[NOT SOLVED] Black screen when starting X. Can't figure out why..

mityukov · 2012-12-30 11:52:16

Hello, few days ago I became unable to boot into Archlinux. I could see some text in the console, while loading, then black screen and nothing reacts (can't switch virtual console with [<Ctrl>+]<Alt>+F{N}, can't stop X session with <Ctrl>+<Alt>+<Backspace>, can't reboot with <Ctrl>+<Alt>+<Del>). The videocard is quite nosy and hot, however.

Today I've tried to disable KDM (chroot; then: `systemctl disable kdm.service`) an boot again: now I can boot into the text console, but issuing `startx` gives the same result: just black screen and no response.

Looking into Xorg.0.log didn't not bring any results to me.. There are few warning, but no errors.

Dmesg (before starting X): https://gist.github.com/4412484

Xorg.0.log: https://gist.github.com/4428922

pacman.log: https://gist.github.com/4451877

Could anyone tell me what the problem could be?..

RESOLUTION:
I just wanted to look what would be if I choose Discrete GPU (`aticonfig --px-dgpu`) and X-Windows became working after this switch. I've then tried to set Integrated GPU back (`aticonfig --px-igpu`) -- and they are also working. I'm still not sure what happened, but the issue has gone.

UPDATE: happened again today, added link to Xorg.0.conf to this post. The "RESOLUTION", described above, doesn't help anymore... Ubuntu works, though (so, it's not hardware problem).

Last edited by mityukov (2013-01-04 11:25:27)

mityukov · 2013-01-01 17:52:15

UPDATE: happened again today, added link to Xorg.0.conf to the original post.

oldtimeyjunk · 2013-01-01 20:52:49

What driving are you using (that would be a big help...)?

mityukov · 2013-01-02 17:57:18

What driving are you using

If you mean video driver, I'm using catalyst-dkms (from official repos).

Had to install it because with open-source radeon driver there was very hot air coming out and after 20 minutes or so, the notebook simply turned OFF because of overheating (I'm not talking about power efficiency and ability to resume from suspend)... :-/

Potomac · 2013-01-02 20:53:38

the culprit could be the glibc package, something is broken with the last version of glibc,

check this thread :

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=155334

and this :

https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/33229?p … &sort=desc

mityukov · 2013-01-03 09:43:01

I'm not using VirtualBox. And it was me, who was told by cfr to file a separate ticket for my problem. :-)

mityukov · 2013-01-04 11:28:55

Added pacman.log link to the original message.

mityukov · 2013-01-04 17:26:35

Forgot to mention that the trick with `aticonfig --px-[di]gpu` does not more work. So, I can't use Arch completely.. :-( Tried vesa driver, but it forces 1024x768 resolution without ability to change:

$ xrandr
xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default
Screen 0: minimum 1024 x 768, current 1024 x 768, maximum 1024 x 768
default connected 1024x768+0+0 0mm x 0mm
1024x768 0.0*
$ xrandr --output default --mode 1366x768
xrandr: cannot find mode 1366x768
$ cvt 1366 768
# 1368x768 59.88 Hz (CVT) hsync: 47.79 kHz; pclk: 85.25 MHz
Modeline "1368x768_60.00" 85.25 1368 1440 1576 1784 768 771 781 798 -hsync +vsync
$ xrandr --newmode "1368x768_60.00" 85.25 1368 1440 1576 1784 768 771 781 798 -hsync +vsync
xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default
$ sudo xrandr --newmode "1368x768_60.00" 85.25 1368 1440 1576 1784 768 771 781 798 -hsync +vsync
No protocol specified
Can't open display :0

der_joachim · 2013-01-05 08:04:01

Apparently, you are on systemd. Have you tried modprobing your video card module first, then starting X? If that works, you should put the video card driver in /etc/modules-load.d/ . That way, the radeon driver (or whichever driver it is you are using) is loaded during boot, before X starts.

Please refer to the wiki for more information.

It's a long shot, but it may help.

mityukov · 2013-01-05 08:17:23

I've changed BusID so that it pointed to the 2nd card (the discrete one) in the /etc/X11/xorg.conf and now I have X working again. So it doesn't look like a problem with the module not loaded before X. I'd prefer to use integrated card on the notebook, however, because it should be more power-efficient.

gav989 · 2013-01-05 10:47:08

I have a similar problem on my HP laptop, also with ATI graphics (I'm using xf86-video-ati though). sometimes loads a blank black screen when I startx or have systemd load a login manager, but it's not a normal black, it's like a weird illuminated black. I also can't access any consoles, kill x or reboot.

I find it always works fine when I select the fallback option in GRUB, but I don't know entirely what the fallback thing does. I've not investigated this issue yet, but posted this in case it is of any use.

Arch Linux

#1 2012-12-30 11:52:16

[NOT SOLVED] Black screen when starting X. Can't figure out why..

#2 2013-01-01 17:52:15

Re: [NOT SOLVED] Black screen when starting X. Can't figure out why..

#3 2013-01-01 20:52:49

Re: [NOT SOLVED] Black screen when starting X. Can't figure out why..

#4 2013-01-02 17:57:18

Re: [NOT SOLVED] Black screen when starting X. Can't figure out why..

#5 2013-01-02 20:53:38

Re: [NOT SOLVED] Black screen when starting X. Can't figure out why..

#6 2013-01-03 09:43:01

Re: [NOT SOLVED] Black screen when starting X. Can't figure out why..

#7 2013-01-04 11:28:55

Re: [NOT SOLVED] Black screen when starting X. Can't figure out why..

#8 2013-01-04 17:26:35

Re: [NOT SOLVED] Black screen when starting X. Can't figure out why..

#9 2013-01-05 08:04:01

Re: [NOT SOLVED] Black screen when starting X. Can't figure out why..

#10 2013-01-05 08:17:23

Re: [NOT SOLVED] Black screen when starting X. Can't figure out why..

#11 2013-01-05 10:47:08

Re: [NOT SOLVED] Black screen when starting X. Can't figure out why..

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