Cant boot on Mint 21.2 Cinnamon in regular mode

macflorek · 10-12-2023, 04:27 AM

Hello everyone,
I've just installed Mint 21.2 Cinnamon on my laptop with AMD Ryzen 4500u processor that has integrated graphics (per what i found out).
The computer has been working seamlessly on Windows 10 which I have as dual boot system now.
Unfortunately when I try to start Mint i get a black screen and loading stalls. The only way i can get Linux load is to either use nomodeset parameter in grub or use recovery option in grub.

More data here: https://pastebin.com/QC7Mx3GW

I've also tried startup with 5.15 version of the kernel - with the same result.

Please help - i've run out of ideas and problem search results

mrmazda · 10-12-2023, 05:27 AM

Is firmware-amd-graphics installed?

hazel · 10-12-2023, 05:54 AM

Why not put nomodeset permanently into your grub options? From what I can remember of the Debian family, they have a file of permanent options for grub under /etc/default/grub.

beachboy2 · 10-12-2023, 05:54 AM

macflorek,

Welcome to LQ forums.

Use nomodeset as you did previously.

You then need to make this nomodeset change permanent by editing this file:

Code:

/etc/default/grub

If you don’t already have gedit, then first install it:

Code:

 sudo apt install gedit

Code:

sudo gedit /etc/default/grub

Find the line GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=
and add nomodeset to the existing text e.g. if you have:

Code:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"

, then make it:

Code:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash nomodeset"

.

Save the file, then run:

Code:

sudo update-grub

Code:

 sudo reboot

hazel · 10-12-2023, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hazel

Why not put nomodeset permanently into your grub options? From what I can remember of the Debian family, they have a file of permanent options for grub under /etc/default/grub.

PS: Beachboy and I posted simultaneously! His post is better because more detailed. But you don't need to use gedit. Any editor will do for a plain text file like this. If you are already familiar with nano or some other editor, just use that.

mrmazda · 10-12-2023, 06:08 AM

nomodeset is primarily a troubleshooting parameter to enable a degraded but functional X to run, or booting to text mode that otherwise fails, in order to reconfigure or install firmware, drivers or other software. Its main secondary use relates to using NVidia's proprietary drivers. For most users, nomodeset limits graphical resolution to 1024x768. Putting nomodeset into /etc/default/grub virtually guarantees crippled graphics output, grossly inferior to Windows graphics if correct driver has been installed in it. Using nomodeset also limits output from various data reporters, such as Xorg.0.log and inxi -GSaz, the latter which OP should paste here input/output from, and former which OP should pastebin.

macflorek · 10-15-2023, 08:40 AM

@MRMazda:
How do i check if firmware is installed?
@all: thanks for reply. When I boot into nomodeset then only laptop screen works and external display that is connected via HDMI doesn't detect any signal...In Windows both work seamlessly :-(

mrmazda · 10-15-2023, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macflorek

How do i check if firmware is installed?

I mixed up Mint with some other distros that name the appropriate package firmware-amd-graphics. AMD graphics firmware in Mint is contained in linux-firmware:

Code:

# inxi -S
System:
  Host: ara88 Kernel: 6.2.0-32-generic arch: x86_64 bits: 64
    Console: pty pts/0 Distro: Linux Mint 21.2 Victoria
# dpkg-query -l linux-firmware
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name           Version                          Architecture Description
+++-==============-================================-============-=================================
ii  linux-firmware 20220329.git681281e4-0ubuntu3.18 all          Firmware for Linux kernel drivers
# dpkg-query -L linux-firmware | grep amd | wc -l
546
#

Currently the package provides approximately 542 unique firmware files for AMD GPUs.

Quote:

When I boot into nomodeset then only laptop screen works and external display that is connected via HDMI doesn't detect any signal...In Windows both work seamlessly :-(

The crude fallback graphics driver used when nomodeset is employed only supports one display.

It still needs to be determined why the appropriate kernel driver "amdgpu" is apparently not loading. When loaded, you should see approximately the following:

Code:

# lsmod | sort | grep amdg
amdgpu              14516224  0
drm                   696320  9 gpu_sched,drm_kms_helper,drm_display_helper,drm_buddy,amdgpu,radeon,drm_ttm_helper,ttm
drm_buddy              20480  1 amdgpu
drm_display_helper    212992  2 amdgpu,radeon
drm_kms_helper        249856  5 drm_display_helper,amdgpu,radeon
drm_ttm_helper         16384  2 amdgpu,radeon
gpu_sched              61440  1 amdgpu
i2c_algo_bit           16384  2 amdgpu,radeon
iommu_v2               24576  1 amdgpu
ttm                   110592  3 amdgpu,radeon,drm_ttm_helper
video                  69632  2 amdgpu,radeon
# inxi -Ga
Graphics:
  Device-1: AMD ... Graphics] vendor: ... driver: amdgpu
...
#

The amdgpu driver cannot load when nomodeset is employed. We need to see your Xorg.0.log file that results when nomodeset is not employed.

macflorek · 10-20-2023, 04:21 AM

Hi,
Here are the outputs:

inxi -S:

System:
Host: maciek-MACHCREATOR-A Kernel: 6.2.0-34-generic x86_64 bits: 64
Desktop: Cinnamon 5.8.4 Distro: Linux Mint 21.2 Victoria

lsmod | sort | grep amdg : empty output.

Contents of /var/log/Xorg.0.log file (this is copied from a session in "recovery mode", not sure how i can copy the file in the standard , without nomodeset session since i get blackscreen doing during startup then):

https://pastebin.com/7jwdNqGN

Cheers

mrmazda · 10-20-2023, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macflorek

lsmod | sort | grep amdg : empty output.

This is expected when nomodeset is employed.

Quote:

not sure how i can copy the file in the standard , without nomodeset session since i get blackscreen doing during startup then)

The easy way is to upload Xorg.0.log.old instead, but first, check that it does not contain nomodeset. Some X startups will automatically try again if the first fails, giving a nearly matched pair with nearly identical timestamps.

To be sure without needing to check if Xorg.0.log.old excludes nomodeset, at Grub menu strike the E key, navigate to the end of the linu line (which usually wraps), then append a space and 3. This will prevent X startup, presenting you with shell prompts for login on several vttys, and leaving the Xorg.0.log from the previous boot available for suitable pastebinning.

You don't need to tell us what you're going to tell us. Simply copy and paste all command input/output, with the trailing empty prompt, just as I did in previous response. That makes it clear what you are presenting.

macflorek · 10-31-2023, 01:24 AM

Hi,
I only now tried what you suggested : " (...)then append a space and 3(...). Unfortunately, then after pressing F10 it still got me into black screen and i couldn't take notes of contents of the Xorg.O.log.old file.
Can i get the file contents in some other way?

Cheers

mrmazda · 10-31-2023, 01:11 PM

Try again, but appending all the following instead of just space 3:

Code:

 3  vga=791  video=1024x768@60  nosimplefb=1  plymouth.enable=0

macflorek · 11-01-2023, 01:49 PM

I did exactly what you've mentioned below. However, it also ends up with black screen...

mrmazda · 11-01-2023, 02:45 PM

You still haven't shown us an Xorg.0.log from not employing nomodeset. There's virtually nothing we can suggest to solve the basic problem without having that information. If you must boot from USB rescue in order to capture one such, then do it, but first, following a boot attempt without using nomodeset, boot with both 3 and nomodeset included so that X won't try to start, which thereby obliterates the Xorg.0.log we need to see that does not contain nomodeset. Either attach the log, or pastebin it. Don't try to copy & paste it as content. A normal one is too big. Each Xorg.0.log* contains the kernel cmdline near the top, so can be checked to confirm whether or not any given parameter, such as nomodeset, was employed on that boot.

Content from the journal should also be helpful. Check to be sure that /var/log/journal/ exists. Create it using sudo mkdir /var/log/journal if necessary. Once it exists, journal on subsequent boots from prior boots may be acquired. We want to see attached or pastebinned output from sudo journalctl -b -1 run on the same boot from which a good Xorg.0.log is acquired on the directly subsequent boot. It may contain valuable information that Xorg.0.log might lack.

macflorek · 11-03-2023, 12:26 AM

@ mrmazda: Ok. I think I got what you asked for.
I did the following: 1) run standard boot (without nomodeset). 2)restarted and run from USB stick a live system. 3) copied /var/log/Xorg.O.log 4) restarted and run from disk in recovery mode 5)run sudo journalctl -b -1 and saved into a file.
Please find the files attached.
***********************************
Edit 07.11.2023: I attched files that were missing (didn't notice that before)