[SOLVED] kernel 3.15-0.towo-siduction-686: X not starting

[GekkoP]

This happens with both pae and non pae.
I'm on Elektra, Dell Inspiron 1525. System boots fine but X won't start. After startx everything goes black. I can still terminate the session via ctrl-alt-bksp and go back to tty1, but that's it. Last message on tty1 before prompt is 'xinit connection to X server lost'.

Edit: it also happens with 3.15-rc8-siduction-686-pae.

If you need any other details, just ask. :)

[pidsley]

Have you looked in the Xorg log (/var/log/Xorg.0.log)?

[GekkoP]

Just did it. The only (obvious) error I can see is this one:

Code: Select all

(EE) Failed to load module "modesetting" (module does not exist, 0)

[machinebacon]

Is this with Intel graphics?

How is it with an older kernel, which is the last that works? We need to know if the kernel is at fault, or some part of X.

I have something similar, that I need two boots to get X working (Intel on board), but with "older" kernels (3.14-1) -- basically it blanks out during the boot when it sets the mode.

Try adding nomodeset for a test, in the GRUB kernel boot line.

[GekkoP]

Works fine with 3.14-6.towo-siduction-686-pae. I'll try with nomodeset now.

[pidsley]

I looked that error up, and I don't think it is the problem. (edit) bacon may be on to something with nomodeset though.

There is a 3.15-rc8 kernel in Debian Experimental now, you could try that to see if it's only a problem with the siduction kernels.

https://packages.debian.org/experimenta ... c8-686-pae

[GekkoP]

nomodeset: no luck.
3.15-rc8 kernel: this one doesn't boot. Same thing that happened with the first 3.13.

Anyways, thanks for the help, guys.
If it is something hardware-related like 3.13 I just need to wait for the upgrade I suppose. Still have the 3.14-6 working, so everything's fine. :)

Edit: forgot to answer to bacon. Yes, it's Intel graphics: GM965/GL960

[machinebacon]

GekkoP, nomodeset could also be i915.modeset=0, have you tried that?

[GekkoP]

scrot.png (29.94 KiB) Viewed 6013 times

We got a winner! That i915.modeset=0 was the key.
Thanks a lot. :)

[machinebacon]

modeset is bloat :D

[GekkoP]

Quick update: this kernel works without any problem on Coal. (HP Pavilion, Core2, Radeon X1600/X1650)

[GekkoP]

Oh, with the new kernel 3.15-0.towo.2-siduction-686 no need to use i915.modeset=0 anymore. :)

[machinebacon]

Kernel: Linux 3.15-rc8-686-pae i686

Seems it was really a kernel problem, because this one ^ works fine here, too.

[GekkoP]

^ well, after a reboot it is not working anymore. Have to put i915.modeset=0 back in.

[machinebacon]

would you try the linux-image-686-pae package for a test?

[GekkoP]

^ just did it. That one didn't even boot, same thing that happened to me with the first 3.13 from siduction. But, after another reboot with 3.15-0.towo.2-siduction-686 and no i915.modeset=0, it is working. It's just random then.

[machinebacon]

Manu, I noticed exactly the same and I alreayd blame 'reboot' vs 'poweroff/halt/shutdown'. Thinkpad T43 here with the intel card. modeset off always brings me to the login screen and further, but also has shaky mouse. Without modesets off it either boots to where it switches to the framebuffer (black screen) or it boots through. Weird.
The only fucking kernel that always works is the 486 trunk from Debian.

[GekkoP]

^ interesting. I'll try a shutdown/poweroff instead of a reboot and let's see if it happens to me too. Really weird though. I still got 3.14-6 around, and that one has always worked fine.

[machinebacon]

Need more weirdness? The exactly same thing happens on a triple-booting MacBook Pro - only every second boot works. Guess which onboard gfx it has...

[GekkoP]

^ the towo.3 of 3.13 worked last time, maybe we just need to wait the towo.3 of 3.15. ;)