[CLE266] Console screens unusable on Jetway system with VT8623, boot problems

[Peter Belew]

Binary package hint: xserver-xorg-video-openchrome

This is still happening with Lucid beta-1 as updated to 2019-03-27. See comment #6 - there is some kernel dependency, as this doesn't happen when Karmic kernels are used.

When I try to switch to a console with, say ctrl-alt-F2, I get a distorted, magnified background image with a large text cursor. Text typed does not show, but the cursor moves. ALT-F7 allows return to the graphics display.

Also, when booting in rescue mode, the screen goes into this state before it allows root login, so any commands typed after this have to be typed blindly. I WAS able to execute 'Xorg -configure' in this state, in order to get a minimal xorg.conf file, to determine that the openchrome driver was in fact going to be used. I did not create an xorg.conf file for this system, however. (The system seems to detect the ViewSonic E771 tube monitor's resolution properly, usually. Sometimes this fails, and X starts in 800x600 mode).

Ubuntu version and kernel version
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=10.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=lucid
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu lucid (development branch)"
Linux lightning 2.6.32-16-generic #25-Ubuntu SMP Tue Mar 9 16:33:52 UTC 2010 i686 GNU/Linux
model name : VIA Samuel 2
cpu MHz : 798.000

The motherboard is a Jetway 625EMPxxx or 625EMWxxx.

I will be attaching a photo of the screen in this distorted text mode.

Also, when I try to boot in normal mode with the new 2.6.32-16-generic kernel, I get a blank screen initially - ALT-F7 will put the screen in text mode (at least it did once). So there is a booting problem now, which I didn't experience till today.

I referred to this problem in Bug #528767.

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

Here is a photo of the text-mode screen when I try to get a console screen with ctrl-alt-F3.

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

Here is a screen shot of the normal graphics screen, showing the same bobcat kitten.

In the previous screen shot, note that there is a block cursor above the kitten's right ear (on its right).

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

This seems to be #448911, but with the additional problems booting with the 2.6.32-16-generic kernel, and with today's photos of the console screen problem.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for including an image to demonstrate the issue. Could you also please attach the output of `lspci -vvnn` and `dmesg`, and attach your /var/log/Xorg.0.log or Xorg.0.log.old file from after reproducing this issue. If you've using a custom /etc/X11/xorg.conf please attach that as well.

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

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

Here is an archive containing

apt-show-versions.txt
dmesg
lspci.vvnn.txt
Xorg.0.log
Xorg.0.log.old

I updated the system in the last half hour, so I included apt-show-versions output.
The system starts up X properly on boot now (I no longer have to press ALT-F7 as described above) but otherwise I get the strange background image when trying to shift to a text console.

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

This is still happening on this system as of update to beta-1 and further updates through 20 March 2010.

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

This is still happening with today's update of the openchrome driver:

peter@lightning:~$ apt-show-versions xserver-xorg-video-openchrome
xserver-xorg-video-openchrome/lucid uptodate 1:0.2.904+svn827-1

Should this be reported directly to the openchrome project? (Along with Bug #495553) - would that help?

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

While looking at Bug #495553 on a laptop I have with another UniChrome display, someone suggested I try booting with a kernel from Karmic. (see comments on that bug after about #100).

So I copied the 2.6.31-20-generic #58-Ubuntu SMP Fri Mar 12 05:23:09 UTC kernel from that system, and the associated kernel modules, into this system, ran update-grub, and restarted with that kernel.

Running with that Karmic kernel, text consoles (ctl-alt-F1 through F6) work right on this Jetway system.

I haven't checked yet to see if I get the same boot messages regarding Plymouth as I mentioned in Bug #495553.

Problems with the framebuffer module or with Plymouth may be involved.

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

The situation is unchanged as of this morning.

[Ian Clark (yarnofmoo)]

I put the viafb into /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-framebuffer.conf, rebuilt my initrd and rebooted. Problem's gone for me. X still works as well as before, but you lose the pretty boot splash.

Linux phoenix 2.6.32-16-generic #25-Ubuntu SMP Tue Mar 9 16:33:52 UTC 2010 i686 GNU/Linux
Via EPIA-PD

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

That seems to have cured the problem on the system with the Jetway
motherboard. I did get both my custom boot splash and my custom
login-screen splash, though. (Actually I just updated the system with
apt-get after blacklisting the viafb, and the initrd happened to be
rebuilt in the process)

Thanks a lot, Ian!

On Thu, Apr 1, 2010 at 1:36 PM, Ian Clark <email address hidden> wrote:
> I put the viafb into /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-framebuffer.conf, rebuilt
> my initrd and rebooted. Problem's gone for me. X still works as well as
> before, but you lose the pretty boot splash.
>
> Linux phoenix 2.6.32-16-generic #25-Ubuntu SMP Tue Mar 9 16:33:52 UTC 2010 i686 GNU/Linux
> Via EPIA-PD
>
> --
> Console screens unusable on Jetway system with VT8623 [Apollo CLE266], boot problems
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/538893
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>

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UBUNTU 10.04 LTS April 2010
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[Bartosz Kosiorek (gang65)]

Hi Peter.
Is this problem still exists with the latest Linux kernel and default values set (viafb)?

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

I'm updating this system right now - it hadn't been updated for a few days. I believe blacklisting the viafb solved the problem, and I believe that's the default now - to blacklist viafb. I'll check again when the update is complete.

I have another system with the same kind of motherboard. that has a Samsung SyncMaster 570@ tft display connected. This system hangs up during boot of the 17 April daily-build live CD - the boot screen with the moving colored dots keeps going on and on, and booting never completes. Later I'll try that live CD on THIS system, which has a CRT display.

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

After today's update, this system is running

Linux lightning 2.6.32-21-generic #32-Ubuntu SMP Fri Apr 16 08:10:02 UTC 2010 i686 GNU/Linux

viafb is in /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-framebuffer.conf - this is now the default situation.

[Youssef Eldakar (youssefeldakar)]

I, too, am experiencing trouble with Ubuntu 10.04 with a 2.6.32-21-generic-based installer on:

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8623 [Apollo CLE266] integrated CastleRock graphics (rev 03)

I am doing a text mode netboot install and not setting up X. The installer is unusable with distorted broken dialogs and unreadable font. I tried booting the kernel with video=vga16fb:off,viafb:off, but that did not fix the broken screen.

I understand this is still an open issue, but I am at least looking for a workaround to be able to netinstall machines in text mode.

Youssef Eldakar
Bibliotheca Alexandrina