Suspected hardware issue causing lightdm to fail to start

schwim · 05-12-2022, 07:36 AM

Just acquired a new laptop and am installing Debian Buster on it. during the boot sequence Light DM is halting it from continuing. The laptop is fairly new. It is Acer's A515-46-R3UB.

I have installed back ports and updated and upgraded everything. However still get the error.
Much appreciation to those who know a lot more than me who are willing to help. Thanks.

CPU Info: AMD Ryzen 3350U with radeon vega mobile gfx

System BIOS Version: V 1.05
GOP version: AMD GOPx64 Release Driver Rev.2.8.0.0.0. Jul 26 2019. 11:24:53

HDD0 Model Name: None
HDD0 Serial Number: None
HDD1 Model Name: HFM128GD3JX016N
HDD1 Serial Number: FYA4NO26710504A3D
SATA MODE: AHCI

Total Memory: 4096MB

SERIAL NUMBER: NXABRAA007147289DD7600

PRODUCT NAME: Aspire A15-46
MANUFACTURER: Acer
UUID: 7D95F2C2-E286-8F4E-9D9F-C018506B58EB

Code:

 lightdm.service - Light Display Manager
  loaded: loaded(/lib/systemd/system/lightdm/lightdm.service; inderect vendor present:enabled)

Active failed (Result: exit-code) since Wed 2022-05-11 22:08:59 EDT; 3 mins39s ago

DOCS: man:lightdm(1)

Process: 598 ExecStartPre=/bin/sh -c ( "$cat  /etc/X11/default-display-manager 2>/dev/null)= "/usr/sbin/lightdm")  (code=exited, staus=0/success

Process: 600 ExecStart= usr/sbin/lightdm (code=exited, status=1/failure)
Main PID: 600 (code=exited, status=1/failure)

pan64 · 05-12-2022, 08:58 AM

can you post the content of /lib/systemd/system/lightdm/lightdm.service
Why do you think it is a hardware error?

schwim · 05-12-2022, 09:51 AM

Thanks for the help!

Quote:

Originally Posted by pan64

can you post the content of /lib/systemd/system/lightdm/lightdm.service

Sorry for the image, haven't figured out how to export text without gui:

https://i.imgur.com/ONI2Oxr.png

Quote:

Originally Posted by pan64

Why do you think it is a hardware error?

From my Googling, others with issues like this and a laptop this new end in "Your laptop was built after Buster, upgrade to Bullseye".

pan64 · 05-12-2022, 10:02 AM

ok, would be nice to see the log of lightdm (can be found in /var/log/lightdm)
use pastebin for posting log files

r37 · 05-14-2022, 08:28 AM

If it is (still) possible in Debian to use another init system than systemd (sysvinit, openrc, runit), you can give it a try. As your problem appears to be related to the way the system is initialized, it may help. (A friend of mine is using Acer A 15 with Devuan stable /chimaera/ and Light DM/LXDE with no troubles; and the main difference between Devuan and Debian is the absence of systemd in the former, sysvinit being the default init system.)
But it is just an idea, it may be simpler to solve it via changes in init files etc. Nevertheless I do not think that it is a hw issue, I do not see solid relationship between functioning of (light)dm and the hardware.

mrmazda · 05-14-2022, 06:06 PM

I suggest to try another DM, to rule out whether LightDM has anything to do with the problem. TDM with amdgpu on Buster works fine here:

Code:

# inxi -GISaz
System:
  Kernel: 4.19.0-20-amd64 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 8.3.0
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz root=LABEL=<filter> noresume
    ipv6.disable=1 net.ifnames=0 mitigations=auto consoleblank=0
    radeon.cik_support=0 amdgpu.cik_support=1 video=1440x900@60
  Desktop: Trinity v: R14.0.12 tk: Qt v: 3.5.0 info: kicker wm: Twin v: 3.0
    vt: 7 dm: TDM Distro: Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster)
Graphics:
  Device-1: AMD Kaveri [Radeon R7 Graphics] vendor: ASUSTeK driver: amdgpu
    v: kernel alternate: radeon ports: active: DP-1,DVI-D-1 empty: VGA-1
    bus-ID: 00:01.0 chip-ID: 1002:130f class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.20.4 driver: X: loaded: amdgpu
    unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa gpu: amdgpu display-ID: :0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 4480x1440 s-dpi: 120 s-size: 948x304mm (37.32x11.97")
    s-diag: 996mm (39.19")
  Monitor-1: DVI-D-1 mapped: DVI-D-0 pos: right model: NEC EA243WM
    serial: <filter> built: 2011 res: 1920x1200 hz: 60 dpi: 94 gamma: 1.2
    size: 519x324mm (20.43x12.76") diag: 612mm (24.1") ratio: 16:10 modes:
    max: 1920x1200 min: 640x480
  Monitor-2: DP-1 mapped: DisplayPort-0 pos: primary,left
    model: Acer K272HUL serial: <filter> built: 2018 res: 2560x1440 hz: 60
    dpi: 109 gamma: 1.2 size: 598x336mm (23.54x13.23") diag: 686mm (27")
    ratio: 16:9 modes: max: 2560x1440 min: 720x400
  OpenGL: renderer: AMD KAVERI (DRM 3.27.0 4.19.0-20-amd64 LLVM 7.0.1)
    v: 4.5 Mesa 18.3.6 direct render: Yes
Info:...Shell: Bash v: 5.0.3
  running-in: konsole inxi: 3.3.15

ondoho · 05-15-2022, 01:49 AM

Generally speaking, new hardware and Debian stable don't go together very well.
Usually, at the very least, you'll need a backported kernel.

If it's very new it often doesn't go well with Linux at all. I could find 2 articles about your device, both from this year.

Have you considered a slightly less conservative distro?

pan64 · 05-15-2022, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ondoho

Generally speaking, new hardware and Debian stable don't go together very well.
Usually, at the very least, you'll need a backported kernel.

If it's very new it often doesn't go well with Linux at all. I could find 2 articles about your device, both from this year.

Have you considered a slightly less conservative distro?

Yes, ubuntu 22.04 "has" a better chance (try live CD), but anyway would be nice to se some additional logs to be able to step forward.

r37 · 05-15-2022, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmazda

I suggest to try another DM, to rule out whether LightDM has anything to do with the problem. TDM with amdgpu on Buster works fine here

This is a good idea, too. It is of course possible that TDM does not go well with the desktop that @schwim intends to use but for a diagnostics it is perfect and perhaps not so demanding; and an opportunity to try Trinity Desktop can be an added value