PCLinuxOS won't fully load after driver updates

Opey · 02-19-2015, 11:58 AM

I'm still a Newbie. I have diligently been downloading all updates through Synaptic daily. Yesterday, there were many updates apparently having to do with drivers. Not sure exactly anymore to what those drivers were for.

After updates were complete, I rebooted and got a check-listing phenomenon, going by too quickly to really capture a good glimpse of what may or may not have been in 'error.' The circle going around the bull may or may not have appeared, I don't remember; it was late.

After a few repeated attempts at booting up, I entered at the final command prompt my username and password to see if it would 'take.' It did, but I did not know where to go from there.

Today that check-listing phenomenon does not show up, but the login command prompt nevertheless appears, after the circle going around the bull disappears. Again, I logged in successfully, but don't know where to go from there. I do know that to log out I should type 'exit'. That's all I am sure of.

Here's what is displayed:

PCLinuxOS release 2015 (PCLinuxOS) for i586
Kernel 3.15.9-pclos1 on a Dual-processor i686 / tty1
localhost login:

result ...
[username@localhost ~J$ --blinking cursor--

My laptop:
Sony
VGN SZ780

Reformatted to have only PCLinuxOS loaded.

GlennsPref · 02-19-2015, 12:35 PM

Hi, after you login, type

Code:

startx

Once you have the gui up, you can look for a solution.

knudfl · 02-19-2015, 12:53 PM

"PCLinuxOS 2015" : Yesterdays´s drivers were x11 drivers. (Mostly).
EDIT : And the nvidia driver.
I didn't update yesterday ( But two days ago.)

The list in Synaptic today shows these updates ..
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7S...ew?usp=sharing

Note : I reinstalled late last year, PCLinuxOS 2014.12.
The kernel for 2014.12 is 3.18.1-pclos1
( Not related to your X issues.)

What to do : You can try ...
$ startx
# kdm
# gdm
$ start_kdeinit
$ start_kdeinit_wrapper
$ startmate
I.e. you may have KDE or Mate Desktop Environment, or both.

The commands should produce some errors to show in a new post here.
Or you may be lucky to start either KDE or Mate ?

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knudfl · 02-19-2015, 01:50 PM

Testing : I installed the ~82 updates.

And could not boot, unless I used failsafe ("Safe Settings").
→ The text shows a failing nvidia module.
When a prompt appeared, I did # init 3
.. and logged in, when in run-level 3.
$ startx : No nvidia.
So I did # joe /etc/X11/xorg.conf
... and edited the driver from "nvidia" to "vesa".
The command that then worked was # gdm : I got "Mate Desktop".

Solution for the issues :
Hopefully an update with a fix, in a day or two.

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GlennsPref · 02-19-2015, 05:32 PM

I did the same updates, the day before yesterday and have had no probs.

I installed from iso "the full monty", kde, 64bit.

And I'm a pclinuxos newbie. First week ;-)

Regards Glenn

knudfl · 02-19-2015, 05:39 PM

← ref. #5, @GlennsPref.

May be you aren't using the driver "nvidia-current" ? ?
That's the one failing.

EDIT : You probably are using "nvidia-current" with GFX-570.
( I have GeForce GT 520 on the "pclos computer".)

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Opey · 02-19-2015, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knudfl

"PCLinuxOS 2015" :
Note : I reinstalled late last year, PCLinuxOS 2014.12.
The kernel for 2014.12 is 3.18.1-pclos1
( Not related to your X issues.)
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knudfl:
I, too, installed the PCLinuxOS 2014 last year, in early September (reformatted my hard drive also), after having had my full monty of Windows, using the downloaded OS which I placed into a flash drive. T'was a nifty experience; I had never done that before.

At this point, rather than try those commands now and doing something I may regret, I'll await further instruction after the 'fix' has been clearly identified. For the record, I am certain my laptop has Nvidia, and I'm fairly certain that it's the KDE desktop of PCLinuxOS that I am using.

knudfl · 02-19-2015, 08:28 PM

Quote:

I, too, installed the PCLinuxOS 2014 last year, in early September

That would be PCLinuxOS 2014.08 : Kernel 3.15.9-pclos1 .

Opey · 02-22-2015, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knudfl

Solution for the issues :
Hopefully an update with a fix, in a day or two.
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" ... wishin', n' hopin', n' willin', n' dreamin' ...."

knudfl · 02-22-2015, 05:30 PM

← ref. #9.

After a day my pclos2015 couldn't boot anymore.
And I continued my work by using an older install, pclos 2014.08.

I just reinstalled "pclinuxos-mate-2014.12", today.
And will probably try again with the "dkms-nvidia-current" update .. tomorrow.

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GlennsPref · 02-22-2015, 06:29 PM

Hi, I wonder if you can post the contents of lsmod with grep.

grepping for nvidia nv and nouveau and vesa

Code:

bash-4.3$ lsmod | grep nouveau
bash-4.3$ lsmod | grep nv
nvidia               7817884  45 
drm                   211464  3 nvidia
i2c_core               16720  5 max6650,i2c_dev,nvidia,drm,i2c_piix4

Mine shows it is using the nvidia module and not the others.

Another trick you can try with grub (the boot loader)

append this string of text to the end of the grub command...

Code:

xconfig=vesa

this should get you to a gui using the vesa driver module, the resolution may be different, but at least you can use it.

the next thing I would do is to use the /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist file to stop any unwanted modules from being loaded.

for example...
/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist

Code:

# blacklisted modules for PCI coldplug
# see also /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-compat

blacklist rivatv
blacklist bluetooth
# For some bridges both intel-agp and i82875p_edac are loaded. If i82875p_edac
# is loaded first it will grab the device. Then intel-agp doesn't work.
# Therefore we disable automatic loading of 82875p_edac. (Bug 213840)
# https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=213840
blacklist i82875p_edac

# do not use "Boot Protocol" drivers, we prefer usbhid
# and they cause problems when loaded together with usbhid (#37726, #40861)
blacklist usbkbd
blacklist usbmouse

# disable PC speaker by default
# pcspkr is the standard driver, while snd-pcsp is the ALSA driver
blacklist pcspkr
blacklist snd-pcsp
blacklist nouveau
blacklist snd_hda_codec_hdmi  #hda-nvidia-digital-stereo
#blacklist snd_hda_codec_realtek #hda onboard 5.1 surround
#blacklist snd_hda_intel
#blacklist snd_hda_codec
# Prevent conflicts with nvidiabl
blacklist nvidia_bl
blacklist nvbacklight
blacklist mbp_nvidia_bl
# End of entries added for nvidiabl

you need root priv to save this file.

see how you go.

knudfl · 02-23-2015, 03:18 AM

← ref. #9 and other posts.

Success ! I updated to `dkms-nvidia-current-346.35-1pclos2015´.

The obstacle is gcc.
The nvidia files, etc. do not accept a gcc, different from the gcc used to build the kernel.
`kernel-3.18.1-pclos1-1-1pclos2014´ was built with gcc-4.7(.2).
→ So `dkms-nvidia-current´ must be updated before updating gcc to 4.9.2 .

The easy solution ( maybe ) :
Reinstall the OS, update dkms-nvidia-current only, in Synaptic. Update no other packages.
(dkms-nvidia-current will install one dependency : x11-driver-video-nvidia-current : is OK.)
Reboot, and the new nvidia module should be accepted.

My solution : # apt-get remove gcc-c++ ( gfortran etc. gcc<other>)
* gcc, gcc-cpp, libgcc cannot be removed !
# rpm -Uvh --force --nodeps \
libgcc1-4.7.2-3pclos2014.i586.rpm gcc-cpp-4.7.2-3pclos2014.i586.rpm gcc-4.7.2-3pclos2014.i586.rpm
* http://ftp.sjtu.edu.cn/sites/www.pcl.../RPMS.updates/
( *gcc*-4.7.2*.x86_64 : No packages was found.
Can be built from the gcc-4.7.2-3pclos2014.src.rpm source package.)

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knudfl · 02-23-2015, 07:18 AM

P.S. : Got some 64bits gcc-4.7.2 →
gcc-4.7.2-2pclos2013.x86_64.rpm
gcc-cpp-4.7.2-2pclos2013.x86_64.rpm
libgcc1-4.7.2-2pclos2013.x86_64.rpm
... Made with 'rpmrebuild' on the 64bits PCLinuxOS 2013.

Link, all three rpm packages in one "tar", gcc-4.7.2_pclos-64.tar
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7S...ew?usp=sharing

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Opey · 02-23-2015, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knudfl

← ref. #9 and other posts.

Success ! I updated to `dkms-nvidia-current-346.35-1pclos2015´.

The obstacle is gcc.
The nvidia files, etc. do not accept a gcc, different from the gcc used to build the kernel.
`kernel-3.18.1-pclos1-1-1pclos2014´ was built with gcc-4.7(.2).
→ So `dkms-nvidia-current´ must be updated before updating gcc to 4.9.2 .

The easy solution ( maybe ) :
Reinstall the OS, update dkms-nvidia-current only, in Synaptic. Update no other packages.
(dkms-nvidia-current will install one dependency : x11-driver-video-nvidia-current : is OK.)
Reboot, and the new nvidia module should be accepted.

My solution : # apt-get remove gcc-c++ ( gfortran etc. gcc<other>)
* gcc, gcc-cpp, libgcc cannot be removed !
# rpm -Uvh --force --nodeps \
libgcc1-4.7.2-3pclos2014.i586.rpm gcc-cpp-4.7.2-3pclos2014.i586.rpm gcc-4.7.2-3pclos2014.i586.rpm
* http://ftp.sjtu.edu.cn/sites/www.pcl.../RPMS.updates/
( *gcc*-4.7.2*.x86_64 : No packages was found.
Can be built from the gcc-4.7.2-3pclos2014.src.rpm source package.)

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Quote:

Originally Posted by knudfl

P.S. : Got some 64bits gcc-4.7.2 →
gcc-4.7.2-2pclos2013.x86_64.rpm
gcc-cpp-4.7.2-2pclos2013.x86_64.rpm
libgcc1-4.7.2-2pclos2013.x86_64.rpm
... Made with 'rpmrebuild' on the 64bits PCLinuxOS 2013.

Link, all three rpm packages in one "tar", gcc-4.7.2_pclos-64.tar
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7S...ew?usp=sharing

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Well now! All dem purty-dern teknikee-lookin' karakters must mean ya hit paydurt!

Now ... iffin yer shur ya gots da healin' .... den ...

... for us newbies with hardly any experience with working with Linux, I must implore your indulgence.

1) I have files that are not backed up. I would prefer to copy the contents of the Documents, the Downloads, the Desktop, and the Picture folders into a flash drive.

Can you step-by-step lead me into copying all these files out of the computer before I proceed.

2) I would prefer not to have to reinstall the OS. I'd rather do your proposed fix, but, again, I am still very, very unpracticed at working with Linux on its rudimentary, technical level. Down the road, I'd prefer to create a new flashdrive live USB OS setup with the 2015 version, out from the standing OS, provided those archived setup files have been updated with the necessary update to ward off this gcc snafu.

Can you dilute and otherwise translate your fix into a step-by-step procedure that even a complete moron would be able to follow with success.

Opey Taylor, from Mayberry, U.S.A.

knudfl · 02-23-2015, 11:53 AM

← ref. #14.

Copying files :
Plug out the hard drive, plug it into another computer. And copy.
That's the most simple way.

Getting access to an usb-stick when you have no GUI can be complicated.

Would be easier to type "vesa" in an editor to get access to the GUI.

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