Arch Linux

penguin_arch

Member

Registered: 2016-12-18

Posts: 4

Arch Linux Freeze - Black Screen with yellow line in the left side !

Hi folk!

I use Arch Linux on Lenovo X201i. Intel Graphic Card.
Months before Arch Linux randomly freezes showing black screen with a yellow vertical line on left side of the screen. Maybe I am wrong but seems that was caused during using of Leafpad, when I tried to move cursor on left side or hitting Enter for new line feed.

Seems that problem was solved during updates.Mesa updates.

Now problem re -appear.  Now crashing happens when I use Hexchat, Xchat or Quassel. Suddenly Arch Linux goes in black screen with yellow line on the left side of screen,staying in this way for a roundly 30 seconds and restarts.

During these days also Opera Browser crashes and restarts frequently.Maybe this is Opera Browser problem not related to the blank screen problem.

Any idea ?

Where can I found logs to know what caused this problem ?

Thanks in advance !

Texbrew

Member

From: The Lone Star State

Registered: 2016-02-09

Posts: 580

Re: Arch Linux Freeze - Black Screen with yellow line in the left side !

Did it occur immediately after an upgrade? What kernel are you running? I'm no guru, but I think the gurus are going to want to see at least a snippet of your journal, probably focused around the time of crashes.

$ journalctl -xb

I think you need to get out your Sherlock Holmes magnifying glass and start there. My journal, going back to June is nearly 2200 lines in length right now.

Don't forget to use code tags when you post any logs. Hope that helps you to get started finding the answer.

penguin_arch

Member

Registered: 2016-12-18

Posts: 4

Re: Arch Linux Freeze - Black Screen with yellow line in the left side !

Thank you Texbrew !

Instead of 

 $ journalctl -xb 

I used

 $ journalctl --since=today 

There is some useful tips for journalctl ....

  https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/139513/how-to-clear-journalctl/139515  

I use linux 4.8.13-1 kernel.

The only things that that I found in journalctl related to i915 (intel Grapfic Card)

  [drm:intel_cpu_fifo_underrun_irq_handler [i915]] *ERROR* CPU pipe A FIFO underrun
  [drm:intel_pch_fifo_underrun_irq_handler [i915]] *ERROR* PCH transcoder A FIFO underrun 

Disabling Modesetting is suggested 

 https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/kernel_mode_setting 

also  another solution   

  https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=196370 

I will wait for another crash ... :-( !

penguin_arch

Member

Registered: 2016-12-18

Posts: 4

Re: Arch Linux Freeze - Black Screen with yellow line in the left side !

.....

The crash happen again.I waited for Arch Linux to restart them self

I used

 $ journalclt 

to check all log, but Arch did not saved nothing as Crash in logs !

Any idea ?

Texbrew

Member

From: The Lone Star State

Registered: 2016-02-09

Posts: 580

Re: Arch Linux Freeze - Black Screen with yellow line in the left side !

I think, hope that last command in your post was a typo

$ journalclt

instead of

$ journalctl

Still not a guru, but thought of a system command which may help you to find some clues

systemctl status --all

Prepare to wade through a ton of information. The first few lines from that command on my currently running machine look like this

● ar64-ssd (my machine name)
    State: running
     Jobs: 0 queued
   Failed: 0 units
    Since: Sun 2016-12-18 06:40:19 CST; 9h ago
   CGroup: /
           ├─user.slice
           │ └─user-1000.slice
           │   ├─user@1000.service
           │   │ ├─home.mount

At first glance, everything looks fine, no queued jobs and no failed units. If I wade deep enough, I see some error messages about bluetooth (not used at the moment) and disc mounting, etc.

Everything I'm using on this machine is working fine right now. My system status report started at 06:40:19 CST; 9h ago and I'm sure it's pretty long by now.

The systemctl commands, come to think of it, will be pointless if you are looking at a black screen. So it looks like you will have only the journal to provide clues after the next crash, at least until a guru comes forward. If I have a brilliant, blinding flash of insight I will post it, but I'm not holding my breath.

Oh wait. I just had a flash. To rule out a hardware failure, try using a live DVD/CD or USB thumb drive. Any distro will do, preferably one with a full desktop like Knoppix, Mint, Ubuntu, etc. Let it run long enough until you are satisfied it isn't a hardware glitch and is Arch specific.

Meanwhile, you are waiting for a guru...

Edited for clarity

Last edited by Texbrew (2016-12-18 23:25:45)

penguin_arch

Member

Registered: 2016-12-18

Posts: 4

Re: Arch Linux Freeze - Black Screen with yellow line in the left side !

Thank Texbrew for your time.

Yes

 $ journalclt 

was a typo.
Before relating this problem on the forum, I have googled enough to find solution. Just I gave tried

 systemctl status --all 

and I see quick noticed some Condition Failed. But seems that no one related to graphic card.Anyway, I will go after each.

Ahhh... Since the early autumn I have tried tons of linux distros.(Slackware,Debian,Mint,Xubuntu,Fedore,OpenSUSE,Antergos,Manjaro,Sabayon,Sparky Linux, Pupy Linux etc, etc).
At last I stacked on Arch Linux installed in my HDD , after having Sparky Linux (based on Debian Testing) for 3 months and MX Linux (based on Debian stable) in my SD Card (after having OpenSUSE 42.1 for 4 months). Black screen does not appeared on OpenSUSE or MX Linux.

The black screen problem (glitch) is only Arch specific.

Anyway... yesterday I downgraded from linux 4.8.13-1 kernel to linux 4.4.9 -Lts kernel.

I hope that problem will not appear on stable kernel. As I said, I noticed that problem was resolved one time during kernel update.

Crossing fingers...

..... the problem appears also with LTS kernel !

Last edited by penguin_arch (2016-12-19 09:39:06)