Lenovo notebook X201, 13.1 "black screen" bug
Arun Vidarjee
which most of the current distributions show a black
screen during kernel boot. The 13.1 64 DVD booted
properly and I could install Slack on the HD. But had
the black screen booting from HD. I could avoid that
appending "nomodeset" to kernel boot parameters. The
kernel version is 2.6.33.4 #3 SMP ... x86_64 Intel(R)
Core(TM) i5 CPU M 540
Now the big surprise: I can't start X, Xorg.0.log says
X.Org X Server 1.7.7
...
Build Operating System: Slackware 13.1 Slackware Linux
Current Operation System: Linux x201 2.6.33.4. ...
Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=Linux ro root=805
vt.default_utf8=0 nomodeset
Build Date: 05 May 2010 01:59:51AM
....
LoadModule: "extmod"
...
LoadModule: "dbe"
...
LoadModule: "glx"
...
LoadModule: "dri"
...
LoadModule: "dri2"
...
LoadModule: "intel"
...
LoadModule: "vesa"
...
LoadModule: "fbdev"
...
(EE) Failed to load module "fbdev" (module does not exist)
..
(EE) intel(0): No kernel modesetting driver detected
(II) UnloadModule: "intel"
(EE) Screen(s) fount, but none have a usable configuration.
What is the way out?
Arun
mark
locate fbdev*
locate fbdev.ko
find / -name fbdev*
find / -name fbdev.ko
--
Mark Mckee
CompTIA A+ Certified
CompTIA Network+ Certified
Arun Vidarjee
> Arun Vidarjee wrote:
>> I have a new Lenovo notebook X201, Type 3626-FAG, with
>> which most of the current distributions show a black
>> screen during kernel boot. The 13.1 64 DVD booted
>> properly and I could install Slack on the HD. But had
>> the black screen booting from HD. I could avoid that
>> appending "nomodeset" to kernel boot parameters. The
>> kernel version is 2.6.33.4 #3 SMP ... x86_64 Intel(R)
>> Core(TM) i5 CPU M 540
>>
>> Now the big surprise: I can't start X, Xorg.0.log says
>>
>> X.Org X Server 1.7.7
>> ...
>> Build Operating System: Slackware 13.1 Slackware Linux
>> Current Operation System: Linux x201 2.6.33.4. ...
>> Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=Linux ro root=805
>> vt.default_utf8=0 nomodeset
>> Build Date: 05 May 2010 01:59:51AM
>> ....
> You could try doing a search for the module, something like:
> locate fbdev*
Gives me a whole bunch. If I exclude doc, man and /usr/src/linux
/usr/bin/Xfbdev
/usr/include/GL/glfbdev.h
/usr/include/xorg/fbdevhw.h
/usr/lib64/xorg/modules/linux/libfbdevhw.so
/usr/lib64/xorg/modules/linux/libfbdevhw.la
This is Slack 13.1, 64 bit.
What do you suggest, to get X going?
Arun
Martin
> I have a new Lenovo notebook X201, Type 3626-FAG, with
> which most of the current distributions show a black
> screen during kernel boot. The 13.1 64 DVD booted
> properly and I could install Slack on the HD. But had
> the black screen booting from HD. I could avoid that
> appending "nomodeset" to kernel boot parameters. The
> kernel version is 2.6.33.4 #3 SMP ... x86_64 Intel(R)
> Core(TM) i5 CPU M 540
>
> Now the big surprise: I can't start X, Xorg.0.log says
>
[...]
> (EE) Failed to load module "fbdev" (module does not exist)
That error is harmless
> ..
> (EE) intel(0): No kernel modesetting driver detected
> (II) UnloadModule: "intel"
> (EE) Screen(s) fount, but none have a usable configuration.
That is your problem.
>
> What is the way out?
As far as I can see, kernel mode setting should be enabled. Ie. you need to
work on the other problem. One idea: the black screen during boot is often
caused by a conflict between intel and other framebuffer devices like VESA.
Make sure they are disabled.
>
> Arun
Martin
Aaron W. Hsu
I don't know if this will help you, but you should probably make sure to
use the standard console with LILO when you boot up. That's what I do
with my t500, but again I've never had this problem. The Framebuffer
device might be giving you some trouble, so just don't run it when you
boot up. Then, is this an old xorg.conf file that you're running? I
don't know if you are running without an xorg.conf file or not, but the
first thing to try would be that.
Aaron W. Hsu
Arun Vidarjee
On 15.06.2010 01:37, Martin wrote:
> Arun Vidarjee wrote:
>
>> ... The 13.1 64 DVD booted
>> properly and I could install Slack on the HD. But had
>> the black screen booting from HD. I could avoid that
>> appending "nomodeset" to kernel boot parameters. The
>> kernel version is 2.6.33.4 #3 SMP ... x86_64 Intel(R)
>> Core(TM) i5 CPU M 540
>>
>> Now the big surprise: I can't start X, Xorg.0.log says
>>
> [...]
>> (EE) Failed to load module "fbdev" (module does not exist)
>
> That error is harmless
>
>> ..
>> (EE) intel(0): No kernel modesetting driver detected
>> (II) UnloadModule: "intel"
>> (EE) Screen(s) fount, but none have a usable configuration.
>
> That is your problem.
>
> As far as I can see, kernel mode setting should be enabled. Ie. you need to
> work on the other problem.
Sounds reasonable. I should not disable KMS. But for that I need a
kernel which does not switch off my screen! I'm still with the
stock kernel in 13.1 2.6.33.4. My question: Does anybody know of
a better recent kernel, or a patch for this one?
> One idea: the black screen during boot is often
> caused by a conflict between intel and other framebuffer devices like VESA.
> Make sure they are disabled.
I'm not sure how to do that. Can remember seeing some similar
discussions in a web-search. I will check, appreciate any pointers
in the meantime.
Arun
mark
check and double check for typo's, I don't know how many problems that I
have had and been resolved by correcting typo's.
Have you tried booting from a live cd of another distro? (assuming the
13.1 dvd is just an install disk)
Also, I came across this link:
http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/Intel_GMA#Kernel_Mode_Setting
--
Mark Mckee
CompTIA A+ Certified <www.comptia.org> CompTIA Network+ Certified
<www.comptia.org>
Aaron W. Hsu
>> One idea: the black screen during boot is often
>> caused by a conflict between intel and other framebuffer devices like
>> VESA. Make sure they are disabled.
>
> I'm not sure how to do that. Can remember seeing some similar
> discussions in a web-search. I will check, appreciate any pointers
> in the meantime.
So, what he and I are trying to say is go into your Lilo.conf file and
remove the use of the framebuffer device that gives you the high
resolution console ttys.
The lilo.conf file is suitably commented for this task, so just go in
there and see what you get, make sure to use the normal setting that
doens't use a VESA framebuffer. I'm not going to tell you exactly how to
do it because lilo.conf files are dangerous beasts, and if you haven't
read through yours carefully, and you're not confident how to edit it,
you should probably post it up for us to tell you what to change (if we
have time) rather than me guessing at this point. However, this is a
fairly routine and simple edit which should require you to change only a
couple of lines, so just go in there, change those, and try to boot up
without the VESA framebuffer; see what you get. You shouldn't get the
black screen anymore if you were having a conflict with that stuff.
Aaron W. Hsu
Lew Pitcher
wrote:
> Arun Vidarjee wrote:
>
>>> One idea: the black screen during boot is often
>>> caused by a conflict between intel and other framebuffer devices like
>>> VESA. Make sure they are disabled.
>>
>> I'm not sure how to do that. Can remember seeing some similar
>> discussions in a web-search. I will check, appreciate any pointers
>> in the meantime.
>
> So, what he and I are trying to say is go into your Lilo.conf file and
> remove the use of the framebuffer device that gives you the high
> resolution console ttys.
>
> The lilo.conf file is suitably commented for this task, so just go in
> there and see what you get, make sure to use the normal setting that
> doens't use a VESA framebuffer.
Specifically, the OP should read the lilo.conf(5) ('man 5 lilo.conf')
section on the "per-image" vga= option.
vga=normal is a safe bet for a non-fb device, as is vga=extended
> I'm not going to tell you exactly how to
> do it because lilo.conf files are dangerous beasts, and if you haven't
> read through yours carefully, and you're not confident how to edit it,
> you should probably post it up for us to tell you what to change (if we
> have time) rather than me guessing at this point.
Agreed.
> However, this is a
> fairly routine and simple edit which should require you to change only a
> couple of lines, so just go in there, change those, and try to boot up
> without the VESA framebuffer; see what you get. You shouldn't get the
> black screen anymore if you were having a conflict with that stuff.
--
Lew Pitcher
Master Codewright & JOAT-in-training | Registered Linux User #112576
Me: http://pitcher.digitalfreehold.ca/ | Just Linux: http://justlinux.ca/
---------- Slackware - Because I know what I'm doing. ------