xserver / screen resolution not working

[mp]

When the xserver starts and Gnome loads it comes on without a screen resolution set and the panels are out of view. By pressing ALT+F2 it is possible to run gnome-control-center, go to Display where the "Laptop Monitor" is greyed out and set to "Off", then activate the monitor and set the resolution to 1280x800, after which the display resolution is correct, but the panels all jumbled up (see screenshot).

This was also the case with Jaunty Live-CD, which made it impossible to install right. When logging out or rebooting, the xserver goes all wrong again.

There is no shortage of bug reports and questions in discussion fora mentioning this.

For what concerns:
01:05.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RC410 [Radeon Xpress 200M] only up to Intrepid works.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: ubuntu 2479 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'SB'/'HDA ATI SB at 0x54000000 irq 11'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC262'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0262,11790500,00100100 HDA:11c13026,11790001,00100700'
   Controls : 22
   Simple ctrls : 15
CheckboxSubmission: 397a513f045b6ac757f92f962b3f6fe9
CheckboxSystem: b1865df84255b8716d3bcc269ff410d1
Date: Tue Oct 6 01:59:54 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Beta i386 (20090929.2)
MachineType: TOSHIBA Satellite Pro A120
Package: linux-image-2.6.31-11-generic 2.6.31-11.36
PccardctlIdent:
 Socket 0:
   no product info available
PccardctlStatus:
 Socket 0:
   3.3V 32-bit PC Card
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/hostname.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.lz acpi=off noapic xforcevesa
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-11.36-generic
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-11-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.19
RfKill:
 0: phy0: Wireless LAN
  Soft blocked: no
  Hard blocked: no
SourcePackage: linux
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-11-generic i686
dmi.bios.date: 02/28/2007
dmi.bios.vendor: TOSHIBA
dmi.bios.version: Version 3.30
dmi.board.name: Portable PC
dmi.board.vendor: TOSHIBA
dmi.board.version: Version A0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: 0000000000
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: TOSHIBA
dmi.chassis.version: Version 1.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnTOSHIBA:bvrVersion3.30:bd02/28/2007:svnTOSHIBA:pnSatelliteProA120:pvrPSAC0E-035014EN:rvnTOSHIBA:rnPortablePC:rvrVersionA0:cvnTOSHIBA:ct10:cvrVersion1.0:
dmi.product.name: Satellite Pro A120
dmi.product.version: PSAC0E-035014EN
dmi.sys.vendor: TOSHIBA
---
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.21.
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: ubuntu 2478 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'SB'/'HDA ATI SB at 0x54000000 irq 11'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC262'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0262,11790500,00100100 HDA:11c13026,11790001,00100700'
   Controls : 22
   Simple ctrls : 15
CurrentDmesg:
 [ 83.846877] lp: driver loaded but no devices found
 [ 84.545238] ppdev: user-space parallel port driver
 [ 84.732102] eth0: no IPv6 routers present
 [ 165.381938] spurious 8259A interrupt: IRQ7.
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 10.04 "Lucid Lynx" - Beta i386 (20100406.1)
MachineType: TOSHIBA Satellite Pro A120
Package: linux (not installed)
PccardctlIdent:
 Socket 0:
   no product info available
PccardctlStatus:
 Socket 0:
   3.3V 32-bit PC Card
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/hostname.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.lz quiet splash -- acpi=off noapic nolapic console-setup/layoutcode=dk
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-19.28-generic 2.6.32.10+drm33.1
Regression: Yes
RelatedPackageVersions: linux-firmware 1.33
Reproducible: Yes
RfKill:
 0: phy0: Wireless LAN
  Soft blocked: no
  Hard blocked: no
Tags: lucid graphics regression-release needs-upstream-testing
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-19-generic i686
UserGroups: adm admin cdrom dialout lpadmin plugdev sambashare
dmi.bios.date: 02/28/2007
dmi.bios.vendor: TOSHIBA
dmi.bios.version: Version 3.30
dmi.board.name: Portable PC
dmi.board.vendor: TOSHIBA
dmi.board.version: Version A0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: 0000000000
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: TOSHIBA
dmi.chassis.version: Version 1.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnTOSHIBA:bvrVersion3.30:bd02/28/2007:svnTOSHIBA:pnSatelliteProA120:pvrPSAC0E-035014EN:rvnTOSHIBA:rnPortablePC:rvrVersionA0:cvnTOSHIBA:ct10:cvrVersion1.0:
dmi.product.name: Satellite Pro A120
dmi.product.version: PSAC0E-035014EN
dmi.sys.vendor: TOSHIBA

[mp (m-p)]

Here is a screenshot of the Desktop and the panels jumbled up after setting the resolution. NB: resetting the panels is not the problem here, the problem is that the resolution goes wrong again (after reboot) and that the xserver simply does not work. Pressing CTRL+ALT+F1 (to F6) does not give a console, just a blinking cursor on a black screen.

[mp (m-p)]

The exact same behaviour - a non-working Xserver - can be reproduced with a Jaunty Live-CD. With support for not-so-very-old cards dropped in binary driver by ATI and the open-source not working, many users are trapped in Intrepid.

[Eric Miao (eric.y.miao)]

Adding xorg-xserver as affected project. There is a known bug https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=13833 that resolution isn't correct when connecting to external monitor, not sure if your case is similar. And please attach /var/log/Xorg.0.log to help debug. Thanks.

[mp (m-p)]

As soon as I have some spare time I will load the Live-CD and extract a
/var/log/Xorg.0.log

Do you prefer this from a Jaunty Live-CD or a Karmic Beta Live-CD ????

Eric Miao wrote:
> Adding xorg-xserver as affected project. There is a known bug
> https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=13833 that resolution isn't
> correct when connecting to external monitor, not sure if your case is
> similar. And please attach /var/log/Xorg.0.log to help debug. Thanks.
>
> ** Also affects: xorg-server
> Importance: Undecided
> Status: New
>
> ** Bug watch added: freedesktop.org Bugzilla #13833
> https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=13833
>
> ** Changed in: xorg-server
> Status: New => Incomplete
>

[Eric Miao (eric.y.miao)]

A Karmic Beta Live-CD if possible thanks.

[mp (m-p)]

Meanwhile the final Karmic is out, so I booted that. It does not boot unless the "quiet" and "splash" boot parameters are removed, and "noapic" and "safe graphics mode" are chosen. Then it boots fully and the desktop looks perfect. Without noapic it stall at "Clocksource tsc unstable..."

I have attached /var/log/Xorg.0.log

Will post xorg log from Beta Live-CD is needed.

[mp (m-p)]

Will post xorg log from Beta Live-CD _IF_ needed.

[mp (m-p)]

Here is the /var/log/Xorg.0.log from the Jaunty Live-CD, which boots into an environment where the monitor is not active (in gnome-control-center the display properties says there is no monitor). The log is extracted after activating the display, which results in the correct resolution, but if you log out or reboot it reverts to inactive or complete mangled up.

[mp (m-p)]

The xorg log after logging out and logging in again

[mp (m-p)]

This is a shot taken by gnome-screenshot of the desktop, but that is not actually how the desktop looks?!?!

[mp (m-p)]

Here is the log from a working Intrepid installation on the same machine that the other logs are from.

[mp (m-p)]

Finally, the log from the the Karmic Beta Live CD

[mp (m-p)]

The final Karmic Live CD cannot boot unless, as already stated above, "quiet" and "splash" boot parameters are removed, and "noapic" and "safe graphics mode" are chosen.

Moreover it can also not do a "Check CD for defects" - when choosing this option the screen goes black and the cursor is blinking in the top left hand corner.

Needless to say I have tested the CD on another machine. There are no errors and it loads fine.

[mp (m-p)]

If this bug report is still incomplete, please tell me what is missing?

[mp (m-p)]

This is not a very satisfying process. Months and months have gone by now.......

[Jeremy Foshee (jeremyfoshee)]

Hi mp,

This bug was reported a while ago and there hasn't been any activity in it recently. We were wondering if this is still an issue? Can you try with the latest development release of Ubuntu? ISO CD images are available from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/ .

If it remains an issue, could you run the following command from a Terminal (Applications->Accessories->Terminal). It will automatically gather and attach updated debug information to this report.

apport-collect -p linux 444192

Also, if you could test the latest upstream kernel available that would be great. It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag. This can be done by clicking on the yellow pencil icon next to the tag located at the bottom of the bug description and deleting the 'needs-upstream-testing' text. Please let us know your results.

Thanks in advance.

    [This is an automated message. Apologies if it has reached you inappropriately; please just reply to this message indicating so.]

[mp (m-p)]

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[mp (m-p)]

Just loaded Lucid Beta 2, which cannot boot with standard parameters. It ends in a screen with no text, some coloured background and a white square in the middle of the screen. Mouse works, keyboard works, but the only thing it can do for the user is to go to a console, such as via CTRL+ALT+F2, where there are many error messages, all referring to the same thing (which has been a problem since Jaunty for many!!!!):

[603.412359] [drm_radeon_fence_wait] *ERROR* fence (f3a55820: 0x000000115) 516ms time out

[610.972433] [drm_radeon_fence_wait] *ERROR* last signalled fence

[xxx.yyyyyy] [drm_radeon_fence_wait] *ERROR* fence (f3a55820: 0x000000115) 516ms time out going to restart GPU

Where xxx.yyyyyy indicates that these numbers are different for each error message

The apport report submitted above is done after booting with:

noacpi
noapic
nolapic

With these parameters Lucid Beta 2 boots ok, but as can be seen in the attached screenshot there is a strange error in the network-manager icon in the systray

[mp (m-p)]

I cannot test this further, since I need this machine for production, so cannot install Lucid Beta 2 and for instance try the mainline kernel.

However, there has been so widespread unhappiness since Xorg server 1.6, which coincided with Jaunty, that this is not a Lucid problem specifically: it has existed for more than a year now. I guess I am just stuck with Intrepid or must buy a new computer that is supported in newer versions of Ubuntu (something reminds me of Wintel here, is this the new Ubuntel universe?)

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This bug was filed against a series that is no longer supported and so is being marked as Won't Fix. If this issue still exists in a supported series, please file a new bug.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.