10de:0ffb [Lenovo ThinkPad W530] nvidia optimus chipset disabled when running on battery, even in discrete mode

[Jamin W. Collins]

It appears that under 3.11.0-13, the Nvidia Optimus GPU is disabled when running on battery even if the chipset is set to discrete mode in the BIOS.

When running without AC power under the 3.11 kernel, lspci -v gives the following:
http://paste.ubuntu.com/6360607/

With AC power under 3.11, the same command gives:
http://paste.ubuntu.com/6360613/

If the system is booted into the 3.11 kernel with AC power connected, it can be removed and the GPU continues to function normally. I have not tested suspend and resume under the 3.11 kernel (with or without AC power).

This same configuration worked properly under Raring (13.04). Booting with the 3.8 kernel and the same nvidia module version used in the above 3.11 kernel tests results in the previously experienced (correct, working) behavior.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.10
Package: linux-image-3.11.0-13-generic 3.11.0-13.20
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-32.47-generic 3.8.13.10
Uname: Linux 3.8.0-32-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.12.5-0ubuntu2.1
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse: Error: command ['fuser', '-v', '/dev/dsp', '/dev/snd/controlC1', '/dev/snd/hwC1D0', '/dev/snd/pcmC1D3p', '/dev/snd/pcmC1D7p', '/dev/snd/pcmC1D8p', '/dev/snd/by-path', '/dev/snd/controlC0', '/dev/snd/hwC0D0', '/dev/snd/pcmC0D0c', '/dev/snd/pcmC0D0p', '/dev/snd/controlC29', '/dev/snd/seq', '/dev/snd/timer'] failed with exit code 1:
Date: Mon Nov 4 12:31:48 2013
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=1fbfa69c-fb52-4aee-ad35-9c523aa14974
InstallationDate: Installed on 2009-12-21 (1414 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
MachineType: LENOVO 2436CTO
MarkForUpload: True
ProcFB: 0 VESA VGA
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.8.0-32-generic root=/dev/mapper/ssd-root ro vga=792 splash nox2apic crashkernel=384M-2G:64M,2G-:128M quiet splash
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.8.0-32-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.8.0-32-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.116
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to saucy on 2013-11-04 (0 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 08/12/2013
dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.bios.version: G5ET94WW (2.54 )
dmi.board.asset.tag: Not Available
dmi.board.name: 2436CTO
dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.board.version: Not Defined
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Information
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.chassis.version: Not Available
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvrG5ET94WW(2.54):bd08/12/2013:svnLENOVO:pn2436CTO:pvrThinkPadW530:rvnLENOVO:rn2436CTO:rvrNotDefined:cvnLENOVO:ct10:cvrNotAvailable:
dmi.product.name: 2436CTO
dmi.product.version: ThinkPad W530
dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v3.12 kernel[0].

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-upstream'.
Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.12-saucy/

[Jamin W. Collins (jcollins)]

The nvidia kernel module source fails to build against the 3.12 mainline kernel (see attached build failure). Unable to complete the requested testing due to this.

[Jamin W. Collins (jcollins)]

If someone can point me to steps for bisecting the changes between the 3.8 and 3.11 kernels, I'd be happy to do the leg work.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

I can assist you with the bisect. We first need to identify the last good kernel version and the first bad kernel version. Can you test the following upstream kernels and post back:

3.9 final: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.9-raring/
3.10 final: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.10-saucy/

Based on those the results of these two kernels, we can test some release candidates to get the exact kernel version.

[Jamin W. Collins (jcollins)]

As a baseline, the 3.8 kernel works normally, with text displays on all six vts. Both the 3.9 and 3.10 kernel's fail in different ways and to different degrees.

3.9
- does not work first boot (poweroff or reboot)
- works (if power drained, battery removed)
- no console display (vts 1-6)
- reboot via C+A+D still works

3.10
- no display at all, regardless

Going back to 3.8 required full power drain (battery removal) and two reboots.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

So it sounds like 3.9 final exhibit the bug? If so, can you test some of the v3.9 release candidates. We are looking for the last good kernel version and the first kernel version that has the bug:

v3.9-rc1: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.9-rc1-raring/
v3.9-rc3: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.9-rc3-raring/
v3.9-rc5: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.9-rc5-raring/
v3.9-rc7: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.9-rc7-raring/

You don't have to test all of them, just up until you hit the first one with the bug.

[Jamin W. Collins (jcollins)]

I can't say that 3.9 really exhibits the bug. It no longer has text on the VTs (which is it's own bug), but can be coaxed into providing an X display if the right steps are followed. That's not to say that it's smooth or the desired behavior, but it *can* provide an X display. Whereas, 3.10 can not, and 3.8 does not require coaxing unless one of the later kernels has been attempted. I'll start with the 3.9 release candidates and report back.

[Jamin W. Collins (jcollins)]

3.9-rc1 exhibits the same behavior as 3.9. That is, it can provide an X display if coaxed and provides no text output on any of the VTs.

[Jamin W. Collins (jcollins)]

Any suggestion on the next steps?

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Jamin W. Collins, as per http://download.lenovo.com/express/ddfm.html an update is available for your BIOS (2.55). If you update to this following https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BiosUpdate , does it change anything? If it doesn't, could you please both specify what happened, and just provide the output of the following terminal command:
sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date

Please note your current BIOS is already in the Bug Description, so posting this on the old BIOS would not be helpful.

For more on BIOS updates and linux, please see https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette .

Thank you for your understanding.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]