message - Low Graphics mode - about 2/3 of startups - not all

Bug #1772386 reported by Roger Davis
14
This bug affects 1 person
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
xorg (Ubuntu)
Expired
Low
Unassigned

Bug Description

After a recent update (kernel?), I have begun to occasionally receive the message "Running in Low Graphics Mode" at boot (maybe half the time). I can tell it to use Default setting from the options it offers, and get by it, after which things look and work normally until a reboot, which may or may not occur correctly.

I also usually get "System error detected, Report? at the same time, so I agree to report it.

This problem shows up using GNOME Flashback or Unity.

roger@roger-desktop:~$ free -m
total used free shared buff/cache available
Mem: 16013 3880 10410 363 1722 11443
Swap: 16348 0 16348

roger@roger-desktop:~$ df -h
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
udev 7.8G 0 7.8G 0% /dev
tmpfs 1.6G 9.6M 1.6G 1% /run
/dev/sda1 902G 77G 779G 9% /
tmpfs 7.9G 127M 7.7G 2% /dev/shm
tmpfs 5.0M 4.0K 5.0M 1% /run/lock
tmpfs 7.9G 0 7.9G 0% /sys/fs/cgroup
cgmfs 100K 0 100K 0% /run/cgmanager/fs
tmpfs 1.6G 52K 1.6G 1% /run/user/1000

WORKAROUND: Using x-diagnose, I selected all options under both Debug and Workarounds.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: xorg 1:7.7+13ubuntu3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-124.148-generic 4.4.117
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-124-generic x86_64
.tmp.unity_support_test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.17
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: None
CurrentDesktop: GNOME-Flashback:Unity
Date: Mon May 21 01:56:23 2018
DistUpgraded: 2016-12-17 18:57:41,412 DEBUG icon theme changed, re-reading
DistroCodename: xenial
DistroVariant: ubuntu
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes
GraphicsCard:
 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Cape Verde PRO [Radeon HD 7750/8740 / R7 250E] [1002:683f] (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: PC Partner Limited / Sapphire Technology Cape Verde PRO [Radeon HD 7750/8740 / R7 250E] [174b:e213]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-07-07 (1413 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140417)
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-124-generic root=UUID=3d311d21-7c70-432e-a4ac-d9dd4986a2b5 ro plymouth:debug drm.debug=0xe nopat vesafb.invalid=1
SourcePackage: xorg
Symptom: display
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to xenial on 2016-12-18 (519 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 02/08/2012
dmi.bios.vendor: Intel Corp.
dmi.bios.version: BHZ7710H.86A.0057.2012.0208.1904
dmi.board.name: DZ77BH-55K
dmi.board.vendor: Intel Corporation
dmi.board.version: AAG39008-400
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnIntelCorp.:bvrBHZ7710H.86A.0057.2012.0208.1904:bd02/08/2012:svn:pn:pvr:rvnIntelCorporation:rnDZ77BH-55K:rvrAAG39008-400:cvn:ct3:cvr:
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.12.3+16.04.20180221-0ubuntu1
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.83-1~16.04.1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 17.2.8-0ubuntu0~16.04.1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 17.2.8-0ubuntu0~16.04.1
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.18.4-0ubuntu0.7
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.10.1-1ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:7.7.0-1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.917+git20160325-1ubuntu1.2
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.12-1build2
xserver.bootTime: Mon May 21 01:25:13 2018
xserver.configfile: default
xserver.errors:

xserver.logfile: /var/log/Xorg.0.log
xserver.version: 2:1.18.4-0ubuntu0.7
xserver.video_driver: radeon

Revision history for this message
Roger Davis (rogerdavis-d) wrote :
Revision history for this message
penalvch (penalvch) wrote :

Roger Davis, thank you for reporting this and helping make Ubuntu better.

1) Could you please after which update specifically and when did this issue start to happen?

2) If you boot into previous kernels is this issue reproducible?

3) To see if this is already resolved in your release, could you please update your HWE stack as per https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/LTSEnablementStack and advise to the results?

tags: added: bios-outdated-100 regression-update
Changed in xorg (Ubuntu):
importance: Undecided → Low
status: New → Incomplete
Revision history for this message
Roger Davis (rogerdavis-d) wrote :

1) I cannot tell which update caused this.

2) Not sure how to boot to previous kernels

3) roger@roger-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get install --install-recommends linux-generic-hwe-16.04 xserver-xorg-hwe-16.04
[sudo] password for roger:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
linux-generic-hwe-16.04 is already the newest version (4.13.0.43.62).
xserver-xorg-hwe-16.04 is already the newest version (1:7.7+16ubuntu3~16.04.1).
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  libqmi-glib1 libqpdf17 python3-notify2 python3-pexpect python3-pil
  python3-ptyprocess python3-pyqt4 python3-renderpm python3-reportlab
  python3-reportlab-accel python3-sip
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
roger@roger-desktop:~$

Or do you mean results as to boot with no problems? - No change to that.

Revision history for this message
penalvch (penalvch) wrote :

Roger Davis:

1) To clarify, when using the upgraded HWE stack, did this influence the reported issue "message - Low Graphics mode - about 2/3 of startups - not all"?

2) To narrow down, could you please provide the output of the following terminal command (not manually attach anything found):
ls -la /var/crash

3) To confirm, is there a reason you are using the non-default kernel parameters (i.e. WORKAROUND a problem):
plymouth:debug drm.debug=0xe nopat vesafb.invalid=1

4) If you remove the non-default kernel parameters does this influence the reported issue:
plymouth:debug drm.debug=0xe nopat vesafb.invalid=1

Revision history for this message
Roger Davis (rogerdavis-d) wrote : Re: [Bug 1772386] Re: message - Low Graphics mode - about 2/3 of startups - not all
Download full text (9.2 KiB)

1) roger@roger-desktop:~$ sudo apt-get install --install-recommends linux-generic-hwe-16.04 xserver-xorg-hwe-16.04
[sudo] password for roger:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
linux-generic-hwe-16.04 is already the newest version (4.13.0.43.62).
xserver-xorg-hwe-16.04 is already the newest version (1:7.7+16ubuntu3~16.04.1).
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  libqmi-glib1 libqpdf17 python3-notify2 python3-pexpect python3-pil
  python3-ptyprocess python3-pyqt4 python3-renderpm python3-reportlab
  python3-reportlab-accel python3-sip
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
roger@roger-desktop:~$
Or do you mean results as to boot with no problems? - No change to that on earlier experience, but now after additional other updates, and using Xdiagnose with various settings, I haven't seen a boot problem for a few updates. I will continue to monitor for a few days with Xdiagnose off to assure that problem is really gone.
In retrospect, it appears likely to me that there was a borderline timing problem in the boot sequence, and something in the meantime (almost daily updates, or ???) may have changed that, or maybe I've just been lucky the past 8 or 10 tries. Continued watching is appropriate.
Also, the command " sudo apt-get install --install-recommends linux-generic-hwe-16.04 xserver-xorg-hwe-16.04 " actually causes a problem in my system. It sets and locks the theme to Ambiance, even though the setting properly shows Adwaita. It will not allow the theme to be reset until I reboot into Unity desktop which then allows it to reset properly to Adwaita. I don't know if this is a bug, or just the way it works for diagnostic purposes. If it's just the way it works, it should be described in the documentation along with the fix. If it's a bug, I'll leave it to others for now.

2) roger@roger-desktop:~$ ls -la /var/crash
total 8
drwxrwsrwt 2 root whoopsie 4096 May 29 03:46 .
drwxr-xr-x 15 root root 4096 Dec 17 2016 ..
roger@roger-desktop:~$

3) "To confirm, is there a reason you are using the non-default kernel parameters (i.e. WORKAROUND a problem):
plymouth:debug drm.debug=0xe nopat vesafb.invalid=1"
- I'm not familiar with that line. I can guess two possibilities:
- - Something very old in the system, perhaps done to deal with an earlier difficulty
- - Some connection with Xdiagnose, which I have been experimenting with previously in connection with this problem (now all settings inactivated as of today).

4) "If you remove the non-default kernel parameters does this influence the reported issue:
plymouth:debug drm.debug=0xe nopat vesafb.invalid=1 "
Please tell me before I deal with this if this is possibly something done by Xdiagnose, and how to best remove it if that seems advisable.

Thanks!

-----Original Message-----
From: Christopher M. Penalver <email address hidden>
To: rogerdavis <email address hidden>
Sent: Sun, Jun 3, 2018 5:40 pm
Subject: [Bug 1772386] Re: message - Low Graphics mode - about 2/3 of startups - not all

Roger Davis:

1) To clarify,...

Read more...

Revision history for this message
penalvch (penalvch) wrote :

Roger Davis:

 A) Regarding your comment:
>"sudo apt-get install --install-recommends linux-generic-hwe-16.04 xserver-xorg-hwe-16.04"

That doesn't confirm you are booted into the HWE kernel. That only shows that certain packages are installed (which you provided already in a previous comment).

If you want to demonstrate what kernel is being using currently type:
uname -a

 B) Regarding your comment:
>"...but now after additional other updates, and using Xdiagnose with various settings, I haven't seen a boot problem for a few updates. I will continue to monitor for a few days with Xdiagnose off to assure that problem is really gone."

Sounds good.

 B) Regarding your comment:
>"...actually causes a problem in my system. It sets and locks the theme to Ambiance, even though the setting properly shows Adwaita."

Could be a bug, but that isn't the scope of this report. If you want it fixed, you would have to file a new report.

 C) Regarding your comment:
>"Please tell me before I deal with this if this is possibly something done by Xdiagnose..."

Given you don't recall doing it, it was done by Xdiagnose when you checked its checkboxes.

Revision history for this message
Roger Davis (rogerdavis-d) wrote :

In response to Christopher M. Penalver

1) same as 3 above

2) roger@roger-desktop:~$ ls -la /var/crash
total 8
drwxrwsrwt 2 root whoopsie 4096 May 29 03:46 .
drwxr-xr-x 15 root root 4096 Dec 17 2016 ..
roger@roger-desktop:~$

3) "To confirm, is there a reason you are using the non-default kernel parameters (i.e. WORKAROUND a problem):
plymouth:debug drm.debug=0xe nopat vesafb.invalid=1"
- I'm not familiar with that line. I can guess two possibilities:
- - Something very old in the system, perhaps done to deal with an earlier difficulty
- - Some connection with Xdiagnose, which I have been experimenting with previously in connection with this problem (now all settings inactivated as of today).

4) "If you remove the non-default kernel parameters does this influence the reported issue:
plymouth:debug drm.debug=0xe nopat vesafb.invalid=1 "
Please tell me before I deal with this if this is possibly something done by Xdiagnose, and how to best remove it if that seems advisable.

Thanks!

Revision history for this message
penalvch (penalvch) wrote :

Roger Davis:

a) You are responding multiple times to the same comment, causing confusion. Hence, it is best if you looked at the bug report (not email inbox) to confirm if you have already responded, and use the website to respond (not send emails):
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xorg/+bug/1772386

It is helpful if you use the website to "Hide" the duplicate comments (#6, #9, and #11) so others don't get confused.

b) Regarding your comment:
>"I'll hold off on filing a bug on Xdiagnose..."

Agreed. If you are using non-default kernel parameters, a potential response would be "don't do that". However, if you have to use them so the scope of this report doesn't happen, that's a different story.

Revision history for this message
Roger Davis (rogerdavis-d) wrote :
Download full text (6.7 KiB)

I understand - thanks !!!

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world.
The unreasonable man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.
Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.
,-._,-.
\/)"(\/
(:o:)
  (!)

-----Original Message-----
From: Christopher M. Penalver <email address hidden>
To: rogerdavis <email address hidden>
Sent: Sun, Jun 3, 2018 11:50 pm
Subject: [Bug 1772386] Re: message - Low Graphics mode - about 2/3 of startups - not all

Roger Davis:

a) You are responding multiple times to the same comment, causing confusion. Hence, it is best if you looked at the bug report (not email inbox) to confirm if you have already responded, and use the website to respond (not send emails):
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xorg/+bug/1772386

It is helpful if you use the website to "Hide" the duplicate comments
(#6, #9, and #11) so others don't get confused.

b) Regarding your comment:
>"I'll hold off on filing a bug on Xdiagnose..."

Agreed. If you are using non-default kernel parameters, a potential
response would be "don't do that". However, if you have to use them so
the scope of this report doesn't happen, that's a different story.

--
You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
report.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1772386

Title:
  message - Low Graphics mode - about 2/3 of startups - not all

Status in xorg package in Ubuntu:
  Incomplete

Bug description:
  After a recent update (kernel?), I have begun to occasionally receive
  the message "Running in Low Graphics Mode" at boot (maybe half the
  time). I can tell it to use Default setting from the options it
  offers, and get by it, after which things look and work normally until
  a reboot, which may or may not occur correctly.

  I also usually get "System error detected, Report? at the same time,
  so I agree to report it.

  Please note that I'm using 16.04 (fully updated), Gnome Flashback
  Metacity, with [AMD/ATI] Cape Verde PRO [Radeon HD 7750/8740 / R7
  250E] . This problem shows up no matter which of the above I'm using,
  or Unity.

  roger@roger-desktop:~$ uname -a
  Linux roger-desktop 4.4.0-124-generic #148-Ubuntu SMP Wed May 2 13:00:18 UTC 2018 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

  roger@roger-desktop:~$ free -m
  total used free shared buff/cache available
  Mem: 16013 3880 10410 363 1722 11443
  Swap: 16348 0 16348

  roger@roger-desktop:~$ df -h
  Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
  udev 7.8G 0 7.8G 0% /dev
  tmpfs 1.6G 9.6M 1.6G 1% /run
  /dev/sda1 902G 77G 779G 9% /
  tmpfs 7.9G 127M 7.7G 2% /dev/shm
  tmpfs 5.0M 4.0K 5.0M 1% /run/lock
  tmpfs 7.9G 0 7.9G 0% /sys/fs/cgroup
  cgmfs 100K 0 100K 0% /run/cgmanager/fs
  tmpfs 1.6G 52K 1.6G 1% /run/user/1000

  I have found a WORK-AROUND. Using x-diagnose, I selected all options
  under both Debug and Workarounds. After this, all works normally
  every time. However, I take this as a crutch, not a fix, and think
  other action should be taken

  Selecting "View Errors" shows no errors, so I never tried reporting
  from that point.

  This gives me a presumption that there is a bug in coding that
  interacts badly with my syst...

Read more...

Revision history for this message
Roger Davis (rogerdavis-d) wrote :

Today, with Xdiagnose unused, I again had an error message "Running in Low Graphics Mode", after about a dozen starts with no problem.

I again engaged Xdiagnose, checked the top 3 boxes about functions, and also engaged "Disable bootloader graphics".

Back to checking results...

Revision history for this message
penalvch (penalvch) wrote :

Roger Davis, could you please provide undo the WORKAROUND, and provide the missing information from https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingKernelBoot ?

description: updated
Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

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

Changed in xorg (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → Expired
Revision history for this message
Roger Davis (rogerdavis-d) wrote :

I can't follow the above instruction, since before that date (6/5/18) I have turned off all options in X-Diagnose, and the system boots every time now.

BUT :
1) The boot process is now verbose, despite turning off all options, and I can't change this back to quiet, which could produce the problem again.
2) Occasionally upon reboot after a new kernel is installed, the system comes up in Ambiance theme, where I had it in Adwatia. To get it back is not straighforward, I must either reboot into straight Ubuntu (not Gnome Flashback) and reset it, or cycle through the options a few times until it sticks. This might be a clue?

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