No GUI after installing drivers for new video card

mrmazda · 04-09-2020, 01:08 PM

Does it help to switch back to a HDMI cable? Does the black screen happen when only one display is attached? If you append a 3 to the linux cmdline in the Grub menu, can you then reach a login prompt? It seems like your login manager may be the problem. Try this. Boot using the defaults, then reboot in recovery, then on login:

Code:

journalctl -b -1 | grep ailed > somefile.txt

Paste the output written to somefile.txt here using code tags ( [ # ] above the input window) around your paste if you can't make any use of it yourself.

KKMC · 04-09-2020, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmazda

Does it help to switch back to a HDMI cable? Does the black screen happen when only one display is attached? If you append a 3 to the linux cmdline in the Grub menu, can you then reach a login prompt? It seems like your login manager may be the problem. Try this. Boot using the defaults, then reboot in recovery, then on login:

Code:

journalctl -b -1 | grep ailed > somefile.txt

Paste the output written to somefile.txt here using code tags ( [ # ] above the input window) around your paste if you can't make any use of it yourself.

All of my attempts are with only one monitor. I hooked up the other monitor HDMI (the one I have been using does not have HDMI) with the same result.
I'm sorry, but don't know what you mean by "append a 3 to the linux cmdline in the Grub menu."
I also don't know what you mean by "using code tags." I attempted below.

Code:

cat somefile.txt
Apr 09 13:18:51 clark-Inspiron-530 kernel: acpi PNP0A08:00: _OSC failed (AE_NOT_FOUND); disabling ASPM
Apr 09 13:19:07 clark-Inspiron-530 thermald[550]: THD engine start failed
Apr 09 13:19:10 clark-Inspiron-530 udisksd[547]: failed to load module mdraid: libbd_mdraid.so.2: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
Apr 09 13:19:12 clark-Inspiron-530 udisksd[547]: Failed to load the 'mdraid' libblockdev plugin

mrmazda · 04-09-2020, 02:20 PM

My GT218 is with a 6-12 month older chipset than yours:

Code:

# lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82945G/GZ/P/PL Memory Controller Hub (rev 02)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82945G/GZ/P/PL PCI Express Root Port (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation NM10/ICH7 Family USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 01)
00:1d.1 USB controller: Intel Corporation NM10/ICH7 Family USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 01)
00:1d.2 USB controller: Intel Corporation NM10/ICH7 Family USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 01)
00:1d.3 USB controller: Intel Corporation NM10/ICH7 Family USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 01)
00:1d.7 USB controller: Intel Corporation NM10/ICH7 Family USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 01)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev e1)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GH (ICH7DH) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 01)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation NM10/ICH7 Family SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (rev 01)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation NM10/ICH7 Family SMBus Controller (rev 01)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GT218 [GeForce 210] (rev a2)
01:00.1 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation High Definition Audio Controller (rev a1)
02:04.0 Communication controller: Conexant Systems, Inc. HSF 56k Data/Fax Modem
02:08.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation NM10/ICH7 Family LAN Controller (rev 01)

Note that the only GPU (VGA) listed is the GT218 PCIe card. The onboard i945 GPU is excluded.

I have 2 PCs with the same chipset as yours:

Code:

# lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82G33/G31/P35/P31 Express DRAM Controller (rev 02)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 82G33/G31 Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 02)
00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1a.1 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 (rev 02)
00:1a.7 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 02)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 3 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #6 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev 92)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801IR (ICH9R) LPC Interface Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 82801IR/IO/IH (ICH9R/DO/DH) 6 port SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
01:05.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): LSI Corporation FW322/323 [TrueFire] 1394a Controller (rev 70)
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 02)

Above you can see the only VGA is the onboard Intel G33/G31. Below has the same chipset, but with an old ATI HD2400 GPU:

Code:

# lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82G33/G31/P35/P31 Express DRAM Controller (rev 02)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82G33/G31/P35/P31 Express PCI Express Root Port (rev 02)
00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1a.1 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 (rev 02)
00:1a.7 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 02)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 3 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #6 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev 92)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801IR (ICH9R) LPC Interface Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 82801IR/IO/IH (ICH9R/DO/DH) 6 port SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 02)
04:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RV610 [Radeon HD 2400 PRO]

Note that in each of the 3, there is only one VGA line, applicable to the GPU actually wanted and in use. This is the normal expectation when a PCIe graphics card is installed. Your lspci output shows only the wrong VGA device, the G33/31. That makes me think the Dell PC BIOS is involved, either needing an adjustment, or an update, whether or not one is actually available.

KKMC · 04-09-2020, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmazda

Note that in each of the 3, there is only one VGA line, applicable to the GPU actually wanted and in use. This is the normal expectation when a PCIe graphics card is installed. Your lspci output shows only the wrong VGA device, the G33/31. That makes me think the Dell PC BIOS is involved, either needing an adjustment, or an update, whether or not one is actually available.

The original lspci was run when I had the integrated video connected.

Below is a snippet of lspci with the new video card. Again, though, I have to boot in recovery mode to get a GUI using the video card.

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GT218 [GeForce 210] (rev a2)

mrmazda · 04-09-2020, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KKMC

I have to boot in recovery mode to get a GUI using the video card.

This implies in normal mode you get no X/GUI video, but it does not address whether you get a plain text login screen on any of Ctrl-Alt-F2, Ctrl-Alt-F3, Ctrl-Alt-F4, Ctrl-Alt-F5 or Ctrl-Alt-F6 when booting normally.

What video options does your Dell BIOS offer? Is a BIOS update available? Based upon the behavior of my Dells closest in age to yours, I would never expect lspci to report the IGP as long as the GT218 is installed.

I don't have any working Inspirons, only (Dell) Optiplexes and HPs (and non-brandeds). Nearest Optiplex, 760, is likely up to 2 years newer than your Inspiron, sporting a (yuck) GUI BIOS. The only video options presented are for the Primary video device, which seems to imply both IGP and add-in could be used simultaneously, Auto above/first selection, which apparently translates to use the add-in card if present, and Onboard/Card below/second selection, which translates to use the IGP only if no add-in is present. I would thus elect to choose the lower for an equivalent to your situation. It's puzzling that the two choices have apparently identical impact when an add-in is present. I would expect using Auto while an add-in is present would be supposed to detect connected displays and light up displays according to detection and what is detected.

When I plug a display into a 6 month newer Optiplex 780 (differing only in using DDR3 instead of DDR2 RAM) motherboard's DisplayPort, with or without a display connected to one of the installed Radeon add-in card's ports, the BIOS reports "not supported configuration" and halts the system, when Onboard/Card is selected. When Auto is selected, lspci and xrandr only report the add-in Radeon, and the display connected to the onboard DisplayPort never flinches. IOW, with an add-in card, neither the 760 nor the 780 will enable the IGP.

As it stands, I'm out of suggestions, other than returning the GT218. The IGP on my other 780 produces video on both IGP DisplayPort and IGP VGA outputs, 2560x1440 on the DP, and 1920x1200 or 1680x1050 on the VGA depending on which second display I connect:

Code:

# inxi -GMS
System:    Host: gx780 Kernel: 5.5.13-1-default x86_64 bits: 64 Desktop: KDE Plasma 5.18.3
           Distro: openSUSE Tumbleweed 20200331
Machine:   Type: Desktop System: Dell product: OptiPlex 780 v: N/A serial: F23NBM1
           Mobo: Dell model: 03NVJ6 v: A01 serial: ..CN7360402902O7. BIOS: Dell v: A15 date: 08/06/2013
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel 4 Series Integrated Graphics driver: i915 v: kernel
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.7 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa
           resolution: 1920x1200~60Hz, 2560x1440~60Hz
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Q45/Q43 (ELK) v: 2.1 Mesa 20.0.2
# xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 4480 x 1440, maximum 8192 x 8192
VGA-1 connected 1920x1200+2560+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 519mm x 324mm
   1920x1200     59.95*+
   1920x1080     60.00
   1680x1050     59.95
...
HDMI-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-1 connected primary 2560x1440+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 598mm x 336mm
   2560x1440     59.95*+  74.92
   1920x1440     75.00
   1856x1392     75.00
   1920x1080     74.91    60.00    50.00    59.94

Of course, if your Inspiron only has VGA IGP output, this data is most likely of no help to you.

tofino_surfer · 04-09-2020, 09:53 PM

Code:

Graphics:  Device-1: NVIDIA GT218 [GeForce 210] vendor: eVga.com. driver: nouveau v: kernel bus ID: 01:00.0 chip ID: 10de:0a65

Quote:

IOW, you should have no need for driver manager, xserver-xorg-video-nouveau, or any version of proprietary NVidia drivers.

I don't know if you looked at your own output but your own NVIDIA GT218 [GeForce 210] is using the nouveau driver from xserver-xorg-video-nouveau.

mrmazda · 04-09-2020, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tofino_surfer

Code:

Graphics:  Device-1: NVIDIA GT218 [GeForce 210] vendor: eVga.com. driver: nouveau v: kernel bus ID: 01:00.0 chip ID: 10de:0a65

I don't know if you looked at your own output but your own NVIDIA GT218 [GeForce 210] is using the nouveau driver from xserver-xorg-video-nouveau.

What you quoted is the nouveau kernel driver in use, which is not provided by xserver-xorg-video-nouveau. The next line, which you did not quote

Code:

...x11 server: X.Org 1.20.7 driver: modesetting...

shows the DDX in use, modesetting, provided by the xorg server package, not an uninstallable separate package.

KKMC · 04-10-2020, 08:13 AM

Even though it appears we have not found a solution (pending a BIOS update) I sincerely appreciate the effort you have given.
It may be time to move on to a new computer.

mrmazda · 04-10-2020, 09:51 AM

On revisiting Xorg.0.log, a couple of things bother me:

systemd-logind: logind integration requires -keeptty and -keeptty was not provided, disabling logind integration
"Output VGA-1 connected" is not followed by any further modeline(0) announcements.

Given a blinking cursor in upper left in addition to above, and the otherwise normal Xorg.0.log output, it looks to me like X is working just fine, though at 1920x1080, which you'll be limited to with your current display and cabling. So, let's try a few more things. Boot in rescue mode and login, then:

Code:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Reboot to default Grub stanza. Any improvement? If not, boot to rescue, then:

Code:

sudo apt install xserver-xorg-legacy icewm

Now boot the default Grub stanza, but only after making these changes in edit mode (E key when Grub menu appears):

remove quiet
remove splash
remove vt.handoff=1
append 3
append plymouth.enable=0
append video=1920x1080@60

Proceed to boot. You should eventually get a login message, if not on the default screen tty1, then on tty2-6. Do Alt-F2 and login, then:

Code:

startx /usr/bin/icewm

Does this produce an X session?

Another option: Try something other than Mint, which seems to be broken for your hardware since 17.3 at least. Live AntiX, based on MX Linux, is designed for older hardware, so a good place to start. Burn and boot it so see if you get an expected GUI. Normally in these situations I use Knoppix, the granddaddy of live distros, with the most experience with just working on the widest variety of hardware.

Another: Google "disabling logind integration". Because of the cursor in the upper left, it smells to me like your foundational problem here.

Some older Intel video PC BIOS have an option having to do with framebuffer video memory size, offering 1MB and 8MB as selections. If you have that option, make sure it is set to 8.

KKMC · 04-10-2020, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmazda

Boot in rescue mode and login, then:

Code:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Reboot to default Grub stanza. Any improvement? If not, boot to rescue, then:

Code:

sudo apt install xserver-xorg-legacy icewm

Now boot the default Grub stanza, but only after making these changes in edit mode (E key when Grub menu appears):

remove quiet
remove splash
remove vt.handoff=1
append 3
append plymouth.enable=0
append video=1920x1080@60

Proceed to boot. You should eventually get a login message, if not on the default screen tty1, then on tty2-6. Do Alt-F2 and login, then:

Code:

startx /usr/bin/icewm

Does this produce an X session?

I did the items above. I did get the login message and was able to log in. However, the startx command resulted in the same black screen as when I boot without making the changes in edit mode. Just for the sake of troubleshooting, I hooked up my small monitor (which is what I am primarily working with at this point) using DVI, and followed the same steps you suggested, and had the same result.

I did not see anything about framebuffer video memory size in edit mode. I will look up "disabling logind integration."

Thanks again.

mrmazda · 04-10-2020, 12:56 PM

Sorry, I meant to run this:

Code:

startx /usr/bin/icewm -- :1

If this too fails, then paste output from this:

Code:

sudo journalctl -b | egrep 'dm|ailed'

mrmazda · 04-10-2020, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KKMC

I did not see anything about framebuffer video memory size in edit mode.

That was an omission of "BIOS" I have edited.

KKMC · 04-10-2020, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmazda

Sorry, I meant to run this:

Code:

startx /usr/bin/icewm -- :1

If this too fails, then paste output from this:

Code:

sudo journalctl -b | egrep 'dm|ailed'

https://pastebin.com/uxpajKQc

KKMC · 04-10-2020, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmazda

That was an omission of "BIOS" I have edited.

I checked the BIOS and did find a similar reference. It was set to 8MB. There did not appear to be a way to change the value, if that was necessary.

mrmazda · 04-10-2020, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KKMC

https://pastebin.com/uxpajKQc

This seems to confirm a problem with the login process, either lightdm, systemd-logind and/or pam. I have no material experience trying to solve problems with the latter, and zero with lightdm. I suggest a new thread in software forum with a new title addressing login trouble instead of video card trouble. Point back to this thread as a reference, and specifically in addition include your journalctl paste URL.