Arch Linux

JasonZhang

Member

From: Shanghai, P.R.C

Registered: 2013-02-01

Posts: 21

[SOLVED]XPS 15 screen flashes randomly after updating kernel

I'm using XPS 15 9550, and I find the screen flashes black very quickly randomly after updaing to linux 4.5.1-1 and nvidia 364.16-3.

Actually a few days ago, I've already noticed this problem after updating to linux 4.5-1 and nvidia 364.16-2.
I tried to roll back to linux 4.4.5-1, nvidia 361.28-4 and some related packages like virtualbox and nivdia-settings, then everything seemed ok.

When I use nvidia to play games, the screen doesn't flash.
Maybe the intel driver? How can I locate the problem?

Thanks in advance.

Here is 'journalctl -p 3':

-- Reboot --
Apr 20 09:32:16 Lithium kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_c_preinit_dcmds: Firmware version = wl0: Nov 10 2015 06:38:10 version 7.35.177.61 (r598657) FWID 01-ea662a8c
Apr 20 09:32:16 Lithium kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_cfg80211_reg_notifier: not a ISO3166 code
Apr 20 09:32:30 Lithium kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_inetaddr_changed: fail to get arp ip table err:-23
Apr 20 09:32:30 Lithium systemd[764]: dev-disk-by\x2duuid-c9513b5b\x2d829e\x2d4d5f\x2db17d\x2de95db3b19d87.device: Dev dev-disk-by\x2duuid-c9513b5b\x2d829e\x2d4d5f\x2db17d\x2
Apr 20 09:32:30 Lithium systemd[1]: dev-disk-by\x2duuid-c9513b5b\x2d829e\x2d4d5f\x2db17d\x2de95db3b19d87.device: Dev dev-disk-by\x2duuid-c9513b5b\x2d829e\x2d4d5f\x2db17d\x2de
Apr 20 09:38:13 Lithium kernel: vgaarb: this pci device is not a vga device
Apr 20 09:38:13 Lithium kernel: vgaarb: this pci device is not a vga device
Apr 20 09:40:35 Lithium kernel: [drm:intel_cpu_fifo_underrun_irq_handler [i915]] *ERROR* CPU pipe A FIFO underrun

Last edited by JasonZhang (2016-04-20 03:56:14)

frank604

Member

From: BC, Canada

Registered: 2011-04-20

Posts: 1,212

Re: [SOLVED]XPS 15 screen flashes randomly after updating kernel

The kernel >= 4.5.x brings in a intel i915 bug that is causing this flicker.  You can disable rc6 to prevent the flicker by adding in i915.enable_rc6=0
This does use more battery.  I guess since you have two video cards, you can also disable the i915.  Not sure which would save more battery, 1) nvidia gpu alone with disabled intel gpu or 2) turning off rc6 for intel gpu and using both intel and nvidia

JasonZhang

Member

From: Shanghai, P.R.C

Registered: 2013-02-01

Posts: 21

Re: [SOLVED]XPS 15 screen flashes randomly after updating kernel

The kernel >= 4.5.x brings in a intel i915 bug that is causing this flicker.  You can disable rc6 to prevent the flicker by adding in i915.enable_rc6=0
This does use more battery.  I guess since you have two video cards, you can also disable the i915.  Not sure which would save more battery, 1) nvidia gpu alone with disabled intel gpu or 2) turning off rc6 for intel gpu and using both intel and nvidia

I choose to disable rc6 considering the minimum changes.

After 30 minutes since updates to kernel 4.5,  everything behaviors like before. Thank you.

megahertz

Member

Registered: 2016-05-05

Posts: 2

Re: [SOLVED]XPS 15 screen flashes randomly after updating kernel

Thank you, it is helpful with AMD GPU too