[i915] Unable to launch GUI application due to Intel GPU driver bug in kernel 5.8, but 5.4 works

[Sam Van den Eynde]

I can confirm this problem: https://askubuntu.com/questions/1306700/fixing-gpu-hang-caused-by-i915-driver

Symptom: unable to launch any application after login on to the system, login screen etc works fine. The system thus becomes completely unusable for regular users. I have tried both X and Wayland.

Workaround: boot using "nomodeset" kernel parameter. The lowlatency kernel did not help in my case.

Error (dmesg): "i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] GPU HANG: ecode 7:1:85ddfffd, in Xorg [8648]"

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
Package: linux-image-generic 5.4.0.64.67
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.8.0-40.45~20.04.1-generic 5.8.18
Uname: Linux 5.8.0-40-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: zfs zunicode zavl icp zcommon znvpair
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.14
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: karla 4037 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: karla 4037 F.... pulseaudio
CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
Date: Sun Jan 24 10:36:59 2021
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-04-20 (2105 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 15.04 "Vivid Vervet" - Beta amd64 (20150326)
MachineType: Acer Aspire V5-473P
ProcFB: 0 i915drmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/ZFSL/System/U1804@/boot/vmlinuz-5.8.0-40-generic root=ZFS=hostname-isatapool/ZFSL/System/U1804 ro ZFSSNAP=31 quiet splash elevator=noop vt.handoff=1
PulseList:
 Error: command ['pacmd', 'list'] failed with exit code 1: XDG_RUNTIME_DIR (/run/user/1000) is not owned by us (uid 0), but by uid 1000! (This could e.g. happen if you try to connect to a non-root PulseAudio as a root user, over the native protocol. Don't do that.)
 No PulseAudio daemon running, or not running as session daemon.
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-5.8.0-40-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-5.8.0-40-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.187.8
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to focal on 2020-10-04 (111 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 01/12/2015
dmi.bios.release: 0.0
dmi.bios.vendor: Insyde Corp.
dmi.bios.version: V2.30
dmi.board.asset.tag: Type2 - Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: Polaris_HW
dmi.board.vendor: Acer
dmi.board.version: Type2 - A01 Board Version
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacturer
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.ec.firmware.release: 0.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnInsydeCorp.:bvrV2.30:bd01/12/2015:br0.0:efr0.0:svnAcer:pnAspireV5-473P:pvrTBDbyOEM:rvnAcer:rnPolaris_HW:rvrType2-A01BoardVersion:cvnChassisManufacturer:ct10:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.family: Type1Family
dmi.product.name: Aspire V5-473P
dmi.product.sku: Aspire V5-473P_079C_2_30
dmi.product.version: TBD by OEM
dmi.sys.vendor: Acer

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

This change was made by a bot.

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Please try a kernel from the 5.4 series instead like: https://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v5.4.94/

[Sam Van den Eynde (samvde)]

Mainline apparently does not have zfs modules, this is a root-on-zfs system.

However I tried 5.4.0-65 from the repository, which indeed does not show this problem.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Jose Mico (jose-mico)]

I have the same problem on a desktop with kernel 5.8.0-44-generic and Intel HD Graphics (Celeron G1840). The system boots normally, but GUI freezes after clicking on any icon (only the GUI crashes, you can still access the system by ssh).

Mar 1 08:23:24 desktop kernel: [ 343.133188] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] GPU HANG: ecode 7:1:85ddfffd, in gnome-shell [1798]
Mar 1 08:23:24 desktop kernel: [ 343.133968] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] Resetting chip for stopped heartbeat on rcs0
Mar 1 08:23:24 desktop kernel: [ 343.237659] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] gnome-shell[1798] context reset due to GPU hang
Mar 1 08:23:31 desktop kernel: [ 350.014122] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] GPU HANG: ecode 7:1:85ddfffd, in Xorg [1639]
Mar 1 08:23:31 desktop kernel: [ 350.014178] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] Resetting chip for stopped heartbeat on rcs0
Mar 1 08:23:31 desktop kernel: [ 350.116026] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] Xorg[1639] context reset due to GPU hang

When booting with kernel 5.4.0-66-generic the system works flawlessly.

[Jose Mico (jose-mico)]

See related discussion at:
https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/drm/intel/-/issues/2024

Seems like the bug was introduced in 5.7 and a fix was pushed to 5.10.9