[SOLVED] Packard Bell EasyNote TK37 (and maybe others): avoid black screen after booting

Context: Slackware64-current, kernel 3.10.14

lspci -vnn says:

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:2a42] (rev 07) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
        Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device [1025:048a]
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 44
        Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4M]
        Memory at c0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M] s at 5110 [size=8]
        Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled]
        Capabilities: [90] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
        Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 3
        Kernel driver in use: i915

Symptoms

• during boot sequence, at handover the screen goes and stays black
• if "nomodeset" all goes well but display is restricted to 1024x768

Bad workaround:

setpci -s 00:02.0 F4.B=0

This writes 0 in register Legacy Backlight Brightness of the GPU cf. this datasheet from Intel, page 366. Don't do that: that works at boot time but if you kill X you get a black screen again.

Good workaround: append to your command line:

i915.invert_brightness=1

Solution: patch kernel's file drivers/gpu/drm/i915/intel_display.c like already done for other laptop models like this:

        /* Acer Aspire 4736Z */
        { 0x2a42, 0x1025, 0x0260, quirk_invert_brightness },
  
        /* Packard Bell EasyNote TK37 */
        { 0x2a42, 0x1025, 0x048a, quirk_invert_brightness },

then build & and install the patched kernel.

I assume that other laptops including the same device could be in concern, as long as the device id is the same (02a42), so if you have the same symptoms and the same device id you could try the good workaround.

Anyhow I'll file a bug for this one.

PS done here.

Happens with my desktop as well with Slackware-14.0-x86-64. I just wait until it has finished booting then type root return passwd return startx return now that I can see what I'm doing I install nvidia drivers and get away from the problem. Not elegant but it works.

Not sure if it is caused by the built in or the card.

00:02.0 Display controller [0380]: Intel Corporation Ivy Bridge Graphics Controller [8086:0152] (rev 09) Subsystem: ASRock Incorporation Device [1849:0152] Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 11 Memory at f7400000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4M] Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M] I/O ports at f000 [size=64] Capabilities: [90] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit- Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 2 Capabilities: [a4] PCI Advanced Features

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: nVidia Corporation Device [10de:11c6] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller]) Subsystem: eVga.com. Corp. Device [3842:3653] Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 48 Memory at f6000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M] Memory at e0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M] Memory at f0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=32M] I/O ports at e000 [size=128] [virtual] Expansion ROM at f7000000 [disabled] [size=512K] Capabilities: [60] Power Management version 3 Capabilities: [68] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+ Capabilities: [78] Express Endpoint, MSI 00 Capabilities: [b4] Vendor Specific Information: Len=14 <?> Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel Capabilities: [128] Power Budgeting <?> Capabilities: [600] Vendor Specific Information: ID=0001 Rev=1 Len=024 <?> Capabilities: [900] #19 Kernel driver in use: nvidia

samac

Well samac, that looks more like hybrid graphics, so I'd assume that's a different issue. This can be confirmed typing following command:

lspci -vnn | grep '\''[030[02]\]'

As many lines in the output, as many graphical processors.

Wow, that was fast...

Eventually Daniel Vetter decided to quirk all PackardBell/Acer laptops including a GM45.

But it's committed in linux-next and merge window for 3.12 is closed, so that will be for kernel 3.13 and we probably won't get it backported in a 3.10 kernel, at least before Slackware 14.1 is released. Pat could cherry-pick the commit from linux-next, but he usually ships unmodified kernels, so this thread will just serve as a reminder for people with the same hardware, I assume.