Xorg fails to start because of Radeon Issue [(EE) RADEON(0): [drm] failed to set drm interface version]

[Andrew Austin]

Roughly 30% of the time I boot my system X does not start, instead I boot into a shell. Looking at the Xorg.log I see:

[ 19.593] (EE) RADEON(0): [drm] failed to set drm interface version.
[ 19.593] (EE) RADEON(0): Kernel modesetting setup failed
[ 19.593] (II) UnloadModule: "radeon"
[ 19.593] (II) Unloading radeon
[ 19.593] (EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.
[ 19.593]
Fatal server error:
[ 19.593] no screens found

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: xorg 1:7.6+12ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-33.52-generic 3.2.31
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-33-generic x86_64
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu14
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: [core,composite,opengl,compiztoolbox,decor,vpswitch,snap,mousepoll,resize,place,move,wall,grid,regex,imgpng,session,gnomecompat,animation,fade,unitymtgrabhandles,workarounds,scale,expo,ezoom,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: compiz
Date: Wed Oct 24 01:40:51 2012
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: precise
DistroVariant: ubuntu
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes, even including gdb or git bisection work if needed
GraphicsCard:
 Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI Redwood [Radeon HD 5670] [1002:68d8] (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: VISIONTEK Device [1545:5670]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Beta amd64 (20120301)
MachineType: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. GA-880GMA-UD2H
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-33-generic root=UUID=e50fd3cf-9c17-4365-845e-1eb7d14d512e ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xorg
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 09/30/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: Award Software International, Inc.
dmi.bios.version: F5
dmi.board.name: GA-880GMA-UD2H
dmi.board.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.board.version: x.x
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAwardSoftwareInternational,Inc.:bvrF5:bd09/30/2010:svnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:pnGA-880GMA-UD2H:pvr:rvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:rnGA-880GMA-UD2H:rvrx.x:cvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:ct3:cvr:
dmi.product.name: GA-880GMA-UD2H
dmi.sys.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.7.8-0ubuntu1.4
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.32-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 8.0.4-0ubuntu0.1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 8.0.4-0ubuntu0.1
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.11.4-0ubuntu10.8
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.7.0-0ubuntu1.2
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.99~git20111219.aacbd629-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.17.0-1ubuntu4.2
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20111201+b5534a1-1build2

[Andrew Austin (andrewaclt)]

This is the dmesg output when the error occurs.

(The dmesg from ubuntu-bug is from a successful boot, so this file may be more useful.)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[James Cameron (quozl)]

I see the same Xorg.0.log output, but it happens every boot, and it began yesterday, after applying updates, on 12.10.

[Pelládi Gábor (pelladigabor)]

On 12.04 (64 bit) after upgrading to 3.2.0-33 kernel, X fails to start with:
[ 4.037] (EE) RADEON(0): [drm] failed to set drm interface version.
[ 4.037] (EE) RADEON(0): Kernel modesetting setup failed
[ 4.037] (II) UnloadModule: "radeon"
[ 4.037] (II) Unloading radeon
[ 4.037] (EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI Caicos [Radeon HD 7400 Series]
I have reverted back to kernel 3.2.0-32 and it works with that again.

[Andrew Simpson (andrew-simpson)]

Similar to item #5. Using 3.2.0-33 pae on 32 bit, cannot get X to start when using the VGA port. The DVI port does however work.

Reverting back to 3.2.0-32 is a good work around.

[Maarten Baert (maarten-baert)]

I'm getting exactly the same problem. This happened right after I changed my account settings so it would log in without asking a password - I don't know whether this is related, but I haven't seen anything like this before.

[Pelládi Gábor (pelladigabor)]

Kernel 3.2.0-35 is still not good. I must stay on 3.2.0-32, which is the last version that works.

[Josep Pujadas-Jubany (jpujades)]

12.04 64 bit up-to-date
Sometimes I don't have graphics at start up. Attached Xorg.0.log

[Frank Mertens (frankencode)]

I see the same issue on Raring (13.04) with kernel 3.8.x .

[Pelládi Gábor (pelladigabor)]

Now the situation is worse, xserver-common and xserver-xorg-core have been upgraded to 2:1.11.4-0ubuntu10.12
This broke again my graphical environment and dropped me to console mode.
I have put back 2:1.11.4-0ubuntu10.6 version from these packages and locked them too so they won't get upgraded.
Until now it was enough to stay with kernel 3.2.0-32.

[Pelládi Gábor (pelladigabor)]

I have to correct myself. It doesn't matter if I have xserver-common and xserver-xorg-core version 2:1.11.4-0ubuntu10.12 or 2:1.11.4-0ubuntu10.6. In both cases xorg may or may not start. The kernel version is the key.

[Josep Pujadas-Jubany (jpujades)]

Terrible...
Now I have to restart 10-15 times my computer!

12.04 LTS 64 bit up-to-date

uname -a
Linux pj01-ubuntu 3.2.0-40-generic #64-Ubuntu SMP Mon Mar 25 21:22:10 UTC 2013 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Any idea?

Help!

[Maarten Baert (maarten-baert)]

As a workaround, you can add 'text' to your grub line to get a terminal. Now you have to run 'sudo service lightdm start' every time. This never failed for me and it's quicker than rebooting over and over again.

The same problem does not appear on Arch Linux with systemd, with the latest kernel and xorg.

[Josep Pujadas-Jubany (jpujades)]

Thanks!

With your recommendation I had the following idea:

Ctl+Alt+F1

login

sudo start ligthdm

Ctl+Alt+F1

logout

Ctl+Alt+F7

It works. I did'nt need to modify grub. And the trick is only necessary when xorg fails at startup.

[MarcS (marc-schmitzer)]

Seeing the same thing here, on Ubuntu 12.04. Graphics adapter (lspci) is "Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI Caicos [Radeon HD 7000 Series]", xserver-xorg-video-ati at "1:6.14.99~git20111219.aacbd629-0ubuntu2".

The "start lightdm" workaround works for me aswell, although I have to *re*-start it, as it claims to be already running.

[James Cameron (quozl)]

For me on 13.04, although the error message in Xorg.log was the same, it turned out to be caused by #714492 (plymouth).

[karlsebal (karlsebal)]

was a problem with linux-image-3.2.0.45-generic and is not anymore.

[Josep Pujadas-Jubany (jpujades)]

On sept-29 I updated my system. Today I had a new time the problem.

root@myubuntu:/var/log# uname -a
Linux pj01-ubuntu 3.2.0-54-generic #82-Ubuntu SMP Tue Sep 10 20:08:42 UTC 2013 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

root@myubuntu:/var/log# grep drm Xorg.1.log.old
[ 38357.814] drmOpenDevice: node name is /dev/dri/card0
[ 38357.814] drmOpenDevice: open result is 9, (OK)
[ 38357.814] drmOpenByBusid: Searching for BusID pci:0000:01:00.0
[ 38357.814] drmOpenDevice: node name is /dev/dri/card0
[ 38357.814] drmOpenDevice: open result is 9, (OK)
[ 38357.814] drmOpenByBusid: drmOpenMinor returns 9
[ 38357.814] drmOpenByBusid: Interface 1.4 failed, trying 1.1
[ 38357.814] drmOpenByBusid: drmGetBusid reports pci:0000:01:00.0
[ 38357.814] (EE) RADEON(0): [drm] failed to set drm interface version.

[Frank Mertens (frankencode)]

Problem was solved for me some time ago. Surely it does not happen with the Linux kernel 3.11 on Ubuntu 13.10.

[Darrell Duane (dduane)]

I had this problem on Fedora 19 after upgrading packages. Fedora 19 after install worked fine, but then would hang showing
Starting Sendmail Mail Transport Client...

I'm running the Linux Kernel 3.11.7-200

[d@hena boot]$ lspci | grep VGA
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RV370 [Radeon X600/X600 SE]

I was also able to fix the problem by installing lightdm:

 sudo yum -y install lightdm-gtk
# sudo systemctl disable gdm.service
# sudo systemctl enable lightdm.service
# sudo reboot

[Josep Pujadas-Jubany (jpujades)]

Problem reappeared after last 12.04 LTS updates.

josep@jpj-ubuntu:~$ uname -a
Linux jpj-ubuntu 3.2.0-58-generic #88-Ubuntu SMP Tue Dec 3 17:37:58 UTC 2013 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

josep@jpj-ubuntu:~$ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 12.04.4 LTS
Release: 12.04
Codename: precise

Please see attached Xorg.0.log. Its ending lines are:

josep@jpj-ubuntu:~$ tail Xorg.0.log-2014-01-25-1020
Fatal server error:
[ 24.312] no screens found
[ 24.312]
Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support
  at http://wiki.x.org
 for help.
[ 24.312] Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional information.
[ 24.312]
[ 24.528] ddxSigGiveUp: Closing log
[ 24.528] Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.