Arch Linux

TheOldFellow-is-back

Member

Registered: 2023-06-13

Posts: 4

[SOLVED] Second Monitor has started to flash on/off

Ok I am not a newbie, but I have dementia, and can't remember what to do any more.

After one of the updates last week, probably when Cinnamon 6.6.2 came in, my second (of 2) monitors has started to flash on and off once every 2-3 seconds.  It starts doing this 3-4 minutes after a boot.
I tried swapping the monitors over, and fault is not in the monitor.
I tried changing the cables over, and it isn't the cables.
It could be the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti.  I don't know how to check (any more).
The CPU is AMD Ryzen 7 2700X,  Kernel  6.18.1-arch1-2, using Cinnamon 6.6.2.  (yes, old, but has been very reliable)

To start with, can some kind person tell me what logs to check and what to look for?
Thanks.

Last edited by TheOldFellow-is-back (2025-12-22 17:10:58)

seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 75,086

Re: [SOLVED] Second Monitor has started to flash on/off

I assume it's attached to the nvidia GPU?
There're active issues w/ the nvidia driver https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=311055

And on top of that make sure you're still using that driver (though I doubt you've implicitly switched from nvidia to nvidia-open, but you'll eventually have to use the 580xx package from the AUR and interim an (older) dkms driver)
https://archlinux.org/news/nvidia-590-d … l-modules/

Right now downgrading all packages to 580.105 (you'll have to downgrade the kernel to the matching version or use the -dkms module, even if you pick it from the ALA!) will probably fix the flicker.

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TheOldFellow-is-back

Member

Registered: 2023-06-13

Posts: 4

Re: [SOLVED] Second Monitor has started to flash on/off

Thanks Seth.  I have just managed to get online again with a laptop, and I'll attempt to regress the nVidia desktop system.  Thank you for the pointers.

Edit: The dkms driver works a treat.

Last edited by TheOldFellow-is-back (2025-12-22 17:09:12)