Artefacts on boot when using gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode in Grub

[Jane Atkinson]

Since kernel version 4.3 was added to xenial, I've been unable to boot to a usable desktop when using the default Grub settings. Most, but not all, of the screen is covered with an overlay, shown in the attached screenshot.

When experimenting with a fresh install, I discovered that the same thing happens even with a command-line-only system, before X is installed.

Hardware: Asus EeePC 900

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Mobile 915GM/GMS/910GML Express Graphics Controller [8086:2592] (rev 04) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
00:02.1 Display controller [0380]: Intel Corporation Mobile 915GM/GMS/910GML Express Graphics Controller [8086:2792] (rev 04)

The workaround is to remove the line:

gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode

from Grub.

For the moment, I've changed /etc/grub.d/10_linux to

 $gfxpayload_dynamic="0"

so that the change holds after update-grub is run.

The daily live ISO (I've tested with Xubuntu only) boots to a normal desktop.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: grub2 (not installed)
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.3.0-5.16-generic 4.3.3
Uname: Linux 4.3.0-5-generic i686
ApportVersion: 2.19.3-0ubuntu2
Architecture: i386
Date: Wed Dec 23 11:19:05 2015
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: grub2
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Nathan Collins (ntc2)]

Perhaps related: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/plymouth/+bug/1047685