Arch Linux

stefan

Member

Registered: 2013-03-22

Posts: 131

Cannot switch to text terminal. Maybe Nvidia update?

Hello,

I'm not sure about the section to post this in, so I'm a Newbie in “correct posting”...

When switching from an X session to another tty (pressing Alt-F2), the screen turns black, and off after a few seconds, as if there would be no signal at all.

Instead, I expected to see a text-based login, wich I usually use to log in as another user and start another X session.

Actually, this text terminal seems to be functional, i.e., when I blindly type a username, password, and `startx`, then an X session comes up.  After terminating X, the screen is black again.

I suspect nvidia to be the culprit, because the issue appeared after the latest update, and `/var/log/pacman.log` has

[2020-07-13T16:59:16+0200] [PACMAN] Running 'pacman -Syu'
[2020-07-13T16:59:16+0200] [PACMAN] synchronizing package lists
[2020-07-13T16:59:16+0200] [PACMAN] starting full system upgrade
[2020-07-13T16:59:27+0200] [ALPM] transaction started
[2020-07-13T16:59:27+0200] [ALPM] upgraded iana-etc (20200624-1 -> 20200707-1)
[2020-07-13T16:59:27+0200] [ALPM] upgraded arduino-avr-core (1.8.2-1 -> 1.8.2-2)
[2020-07-13T16:59:27+0200] [ALPM] upgraded cmark-gfm (0.29.0.gfm.0-1 -> 0.29.0.gfm.0-2)
[2020-07-13T16:59:27+0200] [ALPM] upgraded dhcpcd (9.1.2-2 -> 9.1.4-1)
[2020-07-13T16:59:28+0200] [ALPM] upgraded gnupg (2.2.20-4 -> 2.2.21-1)
[2020-07-13T16:59:28+0200] [ALPM] upgraded nvidia-utils (440.100-1 -> 450.57-2)
[2020-07-13T16:59:28+0200] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] If you run into trouble with CUDA not being available, run nvidia-m>
[2020-07-13T16:59:28+0200] [ALPM] upgraded gpsbabel (1.6.0-3 -> 1.7.0-1)
[2020-07-13T16:59:28+0200] [ALPM] upgraded mutt (1.14.5-1 -> 1.14.6-1)
[2020-07-13T16:59:28+0200] [ALPM] upgraded nvidia (440.100-3 -> 450.57-1)
[2020-07-13T16:59:29+0200] [ALPM] upgraded opencl-nvidia (440.100-1 -> 450.57-2)
[2020-07-13T16:59:31+0200] [ALPM] upgraded python-setuptools (1:49.1.0-1 -> 1:49.1.3-1)
[2020-07-13T16:59:31+0200] [ALPM] upgraded xterm (357-1 -> 358-1)
[2020-07-13T16:59:33+0200] [ALPM] upgraded youtube-dl (2020.06.16.1-1 -> 2020.06.16.1-2)
[2020-07-13T16:59:33+0200] [ALPM] transaction completed
[2020-07-13T16:59:33+0200] [ALPM] running '20-systemd-sysusers.hook'...
[2020-07-13T16:59:33+0200] [ALPM] running '30-systemd-daemon-reload.hook'...
[2020-07-13T16:59:33+0200] [ALPM] running '30-systemd-tmpfiles.hook'...
[2020-07-13T16:59:33+0200] [ALPM] running '30-systemd-update.hook'...
[2020-07-13T16:59:33+0200] [ALPM] running '60-depmod.hook'...
[2020-07-13T16:59:43+0200] [ALPM] running 'gtk-update-icon-cache.hook'...
[2020-07-13T16:59:43+0200] [ALPM] running 'nvidia.hook'...
[2020-07-13T16:59:43+0200] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux.preset: 'de>
[2020-07-13T16:59:43+0200] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-linux -c /etc/mkinitcpio.conf -g /boot/initra>
[2020-07-13T16:59:43+0200] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Starting build: 5.7.7-arch1-1
[2020-07-13T16:59:43+0200] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [base]
[2020-07-13T16:59:44+0200] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [udev]
[2020-07-13T16:59:44+0200] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [autodetect]
[2020-07-13T16:59:44+0200] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [modconf]
[2020-07-13T16:59:44+0200] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [block]
[2020-07-13T16:59:45+0200] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [encrypt]
[2020-07-13T16:59:47+0200] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [filesystems]
[2020-07-13T16:59:48+0200] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [keyboard]
[2020-07-13T16:59:48+0200] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [fsck]
[2020-07-13T16:59:48+0200] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [shutdown]
[2020-07-13T16:59:50+0200] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Generating module dependencies
[2020-07-13T16:59:50+0200] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Creating gzip-compressed initcpio image: /boot/initramfs-linux.>
[2020-07-13T16:59:55+0200] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Image generation successful
[2020-07-13T16:59:55+0200] [ALPM] running 'texinfo-install.hook'...
[2020-07-13T16:59:55+0200] [ALPM] running 'update-desktop-database.hook'...

The graphics card is

$ lspci | grep -i nv
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GP106 [GeForce GTX 1060 6GB] (rev a1)
01:00.1 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation GP106 High Definition Audio Controller (rev a1)

Can anyone reproduce this?

Thank you
Stefan

d_fajardo

Member

Registered: 2017-07-28

Posts: 1,686

Re: Cannot switch to text terminal. Maybe Nvidia update?

I've been having issues with the new nvidia driver as well. I have problem with OpenGL rendering in KDE and random freezes.
My xorg seems to be OK except for those two problems and I have downgraded the driver and the problems are solved.
What DE are you using?

stefan

Member

Registered: 2013-03-22

Posts: 131

Re: Cannot switch to text terminal. Maybe Nvidia update?

What DE are you using?

None.  `startx` and a simple window manager.

d_fajardo

Member

Registered: 2017-07-28

Posts: 1,686

Re: Cannot switch to text terminal. Maybe Nvidia update?

Has the recent update to linux 5.7.8 and nvidia 450.57-2 fix your problem? It did so for me.

stefan

Member

Registered: 2013-03-22

Posts: 131

Re: Cannot switch to text terminal. Maybe Nvidia update?

Has the recent update to linux 5.7.8 and nvidia 450.57-2 fix your problem? It did so for me.

No, unfortunately not.  I'v just tried (and rebooted), thanks to your suggestion.

Did you do anything else?

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 25,052

Re: Cannot switch to text terminal. Maybe Nvidia update?

Is nvidia-drm.modeset=1 set on your kernel parameters? You have some nvidia.hook so I'm assuming that to be the case, but if it isn't you definitely should do that. Also double check/actually look at the initramfs contents if need be, that all these relevant modules are actually present if you opt for having them in your initramfs. You can often also just not have them in the initramfs and set that kernel parameter anyway (which is what I'd prefer there's little real use to having nvidia modules be part of your initramfs.

stefan

Member

Registered: 2013-03-22

Posts: 131

Re: Cannot switch to text terminal. Maybe Nvidia update?

Hi V1del, thanks for your comments.

Is nvidia-drm.modeset=1 set on your kernel parameters?

No, not there:

$ cat /proc/cmdline
BOOT_IMAGE=../vmlinuz-linux root=/dev/mapper/root edd=off cryptdevice=[...] cryptkey=[...] rw vga=845 initrd=../initramfs-linux.img

I'll write about `vga=845` below.

You have some nvidia.hook so I'm assuming that to be the case, but if it isn't you definitely should do that.

What hook?  That one?

$ cat /usr/share/libalpm/hooks/nvidia.hook
[Trigger]
Operation=Install
Operation=Upgrade
Operation=Remove
Type=Package
Target=nvidia

[Action]
Depends=mkinitcpio
When=PostTransaction
Exec=/usr/bin/mkinitcpio -P

I've manually run

# /usr/bin/mkinitcpio -P
==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux.preset: 'default'
  -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-linux -c /etc/mkinitcpio.conf -g /boot/initramfs-linux.img
==> Starting build: 5.7.9-arch1-1
  -> Running build hook: [base]
  -> Running build hook: [udev]
  -> Running build hook: [autodetect]
  -> Running build hook: [modconf]
  -> Running build hook: [block]
  -> Running build hook: [encrypt]
  -> Running build hook: [filesystems]
  -> Running build hook: [keyboard]
  -> Running build hook: [fsck]
  -> Running build hook: [shutdown]
==> Generating module dependencies
==> Creating gzip-compressed initcpio image: /boot/initramfs-linux.img
==> Image generation successful

but to no avail.

Also double check/actually look at the initramfs contents if need be, that all these relevant modules are actually present if you opt for having them in your initramfs

How would I do this, and what should I look for?

Just adding `nvidia-drm.modeset=1` to the command line did *not* have any effect.

$ cat /proc/cmdline
BOOT_IMAGE=../vmlinuz-linux root=/dev/mapper/root edd=off cryptdevice=[...] cryptkey=[...] rw vga=845 nvidia-drm.modeset=1 initrd=../initramfs-linux.img

While doing this, I've noticed the `vga=845` parameter.  Removing `vga=845` seems to solve the problem, but now leaves me with a ridiculously large font in text mode.  The presence of `nvidia-drm.modeset=1` seems to have no effect at all.

Maybe there's a conflict between Nvidia's driver and that 845 mode?

Any idea how I can get the higher resolution console back?

Thanks for helping!
Stefan

valera_cr

Member

Registered: 2013-01-12

Posts: 20

Re: Cannot switch to text terminal. Maybe Nvidia update?

Same problem with NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030
I have installed linux-lts linux-lts-headers and nvidia-lts
Everything works with this.

pacman -Qs nvidia
local/nvidia 450.57-4
    NVIDIA drivers for linux
local/nvidia-lts 1:450.57-4
    NVIDIA drivers for linux-lts
local/nvidia-settings 450.57-1
    Tool for configuring the NVIDIA graphics driver
local/nvidia-utils 450.57-2
    NVIDIA drivers utilities
local/opencl-nvidia 450.57-2
    OpenCL implemention for NVIDIA

stefan

Member

Registered: 2013-03-22

Posts: 131

Re: Cannot switch to text terminal. Maybe Nvidia update?

Hmmm, where could I report a bug about this?  The upstream URL mentioned with the package is pretty generic.  Is arch's issue tracker the right place, or will it just be closed as being an upstream issue?

stefan

Member

Registered: 2013-03-22

Posts: 131

Re: Cannot switch to text terminal. Maybe Nvidia update?

I have filed a bug report, since the problem persists with nvidia 450.57-6 and seems not to get any traction here...

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 25,052

Re: Cannot switch to text terminal. Maybe Nvidia update?

If it is an upstream bug that was just introduced you should run the nvidia-bug-report.sh script and then send the resulting tarball to linux-bugs [ at ] nvidia [ dot ] com

It's unlikely that an Arch bug report will gain traction as issues like these are almost always upstream.

stefan

Member

Registered: 2013-03-22

Posts: 131

Re: Cannot switch to text terminal. Maybe Nvidia update?

you should run the nvidia-bug-report.sh script and then send the resulting tarball to linux-bugs [ at ] nvidia [ dot ] com

I've done that a few days ago, no reaction so far...  I'll keep you posted if I hear from them