Arch Linux

PlusMinus

Member

Registered: 2016-09-16

Posts: 8

[Solved] Cannot plug in external monitor after failed kernel update

Hello,

yesterday during a system update, my laptop crashed. I thought reinstalling the linux kernel through the arch iso was an easy fix, but since then, the system crashes, when an external monitor is plugged in. Any help debugging is appreciated.

neofetch --off
----------------------
OS: Arch Linux x86_64
Host: Alienware m15 R3 1.4.0
Kernel: 5.12.1-arch1-1
Uptime: 15 mins
Packages: 612 (pacman)
Shell: zsh 5.8
Resolution: 1920x1080
WM: sway
Theme: Adwaita [GTK2]
Icons: Adwaita [GTK2]
Terminal: alacritty
Terminal Font: black: '0x2B2B2B'
CPU: Intel i7-10750H (12) @ 5.000GHz
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER Mobile / Max-Q
GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
Memory: 2342MiB / 15765MiB

Everything is up to date, except for sway and wlroots, because they have a regression for nouveau.

pacman log for the incident

[2021-05-06T14:20:09+0200] [PACMAN] Running 'pacman -S -y -u --config /etc/pacman.conf --'
[2021-05-06T14:20:09+0200] [PACMAN] synchronizing package lists
[2021-05-06T14:20:11+0200] [PACMAN] starting full system upgrade
[2021-05-06T14:21:17+0200] [ALPM] running '60-mkinitcpio-remove.hook'...
[2021-05-06T14:21:17+0200] [ALPM] transaction started
[2021-05-06T14:21:17+0200] [ALPM] upgraded libass (0.15.0-2 -> 0.15.1-1)
[2021-05-06T14:21:17+0200] [ALPM] upgraded svt-av1 (0.8.6-2 -> 0.8.6-3)
[2021-05-06T14:21:17+0200] [ALPM] upgraded ffmpeg (2:4.4-2 -> 2:4.4-3)
[2021-05-06T14:21:17+0200] [ALPM] upgraded libheif (1.11.0-3 -> 1.12.0-1)
[2021-05-06T14:21:18+0200] [ALPM] upgraded linux (5.11.16.arch1-1 -> 5.12.1.arch1-1)
^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@
^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@
^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@
^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@[2021-05-06T18:33:32+0200] [PACMAN] Running 'pacman -U /
var/cache/pacman/pkg/linux-5.11.16.arch1-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst'
[2021-05-06T18:33:49+0200] [PACMAN] Running 'pacman -U /var/cache/pacman/pkg/linux-5.11.16.arch1-1-x86_6
4.pkg.tar.zst'

I tried reinstalling mesa, linux, linux-firmware, sway, wlroots, but to no avail.

My wm starts with `/dev/dri/card0` selected, but does not recognize any connected monitors. With `/dev/dri/card1` selected, the system immediately crashes, if a monitor is already plugged in, or is being plugged in. This includes my USB-C travel hub.

This is the error message `nvc0_screen_create:1036 - Base screen init failed: -19`

My initial thought was, that the GPU was responsible for the crash and died, but seeing my wm starting with card1 selected made me rule that out, and I am still hoping for a software fix.

Thanks in advance

Last edited by PlusMinus (2021-05-07 10:45:01)

PlusMinus

Member

Registered: 2016-09-16

Posts: 8

Re: [Solved] Cannot plug in external monitor after failed kernel update

Seemingly resolved by disabling early kms.

seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 75,998

Re: [Solved] Cannot plug in external monitor after failed kernel update

during a system update, my laptop crashed

The problem more likely was that you kept the old initramfs and that held old (incompatible) kernel modules (for nouveau)

You want to ensure that all packages are intact (pacman -Qkk) and in doubt re-install the kernel package (and rebuild the initramfs) - I assume that re-adding the nouveau modules to the initramfs won't harm.

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PlusMinus

Member

Registered: 2016-09-16

Posts: 8

Re: [Solved] Cannot plug in external monitor after failed kernel update

You are right although I really don't understand why. I had run mkinitcpio manually and I had also updated the kernel again. Well, glad that it's working again.