[drm:intel_cpu_fifo_underrun_irq_handler [i915_bpo]] *ERROR* CPU pipe A FIFO underrun

[Daniel Basten]

Hey Guys,

i am encountering some random screen flickering after i launched google-chrome. this persists even after closing chrome. it is like the screen wents black for a fracture of a second.

when it happens dmesg reports: [drm:intel_cpu_fifo_underrun_irq_handler [i915_bpo]] *ERROR* CPU pipe A FIFO underrun

I am currently on Ubuntu 1604 Daily:

Description: Ubuntu Xenial Xerus (development branch)
Release: 16.04

PS: It is a Dell XPS 13 9530 with no external display attached.
The internal display is an FHD one

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Alex (alex-1992)]

I also have some problems with flicker on XPS 13(9350), but my flickering is only on the chrome viewport, when moving the mouse over elements on the page that uses animations the viewport turns black(?) for a short time(some ms).

The flickering started recently.

Not sure if this is related, but I just wanted to add it in case it is helpful for someone.

[Daniel Basten (axhm3a)]

Hi Alex,

would you mind to attach your dmesg output.

thanks in advance,

Daniel

[Daniel Basten (axhm3a)]

ADDITION:

This happens randomly, sometimes i can work for hours, sometimes it flickers just after login.
I am not sure what the trigger condition is.

[Daniel Basten (axhm3a)]

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Sky Lake Integrated Graphics [8086:1916] (rev 07) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
 DeviceName: Onboard IGD
 Subsystem: Dell Skylake Integrated Graphics [1028:0704]
 Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 282
 Memory at db000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
 Memory at 90000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
 I/O ports at f000 [size=64]
 Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled]
 Capabilities: [40] Vendor Specific Information: Len=0c <?>
 Capabilities: [70] Express Root Complex Integrated Endpoint, MSI 00
 Capabilities: [ac] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
 Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 2
 Capabilities: [100] #1b
 Capabilities: [200] Address Translation Service (ATS)
 Capabilities: [300] #13
 Kernel driver in use: i915_bpo
 Kernel modules: i915_bpo

[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 v4.5 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'.

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/v4.5-wily/

[Thiago Martins (martinx)]

Hey!

I'm also facing this problem, I recorded a video about it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l21WsKz3fZc

I tried to move away from XOrg, by using GNOME+Wayland, but, problem persist, Wayland is faster, however, I can still see it flickering (faster).

Problem with GNOME+Wayland is that it completely freezes my Macbook.

[Thiago Martins (martinx)]

However, I'm not seeing any DRM errors on dmesg / kern.log.

[Daniel Basten (axhm3a)]

Hi Joseph,

i am installing upstream kernel right now, give me a few hours with it to check if the problem persists.

cheers,

daniel

[Daniel Basten (axhm3a)]

the bug still apears with kernel 4.5

[Daniel Basten (axhm3a)]

i recorded the flickering that happens every now and then. between seconds and minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox8O8EJiWGg

[Daniel Basten (axhm3a)]

hey, i just tested kernel 4.6rc1 and i am still have the bug. :(

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Did this issue start happening after an update/upgrade? Was there a kernel version where you were not having this particular problem? This will help determine if the problem you are seeing is the result of a regression, and when this regression was introduced. If this is a regression, we can perform a kernel bisect to identify the commit that introduced the problem.

[Thiago Martins (martinx)]

Joseph,

Earlier versions of Xenial, doesn't have this problem.

Maybe with previous XOrg / Linux 4.3 combo... And also, maybe two or three Google Chrome previous versions?

I think that it would be a good idea to give it a try, maybe a Xenial alpha.

Best!
Thiago

[Daniel Basten (axhm3a)]

just booted from the xenial daily stick which I used for installation.
with kernel 4.4.0.10 the problem did not occur. i am not sure how i can reinstall that specific kernel version.
i would like to give the kernel a try before bisecting to problem.

the data within the gist I grabbed from the live stick

https://gist.github.com/axhm3a/16dc715177d99c203a3b06ec9b312442

[Thomas Bonfort (thomas-bonfort)]

This is the exact same hardware and flickering as in LP: #1554613

[Daniel Basten (axhm3a)]

Hi Thomas, i think you are right.

i build kernel 4.4.0-10 and running it right now. if the bug did not appear by end of day i will try bisec up to 4.4.0-16 wich does not worked for me.

[Daniel Basten (axhm3a)]

UPDATE:

since I am using Kernel 4.4.0-10#25 the bug is gone.

Saturday I am going to bisect into the problem.
How do I report the broken commit? do I just paste the commit id?

[Daniel Basten (axhm3a)]

i read #1554613 by now and think this bug is a dublicate