works just fine. No display issues and no errors during installation.


3. When booted, sometimes I get colorful noise on screen and a hang and sometimes I get the "Running in low graphics mode error" with my mouse and keyboard maybe working and maybe not. When I click OK, the system hangs in the next dialog screen -- the one that offers the various options to deal with the issue.


4. I tried getting into recovery and using the console to install the latest nVidia drivers as per this question. That didn't work: the system would hang randomly while I was in the middle of running the commands.


5. Switched to the integrated GPU and that actually worked. I got desktop, opened the terminal, and installed the driver.


6. Switched back to the discrete GPU and it still didn't work. The system would hang midway and at random points during the initialization process -- usually in the first 1-2 seconds. I can't boot into recovery (hangs before it). Can't even boot when I switched back to the iGPU.


7. Somehow, the OS managed to roll my MB's clock by 7 hrs. Insult to injury.

Now, I'm stuck. I am 99% sure it's the bleepin' graphics driver but sometimes with Linux you never know for sure. People have obviously gotten their Kepler-based GPUs to run fine under Ubuntu so what gives?!

Please let me know if you have managed to pull the above feat of strength. I have to know what incantations you used and what animal you sacrificed.