Intrepid: KDM Sometimes Doesn't Appear

[Jeremy LaCroix]

Binary package hint: kdm

On my Intrepid set up, sometimes KDM doesn't appear (somewhere around one in five boots). Instead I just see a black screen. If I press ALT+CTRL+Backspace a couple of times and wait about two minutes (no exaggeration) KDM will then appear. Other times, KDM appears right away after I boot up my machine. Unfortunately, I am unable to find out a trigger that is responsible for causing this, so I'm including as much information as I can think of to help you. If I'm forgetting a log file or two let me know what's needed.

Unfortunately, I don't know for sure what package is causing this, so I chose "kdm" as it's the only thing that I can think of to mark in this bug report.

My machine consists of the following:
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+
RAM: 2GB DDR2
Video Card: 2 X Geforce 8600GT (SLI)
OS: Kubuntu Intrepid 64-bit with all updates

Please note that I run a Kubuntu-only machine with no GTK apps whatsoever, other than what may have possibly been included in Kubuntu, if any. This is a fresh install of Alpha 6, not an upgrade from a previous version.

[Jeremy LaCroix (jlacroix82-deactivatedaccount)]

I forgot to mention, with my SLI set up, the xorg.conf file I posted is the only thing that will give me an X Server at all, so that's why I had to make a custom one.

[Jeremy LaCroix (jlacroix82-deactivatedaccount)]

It just happened again so I'm attaching the Xorg.0.log file if it helps.

Also, I just noticed that if I wait a full two minutes, X will start, I don't have to press any keys like I thought I did.

[Harald Sitter (apachelogger)]

Did this happen again?
If so the kdm.log would be good to have.

Also, I suggest starting with kernel option verbose instead of splash...
 at grub select the entry you want to boot - press e - select the kernel options - press e - remove the trailing splash - add verbose - press enter - press b
Note that you will have to do this for every boot, a constant option would be to edit /boot/grub/menu.lst accordingly.

[Jeremy LaCroix (jlacroix82-deactivatedaccount)]

This did happen again, however I've not had this problem happen after
the kernel update today. I rebooted six times and it was fine. I
recommend to close the bug for now, and if it happens again, I'll grab
the kdm.log file.

Harald Sitter wrote:
> Did this happen again?
> If so the kdm.log would be good to have.
>
> Also, I suggest starting with kernel option verbose instead of splash...
> at grub select the entry you want to boot - press e - select the kernel options - press e - remove the trailing splash - add verbose - press enter - press b
> Note that you will have to do this for every boot, a constant option would be to edit /boot/grub/menu.lst accordingly.
>
> ** Changed in: kdebase-workspace (Ubuntu)
> Status: New => Incomplete
>
>

[Harald Sitter (apachelogger)]

Ok, thank you.

[Jeremy LaCroix (jlacroix82-deactivatedaccount)]

This problem has started occurring again. This time though, one in about five boots I get a message saying that Ubuntu has started in safe graphics mode. If I click cancel on the safe graphics mode selection, X starts up fine with the correct resolution and videocard driver.

I think the new problem is actually the same as this one. Before KDM would take a very long time to restart and sit at a black screen. This time it still sits at a blank screen but later comes up with the safe graphics mode notice.

I'm attaching all of the log files I can think of.

[Harald Sitter (apachelogger)]

xf86OpenConsole: VT_WAITACTIVE failed: Interrupted system call
in the KDM log looks interesting, I have no idea what it is though ;-)

Moving bug to nvidia-graphics-drivers-177, it appears to me there is no issue with KDM whatsoever, it just tires starting the X server over and over again, until it gives up and goes to failsafe mode, which apparently is working.

[Jeremy LaCroix (jlacroix82-deactivatedaccount)]

Thank you for looking into it. Another thing that is really weird is
that if you click cancel on the safe graphics mode selection, the X
server starts fine normally with the full refresh rate and glxgears. It
appears to me that something is taking too long to respond.

Harald Sitter wrote:
> xf86OpenConsole: VT_WAITACTIVE failed: Interrupted system call
> in the KDM log looks interesting, I have no idea what it is though ;-)
>
> Moving bug to nvidia-graphics-drivers-177, it appears to me there is no
> issue with KDM whatsoever, it just tires starting the X server over and
> over again, until it gives up and goes to failsafe mode, which
> apparently is working.
>
> ** Changed in: nvidia-graphics-drivers-177 (Ubuntu)
> Sourcepackagename: kdebase-workspace => nvidia-graphics-drivers-177
>
>

[Jeremy LaCroix (jlacroix82-deactivatedaccount)]

I just ran all the updates today, and this is happening even more frequently. (The last two times I started my computer). One time, the screen was completely scrambled in black and green hues. (Although I can't make the scrambling problem happen again).

Three boots ago it did load up just fine, and sometimes the speed of the particular boot seems to make a difference.

[Stéphane Travostino (eazy87)]

As Harald said, it seems to be a driver bug, not KDM's: I am using GNOME, and today, X crashed (and I couldn't make it restart, but this is going to another bug report) and I found that error message "xf86OpenConsole: VT_WAITACTIVE failed: Interrupted system call" in my Xorg.20.log.

I am using a GeForce 9600M GT with nvidia-glx-177 version 177.80 on Intrepid. Although I am having a lot of nasty issues with this driver, this is the first time I get this crash in ~15 days.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

[This is an automated message]

Hi jlacroix82,

Please attach the output of `lspci -vvnn` too.

[Jeremy LaCroix (jlacroix82-deactivatedaccount)]

I haven't had this problem in a while, I thought you guys fixed it?

Bryce Harrington wrote:
> [This is an automated message]
>
> Hi jlacroix82,
>
>
> Please attach the output of `lspci -vvnn` too.
>
>
> ** Changed in: nvidia-graphics-drivers-177 (Ubuntu)
> Status: New => Incomplete
>
>

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Okay great, thanks for letting us know it's no longer a problem for you.

[Karye (karye2004)]

Hi!

I get same behaviour: sometimes kdm doesn't start.

Xorg.0.log ends with:
Fatal server error:
xf86OpenConsole: VT_WAITACTIVE failed: Interrupted system call

I'm using Intrepi damd64 with KDE 4.2 on a Core2 Duo box.
And got NVidia driver 180.22

[huiii (a00ps)]

Hello, I have exactly the same problem as Jeremy LaCroix.
I am on kubuntu 8.10
Kde 4.2

It started 2days ago, after some updates...

after fresh boot, system switches to low-res, before login,
when i press the cancel button, it then switches over to normals resolution and to kdm.
afterwards nvidia is fine, glxinfo positive, etc...

i am puzzled..
please help me
i will give u all info u need...

thanks in advance

[huiii (a00ps)]

I just discovered that when starting with kernel option verbose instead of splash
 (at grub select boot entry - press e - select the kernel options - press e - remove the trailing splash)
everything just goes fine.
now i just need to know how i can reconfigure the splash seq in a way, that this annoyance does not happen anymore, any ideas?

[huiii (a00ps)]

as i have tested the boot up with nvidia enabled and without, always with same result, congruent to initial explained symptoms by Jeremy LaCroix, I assume that this can not be related to nvidia. clearly it is related to usplash, as switching it off in grub, this problem does not occur.

[Martin Eve (martineve)]

I too have had this problem with nvidia 177 on intrepid with kde4.2. Disabling usplash in grub fixes the problem.

[xteejx (xteejx)]

Hi guys. Can this be reproduced with the Live CD of Lucid? Thank you.

[xteejx (xteejx)]

We are closing this bug report because it lacks the information we need to investigate the problem, as described in the previous comments. Please reopen it if you can give us the missing information, and don't hesitate to submit bug reports in the future. To reopen the bug report you can click on the current status, under the Status column, and change the Status back to "New". Thanks again!