Framebuffer modeset causes display corruption

[Lukasz Pozniak]

After update from Ubuntu 17.04 to 17.10 on my Acer Aspire One netbook (model ZG5) I have a problem with framebuffer corrupting the notebook internal display after modeset.

During system boot, when correct console screen resoltion is to be set, roughly 80% of the screen on the left side gets corrupted (looks like framebuffer is trying to put 1024px line in 800px, so it overflows onto the next line, causing the screen to be unreadable). This effect persists after gdm boots up, so only right 20% of the screen is visible and the rest is still garbled.

I have so far found to workarounds for the issue:

- add nomodeset kernel option in grub at boot time (or add it as GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT)
- use 4.10 kernel from Ubuntu 17.04 that I still have installed

There are reports on stackexchange of the same problem happening for other netbooks like Samsung NC10.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 17.10
Package: linux-image-4.13.0-16-generic 4.13.0-16.19
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.10.0-37.41-generic 4.10.17
Uname: Linux 4.10.0-37-generic i686
ApportVersion: 2.20.7-0ubuntu3.1
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: lukas 1826 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Fri Oct 27 12:53:45 2017
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=03fe381e-adce-4107-9653-cc2836bb242d
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-12-07 (1054 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.10 "Utopic Unicorn" - Release i386 (20141022.1)
MachineType: Acer AOA110
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.10.0-37-generic root=UUID=6cd3c8a0-25fb-4691-a381-776f1df2f524 ro
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.10.0-37-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.10.0-37-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.169
RfKill:
 0: phy0: Wireless LAN
  Soft blocked: no
  Hard blocked: no
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to artful on 2017-10-20 (6 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 10/06/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: Acer
dmi.bios.version: v0.3309
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.vendor: Acer
dmi.board.version: Base Board Version
dmi.chassis.type: 1
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacturer
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAcer:bvrv0.3309:bd10/06/2008:svnAcer:pnAOA110:pvr1:rvnAcer:rn:rvrBaseBoardVersion:cvnChassisManufacturer:ct1:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: AOA110
dmi.product.version: 1
dmi.sys.vendor: Acer

[Lukasz Pozniak (rox-lukas)]

https://askubuntu.com/questions/968742/upgrade-from-17-04-to-17-10-on-samsung-nc-10-80-of-screen-corrupted/969390?noredirect=1#comment1552759_969390

and here's exact workaround steps I've posted as a response to this:

    When system is booting and grub shows up, press "e"

    Find line with "ro quiet splash" and add nomodeset so it says "ro nomodeset quiet splash".

    Press CTRL-X to continue booting

Then there are two workarounds:

1) if you need the new kernel 4.13, you can add "nomodeset" to your kernel options permanently, but this will limit screen resolution to 800x600:

    $ sudo vi /etc/default/grub

    Then add "nomodeset" as below:

    GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="nomodeset quiet splash"

    $ sudo update-grub

2) if you don't mind running older kernel 4.10 and want full 1024x600 resolution, try this solution Set "older" kernel as default grub entry to set up kernel 4.10 as default (framebuffer works fine in this version, in 1024x600 and without having to use nomodeset)

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng)]

Same as LP: #1724639?

[Lukasz Pozniak (rox-lukas)]

Indeed it's a duplicate