NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

Gutti · 2009-11-09 22:49:47

Hi,

Im using arch linux on an NC10 laptop. Since a system update, I've got a radom screen flickering and screen blackouts. I can go on the text consoles alt-ctrl-F1, but when going back everything is black. In top X11 and all programs are still running.

Here the pacman.conf for the last two updates - unfortunately quite a list ? - Any tips ?
-> is it a known problem ?
-> where to start down-grading ?
-> which other log-files can I check ?

Two more comments:
- the second update vte & xorg-server seemed to make flickering less
- I installed quick-init just before the updates - but I don't think its the reason.

Cheers Phil

packman.conf

[2009-11-07 22:41] starting full system upgrade
[2009-11-07 22:44] removed haskell-x11 (1.4.6.1-2.1)
[2009-11-07 22:45] synchronizing package lists
[2009-11-07 22:45] starting full system upgrade
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded kernel-headers (2.6.30.5-1 -> 2.6.31.4-2)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded tzdata (2009o-1 -> 2009q-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] Generating locales...
[2009-11-07 23:55]   en_GB.UTF-8... done
[2009-11-07 23:55]   en_GB.ISO-8859-1... done
[2009-11-07 23:55] Generation complete.
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded glibc (2.10.1-4 -> 2.10.1-5)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded attr (2.4.43-1 -> 2.4.44-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded acl (2.2.47-2 -> 2.2.48-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded bash (4.0.033-1 -> 4.0.035-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded binutils (2.19.1-5 -> 2.20-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded bluez (4.56-1 -> 4.57-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded libx11 (1.2.2-1 -> 1.3.2-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded xextproto (7.0.5-1 -> 7.1.1-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded libxext (1.0.5-2 -> 1.1.1-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded libxxf86vm (1.0.99.1-1 -> 1.1.0-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded libtiff (3.9.1-1 -> 3.9.2-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded libxv (1.0.4-1 -> 1.0.5-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded cinelerra-cv (20090715-1 -> 20091031-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded curl (7.19.6-2 -> 7.19.7-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded dbus-glib (0.82-1 -> 0.82-2)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded enca (1.11-1 -> 1.12-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded exo (0.3.105-2 -> 0.3.105-3)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded gcc-libs (4.4.1-1 -> 4.4.2-2)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded libxt (1.0.6-1 -> 1.0.7-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded xulrunner (1.9.1.3-2 -> 1.9.1.5-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded firefox (3.5.3-1 -> 3.5.5-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded fixesproto (4.0-3 -> 4.1.1-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded freetype2 (2.3.9-2 -> 2.3.11-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded gcc (4.4.1-1 -> 4.4.2-2)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded gd (2.0.35-2 -> 2.0.36RC1-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded gnutls (2.8.3-1 -> 2.8.4-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded libxml2 (2.7.3-3 -> 2.7.6-1)
[2009-11-07 23:55] upgraded gstreamer0.10 (0.10.24-1 -> 0.10.25-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded gstreamer0.10-base (0.10.24-1 -> 0.10.25-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libtheora (1.0-1 -> 1.1.1-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded gstreamer0.10-base-plugins (0.10.24-1 -> 0.10.25-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded hibernate-script (1.99-1 -> 1.99-2)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded inputproto (1.5.1-2 -> 2.0-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libdrm (2.4.13-1 -> 2.4.15-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libxfixes (4.0.3-2 -> 4.0.4-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libxdamage (1.1.1-2 -> 1.1.2-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libgl (7.5.1-2 -> 7.6-2)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded intel-dri (7.5.1-2 -> 7.6-2)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libdmx (1.0.99.1-1 -> 1.1.0-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libdv (1.0.0-2 -> 1.0.0-3)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libgsf (1.14.15-1 -> 1.14.16-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libldap (2.4.18-1 -> 2.4.19-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libmpcdec (1.2.6-1 -> 1.2.6-2)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libsexy (0.1.11-1 -> 0.1.11-2)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libxmu (1.0.4-2 -> 1.0.5-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libxpm (3.5.7-2 -> 3.5.8-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libxaw (1.0.6-1 -> 1.0.7-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libxcomposite (0.4.0-2 -> 0.4.1-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libxdmcp (1.0.2-2 -> 1.0.3-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libxfont (1.4.0-1 -> 1.4.1-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libxfontcache (1.0.4-2 -> 1.0.5-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded renderproto (0.9.3-2 -> 0.11-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libxrender (0.9.4-2 -> 0.9.5-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libxft (2.1.13-1 -> 2.1.14-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libxi (1.2.1-1 -> 1.3-2)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libxinerama (1.0.99.1-1 -> 1.1-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libxkbfile (1.0.5-1 -> 1.0.6-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libxres (1.0.3-2 -> 1.0.4-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libxtst (1.0.3-2 -> 1.1.0-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libxvmc (1.0.4-2 -> 1.0.5-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libxxf86dga (1.1.1-0.1 -> 1.1.1-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded libxxf86misc (1.0.1-2 -> 1.0.2-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded mathomatic (14.5.6-1 -> 14.5.7-2)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded python (2.6.3-2 -> 2.6.4-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded mercurial (1.3.1-1 -> 1.3.1-3)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded mesa (7.5.1-2 -> 7.6-2)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded nspr (4.8-1 -> 4.8.2-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] when you use a non-reparenting window manager
[2009-11-07 23:56] set _JAVA_AWT_WM_NONREPARENTING=1 in
[2009-11-07 23:56] /etc/profile.d/openjdk6.sh
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded openjdk6 (1.6.1-1 -> 1.6.1-2)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded pam (1.0.4-2 -> 1.1.0-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded openssh (5.3p1-1 -> 5.3p1-2)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded pcre (7.9-1 -> 8.00-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded shared-mime-info (0.70-1 -> 0.70-2)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded tdb (3.3.8-1 -> 3.4.3-2)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded smbclient (3.3.8-1 -> 3.4.3-2)
[2009-11-07 23:56] upgraded taglib (1.6-1 -> 1.6.1-1)
[2009-11-07 23:56] Warning: file texlive-music.maps not found
[2009-11-07 23:56] (ignore the above if updating from TL2008 or from TL2009 in testing)
[2009-11-07 23:56] >>> texlive: updating the filename database...
[2009-11-07 23:56] >>> texlive: updating the fontmap files with updmap...
[2009-11-07 23:58]  done.
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded texlive-music (2009.13822-1 -> 2009.13822-2)
[2009-11-07 23:58] NOTE:
[2009-11-07 23:58]   For gtk1 frontend please add 'gtk' package.
[2009-11-07 23:58]   For gtk2 frontend please add 'gtk2' package.
[2009-11-07 23:58]   Default X11 frontend is set to gtk2. 
[2009-11-07 23:58] 
[2009-11-07 23:58]   If you want to default to gtk1 unison:
[2009-11-07 23:58]   'rm /usr/bin/unison-x11'
[2009-11-07 23:58]   'ln -s /usr/bin/unison-gtk /usr/bin/unison-x11'
[2009-11-07 23:58] 
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded unison (2.27.157-1 -> 2.32.52-1)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded vte (0.22.2-1 -> 0.22.3-1)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded wavpack (4.50.1-1 -> 4.60.0-1)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded wvstreams (4.6-2 -> 4.6.1-1)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded wvdial (1.60-3 -> 1.61-2)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded xf86-input-evdev (2.2.5-1 -> 2.3.0-1)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded xf86-input-keyboard (1.3.2-2 -> 1.4.0-1)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded xf86-input-mouse (1.4.0-2 -> 1.5.0-1)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded xf86-input-synaptics (1.1.3-1 -> 1.2.0-1)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded xf86-video-intel (2.8.1-1 -> 2.9.1-1)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded xf86-video-vesa (2.2.0-1 -> 2.2.1-1)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded xfsprogs (3.0.3-1 -> 3.0.5-1)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded xorg-apps (7.5-1.1 -> 7.5-2)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded xorg-font-utils (7.4-3 -> 7.5-2)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded xorg-fonts-alias (1.0.1-2 -> 1.0.2-1)
[2009-11-07 23:58] Regenerating font encodings... done.
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded xorg-fonts-encodings (1.0.2-3 -> 1.0.3-1)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded xorg-server-utils (7.4-7 -> 7.5-3)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded xorg-server (1.6.3.901-1 -> 1.7.1.901-1)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded xorg-utils (7.4-4 -> 7.5-1)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded xorg-xauth (1.0.3-1 -> 1.0.4-1)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded xorg-xkb-utils (7.4-2 -> 7.5-1)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded xpdf (3.02_pl3-1 -> 3.02_pl4-2)
[2009-11-07 23:58] upgraded xterm (246-1 -> 250-1)
[2009-11-08 00:11] upgraded surf-hg (167-1 -> 167-1)
[2009-11-08 00:15] -- Edit config.h in PKGBUILD's directory (generally /var/abs/community/x11/dwm/)
[2009-11-08 00:15] -- and rebuild package if you want to change settings.
[2009-11-08 00:15] upgraded dwm (5.7.2-1 -> 5.7.2-1)
[2009-11-08 22:25] synchronizing package lists
[2009-11-08 22:25] synchronizing package lists
[2009-11-08 22:26] starting full system upgrade
[2009-11-08 22:40] upgraded gnutls (2.8.4-1 -> 2.8.5-1)
[2009-11-08 22:40] upgraded gtk2 (2.18.3-1 -> 2.18.3-2)
[2009-11-08 22:40] upgraded imagemagick (6.5.6.10-1 -> 6.5.7.5-1)
[2009-11-08 22:40] upgraded libv4l (0.6.0-1 -> 0.6.3-1)
[2009-11-08 22:40] upgraded libxslt (1.1.24-2 -> 1.1.26-1)
[2009-11-08 22:40] upgraded skype (2.1.0.47-1 -> 2.1.0.47-2)
[2009-11-08 22:40] upgraded vte (0.22.3-1 -> 0.22.4-1)
[2009-11-08 22:40] upgraded xorg-server (1.7.1.901-1 -> 1.7.1.901-2)

Gutti · 2009-11-10 23:18:30

I just had another Blackout. The Xorg.0.log shows only one warning.

WW) intel(0): drmDropMaster failed: Bad file descriptor

Before the screen went black I had really a funny scrambled picture on one of the dwm "workspaces" - showing a mixed picture of mousepad and eterm.

Tried to find the .xsession-errors file - where is that supposed to be - I don't find one in my home dir.

Any tips would be really appreciated - otherwise I will have to go back to my last safety-copy.

Last edited by Gutti (2009-11-10 23:19:25)

DonVla · 2009-11-13 02:57:06

Are you using the arch stock kernel or a self-compiled one?
I noticed this with the 2.6.32-rc6 kernel. The arch one works fine.

Gutti · 2009-11-13 07:54:23

Its the stock kernel26 2.6.31.5-1. The stupid thing is the error is completely random, I don't know how to provoke it. I already had the screen flicker already some time ago with a kernel below 2.6.29, but I didn't have the blackouts.

Additionally I don't get an .xsession_error. Do I need to activate something there ?

DonVla · 2009-11-13 10:51:00

Gutti wrote:

Additionally I don't get an .xsession_error. Do I need to activate something there ?

Me neither.
I also cannot explain this nor have found something on google.
You use intel's kms?

Last edited by DonVla (2009-11-13 10:51:59)

Gutti · 2009-11-13 20:59:48

Yes, just activated it yesterday. I'm not yet sure, but I didn't see any flickering since.

kjon · 2009-11-14 00:01:28

I've experienced flickering with and without kms. It looks like a bug was introduced with the last update (where? -- no idea)

DonVla · 2009-11-17 12:33:30

found this:
http://www.mail-archive.com/dri-devel@l … 44383.html
but no solution

Gutti · 2009-11-17 21:45:23

Sounds very relevant. - Is there anything we can do ? Since KMS I don't even get the error anymore ...

DonVla · 2009-11-17 23:09:52

I also don't get any error.
It's somehow peculiar. The screen simply goes black. That's it. Though the system seems to run "normally".
I can ssh into the machine. When a video player is running I can stop it by hitting a short-cut, but the screen remains black (like DPMS standby).
However, when I suspend-to-ram (which works flawlessly) and I resume the screen works again.
Strange

PS: i use i915 with kms compiled in to the kernel (2.6.32-rc7).

Last edited by DonVla (2009-11-17 23:10:58)

brendan · 2009-12-24 02:02:57

I am using kernel26-ck from AUR and I get the same issue. I was previously using 2.6.31-ARCH with no issues

My screen occasionaly flickers and I have had two black outs and one green out (that one was pretty weird).

Unfortunately I've changed so many things it's hard to tell what caused it.

I've had KMS on for at least a few months, so it looks like 2.6.32

brendan · 2010-01-03 11:25:43

I am still getting this problem now with the official ARCH kernel. I got a crash to green after 45 minutes of using my netbook on the new 2.6.32 kernel.

Is there any news on this?

stiffy420 · 2010-01-09 12:37:29

I aslo having this problem on a asus1000h. VERY annyoing.

any sollution?

lacteus · 2010-01-10 15:39:57

I've got this problem yesterday and today, on a NC10 too, since the last kernel updates.

This mostly happen when I'm watching videos with Mplayer. The screen gets totally black or white. If I go to suspend and wake up, the screen is back.

Don't know what to do...

brendan · 2010-01-13 17:16:38

the bug seems more likely to happen during video playback vlc/mplayer. It will also happen during full screen photo playing or resizing.

It happens on all kernel26 2.6.32 versions including the latest.

I have also tried kernel26-zen from aur and it also has the bug.

lacteus · 2010-01-13 20:38:16

I think the bug is due to KMS (http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Intel)

KMS is now enabled by default as of kernel v2.6.32.

I removed any config enabling KMS in /etc/mkinitcpio.conf and /etc/modprobe.d/modprobe.conf , regenerated the initramfs and reboot.
KMS is enabled at boot by default. No bug anymore.

stiffy420 · 2010-01-15 02:28:54

i couldnt find anything about KMS in neither of those files. could you please be more specific?

flickerinfg stopped for a while. now its back.

brendan · 2010-01-15 17:17:27

in /etc/modprobe.d/modprobe.conf remove this line if it exists:
options i915 modeset=1

Then in /etc/mkinitpcio.conf remove :
MODULES="intel_agp i915"
and replace with :
MODULES=""

Then make sure you grub kernel lines don't have this in them :
i915.modeset=1

Without KMS kernel 2.6.32 works like a charm, haven't had a crash yet on my zen patched kernel

Cdh · 2010-01-15 22:02:57

I had this too on eeepc 1000h.
But for me I can't get back anything on the screen once it went gray. However when I connect an external screen and do xrandr --auto blindly the external screen works fine while the LVDS stays gray. Only rebooting helps.

lacteus · 2010-01-23 09:16:05

You can entirely disable KMS with the new kernel.
Append this code on your kernel line (in /boot/grub/menu.lst) :

i915.modeset=0

qpieus · 2010-01-24 21:19:52

Cdh wrote:

I had this too on eeepc 1000h.
But for me I can't get back anything on the screen once it went gray. However when I connect an external screen and do xrandr --auto blindly the external screen works fine while the LVDS stays gray. Only rebooting helps.

Same problem on my eeepc 1005HA, kernel 2.6.32.4-1. Problem starts with a brief flicker, followed soon by a black screen. Computer then is completely unresponsive and I have to reboot. Like the earler posts here though, it is somewhat random. My eeepc has been freshly booted for 1 hour now and there's been no flickering or black screen lockups.

I have not tried the i915.modeset=0 grub option yet. I kinda want to see if the problem is triggered by any particular event. I see there's a new kernel in testing - 2.6.32.5-1. Perhaps there's a fix there.

makimaki · 2010-01-25 13:29:01

You should try this patch, which was mentioned in the forums here.

I still needed to append i915.powersave=0 to the kernel line in grub, but I haven't had any problems since then. Also, this is supposed to be fixed in .33 but I doubt it will fixed in .32. The problem I think is in the new powersaving code, but there are other related problems such as this, which is related to the timing of the render clock.

bangkok_manouel · 2010-01-25 13:50:39

just FTR, the remove render reclock support patch is in linus tree since 2.6.32.4 (actual merge of the commit you linked)
http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/g … 23acc2127a

dtbx · 2010-01-25 19:55:40

I just enabled KMS. I have kernel 2.6.32.5 in my NC10.

I hope the flickering is over.

Next time I upgrade my kernel, I will wait for some input.

Cdh · 2010-01-25 23:02:53

I still have it on my eeepc with 2.6.32-5
KMS enabled.

Arch Linux

#1 2009-11-09 22:49:47

NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#2 2009-11-10 23:18:30

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#3 2009-11-13 02:57:06

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#4 2009-11-13 07:54:23

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#5 2009-11-13 10:51:00

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#6 2009-11-13 20:59:48

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#7 2009-11-14 00:01:28

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#8 2009-11-17 12:33:30

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#9 2009-11-17 21:45:23

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#10 2009-11-17 23:09:52

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#11 2009-12-24 02:02:57

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#12 2010-01-03 11:25:43

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#13 2010-01-09 12:37:29

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#14 2010-01-10 15:39:57

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#15 2010-01-13 17:16:38

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#16 2010-01-13 20:38:16

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#17 2010-01-15 02:28:54

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#18 2010-01-15 17:17:27

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#19 2010-01-15 22:02:57

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#20 2010-01-23 09:16:05

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#21 2010-01-24 21:19:52

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#22 2010-01-25 13:29:01

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#23 2010-01-25 13:50:39

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#24 2010-01-25 19:55:40

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

#25 2010-01-25 23:02:53

Re: NC10 Screen Flicker / X11 blackout

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