screen goes completely black during usage then comes back

[Scott Moser]

Hi,
just upgraded and rebooted (been quite a while since I rebooted so lots of things probably changed in the mix).

The system initially logged in and my screen layout was lost (instead ie, the monitor on the left was on the right). I changed that back, logged out and back in.

Now, occasionally and seemingly randomly the larger display goes black for 1-2 seconds during usage.
It often occurs when switching desktops via hotkeys, but sometimes at other random points.

After playing a bit, I'm pretty sure the reason is that I'm getting the vesa driver instead of the intel one.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.10
Package: xorg 1:7.7+13ubuntu3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-31.50-generic 4.4.13
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-31-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: zfs zunicode zcommon znvpair zavl
.tmp.unity_support_test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.20.2-0ubuntu1
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: compiz
CompositorUnredirectDriverBlacklist: '(nouveau|Intel).*Mesa 8.0'
CompositorUnredirectFSW: true
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Wed Jul 20 09:26:52 2016
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: yakkety
DistroVariant: ubuntu
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation HD Graphics 6000 [8086:1626] (rev 09) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Intel Corporation HD Graphics 6000 [8086:2057]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-07-23 (363 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 15.10 "Wily Werewolf" - Alpha amd64 (20150722.1)
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-31-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=f897b32a-eacf-4191-9717-844918947069 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xorg
Symptom: display
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.13.0+16.10.20160714.2-0ubuntu1
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.68-1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 11.2.1-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 11.2.1-1ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.18.4-1ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.10.2-1ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:7.7.0-1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.917+git20160706-1ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.12-2
xserver.bootTime: Wed Jul 20 09:18:57 2016
xserver.configfile: default
xserver.errors:
 modeset(0): failed to set mode: Invalid argument
 modeset(0): failed to set mode: Invalid argument
xserver.logfile: /var/log/Xorg.0.log
xserver.version: 2:1.18.4-1ubuntu1
xserver.video_driver: modeset

[Scott Moser (smoser)]

rebooted into old kernel that previously worked and still see behavior (4.4.0-24-generic) . Will try backing the xserver to downlevel version.

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

This xserver doesn't load the intel driver anymore on gen4 and newer. You can get previous behaviour back by copying the template xorg.conf from /usr/share/doc/xserver-xorg-video-intel/xorg.conf to /etc/X11 and restarting lightdm etc.

it could be a kernel bug though

[Scott Moser (smoser)]

I backed xserver-common and xserver-xorg-core previous versions and am now fine.
this works:
$ dpkg-query --show xserver-common xserver-xorg-core
xserver-common 2:1.18.3-1ubuntu7
xserver-xorg-core 2:1.18.3-1ubuntu7

the latest versions (1.18.4-1ubuntu1) do not.

Previously (with 1.18.4-1ubuntu1):
$ grep drivers /var/log/Xorg.0.log
[ 18.551] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/modesetting_drv.so
[ 18.552] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/fbdev_drv.so
[ 18.553] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/vesa_drv.so

And with 1.18.3-1ubuntu7:

$ grep drivers /var/log/Xorg.0.log
[ 18.490] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/intel_drv.so
[ 18.493] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/modesetting_drv.so
[ 18.495] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/fbdev_drv.so
[ 18.495] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/vesa_drv.so

$ lspci | grep VGA
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation HD Graphics 6000 (rev 09)

[Scott Moser (smoser)]

I chatted with tjaalton in irc. He suggested trying mainline kernel.
I pulled http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.7-rc6-yakkety/
now running 4.7.0-040700rc6-generic
with
$ dpkg-query --show xserver-common xserver-xorg-core
xserver-common 2:1.18.4-1ubuntu1
xserver-xorg-core 2:1.18.4-1ubuntu1

and the problem does not appear to be present.

I can't run the mainline kernels due to need of zfs and other ubuntu sauce, but it does seem fixed there.

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

thanks for testing!

[Scott Moser (smoser)]

Timo asked that I try 4.6 so i grabbed http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.6.3-yakkety/
now with 4.6.3-040603-generic
problem does not seem present.

So, short summary of what i've tested when paired with xserver-xorg-core at 2:1.18.4-1ubuntu1:
 BAD: 4.4.0-24-generic
 BAD: 4.4.0-31-generic
 GOOD: 4.6.3-040603-generic
 GOOD: 4.7.0-040700rc6-generic

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

Thanks for testing, so moving this over to the kernel.

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Scott Moser (smoser)]

marked this fix-released.
I dont see the problem any more.
It is possible it still affects 4.4 series, but bionic is fine for sure.