[Dell PowerEdge 1850] No front VGA console/display output after boot

[Claudio Kuenzler]

With the VGA plugged into the front, I can see the boot up, but instead of finishing at the login prompt, the monitor is blank. Video of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAtnBv8uZf8

WORKAROUND: Use the back VGA port.

---
AlsaDevices:
 total 0
 crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 1 Apr 28 11:14 seq
 crw-rw----+ 1 root audio 116, 33 Apr 28 11:14 timer
AplayDevices: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
AudioDevicesInUse: Error: command ['fuser', '-v', '/dev/snd/seq', '/dev/snd/timer'] failed with exit code 1:
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=4ea2a341-bca0-41da-aa0b-d99329ad9670
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-04-04 (76 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Server 16.04 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Beta amd64 (20160325)
IwConfig: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
MachineType: Dell Computer Corporation PowerEdge 1850
Package: linux (not installed)
PciMultimedia:

ProcFB: 0 radeondrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-15-generic root=UUID=a9f64ee8-64f7-4b9f-96e3-5d0032701ada ro
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-15.31-generic 4.4.6
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.4.0-15-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.4.0-15-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.157
RfKill: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Tags: xenial
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-15-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups:

_MarkForUpload: True
dmi.bios.date: 04/25/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Computer Corporation
dmi.bios.version: A07
dmi.board.name: 0D8266
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Computer Corporation
dmi.board.version: A02
dmi.chassis.type: 23
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Computer Corporation
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellComputerCorporation:bvrA07:bd04/25/2008:svnDellComputerCorporation:pnPowerEdge1850:pvr:rvnDellComputerCorporation:rn0D8266:rvrA02:cvnDellComputerCorporation:ct23:cvr:
dmi.product.name: PowerEdge 1850
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Computer Corporation

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

Actually my screen was connected on the front VGA connector, therefore:

[ 3.197764] [drm] Connector 1:
[ 3.197770] [drm] VGA-2
[ 3.197778] [drm] DDC: 0x6c 0x6c 0x6c 0x6c 0x6c 0x6c 0x6c 0x6c
[ 3.197785] [drm] Encoders:
[ 3.197791] [drm] CRT2: INTERNAL_DAC2

I just tested the same with Ubuntu 14.04 trusty and the front VGA doesn't show anything. Back VGA works. Will test with 16.04, too.

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

This bug is probably the same or at least related: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xorg/+bug/1565699

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

Complete new reinstall on the same server and I can confirm that the main VGA connector works. If I switch to the front VGA the screen is black. On trusty I see at least errors in dmesg (see mentioned bug in #4) but nothing on xenial.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Claudio Kuenzler, thank you for reporting this and helping make Ubuntu better.

Could you please run the following command once from a terminal by ensuring you have the package xdiagnose installed, and that you click the Yes button for attaching additional debugging information:
apport-collect -p xorg 1565679

When reporting xorg related bugs in the future, please do so via the above method. You can learn more about this functionality at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs.

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

Hello Christopher,

I am not sure whether this is a xorg or kernel issue. xorg is not installed. When I reported the bug, I could only select xorg when reporting a display error.
The apport-collect command does not update this bug because:

Package xorg not installed and no hook available, ignoring

*** Updating problem report

No additional information collected.

Please feel free to move this bug to the right package.

Thanks

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Claudio Kuenzler, now that the packages is changed to something potentially related and you have installed, could you now please execute at a terminal:
apport-collect 1565679

Worst case scenario is boot via a live environment http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/ and then execute it.

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

apport information

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

apport information

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

apport information

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

apport information

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

apport information

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

apport information

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

apport information

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

apport information

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

apport information

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

apport information

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

apport information

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Claudio Kuenzler, in order to allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue, at your earliest convenience, could you please test the latest upstream kernel available from http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/?C=N;O=D ? Please keep in mind the following:
1) The one to test is at the very top line at the top of the page (not the daily folder).
2) The release names are irrelevant.
3) The folder time stamps aren't indicative of when the kernel actually was released upstream.
4) Install instructions are available at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/MainlineBuilds .

If testing on your main install would be inconvenient, one may:
1) Install Ubuntu to a different partition and then test this there.
2) Backup, or clone the primary install.

If the latest kernel did not allow you to test to the issue (ex. you couldn't boot into the OS) please make a comment in your report about this, and continue to test the next most recent kernel version until you can test to the issue. Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please comment on which kernel version specifically you tested. If this issue is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tags by clicking on the yellow circle with a black pencil icon, next to the word Tags, located at the bottom of the report description:
kernel-fixed-upstream
kernel-fixed-upstream-X.Y-rcZ

Where X, and Y are the first two numbers of the kernel version, and Z is the release candidate number if it exists.

If the mainline kernel does not fix the issue, please add the following tags:
kernel-bug-exists-upstream
kernel-bug-exists-upstream-X.Y-rcZ

Please note, an error to install the kernel does not fit the criteria of kernel-bug-exists-upstream.

Also, you don't need to apport-collect further unless specifically requested to do so.

Once testing of the latest upstream kernel is complete, please mark this report Status Confirmed. Please let us know your results.

Thank you for your understanding.

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

apport information

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

apport information

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

Hello Christopher,

I installed the 4.7.0-040700rc6-generic mainline kernel and the problem still exists.

# uname -a
Linux ub1604test 4.7.0-040700rc6-generic #201607040332 SMP Mon Jul 4 07:34:26 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

I booted with the new kernel. At the login prompt the screen goes dark. I unplugged the VGA cable and connected it at the back (primary) VGA adaptor of the server and I could see the login prompt. Logged in. Unplugged the VGA cable from the back and connected it to the front VGA connector again. Screen went dark.

Let me know if I can do more to help.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Claudio Kuenzler, as I mentioned in my previous comment, please do not apport-collect any further as it doesn't provide any useful information.

Despite this, could you please provide your dmesg from when plugging the VGA cord in the front on the latest mainline kernel?

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

Sorry Christopher, I misread and by the time I read it correctly, apport already sent the data.

I just unplugged and replugged the monitor on the front VGA. Then waited a few seconds and plugged the monitor to the back VGA connector.

dmesg shows the following information:

[ 6613.913005] [drm:drm_edid_block_valid [drm]] *ERROR* EDID checksum is invalid, remainder is 92
[ 6613.913151] Raw EDID:
[ 6613.913183] 00 ff ff ff ff ff ff 00 10 ac 07 a0 4c 4b 34 30
[ 6613.913255] 04 0f 01 03 0e 29 1f ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
[ 6613.913333] ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
[ 6613.913405] ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
[ 6613.913484] ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
[ 6613.913562] ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
[ 6613.913633] ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
[ 6613.913711] ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
[ 6613.914978] [drm:radeon_vga_detect [radeon]] *ERROR* VGA-2: probed a monitor but no|invalid EDID

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Claudio Kuenzler, the issue you are reporting is an upstream one. Could you please report this problem via https://bugs.freedesktop.org/enter_bug.cgi?product=DRI :
Component: DRM/Radeon
Version: unspecified
Severity: normal
Priority: lowest
Hardware: x86-64
OS: Linux

Please provide a direct URL to your bug report once you have made it so that it may be tracked.

Thank you for your help.

[Claudio Kuenzler (napsty)]

Christopher, thanks for pointing me to the correct upstream project.
Bug was reported and can be found here: https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=96838