[Solved] [Xorg+KMS+Intel] Can't see login console / boot messages!

rent0n · 2010-06-27 12:37:49

Hi,

My problem is that using an Intel video card (with KMS) after latest Xorg 1.8 update, I can't see boot messagges and the login console anymore.

I've just noticed that after last Xorg update I can't access anymore to runlevel 3 on boot.
I've got an Intel video card so KMS is enabled by default (and mandatory).

I always used SLiM as a display manager, configured through /etc/inittab to go to runlevel 5 on boot:

#
# /etc/inittab
#

#  Runlevels:
#    0    Halt
#    1(S)    Single-user
#    2    Not used
#    3    Multi-user
#    4    Not used
#    5    X11
#    6    Reboot

## Only one of the following two lines can be uncommented!
# Boot to console
#id:3:initdefault:
# Boot to X11
id:5:initdefault:

rc::sysinit:/etc/rc.sysinit
rs:S1:wait:/etc/rc.single
rm:2345:wait:/etc/rc.multi
rh:06:wait:/etc/rc.shutdown
su:S:wait:/sbin/sulogin -p

# -8 options fixes umlauts problem on login
c1:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 tty1 linux
c2:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 tty2 linux
c3:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 tty3 linux
c4:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 tty4 linux
c5:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 tty5 linux
c6:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 tty6 linux

# Hypervisor Virtual Console for Xen and KVM
#h0:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 hvc0 linux

ca::ctrlaltdel:/sbin/shutdown -t3 -r now

# Example lines for starting a login manager
#x:5:respawn:/usr/bin/xdm -nodaemon
#x:5:respawn:/usr/sbin/gdm -nodaemon
#x:5:respawn:/usr/bin/kdm -nodaemon
x:5:respawn:/usr/bin/slim >& /dev/null

To enable runlevel 3 at boot, I commented the id:5:initdefault: and the x:5:respawn:/usr/bin/slim >& /dev/null lines and uncommented id:3:initdefault:.

Now, during boot, the last thing I see is Loading UDev modules..., then the screen becomes dark gray and I can't see any other boot messages (actually this appened also before, after xorg update).

The problem is that before slim started but now I can't see any login console.

I also figured out that typing my username, password and then startx, starts X normally, so the problem is just that I can't see the tty console anymore.
Once I am in X I can switch to ttys normally.

What can I do?
I just wanted to get rid of slim and start X automatically after console login but I can't see the console login!

I hope to have been clear enough, thanks for your help!

Last edited by rent0n (2010-07-04 11:36:38)

hokasch · 2010-06-27 12:48:00

Sounds like KMS not setting the correct resolution maybe? Weird that it works once X is running. Hopefully others have a better understanding...

Just want to mention that you could also boot to runlevel 5 and start X directly, although you are not asked for the user password that way. (from the wiki):

x:5:once:/bin/su PREFERED_USER -l -c "/bin/bash --login -c /usr/bin/startx >/dev/null 2>&1"

edit: one thought - maybe it puts the output on a secondary video port? There is something in the wiki you could try.

Last edited by hokasch (2010-06-27 12:50:45)

rent0n · 2010-06-27 13:11:29

Thanks for your reply and suggestions.
I don't think it is a resolution problem as after X starts the resolution is correct. Also adding 'video' to the kernel line is deprecated when using KMS.

However, I realized that I didn't express the issue correctly.
The problem is that using an Intel video card (with KMS) after latest Xorg 1.8 update, I can't see boot messagges and the login console anymore.
So, the issue is actually independent of the runlevel, but on runlevel 5, slim appears while the console login is invisible in runlevel 3.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

Last edited by rent0n (2010-06-27 13:12:19)

hokasch · 2010-06-27 13:22:58

No, I think your post was pretty clear before

starting X directly, as I posted above, would not "fix" the problem of KMS "turning off" the screen until you start x, but it would let you loose slim and still automatically boot into X. The wiki tip applies specifically for KMS, so I don't think that line is deprecated (as opposed to vga= etc).

rent0n · 2010-06-27 14:17:02

You were right! It is indeed a KMS resolution problem!
I found the solution here: http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php? … 89#p707689

So basically, I added:

video=LVDS-1:1280x800

at the end of the kernel line in /boot/grub/menu.lst

Now after UDev loads its modules screen goes black with a white flashing dash for at least 30 seconds but then I can see the other boot messages and the login console.

Thank you very much, hokasch!

rent0n · 2010-06-27 17:52:25

Well, it seems I spoke too early. It doesn't work as expected at every startup, sometimes I still have the black screen.

Now I'm trying with:

video=SVIDEO-1:d

that seems to work, but I just tested it one time and I'm starting to think that screen blanking happens randomly...

Any hint is more than welcomed.

Last edited by rent0n (2010-06-27 17:52:40)

rent0n · 2010-06-29 10:28:11

rent0n wrote:

Well, it seems I spoke too early. It doesn't work as expected at every startup, sometimes I still have the black screen.
Now I'm trying with:
video=SVIDEO-1:d
that seems to work, but I just tested it one time and I'm starting to think that screen blanking happens randomly...
Any hint is more than welcomed.

After a few reboots, I can confirm this workaround seems to work.
This is weird indeed as I don't have any SVIDEO-1 interface listed by xrandr -q, but still.

Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1280 x 800, maximum 8192 x 8192
VGA1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
LVDS1 connected 1280x800+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 331mm x 207mm
   1280x800       60.0*+
   1024x768       60.0  
   800x600        60.3     56.2  
   640x480        59.9  
TV1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

The only problem is that now boot lasts a lot of time and, between UDev modules loading and disks checking, I have to wait for at least 30 seconds with a black screen and a central white dash flashing.

Anyone experiencing the same thing?

macrosun · 2010-08-06 03:13:11

i noticed that your system tell you:

Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1280 x 800, maximum 8192 x 8192
VGA1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
LVDS1 connected 1280x800+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 331mm x 207mm

your card name is LVDS1 , not LVDS-1.

so i think you maybe should correct your menu.lst of grub.

Gusar · 2010-08-06 03:46:47

Output names in X and at the console are not the same. For X you look at xrandr. For the console, you look in /sys/class/drm

combuster · 2010-08-06 07:25:16

Well I solved this problem by adding nomodeset kernel parametar and booting into init3 and compiled my own kernel (with i915 in the kernel image). Works great !

kpbotbot · 2010-08-10 10:09:24

I just did the stuff found in here: http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Int … Setting.29

I have a higher resolution at the boot messages part, and so far, after several restarts, I haven't encountered the black screen problem.

Arch Linux

#1 2010-06-27 12:37:49

[Solved] [Xorg+KMS+Intel] Can't see login console / boot messages!

#2 2010-06-27 12:48:00

Re: [Solved] [Xorg+KMS+Intel] Can't see login console / boot messages!

#3 2010-06-27 13:11:29

Re: [Solved] [Xorg+KMS+Intel] Can't see login console / boot messages!

#4 2010-06-27 13:22:58

Re: [Solved] [Xorg+KMS+Intel] Can't see login console / boot messages!

#5 2010-06-27 14:17:02

Re: [Solved] [Xorg+KMS+Intel] Can't see login console / boot messages!

#6 2010-06-27 17:52:25

Re: [Solved] [Xorg+KMS+Intel] Can't see login console / boot messages!

#7 2010-06-29 10:28:11

Re: [Solved] [Xorg+KMS+Intel] Can't see login console / boot messages!

#8 2010-08-06 03:13:11

Re: [Solved] [Xorg+KMS+Intel] Can't see login console / boot messages!

#9 2010-08-06 03:46:47

Re: [Solved] [Xorg+KMS+Intel] Can't see login console / boot messages!

#10 2010-08-06 07:25:16

Re: [Solved] [Xorg+KMS+Intel] Can't see login console / boot messages!

#11 2010-08-10 10:09:24

Re: [Solved] [Xorg+KMS+Intel] Can't see login console / boot messages!

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