[i945] intel gma 82945G xorg does not work at boot

[Asif Youssuff]

Binary package hint: xorg

When booting up the computer, Xorg does not seem to work -- gdm is started, but nothing appears on the screen.

I generated this bug report by running ubuntu bug in a tty. Stopping gdm and doing "startx" works, as this is how i am reporting this bug (saved apport).

This has been a problem since lucid, but did not occur in karmic.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: xserver-xorg 1:7.5+5ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.34-4.11-generic 2.6.34
Uname: Linux 2.6.34-4-generic x86_64
Architecture: amd64
CheckboxSubmission: b5741632ce80140fe62dfd1ff63467c7
CheckboxSystem: 55ba142b3b792c71cc61171c782c3b13
Date: Wed May 26 22:09:26 2010
DkmsStatus:
 virtualbox-ose, 3.1.6, 2.6.34-3-generic, x86_64: installed
 virtualbox-ose, 3.1.6, 2.6.34-4-generic, x86_64: installed
 virtualbox-ose, 3.1.6, 2.6.34-2-generic, x86_64: installed
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.34-4-generic root=UUID=8adc7ad3-8055-4b55-93f0-62e47ad8ddaa ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: xorg
dmi.bios.date: 09/03/2007
dmi.bios.vendor: Intel Corp.
dmi.bios.version: NT94510J.86A.4092.2007.0903.0307
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: D945GNT
dmi.board.vendor: Intel Corporation
dmi.board.version: AAC96320-401
dmi.chassis.type: 2
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnIntelCorp.:bvrNT94510J.86A.4092.2007.0903.0307:bd09/03/2007:svn:pn:pvr:rvnIntelCorporation:rnD945GNT:rvrAAC96320-401:cvn:ct2:cvr:
system:
 distro: Ubuntu
 codename: maverick
 architecture: x86_64
 kernel: 2.6.34-4-generic

[Stenten (stenten)]

Try removing "quiet splash" from the kernel line in grub.

Also, are you running xorg-edgers??

[Asif Youssuff (yoasif)]

Also, are you running xorg-edgers??

I am not currently, I was before and experienced even more issues (crashes). I will try the quiet splash thing soon.

[Asif Youssuff (yoasif)]

It does not make a difference when I remove "quiet splash" from the kernel line in grub.

After booting, I stop gdm, then if I do "sudo gdm" I see a blank screen (monitor no display screen). Doing a "startx" instead logs me into my user account.

[Stenten (stenten)]

Did you see any errors when you booted without "quiet splash"?

Sounds like a problem with gdm, not xorg, from what you're saying (since "startx" works but "sudo service gdm start" doesn't). A few more things just to make sure:
1) Replace "quiet splash" with "nomodeset".
2) Replace "quiet splash" with "xforcevesa".

[Asif Youssuff (yoasif)]

1) Replace "quiet splash" with "nomodeset".
2) Replace "quiet splash" with "xforcevesa".

nomodeset works as expected. Meaning gdm loads, and I can login normally (and choose a new session).

xforcevesa -- same issue as seen when removing "quiet splash".

[Stenten (stenten)]

Does the screen black-out before or after the gdm login screen? Make sure auto-login is disabled.

[Stenten (stenten)]

Could you please provide your Xorg.0.log file after issuing "sudo service gdm start" and "startx" and we'll compare.
In a TTY after starting gdm, run
cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log Xorg.0.log_gdm.txt
And after rebooting and 'startx'
cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log Xorg.0.log_startx.txt
Then upload both files; they should be in your home directory.

Also try booting with the kernel option “video=vga16fb:disable”. Make sure you provide your Xorg.0.log and dmesg logs in this case.

[Geir Ove Myhr (gomyhr)]

Asif, you may hold off getting the logs from comment #8 for a few days, since xorg in Maverick will be undergoing a major upgrade. https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-x/2010-June/000897.html

After the upgrade, the kernel option "nomodeset" will no longer work, since it is no longer supported by the intel drivers.

[Asif Youssuff (yoasif)]

Thanks for the update, Geir.

On Mon, Jun 7, 2010 at 9:43 AM, Geir Ove Myhr <email address hidden> wrote:
> Asif, you may hold off getting the logs from comment #8 for a few days,
> since xorg in Maverick will be undergoing a major upgrade.
> https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-x/2010-June/000897.html
>
> After the upgrade, the kernel option "nomodeset" will no longer work,
> since it is no longer supported by the intel drivers.
>
> --
> [i945] intel gma 82945G xorg does not work at boot
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/586173
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>

[iadk (iadk-geo)]

Hi, I am a newbie and have a problem. When I start in "Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-22-generic", I will see the Ubuntu splash screen for a second, followed by a blank screen. My hard disk isn't spinning so I guess the system is doing nothing then. If I start in "Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.31-22-generic", everything is fine.

So, I tried "Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-22-generic (recovery mode)". At the "Recovery Menu", I selected "Run in failsafe graphic mode". At the next menu, I selected "Troubleshoot the error", followed by "Archive configuration and logs". The reply was "Relevant configuration and log files have been saved to: $xorg_backup_file". I then selected "Run Ubuntu in low-graphics mode for just one session".

I can't find the $xorg_backup_file so I have no idea where the configuration and log files are. I am attaching a tar file I found at /var/log.

Please advise me if my problem is the same as the bug reported here and what I should do. Thank you!

[Geir Ove Myhr (gomyhr)]

Asif, the xorg upgrade is now complete, so you may re-test and upload the files.

iadk, you probably don't have the same bug, since this one is reported for Maverick, not Lucid. I would also encourage you to go to the forums (http://ubuntuforums.org/) or possibly Launchpad Answers (https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu, but I think this one less active) to get help. In bug reports we focus on identifying and troubleshooting bugs in ubuntu and thereby improving the distribution. Ideally, all comments to a bug report should in some way help in getting closer to fixing that particular bug. If you want to help to improve Ubuntu by reporting your bug and are prepared to provide follow-up information, please file a new bug report with the ubuntu-bug command.

[Asif Youssuff (yoasif)]

With all updates and "quiet splash", everything seems to be working fine again. GDM appears properly.

[Geir Ove Myhr (gomyhr)]

Thanks for letting us know that this has now been fixed. There will be a similar upgrade to xserver 1.9 soon and hopefully it will not break again.