Doesn't detect monitor / "Unknown", causes flickering / low refresh rate

[Darxus]

First thing I noticed when I booted Precise was my (CRT) monitor flickering. Went to change refresh rate, realized I couldn't. Booted back to Oneric, realized I couldn't change the refresh rate there either, but it was fine.

Oneric detects the monitor as 'Viewsonic Corporation 20"'. It's a Viewsonic G220fb.

$ lspci | grep -i vga
05:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation G92 [GeForce 8800 GT] (rev a2)

Nvidia proprietary driver is enabled.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+10ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-17.27-generic 3.2.6
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-17-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
.proc.driver.nvidia.gpus.0: Error: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/proc/driver/nvidia/gpus/0'
.proc.driver.nvidia.registry: Binary: ""
.proc.driver.nvidia.version:
 NVRM version: NVIDIA UNIX x86_64 Kernel Module 295.20 Mon Feb 6 21:07:30 PST 2012
 GCC version: gcc version 4.6.2 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.6.2-16ubuntu1)
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 1.93-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: [core,composite,opengl,compiztoolbox,decor,vpswitch,snap,mousepoll,resize,place,move,wall,grid,regex,imgpng,session,gnomecompat,animation,fade,unitymtgrabhandles,workarounds,scale,expo,ezoom,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: compiz
Date: Sun Mar 18 06:08:10 2012
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: precise
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus: nvidia-current, 295.20, 3.2.0-17-generic, x86_64: installed
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes, whatever it takes to get this fixed in Ubuntu
GraphicsCard:
 NVIDIA Corporation G92 [GeForce 8800 GT] [10de:0611] (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: eVga.com. Corp. Device [3842:c801]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Beta amd64 (20120301)
JockeyStatus:
 xorg:nvidia_current - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Enabled, In use)
 xorg:nvidia_current_updates - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (post-release updates) (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
MachineType: System manufacturer System Product Name
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-17-generic root=UUID=3d94b50f-a36e-445a-89e6-6674aae569fe ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xorg
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
XorgConf:
 Section "Device"
  Identifier "Default Device"
  Option "NoLogo" "True"
 EndSection
dmi.bios.date: 11/19/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 2304
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: M4A79T Deluxe
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev 1.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr2304:bd11/19/2009:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnM4A79TDeluxe:rvrRev1.xx:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Product Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.7.0~bzr2995-0ubuntu5
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.30-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 8.0.1-0ubuntu2
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 8.0.1-0ubuntu2
version.nvidia-graphics-drivers: nvidia-graphics-drivers N/A
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.11.4-0ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.6.99.901+git20120126-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.99~git20111219.aacbd629-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.17.0-1ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20111201+b5534a1-1build2

[Darxus (darxus)]

Monitor is also not detected / "Uknown" with Nvidia proprietary drivers disabled, rebooted using nouveau drivers.

[Darxus (darxus)]

Monitor *is* detected when booted off the Precise live cd, but *not* when booted to Precise which I just installed from that cd and using nouveau. Haven't done any package upgrades, so... the problem must be some difference between how the live cd boots and how the install boots?

[Darxus (darxus)]

Really? I mentioned I ge the same problem with both nouveau and the nvidia proprietary drivers, and this gets reassigned to just xserver-xorg-video-nouveau? I'll assume until told otherwise that bugbut is just automated and didn't notice that part of the report until told otherwise.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

Thank you for taking the time to file a bug report on this issue.

However, given the number of bugs that the Kernel Team receives during any development cycle it is impossible for us to review them all. Therefore, we occasionally resort to using automated bots to request further testing. This is such a request.

We have noted that there is a newer version of the development kernel than the one you last tested when this issue was found. Please test again with the newer kernel and indicate in the bug if this issue still exists or not.

You can update to the latest development kernel by simply running the following commands in a terminal window:

    sudo apt-get update
    sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

If the bug still exists, change the bug status from Incomplete to Confirmed. If the bug no longer exists, change the bug status from Incomplete to Fix Released.

If you want this bot to quit automatically requesting kernel tests, add a tag named: bot-stop-nagging.

 Thank you for your help, we really do appreciate it.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

The described symptoms are characteristic of a monitor edid issue. I presume if you attach some other monitor it'll work fine.

Setting "UseEdid" "False" in your xorg.conf might help force X to ignore the bad edid and use other mechanisms for determining your monitor's characteristics. But that's just a blunt workaround.

The same kernel is used in both livecd and installed system, so it's not that. Although, there might be differences in how the two are configured (might compare lsmod and /proc/cmdline for any differences.) The installed system boots with lightdm and plymouth for graphics, whereas the livecd uses ubiquity to bring up X; those are the major differences in how X comes up between the two. I wouldn't think those affect edid reading at all though. You can run 'sudo xdiagnose' to toggle off boot graphics and a few other things to experiment with.

There is a tool called 'read-edid' which provides 'get-edid' and 'parse-edid', which is useful for examining the edid. xrandr --verbose will also print the edid, but only when -nouveau is in use.

Your Xrandr.txt shows your monitor as 0mmx0mm, which is a good sign that either your monitor is a projector, or something's wrong with your edid.

Some monitors have writable edid, which can get corrupted under some circumstances. You might check your monitor vendor's website for edid flash utilities or troubleshooting directions.

If you are using an adapter to connect the monitor, sometimes those corrupt the edid. Try a different adapter.

It is possible to override the edid that X uses. Connect your monitor to a computer where things work properly and you get the correct resolutions and so on. Run `find /sys -name 'edid'` to locate your edid file, and cat it to /etc/X11/my_edid.dat. The xorg.conf option will be something like:

  Option "CustomEDID" "VGA-1:/etc/X11/my_edid.bin"

Even if this works, it's a rather crude work around since it only fixes X. We're working on a way to do the edid replacement at the kernel level, so if you get this far, ping me again and I'll give further directions.

In any case, whatever options you try please update this bug with what workarounds helped and which didn't, and that'll help pinpoint where the failure is. Attach any edids (broken or working) you extract, for us to examine.

[Darxus (darxus)]

From xrandr --verbose under Oneric (where I'm not having this problem) on the same machine:

        EDID:
                00ffffffffffff005a6309e801010101
                260d01031d281ec0eacc58a054479925
                0f484cffff80a94f81996159714fc14f
                c940d140e140a659403062b0324040c0
                130086221100001e000000ff0034324b
                3033333830303333350a000000fd0032
                b41e6e1a000a202020202020000000fc
                004732323066620a20202020202000df

More info later.

[Darxus (darxus)]

Precise with Nvidia driver
$ uname -a
Linux dancer 3.2.0-19-generic #30-Ubuntu SMP Fri Mar 16 16:27:15 UTC 2012 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

In /var/log/Xorg.0.log:
[ 18.873] (--) NVIDIA(0): Connected display device(s) on GeForce 8800 GT at PCI:5:0:0
[ 18.873] (--) NVIDIA(0): ViewSonic G220fb (CRT-0)
[ 18.873] (--) NVIDIA(0): ViewSonic G220fb (CRT-0): 400.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
[ 18.942] (**) NVIDIA(0): Using HorizSync/VertRefresh ranges from the EDID for display
[ 18.942] (**) NVIDIA(0): device ViewSonic G220fb (CRT-0) (Using EDID frequencies
[ 18.942] (**) NVIDIA(0): has been enabled on all display devices.)
[ 18.958] (II) NVIDIA(0): Assigned Display Device: CRT-0

So at some level the right EDID is being detected.

Output of get-edid | parse-edid looks wrong, attached.

[Darxus (darxus)]

Precise.
Ran apt-get update && apt-get dist-upgrade and rebooted.
$ uname -a
Linux dancer 3.2.0-20-generic #32-Ubuntu SMP Thu Mar 22 02:22:46 UTC 2012 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Problem still exists.

read-edid output is similar but different.

[Darxus (darxus)]

Back in Oneric where I'm not having any problems. "get-edid | parse-edid" does not say "EDID checksum failed - data is corrupt" here.

[Darxus (darxus)]

Back in Oneric where I'm not having any problems. "get-edid | parse-edid" does not say "EDID checksum failed - data is corrupt" here.

[Darxus (darxus)]

Under Oneric, where this is working, I did:
cat /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/0000:05:00.0/drm/card0/card0-DVI-I-1/edid > my_edid.bin

Then copied it to my Precise install in /etc/X11/my_edid.bin

In my Precise /etc/X11/xorg.conf screen section I added:
        Option "CustomEDID" "VGA-1:/etc/X11/my_edid.bin"

$ grep edid /var/log/Xorg.0.log
[ 15.875] (**) NVIDIA(0): Option "CustomEDID" "VGA-1:/etc/X11/my_edid.bin"

It didn't help. Still flickering, the Displays dialog still says "Unknown".

[Robert Hooker (sarvatt)]

Changing refresh rate is done via nvidia-settings dialog instead of the gnome displays settings one for these drivers, sorry you got caught up in an automated bug bot fight :) The livecd uses nouveau and the gnome settings applet works there, you checked enable third party drivers during the install so it automatically installed nvidia again after.

[Darxus (darxus)]

I'm also having this problem with nouveau. I'm guessing nvidia-settings doesn't apply to nouveau, but even if it does, I would say the primary problem is that my monitor is not correctly getting detected.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

Thank you for taking the time to file a bug report on this issue.

However, given the number of bugs that the Kernel Team receives during any development cycle it is impossible for us to review them all. Therefore, we occasionally resort to using automated bots to request further testing. This is such a request.

We have noted that there is a newer version of the development kernel than the one you last tested when this issue was found. Please test again with the newer kernel and indicate in the bug if this issue still exists or not.

You can update to the latest development kernel by simply running the following commands in a terminal window:

    sudo apt-get update
    sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

If the bug still exists, change the bug status from Incomplete to Confirmed. If the bug no longer exists, change the bug status from Incomplete to Fix Released.

If you want this bot to quit automatically requesting kernel tests, add a tag named: bot-stop-nagging.

 Thank you for your help, we really do appreciate it.

[Darxus (darxus)]

Bought an AMD Radeon, still having this problem with Precise not detecting my monitor.

$ lspci | grep -i vga
05:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI Barts XT [ATI Radeon HD 6800 Series]

Still:

$ uname -a
Linux dancer 3.2.0-20-generic #32-Ubuntu SMP Thu Mar 22 02:22:46 UTC 2012 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Upgrading that now.

[Darxus (darxus)]

Huh, the apt-get update && apt-get dist-upgrade I just did fixed it. Displays is nolonger saying my monitor is "Unknown". Was there actually anything relevant in that kernel upgrade?

# uname -a
Linux dancer 3.2.0-21-generic #34-Ubuntu SMP Fri Mar 30 04:25:35 UTC 2012 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux