1002:6841 [HP EliteBook 8470w] linux-image-3.5.0-22-generic and linux-image-3.5.0-23-generic are causing video display problems

[Przemek K.]

linux-image-3.5.0-22-generic and linux-image-3.5.0-23-generic are causing video display problems on hp elitebook 8470w with ATI/AMD FirePro M2000 graphics card.

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI Thames [Radeon 7500M/7600M Series]

The system is unusable after this kernel upgrade - the display is flickering right after plymouth starts. Console is also not usable. However, the system works fine when I disable plymouth (delete "gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode" from grub config).
linux-image-3.5.0-21-generic and earlier kernels are working fine.
Using Ubuntu 12.10.

Upstream 3.8 kernel also has this bug.

WORKAROUND: Use fglrx driver.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.10
Package: linux-image-3.5.0-22-generic 3.5.0-22.34
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.5.0-21.32-generic 3.5.7.1
Uname: Linux 3.5.0-21-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.6.1-0ubuntu10
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: azrael 2217 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: azrael 2217 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA:
 country DE:
  (2400 - 2483 @ 40), (N/A, 20)
  (5150 - 5250 @ 40), (N/A, 20), NO-OUTDOOR
  (5250 - 5350 @ 40), (N/A, 20), NO-OUTDOOR, DFS
  (5470 - 5725 @ 40), (N/A, 26), DFS
Date: Sat Feb 2 22:21:30 2013
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=53161bab-fe5f-4cd2-8720-389628646193
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-01-25 (8 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.10 "Quantal Quetzal" - Release amd64 (20121017.5)
MachineType: Hewlett-Packard HP EliteBook 8470w
MarkForUpload: True
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=pl_PL.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 radeondrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-3.5.0-21-generic root=UUID=35967d07-0bd5-4e13-9292-c2e19483d640 ro
PulseList:
 Error: command ['pacmd', 'list'] failed with exit code 1: Home directory /home/azrael not ours.
 No PulseAudio daemon running, or not running as session daemon.
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.5.0-21-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.5.0-21-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.95
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 12/05/2012
dmi.bios.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.bios.version: 68ICF Ver. F.32
dmi.board.name: 179B
dmi.board.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.board.version: KBC Version 42.32
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: CNU2499X8F
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnHewlett-Packard:bvr68ICFVer.F.32:bd12/05/2012:svnHewlett-Packard:pnHPEliteBook8470w:pvrA1029D1102:rvnHewlett-Packard:rn179B:rvrKBCVersion42.32:cvnHewlett-Packard:ct10:cvr:
dmi.product.name: HP EliteBook 8470w
dmi.product.version: A1029D1102
dmi.sys.vendor: Hewlett-Packard

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v3.8 kernel[0] (Not a kernel in the daily directory) and install both the linux-image and linux-image-extra .deb packages.

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-upstream'.
Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.8-rc6-raring/

[Przemek K. (azrael)]

This bug is not present when using fglrx driver.

[Przemek K. (azrael)]

Upstream 3.8 kernel has the same bug when using the open source radeon driver.
linux-image-3.5.0-23-generic works fine when using the proprietary AMD fglrx driver.

[Przemek K. (azrael)]

I've tested linux-image-3.8.0-030800rc6-generic

[Przemek K. (azrael)]

It looks like this bug is showing only when plymouth is used.
The latest Ubuntu kernel has booted fine with radeon driver, but with "gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode" deleted from grub config.

[Marin Glibić (marin-glibic)]

Just to confirm this bug on a customers Radeon 6450 machine with xubuntu 12.10 64bit.

3.5.0-21 - works properly
3.5.0-22 - bug happens randomly, sometimes not
on 3.5.0-23 - bug happens all the time
i tried 3.5.0-24 from quintal-proposed, bug happens all the time

Disabling graphical grub by uncommenting /etc/default/grub

GRUB_TERMINAL=console

helped to workaround this issue in all affected kernels... AFAIK same as Przemysław's solution but should survive grub menu updates.
Description of screen issues: I tried two available monitors, both LCD connected via VGA.
Old 15" one shows image but moved about 75% to the right and extra picture is cut and displayed on the left. Some minor corruption occurs on the bottom.
Newer 22" monitor does not show picture at all, just kinda... general color? Color of the first pixel?

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Przemysław Kulczycki, as per http://h20565.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.PAGE/public/psi/swdHome/?sp4ts.oid=5212918&spf_p.tpst=swdMain&spf_p.prp_swdMain=wsrp-navigationalState%3DswEnvOID%253D4060%257CswLang%253D%257Caction%253DlistDriver&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken#BIOS an update is available for your BIOS (F.45). If you update to this following https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BiosUpdate , does it change anything? If it doesn't, could you please both specify what happened, and just provide the output of the following terminal command:
sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date

Please note your current BIOS is already in the Bug Description, so posting this on the old BIOS would not be helpful.

For more on BIOS updates and linux, please see https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette .

Thank you for your understanding.

[jacob (jacob-cn-leung)]

Christopher, follow your instructions, I install the new BIOS for 8470w, now is already F.45.

sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date
s
68ICF Ver. F.45
10/07/2013

But this problem is still the same. kernel version linux-image-3.5.0-22+ are effected. It's *really* terrible. so please fix it if you can. we can upgrade to ubuntu13.x or 14.x. only stay in the low version.

BTW, when the system booting, in Bios menu, I notice that the system bios and video bios are separated, system bios is F.45 now, but video bios is still a version stay in 2012 sometime.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

jacob, thank you for your comment. So your hardware and problem may be tracked, could you please file a new report with Ubuntu by executing the following in a terminal while booted into a Ubuntu repository kernel (not a mainline one) via:
ubuntu-bug linux

For more on this, please read the official Ubuntu documentation:
Ubuntu Bug Control and Ubuntu Bug Squad: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/BestPractices#X.2BAC8-Reporting.Focus_on_One_Issue
Ubuntu Kernel Team: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeam/KernelTeamBugPolicies#Filing_Kernel_Bug_reports
Ubuntu Community: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette

When opening up the new report, please feel free to subscribe me to it.

Thank you for your understanding.

Helpful bug reporting tips:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]