Graphics display shuts off intermitantly

[DaveF]

Binary package hint: xorg

Right when X starts up the graphics display shuts down and the screen is black. After some time (random) the screen will turn on. Then when I perform some operation like click on a link in a browser or nothing at all, the screen will go black again.

I have tried running from a Live CD to see if it was a problem with the install. Same issue. It even seemed like the screen was blacking out then the CD would start turning. Almost like it was an electrical problem.

The X1200 ATI chipset on my motherboard is an RS690 which is supported according to the open source driver documentation.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: amd64
Date: Thu Nov 5 00:17:21 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
MachineType: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. GA-MA69GM-S2H
Package: xorg 1:7.4+3ubuntu7
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-9-rt root=UUID=637289c1-037d-4268-95a4-81502a5b4cab ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-9.152-rt
RelatedPackageVersions:
 xserver-xorg 1:7.4+3ubuntu7
 libgl1-mesa-glx 7.6.0-1ubuntu4
 libdrm2 2.4.14-1ubuntu1
 xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.9.0-1ubuntu2
 xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.12.99+git20090929.7968e1fb-0ubuntu1
SourcePackage: xorg
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-9-rt x86_64
XorgConf: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/etc/X11/xorg.conf'
XsessionErrors:
 (gnome-settings-daemon:2490): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_propagate_error: assertion `src != NULL' failed
 (gnome-settings-daemon:2490): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_propagate_error: assertion `src != NULL' failed
 (polkit-gnome-authentication-agent-1:2539): GLib-CRITICAL **: g_once_init_leave: assertion `initialization_value != 0' failed
 (nautilus:2533): Eel-CRITICAL **: eel_preferences_get_boolean: assertion `preferences_is_initialized ()' failed
dmi.bios.date: 10/08/2007
dmi.bios.vendor: Award Software International, Inc.
dmi.bios.version: F3
dmi.board.name: GA-MA69GM-S2H
dmi.board.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.board.version: x.x
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAwardSoftwareInternational,Inc.:bvrF3:bd10/08/2007:svnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:pnGA-MA69GM-S2H:pvr:rvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:rnGA-MA69GM-S2H:rvrx.x:cvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:ct3:cvr:
dmi.product.name: GA-MA69GM-S2H
dmi.sys.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
fglrx: Not loaded
system:
 distro: Ubuntu
 architecture: x86_64kernel: 2.6.31-9-rt

[Steven Brown (steven-w-j-brown)]

I can confirm a similar problem on a similar setup. The only difference is the screen never turns on - it just stays black. Or perhaps I'm too impatient. :) I cannot Ctrl+Alt+1 to switch to a virtual terminal and I must hard reboot. This occurs if I have no xorg.conf or if I have one using the ati or radeon drivers. And this is on the 64 bit Karmic.

If I use the 32 bit live cd, however, everything seems to work fine! (Uses built-in xorg configuration, using "ati" and "radeon" drivers.) So it must be a 64 bit issue? I'll post some files, from the 32bit liveCD session and from my 64bit install.

[Steven Brown (steven-w-j-brown)]

Since it freezes, I'm currently forcing it to VESA....

[Christoph Schwaeppe (gatonero)]

I got the same symptoms. Very seldom when I use 1680x1050 resolution, but very often, when I use 1920x1080 resolution. This also has been the same with sabayon linux.
ATI Technologies Inc RS690 [Radeon X1200 Series] [1002:791e]TI Technologies Inc RS690 [Radeon X1200 Series] [1002:791e]
Linux 2.6.31-14-generic #48-Ubuntu SMP Fri Oct 16 14:05:01 UTC 2009 x86_64 GNU/Linux
xserver-xorg-video-radeon

[Michael Pacey (michael-wd21)]

This (the original reported problem, not complete loss of video) affects me too on an i686 machine.

02:00.1 Display controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV280 [Radeon 9200 PRO] (Secondary) (rev 01)

Linux carlos 2.6.31-9-rt #152-Ubuntu SMP PREEMPT RT Thu Oct 15 05:01:14 UTC 2009 i686 GNU/Linux

(I'm running Ubuntu Studio)

DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=9.10
DISTRIB_CODENAME=karmic
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 9.10"

Only a problem in 1600x1200, which is my monitor's native resolution. So I run it at a reduced resolution, but I'd prefer the native.

Nothing of note in any logs! It's as almost like the monitor cable gets pulled for a few seconds and plugged back in.

[Michael Pacey (michael-wd21)]

Interestingly, this is not an issue if I use my card's VGA output rather than the DVI-D port - but my monitor initially complained about frequencies being out of range and I had to generate an xorg.conf and edit the HorizSync and VertRefresh with lower maximum values. Changing these figures has not fixed DVI-D though.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

[This is an automatic notification.]

Hi DaveF,

This bug was reported against an earlier version of Ubuntu, can you
test if it still occurs on Lucid?

Please note we also provide technical support for older versions of
Ubuntu, but not in the bug tracker. Instead, to raise the issue through
normal support channels, please see:

    http://www.ubuntu.com/support

If you are the original reporter and can still reproduce the issue on
Lucid, please run the following command to refresh the report:

  apport-collect 475131

If you are not the original reporter, please file a new bug report, so
we can work with you as the original reporter instead (you can reference
bug 475131 in your report if you think it may be related):

  ubuntu-bug xorg

If by chance you can no longer reproduce the issue on Lucid or if you
feel it is no longer relevant, please mark the bug report 'Fix Released'
or 'Invalid' as appropriate, at the following URL:

  https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/475131

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

We're closing this bug since it is has been some time with no response from the original reporter. However, if the issue still exists please feel free to reopen with the requested information. Also, if you could, please test against the latest development version of Ubuntu, since this confirms the bug is one we may be able to pass upstream for help.