[Q35] Rebooting after relatively long uptime, Xorg gives an error of No Valid Modes

[Sensiva]

It is happening again and again, after leaving my workstation up for long time (3 days or more) and rebooting... gdm starts in low graphics mode after showing an error of No Valid Modes. I have to shutdown and disconnect the power plugs for about 15 minutes, then power up again, to find everything is working fine.

This never happens with Debian, Fedora or Windows, only Karmic (I remember it happened many times during the days of Hardy)
My PC is Dell Optiplex 755 with Intel Q35 VGA , and HP monitor model hp p 1230. I am using Karmic amd64.

Further info attached
Thank you

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: amd64
CheckboxSubmission: fe1df45febe5b83f3490d1fcfefd6d51
CheckboxSystem: 2a6f54df59af338184485e85cbcf0d32
Date: Fri Feb 5 08:37:45 2010
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
ExecutablePath: /usr/bin/Xorg
MachineType: Dell Inc. OptiPlex 755
Package: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.6.4-2ubuntu4.1
ProcCmdLine: root=UUID=79d9f0cd-63ed-86b1-1de1-9e9297a4daa5 ro splash
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANGUAGE=en_US:en
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-19.56-generic
RelatedPackageVersions:
 xserver-xorg 1:7.4+3ubuntu10
 libgl1-mesa-glx 7.6.0-1ubuntu4
 libdrm2 2.4.14-1ubuntu1
 xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.9.0-1ubuntu2.1
 xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.12.99+git20090929.7968e1fb-0ubuntu1
SourcePackage: xorg-server
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-19-generic x86_64
XsessionErrors:
 (gnome-settings-daemon:2573): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_propagate_error: assertion `src != NULL' failed
 (gnome-settings-daemon:2573): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_propagate_error: assertion `src != NULL' failed
 (nautilus:2799): Eel-CRITICAL **: eel_preferences_get_boolean: assertion `preferences_is_initialized ()' failed
 (gnome-panel:2798): Gdk-WARNING **: /build/buildd/gtk+2.0-2.18.3/gdk/x11/gdkdrawable-x11.c:952 drawable is not a pixmap or window
dmi.bios.date: 09/10/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A15
dmi.board.name: 0GM819
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.type: 6
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA15:bd09/10/2009:svnDellInc.:pnOptiPlex755:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn0GM819:rvr:cvnDellInc.:ct6:cvr:
dmi.product.name: OptiPlex 755
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.
fglrx: Not loaded
system:
 distro: Ubuntu
 architecture: x86_64kernel: 2.6.31-19-generic
xkbcomp:
 Error: command ['xkbcomp', ':0', '-w0', '-'] failed with exit code 1: Error: Cannot open display ":0"
                   Exiting

[lspci]
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation 82Q35 Express Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:29b2] (rev 02)
     Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0211]

[Andreas Noteng (andreas-noteng)]

Thank you for helping making Ubuntu better by reporting this bug. We are nearing the next release of Ubunu (Lucid Lynx). Could you please test with the latest lucid-alpha? Either with a livecd or by upgrading with 'sudo update-manager -d' / 'sudo do-release-upgrade -d'. Alternatively you could try with a newer kernel from: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/ instructions here: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeam/MainlineBuilds.

If the bug turns out to be fixed in Lucid the fix will be publicly available in April.

[Andreas Noteng (andreas-noteng)]

Please keep in mind that upgrading to prerelease may break things in unforeseeable ways, and should not be done on a production system.

[Sensiva (sensiva)]

I don't think upgrading to Lucid would be suitable for me now. Do you mean by "Alternatively you could try with a newer kernel from: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/" - is installing a newer kernel in Karmic from Kernel Mainline?

[Andreas Noteng (andreas-noteng)]

Yes. Since this is likely caused by the intel-drm driver in the kernel, this might work. If this doesn't have the desired effect there's no problem reverting back to the old kernel.

[Sensiva (sensiva)]

Which version should I install?, there are alot in the mainline.

[Andreas Noteng (andreas-noteng)]

you could try this one, it pretty close to the current lucid kernel. http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v2.6.32.6/

[Sensiva (sensiva)]

I tried the kernel Andreas suggested to me , and rebooted the pc after 6 days of uptime, it worked fine.

- Can I continue using that kernel? or I should revert back to Karmic kernel?
- Is it planned to be fixed in Karmic or Jaunty too?

Thanks for your help

[Andreas Noteng (andreas-noteng)]

There shouldn't be a problem with using the new kernel. This means it is most likely fixed in Lucid already, so when the time comes and you upgrade, it will work with the ubuntu-kernel.

[Sensiva (sensiva)]

Andreas, I appreciate your help but would you please answer my questions?

- Can I continue using that kernel? or I should revert back to Karmic kernel?
- Is it planned to be fixed in Karmic or Jaunty too?

Thanks

[Andreas Noteng (andreas-noteng)]

Yes, you can continue using the kernel.
Will most likely not be fixed in Jaunty, karmic might be fixed if you request a backport. For now we concentrate on getting Lucid ready for release.

[Andreas Noteng (andreas-noteng)]

Can you please try with the lucid kernel from this page?: https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux
If it's fixed here too, we know for sure it's already fixed in lucid.

[Sensiva (sensiva)]

Sorry for the dummy question , but I had to ask. Which one exactly should I use?

[Andreas Noteng (andreas-noteng)]

try this one: http://launchpadlibrarian.net/39387000/linux-image-2.6.32-14-generic_2.6.32-14.19_amd64.deb
corresponding headers: http://launchpadlibrarian.net/39387001/linux-headers-2.6.32-14-generic_2.6.32-14.19_amd64.deb
Thanks

[Sensiva (sensiva)]

installing headers gives the error

Error: Dependency is not satisfiable: linux-headers-2.6.32-14

I guess common headers are needed linux-headers-2.6.32-14_2.6.32-14.19_all.deb

Thanks

[Andreas Noteng (andreas-noteng)]

of course...
Let me now if it works out.

[Sensiva (sensiva)]

I still need one more package to install the headers

[Andreas Noteng (andreas-noteng)]

Thought you'd found it yourself... here it is: http://launchpadlibrarian.net/39385011/linux-headers-2.6.32-14_2.6.32-14.19_all.deb

[Sensiva (sensiva)]

I installed the kernel Andreas mentioned 2.6.32-14.19 , and after 4 days of uptime I rebooted, everything worked just fine.

I hope this means that this bug is fixed, and get it fixed in Karmic too

Feel free to ask for any info or tests

Thanks
Sensiva

[Andreas Noteng (andreas-noteng)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. However, I am closing it because the bug has been fixed in the latest development version of Ubuntu - Lucid Lynx. It won't be fixed in previous versions of Ubuntu because the package doesn't fit the requirements for backporting. See https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuBackports for more information.