Arch Linux

thea

Member

Registered: 2006-12-22

Posts: 89

display issues, NVidia card

After updating this morning (the only package updated being wayland), the display on my main computer (laptop still works fine) no longer works properly. It is a bit difficult to describe the problem: there is a constantly changing display of symbols in various colours, "behind" which the usual terminal messages are still legible, though a bit garbled. This began right after re-boot following the update. Because the problem is apparent immediately when the display starts with the manufacturer's logo, I thought at first my monitor had given up. But the same problem occurs on a replacement monitor, which leads me to think it is a software problem. Any hints -- or even better -- a solution? X won't start, making it pretty useless. I can still ssh into it from my laptop, but a real solution is required. My graphics card is NVidia, if that matters (Intel on my laptop).

Many thanks!

Thea

PS I should add, I have read other posts from today regarding similar display issues, and this one appears to be different, although perhaps related. I retrograded the wayland package, but the problem remains. Wayland was the only package I updated-- that is, the only difference between pre-update (no problems) and post-update (dispaly does not work properly).

PPS further details:
1. The problem is already apparent at start-up (push the ON button): the computer (not the monitor) manufacturer name appears, but the display is in dashed lines.
2. After Arch Linux boot and login, there are 5 vertical bands each about 4cm (1.5 ") wide of "shimmering" pixel colour squares spaced evenly across the screen, the intervening spaces are "normal" -- that is, display correctly and without problem. So to some extent, still workable. X will not start, giving me an error message:(/var/log/Xorg.0.log)
NVIDIA: Failed to initialize the NVIDIA kernel module
with the advice to consult kernel.log. However, this log (and all other kernel logs) is empty.
3. When the monitor goes into standby mode, the "shimmering" bands are still visible.

Update 1:
After mesa update this afternoon (21 Feb.) video display returned to normal (ok, mesa depends on wayland) until trying unsuccessfully to start X. Since then (and also after a couple of reboots) the problem is the same. Am hoping the silence on this issue indicates that work is in progress in fixing it.

Update 2:
After a night in a cold office (I live in southern Ontario) and a literally cold boot (but no updates), everything appears to be back to normal.

Still, it would be nice to know what the problem was.

Update 3:
So much for magic. This morning (23 Feb.) after normal system update (no obvious problematic packages relating to graphics) the display oroblem returned, as before. Fresh boot made no difference. What's going on?? This is clearly an Arch issue, not a hardware problem.

Am re-posting this as a new message. Monday, start of the week, who knows, maybe someone can help.

nullified

Member

From: Massachusetts, USA

Registered: 2013-12-09

Posts: 468

Re: display issues, NVidia card

Why do you think it's clearly an Arch issue. You say that

1. The problem is already apparent at start-up (push the ON button): the computer (not the monitor) manufacturer name appears, but the display is in dashed lines.

Isn't this reason to think otherwise?

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"We may say most aptly, that the Analytical Engine weaves algebraical patterns just as the Jacquard-loom weaves flowers and leaves." - Ada Lovelace

thea

Member

Registered: 2006-12-22

Posts: 89

Re: display issues, NVidia card

If you read the entire posting (sorry, it is long, but simply reflects my trying to resolve the issue with no help from the forum), it should be clear. This morning, on boot-up, everything was normal.. So harware ok. After system update, the display issue occurs. What else could it be?

scar

Member

From: Hungary

Registered: 2009-10-01

Posts: 449

Re: display issues, NVidia card

Try some kind of livecd with some kind of DE, and try it multiple times. Hardware problems are not always systematic.

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“The future has already arrived. It's just not evenly distributed yet.”
― William Gibson

thea

Member

Registered: 2006-12-22

Posts: 89

Re: display issues, NVidia card

ok, but before I do that:

I am still willing to consider this a hardware problem. If so, it could only be the graphics card, or something associated with it. I have replaced the actual display unit (LG), but the problem remains the same. I also do not think it is faulty hardware, in as much as initially, after the problem appeared, it went away ("magically"), so eveything was working as it should. Then, after a system update this morning, the problem re-appeared, exactly as it was before. So, on the face of it, it looks like system updates are somehow involved.

It is very cold here, and so also very dry. Ideal conditions for static electricity. Am not myself doing anything I am aware of to generate it, but could this be a potential problem source?

thanks,

thea

weirddan455

Member

Registered: 2012-04-15

Posts: 213

Re: display issues, NVidia card

If you read the entire posting (sorry, it is long, but simply reflects my trying to resolve the issue with no help from the forum), it should be clear. This morning, on boot-up, everything was normal.. So harware ok. After system update, the display issue occurs. What else could it be?

Your hardware broke at the same time?

I want to say it's your graphics card if you have the same problem on two monitors.  You could try using Nouveau though to rule out a driver issue.  Just replace nvidia-libgl with mesa-libgl and install xf86-video-nouveau.

thea

Member

Registered: 2006-12-22

Posts: 89

Re: display issues, NVidia card

Thanks for this advice. I tried installing nouveau, but after making the necessary changes as per the Arch Wiki nouveau article, the machine won't boot at all. But I think a driver issue can be ruled out, as even before Arch booted (i.e. on machine start), the display was faulty. The boot failed, I believe, when the kernel tried to load the nouveau module. So now I have a machine that is really useless.

I will first wait until the weather changes (Tuesday/Wednesday) by the forecast, and see if the initial display problem (on machine start) still occurs. If not, I may have to consult the forum again for advice on restoring the nvidia driver. If the display remains faulty, I will assume it's the card, and either replace the card, or get a new compiuter (this one is a Dell T3400 with a Quadro FX 570).

weirddan455

Member

Registered: 2012-04-15

Posts: 213

Re: display issues, NVidia card

It's probably either the graphics card itself or just the cable/connection.  Do you have multiple connections you can try?  Like HDMI if you were using DVI or vice-versa?

I can't imagine this being a software issue at all.  The only reason why Nouveau may not display is because it tries to use the native resolution in the console while Nvidia uses 640X480 or something small until Xorg gets loaded.

You can actually get that small resolution without either driver though... just put "blacklist nouveau" in a *.conf file in /etc/modprobe.d