nomodeset option required for display and AMD driver issues

pyscripter27 · 2022-02-03 03:28:38

I recently installed Arch on a desktop PC (CPU is AMD Ryzen 5 5600G with integrated graphics). To boot and get a display after grub does its work, I have to boot with the nomodeset kernel option. Without the option, I get no display (I can still Ctrl-Alt-F2 and run commands in the terminal without looking, confirmed by being able to reboot and shutdown this way). With the option nomodeset on, gdm does not work, and

systemctl status gdm

provides the following:

Gdm: Child process -532 was already dead.
Gdm: GdmDisplay: Session never registered, failing
Gdm: Child process -532 was already dead.
Gdm: GdmDisplay: Session never registered, failing
Gdm: Child process -538 was already dead.
Gdm: GdmDisplay: Session never registered, failing
Gdm: Child process -538 was already dead.
Gdm: GdmDisplay: Session never registered, failing
Gdm: GdmLocalDisplayFactory: max number of X display failures reached: check X server log for errors
Gdm: Child process -544 was already dead.

I can still Ctrl-Alt-F2 to TTY, and this time see what I type.

I have tried with both the AMD drivers (ATI and AMDGPU) and without the drivers, and I get the same result with all of them (even without the drivers). When the drivers are installed, I have them on early KMS start, which does not seem to do anything either.
I am quite confused, and while I can see that this is likely either a driver or Arch issue, I am unable to find the root cause or solution.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2022-02-03 05:54:17

Have you installed the linux-firmware package? Use the -k option for lspci to check if the amdgpu kernel drivers are in use for the card and check dmesg to see if the firmware has been loaded.

Note that nomodeset disables KMS, which is required for AMD cards, so you won't be able to run a graphical desktop with anything other than the VESA drivers if that option is applied.

Last edited by Head_on_a_Stick (2022-02-03 05:54:41)

Lone_Wolf · 2022-02-03 13:03:51

This kind of error is often caused by firmware issues.

If installing linux-firmware doesn't help or is already present :

What is brand & model of your motherboard, and what firmware version are you using ?

Also show us the journal for a boot without nomodeset.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Systemd/Journal for info how to get logs from previous boots , https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/List_o … n_services for ways to upload stuff from cli environment.

Welcome to archlinux forums

pyscripter27 · 2022-02-03 15:23:34

dmesg (which I fail to understand): https://gist.github.com/PythonCreator27 … d746a158df
journalctl of nomodesetless boot: https://gist.github.com/PythonCreator27 … b62fe094d9
lspci output: https://gist.github.com/PythonCreator27 … 027a858343

pyscripter27 · 2022-02-03 16:28:18

linux-firmware is installed. I am using a MSI MAG B550 Torpedo. I am not sure what you mean by firmware version - is it BIOS version or something else?

Last edited by pyscripter27 (2022-02-03 16:28:34)

seth · 2022-02-03 16:41:32

Feb 03 08:44:43 advaiya-home-pc kernel: amdgpu 0000:30:00.0: [drm] Cannot find any crtc or sizes
…
Feb 03 08:44:44 advaiya-home-pc /usr/lib/gdm-x-session[573]: (II) modeset(0): Output HDMI-1 disconnected
Feb 03 08:44:44 advaiya-home-pc /usr/lib/gdm-x-session[573]: (II) modeset(0): Output DP-1 disconnected
Feb 03 08:44:44 advaiya-home-pc /usr/lib/gdm-x-session[573]: (II) modeset(0): Output DP-2 disconnected
Feb 03 08:44:44 advaiya-home-pc /usr/lib/gdm-x-session[573]: (WW) modeset(0): No outputs definitely connected, trying again...

What's the supposed output and are there any adapters involved?

pyscripter27 · 2022-02-03 17:26:44

The output is HDMI, and there are no adapters, just a single cable.

seth · 2022-02-03 17:28:16

Do you have another cable (display port?) or tried to re-plug it?

pyscripter27 · 2022-02-03 18:17:45

No, I don't have another cable. I tried unplugging, with no effect.

pyscripter27 · 2022-02-03 20:18:35

I got a systemctl status gdm without nomodeset: https://gist.github.com/PythonCreator27 … 000e09f91e
Gdm starts, and then has a few errors similar to the nomodeset ones.

seth · 2022-02-03 20:28:05

GDM won't start because there's no output (at least not as far as the kernel is concerned)
Can you enforce a resolution (instead of nomodeset) for the output?
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/torva … modedb.rst

pyscripter27 · 2022-02-03 20:49:16

Wow... Forcing a resolution, at last, brings up gnome! However, should I continue to force a resolution, or is there a more permanent solution?

seth · 2022-02-03 20:54:51

You can alternatively try to provide the output with an extra EDID, https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Kernel … s_and_EDID
But that's gonna be more effort because you need to get the EDID from somewhere and I assume it's not gonna be the output.

The system has some trouble detecting the output, whether that's a problem w/ the kernel or the output or (I'm betting on this) the cable needs to be determined. You could check eg. the LTS kernel - if that works, it's probably a kernel issue
(Intel was recently "blessed" with PXP support, but I can't find anything about amdgpu itr.)
If not, the next best thing is to try a different cable, preferably not hdmi…

squeaks · 2022-02-03 22:05:09

Maybe there are multiple consoles being setup. You could try the kernel parameter fbcon=map:1 https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/fb/fbcon.html. This tells the kernel not to use /dev/fb0 but instead map tty* to /dev/fb1. This is useful if 'cat /proc/fb' lists something like
0 EFI VGA
1 amdgpudrmfb

You could also try kernel parameter video=efifb:off, I think this may equivalently cause amdgpdrmfb (or radeondrmfb, etc) take the first available /dev/fb* which without the efifb driver makes it /dev/fb0. Now 'cat /proc/fb' may look like
0 amdgpudrmfb

Sometimes your computer's firmware settings for CSM (compatibility support module) can also have effects with the boot console. You could try enabling or disabling CSM. I prefer disabling it if possible because I'm not sure how standardized or compatible CSM might be.

Lone_Wolf · 2022-02-04 11:02:35

pyscripter27 wrote:

linux-firmware is installed. I am using a MSI MAG B550 Torpedo. I am not sure what you mean by firmware version - is it BIOS version or something else?

BIOS systems are almost extinct since approx 2015, current x86 systems boot using alternative software like (U)EFI and coreboot. ARM systems use a very different method and never had a bios implementation.

Since lots of manufacturer support uses also incorrectly use BIOS , I guess I should try to accept BIOS no longer is a technical term.

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-B55 … #down-bios lists the bios versions MSI offers for your motherboard, which are you using ?

pyscripter27 · 2022-02-04 14:23:53

I am using 7C91vH5 (latest). To clarify, I am booting in UEFI mode with CSM disabled.

pyscripter27 · 2022-02-04 14:26:38

As for the kernel change suggestion, I tried, but it didn't work. I'll try the EDID solution soon and report back.

EDIT: The EDID solution works perfectly (sound does not work with this, but I won't be using sound anyway)!

Last edited by pyscripter27 (2022-02-05 01:25:37)

Arch Linux

#1 2022-02-03 03:28:38

nomodeset option required for display and AMD driver issues

#2 2022-02-03 05:54:17

Re: nomodeset option required for display and AMD driver issues

#3 2022-02-03 13:03:51

Re: nomodeset option required for display and AMD driver issues

#4 2022-02-03 15:23:34

Re: nomodeset option required for display and AMD driver issues

#5 2022-02-03 16:28:18

Re: nomodeset option required for display and AMD driver issues

#6 2022-02-03 16:41:32

Re: nomodeset option required for display and AMD driver issues

#7 2022-02-03 17:26:44

Re: nomodeset option required for display and AMD driver issues

#8 2022-02-03 17:28:16

Re: nomodeset option required for display and AMD driver issues

#9 2022-02-03 18:17:45

Re: nomodeset option required for display and AMD driver issues

#10 2022-02-03 20:18:35

Re: nomodeset option required for display and AMD driver issues

#11 2022-02-03 20:28:05

Re: nomodeset option required for display and AMD driver issues

#12 2022-02-03 20:49:16

Re: nomodeset option required for display and AMD driver issues

#13 2022-02-03 20:54:51

Re: nomodeset option required for display and AMD driver issues

#14 2022-02-03 22:05:09

Re: nomodeset option required for display and AMD driver issues

#15 2022-02-04 11:02:35

Re: nomodeset option required for display and AMD driver issues

#16 2022-02-04 14:23:53

Re: nomodeset option required for display and AMD driver issues

#17 2022-02-04 14:26:38

Re: nomodeset option required for display and AMD driver issues

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