[i965] GDM screen doesn't show up on laptop used with an external display

[Fred]

Binary package hint: xserver-xorg-video-intel

Here is my setup :
My laptop is an Acer TravelMate 6292 with an integrated graphics chipset INTEL 965GM.
It is docked in an ACER docking station.
An external LCD monitor is plugged on the docking station (using the VGA connector).
The laptop's lid is generally closed.

Sometimes (1 out of 4) gdm screen doesn't show up on my external monitor.
Gdm shows up only on the laptop panel (which is generally closed...).
If I restart the X server (CRTL-ALT-BACKSPACE), gdm shows up on both screen (external and laptop panel even it is closed).
Xorg-Bad.0.log is the xserver log when GDM doesn't show up on both screen
Xorg-Good.0 is the xserver log after restarting it and when gdm shows up on both screen

In Xorg-Bad.0.log, the following possibly relevant lines show up:
(WW) intel(0): Register 0x70024 (PIPEASTAT) changed from 0x80000207 to 0x00000000
(WW) intel(0): PIPEASTAT before: status: FIFO_UNDERRUN VSYNC_INT_STATUS SVBLANK_INT_STATUS VBLANK_INT_STATUS OREG_UPDATE_STATUS
(WW) intel(0): PIPEASTAT after: status:
(WW) intel(0): Register 0x71024 (PIPEBSTAT) changed from 0x00000206 to 0x00000000
(WW) intel(0): PIPEBSTAT before: status: VSYNC_INT_STATUS SVBLANK_INT_STATUS VBLANK_INT_STATUS
(WW) intel(0): PIPEBSTAT after: status:
...
drmOpenDevice: node name is /dev/dri/card0
drmOpenDevice: open result is -1, (No such device or address)
drmOpenDevice: open result is -1, (No such device or address)
drmOpenDevice: Open failed
(twice)
...
(II) [drm] loaded kernel module for "i915" driver.
...
(EE) intel(0): underrun on pipe A!
(EE) intel(0): underrun on pipe A!
(repeating in apparent loop)

In the drmOpenDevice stuff in Xorg-Good.0.log succeeds:
drmOpenDevice: node name is /dev/dri/card0
drmOpenDevice: open result is 10, (OK)

In both cases there is also a single error line for Pipe B:
(EE) intel(0): underrun on pipe B!

[lspci]
00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Mobile PM965/GM965/GL960 Memory Controller Hub [8086:2a00] (rev 03)
     Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device [1025:011b]
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:2a02] (rev 03)
     Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device [1025:011b]

[Geir Ove Myhr (gomyhr)]

The xrandr.txt is for the good or bad case?

[Geir Ove Myhr (gomyhr)]

It looks from the log files (both good and bad) as if you have a TV-out connected, which I guess you have not:
(II) intel(0): Output VGA connected
(II) intel(0): Output LVDS connected
(II) intel(0): Output TMDS-1 disconnected
(II) intel(0): Output TV connected
(II) intel(0): Using fuzzy aspect match for initial modes
(II) intel(0): Output VGA using initial mode 1024x768
(II) intel(0): Output LVDS using initial mode 1024x768
(II) intel(0): Output TV using initial mode 1024x768

While this may be unrelated, maybe you can try if disabling the TV output changes anything:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Quirks#Ignore%20TV%20Output%20Quirk

[Fred (frederic-lespez)]

The xrandr output was for the good case. Sorry for being imprecise.
Here is the xrandr output for the bad case.

I have no TV connected.
I will try to disable TV ouput. I will keep you posted.
Thanks for your help.

[Fred (frederic-lespez)]

I disabled the TV ouput following the wiki instructions.
But I still can reproduce the bug.
Here the X server log in the bad case with no TV ouput.

[Fred (frederic-lespez)]

Here is my modified xorg.conf to disable the TV ouput.

[Geir Ove Myhr (gomyhr)]

Okay, the TV-out thing was a wrong guess...

One more thing, can you attach the output of `lspci -vvnn`. I think that is the only thing that is missing before someone with more knowledge than me can look at it. You can take a look at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Reporting to see if there is anything else you can upload. Thanks for reporting this bug.

(I updated the description to highlight the error messages in Xorg.0.log)

[Fred (frederic-lespez)]

Here is the `lspci -vvnn` ouput.
Thanks again for your help.

[Fred (frederic-lespez)]

Here is another Xorg log taken in the "bad" case. This time I have enabled the debug mode of intel driver (by adding "ModeDebug Yes" in my xorg.conf.
Maybe there is more interesting information in the log !
And finally I found another workaround : switching to a VT and to X. So the log also shows up the "good" case...
I hope it helps.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

[This is an automatic notice.]

We'd like to forward your bug upstream, however upstream requires
that you first test it against their newer driver code.

To save you the effort of building the driver from source, we've built
packages for the driver and its new dependencies.

So you have a couple options:

 1. Download and test .debs for intrepid, from:
     https://edge.launchpad.net/~intel-gfx-testing/+archive

 -or-

 2. Download and test the Jaunty alpha-2 (or newer) Live CD,
     (which includes a beta of the new xserver 1.6 as well).
     See http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/9.04/ for ISOs

Thanks ahead of time! You can simply reply to this email to report your
findings.

P.S., if you wish to forward your bug upstream yourself, please follow
these directions to do so:
  http://intellinuxgraphics.org/how_to_report_bug.html

[Fred (frederic-lespez)]

Hi Bryce,

I tested in Intrepid the xserver-xorg-video-intel - 2:2.5.1-1ubuntu5~intrepid deb and I am still seeing this bug.

Here is a new log in the "bad" case with "ModeDebug Yes".
As I said in my last comment: switching to a VT and back to X is a workaround (So the log also shows up the "good" case).

If you need more info, do not hesitate to ask.

[Fred (frederic-lespez)]

Hi Bryce,

I made a lot of tests in Jaunty alpha 4 and it seems that this bug is fixed.
GDM always shows up on the external screen (and unfortunately on the laptop panel even if it is closed, but that's another story !).

[Fred (frederic-lespez)]

I have done a lot of testing in Jaunty and this bug has not popped up since Alpha 4.