[SOLVED] 2012.02 LiveCD or installed: random black screen

[Trio3b]

Running pclos-kde LiveCD 2012.02 on to Toshiba A305 / Intel Core2 / 3 gb RAM / 2.6.38.8-pclos3.bfs

Intel Mobile4 graphics as listed below:

Code: [Select]

[root@localhost ~]# lspci -vv
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Memory Controller Hub (rev 07)
        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff1e
        Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
        Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort+ >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
        Latency: 0
        Capabilities: [e0] Vendor Specific Information: Len=0a <?>
        Kernel driver in use: agpgart-intel

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 07) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff1e
        Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+
        Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
        Latency: 0
        Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 47
        Region 0: Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4M]
        Region 2: Memory at c0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
        Region 4: I/O ports at 5110 [size=8]
        Expansion ROM at unassigned [disabled]
        Capabilities: [90] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
                Address: fee0300c  Data: 41a9
        Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 3
                Flags: PMEClk- DSI+ D1- D2- AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-)
                Status: D0 NoSoftRst- PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-
        Kernel driver in use: i915
        Kernel modules: i915

00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 07)
        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Device ff1e
        Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
        Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
        Latency: 0
        Region 0: Memory at d3500000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1M]
        Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 3
                Flags: PMEClk- DSI+ D1- D2- AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-)
                Status: D0 NoSoftRst- PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-

[DISCLAIMER] - I realize recommended SOP is to provide log of everything attempted to resolve issue when posting but I thought it might muddy the waters. This is an ongoing issue with this Toshiba laptop which I put into storage last summer after no success and am trying to resurrect. Anyone interested in those previous attempts can find them here --> http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,92758.0.html

PROBLEM -  pclos kde 2012.02 LiveCd on this Toshiba boots into partial X. Black screen with working mouse. I thought I heard login sound which suggests KDE is loaded but something up with graphics. Ctrl-Alt-BkSpc resets X and I have login screen - guest/root - then can log into normal guest session and I have desktop w/panel, icons, working mouse, etc. . Could have sworn LiveCd boots directly into guest desktop - so I guess what's happening is it boots into partial X then the reset takes me back to login screen with guest/root login option.

Tips:
1. I have 2011.6 kde [fully updated] install on another laptop [compaq cq50-139wm] with Intel Mobile 4 Series with no problems
2. Had no touchpad tap so was looking for 50-synaptics.conf file but noticed there is no /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d - Is this created during  installation to HD or should it be there now?
 
Would like to salvage the use of this laptop as it has decent specs but this one has me stumped.

Any thoughts appreciated.

[AS]

While at grub prompt, press F3 options (F6 from LiveCD), select default and add the following parameters at the end of the line:

Code: [Select]

i915.modeset=1
Any changes ?

[Trio3b]

Ok, prior to seeing your post, installed to HD. All went smooth. created new user. All smooth. Shutdown, took a break. Fired up and voila, BSWM (black screen-working mouse).

Removed xorg.conf as  that seems to provide the most stable experience. This time login screen came up ok and logged back in. Was in console for 5 min changing permissions to transfer some files and boom, x-crash but this time not to mouse but text similar to verbose boot screen with text on left and [OK] in green on left. Didn't get chance to video or write this down, but will.

Will try your append to kernel  fix with and without xorg.conf after lunch.

Thanks

[Hootiegibbon]

Trio3b,

Its not "partial X " you have, it is X, it seems that its the window manager /Desktop environment that its having issue with , how much RAM is in that laptop?

AS has made a great suggestion - using i915.modeset=1 if this does not help then try the following - to ensure X is working as expected

use Ctrl+alt+F1 to drop into a tty login.
Login as guest (or your user if its an install)
su to root (take care what you type at this point)
type "init 3" without quotes.

if this drops you into another tty login re-log in as guest)
if you are still root type "exit" and if necessary log in as guest

type "startx firefox" - does this launch a full screen instance of Firefox?
once confirmed use ctrl+alt+bckspace to kill the FF session.

Then su to root once more and type "init 5 && exit" to return to a login screen.

post back with some results

Jase




 

[AS]

From 1st post, it is a 3 GB RAM Laptop ...

[Hootiegibbon]

From 1st post, it is a 3 GB RAM Laptop ...

eeerrrr , just testin ... obviously, you passed

and no. you dont win anything, nobody like a smarta... 

Jase

[Trio3b]

OK, good news:

adding i915.modeset=1 at boot takes me to login OK
also added xorg.conf back to the mix +  the above line also takes me to login, boot screen is wrong size in upper left corner but login OK.

bad news: If you notice in my original posts last summer, this was an intermittent issue where either x (or window manager as you say) never loads prior to login screen...or... I can login, but eventually x crashes after indeterminate period of time and I have to Ctrl+ Alt+BckSpc.

OK logging into tty login and init 3 as root leaves screen hanging at:

"waiting for wireless to be up" . Waited a few minutes, then exited and logged in as user02.
 
"startx firefox" DOES launch firefox but not fullscreen. Had to drag window to full size, but resolution seems to be correct.

killed session, return to init 5, logged in and am posting.

I will have to run this setup for several days to confirm. I may have tried the i915.modeset=1 previously but don't remember as  I had 5-6 pages of notes and have not found them yet but I suspect this should be added to grub menu.lst somewhere, no?

Thanks

[AS]

OK, good news:

adding i915.modeset=1 at boot takes me to login OK
also added xorg.conf back to the mix +  the above line also takes me to login, boot screen is wrong size in upper left corner but login OK.

Good!   

bad news: If you notice in my original posts last summer, this was an intermittent issue where either x (or window manager as you say) never loads prior to login screen...or... I can login, but eventually x crashes after indeterminate period of time and I have to Ctrl+ Alt+BckSpc.

Sorry ... the world changed from last summer ...
Immediately after the crash, try to look into the following logs for hints about what it is happenings:
/var/log/Xorg.0.log  /var/log/syslog  /var/log/messages  /var/log/dmesg ...

OK logging into tty login and init 3 as root leaves screen hanging at:

"waiting for wireless to be up" . Waited a few minutes, then exited and logged in as user02.
 
"startx firefox" DOES launch firefox but not fullscreen. Had to drag window to full size, but resolution seems to be correct.

killed session, return to init 5, logged in and am posting.

I will have to run this setup for several days to confirm. I may have tried the i915.modeset=1 previously but don't remember as  I had 5-6 pages of notes and have not found them yet but I suspect this should be added to grub somewhere, no?

Yes, there can be alternatives, for now edit /boot/grub/menu.lst and add it to the kernel parameters.

[Trio3b]

Ok so can't post outputs of all you suggest. something wrong with forum or my connection but it just says "connection reset while page loading".

Will try again later.

[UPDATE] OK, have now had two crashes, both with i915.modeset=1 in menu.lst and with no xorg.conf. on user01. Am going to try user02. wish me luck

[UPDATE 2]  edited menu.lst as root with either kwrite or nano and upon reboot the modeset  addition is gone! menu/lst being overwritten by something. What's up?

Thanks

[AS]

Ok so can't post outputs of all you suggest. something wrong with forum or my connection but it just says "connection reset while page loading".

Will try again later.

[UPDATE] OK, have now had two crashes, both with i915.modeset=1 in menu.lst and with no xorg.conf. on user01. Am going to try user02. wish me luck

[UPDATE 2]  edited menu.lst as root with either kwrite or nano and upon reboot the modeset  addition is gone! menu/lst being overwritten by something. What's up?

Thanks

Trio3b,

Possibly use reply, not edit, otherwise we doesn't get notification about your post changes.

If logs are too large to be posted on forum, use http://pastebin.com or similar services ..

AS

[Trio3b]

Now that I see menu.lst being overwritten, it is possible that the modeset you recommend WAS NOT in place during the crash so ....

here is current menu.lst:

timeout 10
color black/cyan yellow/cyan
gfxmenu (hd0,4)/boot/gfxmenu
default 0

title linux
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux root=UUID=e52b0ad2-cea1-4748-9d29-c45424aee303 quiet nokmsboot
initrd (hd0,4)/boot/initrd.img

title linux-nonfb
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux-nonfb root=UUID=e52b0ad2-cea1-4748-9d29-c45424aee303 quiet nokmsboot vmalloc=256M acpi=on resume=UUID=632f6b8c-3784-4023-9ee8-ace50b746040
initrd (hd0,4)/boot/initrd.img

title failsafe
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=failsafe root=UUID=e52b0ad2-cea1-4748-9d29-c45424aee303 failsafe vmalloc=256M
initrd (hd0,4)/boot/initrd.img

title memtest-4.20
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/memtest-4.20 BOOT_IMAGE=memtest-4.20 nokmsboot

Here is menu..lst as I edited as root. It was saved as menu.lst.old by some process after reboot:

timeout 10
color black/cyan yellow/cyan
gfxmenu (hd0,4)/boot/gfxmenu
default 0

title linux
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux root=UUID=e52b0ad2-cea1-4748-9d29-c45424aee303 quiet
i915.modeset=1 vmalloc=256M
initrd (hd0,4)/boot/initrd.img

title linux-nonfb
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=linux-nonfb root=UUID=e52b0ad2-cea1-4748-9d29-c45424aee303 quiet nokmsboot vmalloc=256M acpi=on resume=UUID=632f6b8c-3784-4023-9ee8-ace50b746040
initrd (hd0,4)/boot/initrd.img

title failsafe
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz BOOT_IMAGE=failsafe root=UUID=e52b0ad2-cea1-4748-9d29-c45424aee303 failsafe vmalloc=256M
initrd (hd0,4)/boot/initrd.img

title memtest-4.20
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/memtest-4.20 BOOT_IMAGE=memtest-4.20  nokmsboot


I am currently NOT running an xorg.conf file. Also, it's my understanding that best way to view logs is from another machine ssh'd into this laptop so will have to try this if more crashes but so far none.

Any help on how to make menu.lst not be overwritten would be appreciated. Googled about this but all I come up with is that kernel updates overwrite menu.lst - something I am not doing.

[AS]

I doubt (to better say, I'm sure) that there is nothing overwriting menu.lst, except:

- the user itself
- RedoMBR
- PCC -> Boot -> Setup Boot system (which reinstall grub)

- I'm not sure about nano editor ... IIRC there could be some bug around ...

AS

[Trio3b]

Just renamed menu.lst to menu.lst.original and poof, another menu.lst magically appeared. Something is automatically generating this file. .

Just had another crash on user02, and now the crash takes me to a text screen as there is while verbose booting.

Since your modeline option is not in menu.lst, I can't try it to see if it will help. I can not save the edited menu.lst without something overwriting or generating a new one that says "nokmsboot".

/var/log/messages shows:

Feb 22 11:59:43 localhost kdm[889]: Cannot execute 'grub-set-default': not in $PATH.
Feb 22 11:59:49 localhost acpid: client 891[0:0] has disconnected
Feb 22 11:59:49 localhost acpid: client connected from 3436[0:0]
Feb 22 11:59:49 localhost acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Feb 22 11:59:50 localhost kdm_greet[3444]: Data directory "/var/lib/kdm" not accessible: No such file or directory
Feb 22 11:59:59 localhost net_applet[3688]: ### Program is starting ###
Feb 22 12:01:01 localhost CROND[3927]: (root) CMD (nice -n 19 run-parts --report /etc/cron.hourly)
Feb 22 12:02:04 localhost kdm[889]: X server for display :0 terminated unexpectedly
Feb 22 12:02:04 localhost acpid: client 3436[0:0] has disconnected
Feb 22 12:02:04 localhost acpid: client connected from 3984[0:0]
Feb 22 12:02:04 localhost acpid: 1 client rule loaded
Feb 22 12:02:04 localhost kdm_greet[3992]: Data directory "/var/lib/kdm" not accessible: No such file or directory
Feb 22 12:02:14 localhost net_applet[4234]: ### Program is starting ###

[AS]

Just renamed menu.lst to menu.lst.original and poof, another menu.lst magically appeared. Something is automatically generating this file. .

  ... I have no idea of what is going on on your system ... never heard of automatically generated menu.lst ... 

Feb 22 11:59:43 localhost kdm[889]: Cannot execute 'grub-set-default': not in $PATH.

Does someone know the meaning of the above ?  (grub-set-default)

Feb 22 11:59:50 localhost kdm_greet[3444]: Data directory "/var/lib/kdm" not accessible: No such file or directory

This also look strange ... /var/lib/kdm should exists and should be user readable ...

[Trio3b]

During my troubles last year, there were many issues relating to kdm, kwinrc, messagebus being disconnected, etc. I tried many many things ( If you follow link in original post you will see). There is a point of diminishing returns. I spent approx 30-40 hrs on this Toshiba and it appears that I am headed in that direction again-something I cannot do.

It is apparent that as hootiegibbon stated, the kwin window manager just does not like this graphics chipset Intel Mobile 4 (GM45). Just for fun I ran the pclos2012 LiveCD again and it booted into the BSWM (black screen working mouse). There may be a hdwr issue. Pretty sure I ran memtest when first acquired laptop and all was OK.

In addition, I am having other issues with this laptop which is started as new thread. Am currently running pclos2012-lxde LiveCD and will try this a few days.

Thanks for all your help.