[HP 530 Notebook PC] Ubuntu 13.04 doesn't start/ show login screen/ after intallation or upgrade

[aschalk]

After upgrading from 12.10 to 13.04 the system doesn't show neither a splash screen nor a login screen when booting the 3.8.x kernel but the drum beat login sound is audible.
Only if the upgraded system was booted with the previous kernel 3.5.x, the boot splash and login was visible and working.

I've read that some other people who have also an Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller, are suffering the same problem.

I suspect either plymouth to cause this problem, or the intel graphics driver in the 3.8.x kernel.

WORKAROUND: I've added these two options to /etc/default/grub :
GRUB_GFXMODE=800x600
GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=text

After running the follow the system boots normally, but without the splash screen:
sudo update-grub

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.04
Package: plymouth 0.8.8-0ubuntu6.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-19.29-generic 3.8.8
Uname: Linux 3.8.0-19-generic i686
ApportVersion: 2.9.2-0ubuntu8
Architecture: i386
CurrentDmesg:
 [ 16.605025] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth0: link is not ready
 [ 16.605544] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth0: link is not ready
 [ 16.608178] e100 0000:02:08.0 eth0: NIC Link is Up 100 Mbps Full Duplex
 [ 16.608251] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): eth0: link becomes ready
Date: Sun Apr 28 14:34:14 2013
DefaultPlymouth: /lib/plymouth/themes/xubuntu-logo/xubuntu-logo.plymouth
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-04-26 (1 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" - Release i386 (20130423.1)
Lsusb:
 Bus 001 Device 002: ID 05e3:0608 Genesys Logic, Inc. USB-2.0 4-Port HUB
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 001 Device 003: ID 05e1:0408 Syntek Semiconductor Co., Ltd STK1160 Video Capture Device
MachineType: Hewlett-Packard HP 530 Notebook PC(KD092AA#ABD)
MarkForUpload: True
PccardctlIdent:
 Socket 0:
   no product info available
PccardctlStatus:
 Socket 0:
   no card
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.8.0-19-generic root=UUID=e4e5bf5d-0238-4cae-aa50-f937913b79ce ro quiet splash
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.8.0-19-generic root=UUID=e4e5bf5d-0238-4cae-aa50-f937913b79ce ro quiet splash
SourcePackage: plymouth
TextPlymouth: /lib/plymouth/themes/xubuntu-text/xubuntu-text.plymouth
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 05/23/2007
dmi.bios.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.bios.version: 68MVU Ver. F.04
dmi.board.name: 30D5
dmi.board.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.board.version: KBC Version 82.14
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnHewlett-Packard:bvr68MVUVer.F.04:bd05/23/2007:svnHewlett-Packard:pnHP530NotebookPC(KD092AA#ABD):pvrF.04:rvnHewlett-Packard:rn30D5:rvrKBCVersion82.14:cvnHewlett-Packard:ct10:cvr:
dmi.product.name: HP 530 Notebook PC(KD092AA#ABD)
dmi.product.version: F.04
dmi.sys.vendor: Hewlett-Packard

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

This is unlikely to be an issue with Plymouth, since you say tree login screen is not shown and that's not controlled by Plymouth. Can you please try booting with no custom GRUB_GFX* settings, and without the 'splash' option on the kernel command line? This will let us rule out a Plymouth problem.

[aschalk (andreasschalk)]

Booting without custom GRUB_GFX* settings, and without the 'splash' option also works.

There are some differences with these two methods.

With my method, on top left of the screen the cursor is flashing for ~10 seconds and the xubuntu splash screen is shown for short right before the login screen.

With your method, the screen is gray for ~10 seconds an then some boot messages appear right before the login screen.

[aschalk (andreasschalk)]

Sorry, the recent post is wrong. The custom GRUB_GFX* settings
GRUB_GFXMODE=800x600
GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=text
are needed for booting on my system!

( I forgot sudo update-grub after reset. If I use the default settings in /etc/default/grub and only remove 'splash', the behaviour is the same as in my bugreport.)

Booting with 'splash' option and custom GRUB_GFX* settings:
flashing cursor for ~10 seconds
splash screen for ~5 seconds
login screen

Booting without 'splash' option and custom GRUB_GFX* settings:
flashing cursor for ~10 seconds
boot messages
login screen

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

Ok, but what is the behavior when booting without 'splash' and without custom GRUB_GFX settings? That's what we need to understand in order to characterize this bug.

[aschalk (andreasschalk)]

Ok, I removed the custom custom GRUB_GFX* settings, ran sudo update-grub and tried two different procedures:

1. Reboot
hit 'e' key when grub menu appears
remove only the 'splash' option in the linux ... line (the '$vt_handoff' stays there)
hit F10
boot starts:
flashing cursor for ~10 seconds
boot messages
login screen (success!)

2. edited the 'GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"' option in /etc/default/grub
-> GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet"
ran sudo update-grub
reboot and 'e' key
now the 'splash' option and (!) '$vt_handoff' are removed
F10 - booting
now the behaviour is the same as in the bugreport:
no background color, no cursor, no splash screen, only the screen once switches off an on

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

I'm not sure why the behavior between these two options should ever be different, unless the behavior is simply not reproducible (in which event, both cases would behave unpredictably in the same fashion). Can you confirm whether option 2) gives you those results *consistently*?

[aschalk (andreasschalk)]

I've tried option 2) again and it it gives me consistently the same result, an empty screen.
This is the /etc/default/grub for option 2)
_________________________________________________________________
# If you change this file, run 'update-grub' afterwards to update
# /boot/grub/grub.cfg.
# For full documentation of the options in this file, see:
# info -f grub -n 'Simple configuration'

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
#GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

# Uncomment to enable BadRAM filtering, modify to suit your needs
# This works with Linux (no patch required) and with any kernel that obtains
# the memory map information from GRUB (GNU Mach, kernel of FreeBSD ...)
#GRUB_BADRAM="0x01234567,0xfefefefe,0x89abcdef,0xefefefef"

# Uncomment to disable graphical terminal (grub-pc only)
#GRUB_TERMINAL=console

# The resolution used on graphical terminal
# note that you can use only modes which your graphic card supports via VBE
# you can see them in real GRUB with the command `vbeinfo'
# GRUB_GFXMODE=800x600
# GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=text

# Uncomment if you don't want GRUB to pass "root=UUID=xxx" parameter to Linux
#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true

# Uncomment to disable generation of recovery mode menu entries
#GRUB_DISABLE_RECOVERY="true"

# Uncomment to get a beep at grub start
#GRUB_INIT_TUNE="480 440 1"
_____________________________________________________________

Now I'm using the magic sysrq 'B' key for reboot.
Only if I open the grub boot options with 'e' and comment out the line
# gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
I get a visible login screen.

[aschalk (andreasschalk)]

UPDATE: results are not consistently the same!

I've performed some boot cycles now with the settings of of /etc/default/grub from my previous post and randomly in some cases the screen shows nothing and in some cases the boot messages and the login screen are visible.

Only if I comment out the line
# gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
I always get a visible login screen.

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

Ok. The inconsistent results are because $linux_gfx_mode is set to a different value following a successful boot than an unsuccessful boot (as defined by whether /etc/rc2.d/S99grub-common manages to be run). So this is definitely not a bug in plymouth, but instead a problem with kernel video handoff.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Can you follow the "Boot options" instructions on the following wiki to enable additional output on boot:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingKernelBoot

As mentioned on the wiki, it would be great if you can attach a log file which may have captured any messages you see. If you are unable to capture a log file, a digital photo will work just as well. As a last resort you can even copy messages down by hand.

[aschalk (andreasschalk)]

Here are the options I used for booting following the mentioned wiki page

The logs are in the attachment.
_______________________________________

menuentry 'Ubuntu' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-simple-e4e5bf5d-0238-4cae-aa50-f937913b79ce' {
recordfail
 gfxmode=text
 insmod gzio
 insmod part_msdos
 insmod ext2
 set root='hd0,msdos1'
 if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
   search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1 e4e5bf5d-0238-4cae-aa50-f937913b79ce
 else
   search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e4e5bf5d-0238-4cae-aa50-f937913b79ce
 fi
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.8.0-19-generic root=UUID=e4e5bf5d-0238-4cae-aa50-f937913b79ce ro
 initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.8.0-19-generic

[alecive (alecive)]

Any update on this? I'm probably experiencing this bug as well, although sometimes the systems seems to boot properly without any external intervention.

[jap1968 (jap1968)]

Same problem here.

Maybe it is related someway with the graphics card:
Intel Corporation 82Q963/Q965 Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 02)

My computer has been running ubuntu for the last 6 years without any problem until I updated to 13.04

[AnDy (andlinux)]

Same problem here, I have a Dell XPS 13 (l322x) and I used a workaround but since the new kernel installed on this machine the problem is back.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

aschalk, as per http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=3375995&prodTypeId=321957&prodSeriesId=3375953&swLang=8&taskId=135&swEnvOID=1093#120 an update is available for your BIOS (F.07). If you update to this, does it change anything?

If not, could you please both specify what happened, and provide the output of the following terminal command:
sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date

Thank you for your understanding.

alecive / jap1968 / AnDy, if you have a bug in Ubuntu, the Ubuntu Kernel team, Ubuntu Bug Control team, and Ubuntu Bug Squad would like you to please file a new report by executing the following in a terminal:
ubuntu-bug linux

For more on this, please see the Ubuntu Kernel team article:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeam/KernelTeamBugPolicies#Filing_Kernel_Bug_reports

the Ubuntu Bug Control team and Ubuntu Bug Squad team article:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/BestPractices#X.2BAC8-Reporting.Focus_on_One_Issue

and Ubuntu Community article:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette

When opening up the new report, please feel free to subscribe me to it.

Please note, not filing a new report would delay your problem being addressed as quickly as possible.

Thank you for your understanding.

[aschalk (andreasschalk)]

 I updated the BIOS to F.07 and it doesn't change anything.
In other words, I've commented out these two options in /etc/default/grub :

# GRUB_GFXMODE=800x600
# GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=text

and after sudo update-grub
the boot process shows the same issue as described in the Bug description.

Here is the output of the dmidecode command:

$ sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date
[sudo] password for andl:
68MVU Ver. F.07
03/18/2008

[penalvch (penalvch)]

aschalk, thank you for updating your BIOS. Could you please test the latest upstream kernel available following https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds ? It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Please do not test the kernel in the mainline kernels archive directory daily folder, but the one all the way at the bottom. Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please comment on which kernel version specifically you tested. If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tags:
kernel-fixed-upstream
kernel-fixed-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

where VERSION-NUMBER is the version number of the kernel you tested. For example:
kernel-fixed-upstream-v3.11-rc2

This can be done by clicking on the yellow circle with a black pencil icon next to the word Tags located at the bottom of the bug description. As well, please remove the tag:
needs-upstream-testing

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the following tags:
kernel-bug-exists-upstream
kernel-bug-exists-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

As well, please remove the tag:
needs-upstream-testing

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, please comment as to why specifically you were unable to test it and add the following tags:
kernel-unable-to-test-upstream
kernel-unable-to-test-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug's Status as Confirmed. Please let us know your results. Thank you for your understanding.

[aschalk (andreasschalk)]

Christopher, testing with the upstream kernel 3.11.0-031100rc2-generic was successful.
I've added the tags and marked the bug's Status as confirmed.

My system now boots this way:

When the boot process starts (after the grub menu) the screen gets grey for some seconds without any cursor or anything.
Then the backlight of the monitor turns off an on. Now the splash screen of Xubuntu appears and after some seconds Xubuntu's login screen.

Thanks for your support.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

aschalk, could you please test for this in Saucy via http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/ ?

[aschalk (andreasschalk)]

Success!
Christopher, I've tested now the live version and the installed version of Saucy, booth are booting without problems on my system.

(The live version of Raring did work on my system also, but not after installation, I think I didn't mention that before.)

I've installed Saucy on an USB pen drive with the Ubuntu installer (not with usb-creator !) because I had no free partition. Grub is also on the pen drive, so I think there is no difference compared to a harddrive installation.

For your information I've attached the dmesg output from my installed Saucy.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

aschalk, would you need a backport to a release prior to Saucy, or may we close this as Status Invalid?

[aschalk (andreasschalk)]

No, I personally don't need a backport because my Raring installation works with my workaround and I will update my Ubuntu installation as soon as Saucy is released.

I think you can close this.

Thanks

[penalvch (penalvch)]

aschalk, this bug report is being closed due to your last comment https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1173941/comments/24 regarding this being fixed with an update. For future reference you can manage the status of your own bugs by clicking on the current status in the yellow line and then choosing a new status in the revealed drop down box. You can learn more about bug statuses at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Status. Thank you again for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please submit any future bugs you may find.

[aschalk (andreasschalk)]

Ok, thanks for your guidance and information.