Black screen on Dell XPS 13 (L322X) with Ubuntu Gnome 13.10 x64 live media in UEFI mode

[Gorgonilla]

I've booted from a live USB media of Ubuntu Gnome 13.10 on my Dell XPS 13 (L322X) and the laptop screen is just black. Nothin happens if I press the fn key to adjust brightness.
I've connected an external monitor and the desktop is there, up and running (I'm using that session to report this bug right now).
On the same laptop, by upgrading from Raring (and staying with kernel 3.8) the laptop screen and brigthness adjustment works fine.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.10
Package: linux-image-3.11.0-12-generic 3.11.0-12.19
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.11.0-12.19-generic 3.11.3
Uname: Linux 3.11.0-12-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.12.5-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: ubuntu-gnome 2757 F.... pulseaudio
CasperVersion: 1.336ubuntu1
Date: Wed Oct 23 06:13:39 2013
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu-GNOME 13.10 "Saucy Salamander" - Release amd64 (20131017)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Dell System XPS L322X
MarkForUpload: True
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/casper/vmlinuz.efi file=/cdrom/preseed/username.seed boot=casper quiet splash --
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.11.0-12-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.11.0-12-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.116
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 05/15/2013
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A09
dmi.board.name: 091F4Y
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: 0.1
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA09:bd05/15/2013:svnDellInc.:pnDellSystemXPSL322X:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn091F4Y:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvr0.1:
dmi.product.name: Dell System XPS L322X
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[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 v3.12 kernel[0].

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/v3.12-rc6-saucy/

[Gorgonilla (lviggiani)]

I've just tested kernel 3.12-rc6-saucy (linux-image-3.12.0-031200rc6-generic_3.12.0-031200rc6.201310191635_amd64.deb) but I still get a black screen and the fn keys are not working. :(

[markbert (markbertoglio)]

I'm having the same problem with the L322X. But this is a fresh install of 12.03. I was able to get the screen to work by turning off safe boot mode, then holding down F12 during boot and selecting ubuntu. Not sure why that would make a difference but I tried it several times. I'd be curious if this works for you.

[Gorgonilla (lviggiani)]

Markbert thanks for your hint, but safe boot is already off on my computer but I get black screen with any kernel I've tried other than 3.8.0-29 inherited by Raring....

[Gorgonilla (lviggiani)]

...as additional information, I booted with a live media (Ubuntu 13.10 x64 Gnome edition) and I have connected an external monitor (screen mirroring).
The interesting thing is that if I press fn f4/f5 keys, the hud indicator (that is also displayed on the external monitor) shows me brightness icon and the bar going left and right but nothing happens on the laptop screen.
Also I tried with:
cat /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/actual_brightness
that initially gives me 4845 and then values change while pressing the fn keys and repeating the above command.
So it seems that device is recognized by the system but changes have no effect on the physical device.

Also echo 1000 > /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness has no effect.

[Gorgonilla (lviggiani)]

...again additional info: if I boot the live media in legacy mode, the screen brigthness works!
My problem now is that I need (for work reasons) to keeo a dual boot with windows 8 that (in my knowledge) requires UEFI boot mode.
WHen I did my dual boot in Raring, I installed ubuntu in UEFI mode and used boot repair to have grub options for selecting the desired OS at startup...

[Gorgonilla (lviggiani)]

After some discussion with Kamal Mostafa (kamalmostafa), we've agreed that this is actually a dupe of bug 1163720.
It is a kernel bug with some intel based laptops (not only Dell) in UEFI mode. Some patches are currenlty being tested...