screen switches off

[G.M.]

Hi,

My computer is an ASUS X751L with a Dell monitor connected through VGA.

I've just upgraded to 16.04 "Xenial" and rebooted.

Now this external monitor often goes black when I mouse my mouse to the native LVDS screen. I've still not been able to find the exact conditions, but it seems to occur when I don't move the mouse for a long time, then move it to the other screen. The screen goes black and comes back quickly, as if I would have run "xset dpms force off".

Also, from time to time, the upper part of my LVDS screen just "scrambles" (you know, like when the old cathodic TVs were trembling...) for a few seconds when I click on some keys on the keyboard (e.g. the CTL-ALT-ARROWS, which are associated to "Desktop"/Tag switching in my AwesomeWM config)

For more info:

# Executing a few commands found on another page (https://askubuntu.com/questions/28033/how-to-check-the-information-of-current-installed-video-drivers) to provide more info:
$ lspci | grep VGA ; lsmod | grep "kms\|drm" ; find /dev -group video ; \
cat /proc/cmdline ; find /etc/modprobe.d/; cat /etc/modprobe.d/*kms* ; \
ls /etc/X11/xorg.conf ; glxinfo | grep -i "vendor\|rendering" ; \
grep LoadModule /var/log/Xorg.0.log

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Broadwell-U Integrated Graphics (rev 09)
drm_kms_helper 139264 1 i915
syscopyarea 16384 1 drm_kms_helper
sysfillrect 16384 1 drm_kms_helper
sysimgblt 16384 1 drm_kms_helper
fb_sys_fops 16384 1 drm_kms_helper
drm 360448 5 i915,drm_kms_helper
/dev/video0
find: ‘/dev/vboxusb’: Permission denied
/dev/fb0
/dev/dri/card0
/dev/dri/renderD128
/dev/dri/controlD64
BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-22-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=a3c0bf21-3b98-45f2-8f95-2abd53cef1e7 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
/etc/modprobe.d/
/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-rare-network.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-firewire.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/mlx4.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/fbdev-blacklist.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/iwlwifi.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-ath_pci.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/vmwgfx-fbdev.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/intel-microcode-blacklist.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-framebuffer.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-oss.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/dkms.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-watchdog.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-modem.conf
/etc/modprobe.d/qemu-system-x86.conf
# modprobe information used for DKMS modules
#
# This is a stub file, should be edited when needed,
# used by default by DKMS.
/bin/ls: cannot access '/etc/X11/xorg.conf': No such file or directory
direct rendering: Yes
server glx vendor string: SGI
client glx vendor string: Mesa Project and SGI
    Vendor: Intel Open Source Technology Center (0x8086)
OpenGL vendor string: Intel Open Source Technology Center
[ 33.140] (II) LoadModule: "glx"
[ 34.658] (II) LoadModule: "intel"
[ 34.831] (II) LoadModule: "modesetting"
[ 34.883] (II) LoadModule: "fbdev"
[ 34.916] (II) LoadModule: "vesa"
[ 34.989] (II) LoadModule: "fbdevhw"
[ 35.092] (II) LoadModule: "dri2"
[ 35.092] (II) LoadModule: "present"
[ 39.380] (II) LoadModule: "evdev"
[ 39.740] (II) LoadModule: "synaptics"

[G.M. (sexxxenator)]

This behaviour is VERYYYYYY annoying... Nobody can confirm/solve it?????

Completing my own infos:
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Broadwell-U Host Bridge -OPI (rev 09)
**00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Broadwell-U Integrated Graphics (rev 09)**
00:03.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation Broadwell-U Audio Controller (rev 09)
00:04.0 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation Broadwell-U Camarillo Device (rev 09)
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP USB xHCI Controller (rev 03)
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP MEI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP High Definition Audio Controller (rev 03)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP PCI Express Root Port #1 (rev e3)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP PCI Express Root Port #3 (rev e3)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP PCI Express Root Port #4 (rev e3)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP LPC Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP SATA Controller [AHCI Mode] (rev 03)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP SMBus Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.6 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation Wildcat Point-LP Thermal Management Controller (rev 03)
02:00.0 Unassigned class [ff00]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 5287 (rev 01)
02:00.1 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 12)
03:00.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8723BE PCIe Wireless Network Adapter

[G.M. (sexxxenator)]

Just adding some corrections: these untimely switches off & scrambling seem to just occur randomly. The switching off of the external monitor more often (really often actually) than the scrambling of the LVDS

[G.M. (sexxxenator)]

Trying to reconfigure Xorg not to use the intel driver, I ran:
Xorg -configure :1
This just gave me a black screen with a mouse pointer... Since using the keys to switch workspaces lead to changes in the mouse pointer, I understood that my apps where still there, but not displayed...
I used C-A-Suppr to restart and it worked.

But this clearly means that the Xorg intel driver IS BROKEN, so please DO SOMETHING... At least revert it, since it was working flawlessly in 15.10...

[G.M. (sexxxenator)]

I find it quite incredible that no one as reacted to this bug, either to confirm it or to correct it... I'm not the only one to have a dual screen with an Haswell architecture (Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-5200U). Am I?

However, in case someone has the same problem, I found the workaround: you have to return to a working kernel, in my case: 4.2.0-35-generic #40-Ubuntu SMP.

Since it is not in the repositories for 16.04 LTS, you have to get it manually (and the dependencies, fortunately there are few linux/linux-image/linux-extras/linux-headers) from:
http://packages.ubuntu.com/wily/kernel/
and install them manually with:
dpkg -i <package> or gdebi...

[esparky (jan-cepelka)]

I have same problem with i5-5200U (Lenovo E550). I use the notebook with more monitors (on VGA) and only one (HP Compaq LA2306x) is affected by this bug.

I have this knowledges about that:
- it's not connected with display resolution
- no syslog/dmesg messages
- all power management functions are turned off (monitor and pc)
- its quite random, but only same fails causes switching the monitor off...sometimes it only make black horizontal line over the screen for aprox 50ms ... I guess it some glitch on clock signal
- there is no problem with VGA cable :-)
- DDC/CI is turned off (on monitor)

Linux 4.5.0-2-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 4.5.3-2 (2016-05-08) x86_64 GNU/Linux
xserver-xorg-video-intel - 2:2.99.917+git20160522-1~bpo8+1

Thank you for fixing it;)

cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log
[398650.361]
X.Org X Server 1.16.4
Release Date: 2014-12-20
[398650.361] X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
[398650.361] Build Operating System: Linux 3.16.0-4-amd64 x86_64 Debian
[398650.361] Current Operating System: Linux cepelka-notebook 4.5.0-2-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 4.5.3-2 (2016-05-08) x86_64
[398650.361] Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.5.0-2-amd64 root=UUID=ddc15e35-db8c-40c7-95a8-7c6ef8a3033a ro intel_iommu=igfx_off
[398650.361] Build Date: 11 February 2015 12:32:02AM
[398650.361] xorg-server 2:1.16.4-1 (http://www.debian.org/support)
[398650.361] Current version of pixman: 0.33.6
[398650.361] Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
 to make sure that you have the latest version.
[398650.361] Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
 (++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
 (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
[398650.361] (==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Tue Jun 14 10:36:19 2016
[398650.361] (==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
[398650.361] (==) Using config directory: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d"
[398650.361] (==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
[398650.361] (==) ServerLayout "X.org Configured"
[398650.361] (**) |-->Screen "Screen0" (0)
[398650.361] (**) | |-->Monitor "Monitor0"
[398650.361] (**) | |-->Device "Card0"
[398650.361] (**) |-->Input Device "Mouse0"
[398650.361] (**) |-->Input Device "Keyboard0"
[398650.361] (==) Automatically adding devices
[398650.361] (==) Automatically enabling devices
[398650.361] (==) Automatically adding GPU devices
[398650.362] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic" does not exist.
[398650.362] Entry deleted from font path.
[398650.362] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic" does not exist.
[398650.362] Entry deleted from font path.
[398650.362] (**) FontPath set to:
 /usr/share/fonts/X11/misc,
 /usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/:unscaled,
 /usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/:unscaled,
 /usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1,
 /usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi,
 /usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi,
 built-ins,
 /usr/share/fonts/X11/misc,
 /usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/:unscaled,
 /usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/:unscaled,
 /usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1,
 /usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi,
 /usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi,
 built-ins
[398650.362] (**) ModulePath set to "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
[398650.362] (WW) Hotplugging is on,...

[esparky (jan-cepelka)]

I have a update about this behavior - problem exists only if power supply is connected. It is ok if notebook is powered by battery. I tried two power supplies, but both does same problem.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

G.M., thank you for reporting this and helping make Ubuntu better.

Could you please run the following command once from a terminal by ensuring you have the package xdiagnose installed, and that you click the Yes button for attaching additional debugging information:
apport-collect -p xorg 1580219

When reporting xorg related bugs in the future, please do so via the above method. You can learn more about this functionality at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs.

[esparky (jan-cepelka)]

I have a update about this behavior - problem exists only if power supply is connected. It is ok if notebook is powered by battery. I tried two power supplies, but both causes same problem.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

esparky (jan-cepelka), it will help immensely if you filed a new report with Ubuntu by ensuring you have the package xdiagnose installed, and that you click the Yes button for attaching additional debugging information running the following from a terminal:
ubuntu-bug xorg

Also, please feel free to subscribe me to it.

For more on why this is helpful, please see https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs.

[esparky (jan-cepelka)]

Thanks for your reply.

I found the solution - https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkPad-11e-Windows-E-and-Edge/Thinkpad-E550-External-monitor-flickers-constantly-while/td-p/2046119/page/6 , new VGA firmware is there https://support.lenovo.com/cz/en/documents/HT104459?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=email%20trace

It's not xorg problem, it's Thinkpad E550 VGA firmware related bug.

Thank you for your time.

Jan Čepelka

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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