Arch Linux

rubik

Member

Registered: 2012-03-23

Posts: 104

X server won't start (failed to create screen resources)

I was browsing the internet when suddenly the system crashes. It reboots itself, then every time it tries to launch the X server (I think 5 times), without any success.
All I have is the terminal - pressing Ctrl-Alt-7 brings a blank screen (black, actually). I looked at the log, namely /var/log/Xorg.0.log and found:
https://gist.github.com/rubik/b89bc74cd56bbdac279b

All goes well until the end, where I find:

Fatal server error:
[    54.147] (EE) failed to create screen resources(EE) 
[    54.147] (EE) 
Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support 
	 at http://wiki.x.org
 for help.

I don't remember doing anything weird. Last thing I did was probably to update all the packages with pacman. I remember updating syslinux and doing "syslinux-update_install --update". I don't remember any errors.
Please tell me my only option isn't reinstalling the system, I'd have to backup everything and that it'd take ages!

Thanks

Last edited by rubik (2014-06-26 11:38:29)

bch24

Member

Registered: 2011-11-20

Posts: 27

Re: X server won't start (failed to create screen resources)

I do not see anywhere in your logs mention of the KMS being used.

Intel I believe require KMS for latest drivers. Make sure when you updated you bootloader you are not setting nomodeset option.

I would check the following things:
1. Make sure you are not passing nomodeset to kernel at boot
2. Make sure you have no custom settings in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d  ( rename temporarily )
3. lsmod | grep drm  : Make sure you have drm / i915 modules loaded and no other conflicting video driver modules loaded

Last edited by bch24 (2014-07-02 07:06:38)