[SOLVED] No Graphical login on MSI GE60

Anikha · 01-23-2014, 01:00 AM

I just received a MSI GE60 laptop yesterday with an NVidia GTX 660M graphics adapter. Win8 came preinstalled

After struggling for a bit, I managed to get Slackware64-14.1 installed by disabling secure boot and juggling my boot devices around in the BIOS/Firmware.

I can dual boot now by pressing F11 on startup and selecting my OS from the UEFI menu.

At first X crashed with a "No Screens" error, which I finally fixed after some reading; by inserting the following into my .xinitrc:
xrandr --setprovideroutputsource modesetting NVIDIA-0
xrandr --auto
nvidia-settings --load-config-only -a InitialPixmapPlacement=2

However, currently, I can only start in runlevel 3 and run startx.
Turning on runlevel 4, gets kdm to run but with no display. My screen just goes black.

I set Xdmcp Enable to true and remote logins have no problem.

Does anyone have some advice, please?

Graphics driver is NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-331.20

ReaperX7 · 01-23-2014, 02:04 AM

Display managers often can point out an underlying problem with drivers and hardware or a possible setup issue as is your case. I have a few questions regarding this:

Have you attempted to create a default xorg.conf profile in directory /etc/X11 and if so, can you post it?

Didier Spaier · 01-23-2014, 02:30 AM

Please attach the X log you get after trying to start at run level 4, else we'll stay in the dark

Of course that means you'll have to save it after next reboot before launching X.

Anikha · 01-23-2014, 03:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Didier Spaier

Please attach the X log you get after trying to start at run level 4, else we'll stay in the dark

Of course that means you'll have to save it after next reboot before launching X.

I have /etc/X11/xorg.conf and a stub in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/99-Nvidia-stub.conf
and my log file after `init 4`.

enorbet · 01-23-2014, 03:57 AM

While we await the "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" and/or the "/etc/X11/xorg.conf" output, I'll hazard a guess that this is an Optimus problem. If all OP want's to do is run X and some lighter gaming, especially on battery power, the Intel Graphics should do OK. OTOH if OP stays on AC Power and wishes heavier acceleration (a la nvidia) it is likely that either Intel-hda will have to be blacklisted as well (usually ONLY for NEVER running on battery) or install and use Bumblebee.

Slackware docs HERE

Good luck

Edit: Wow! Simul-Post!

enorbet · 01-23-2014, 04:12 AM

I'm a total noob at the whole Optimus thing, but I'm betting that with xorg.conf listing essentially all cards and all busses to use the nvidia driver, as long as intel-hda is around and default, it's going to fail. Either accommodate the Intel graphics or blacklist it, is my impression.

Didier Spaier · 01-23-2014, 04:47 AM

I assume that your laptop does have Optimus technology (hybrid graphics). To make sure please post output of following command:

Code:

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

I see this in X log:

Code:

[ 42268.912] 
[...]Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=dev001:\EFI\Slackware\vmlinuz  root=/dev/sda6 vga=current i915.modeset=1 video=inteldrmfb GraphicsEnabler=Yes PCIRootUID=1 ro ro
[...]
[ 42269.226] (II) modesetting(1): using drv /dev/dri/card0
[ 42269.226] (II) modesetting(G0): using drv /dev/dri/card0
[ 42269.226] (EE) Screen 1 deleted because of no matching config section.
[ 42269.226] (II) UnloadModule: "modesetting"
[...]

So there seems to be a problem using the Intel frame buffer as you ask to load it in the command line but then it get unloaded after the error (EE) line.

After that the NVIDIA drivers seems to be used though.

Out of curiosity, what leaded you to this custimzed command line and why do you have two config files for X?

Did you try a simpler configuration first?

Did you try using Nouveau instead (+VGA Switcheroo/Bumblebee)?

Anikha · 01-23-2014, 05:04 AM

[QUOTE=enorbet;5103512]Slackware docs HERE

I got this and I am working through it. I does look like what I was looking for and will post resuts/updates.
Much appreciated and thanks.

Anikha · 01-23-2014, 05:08 AM

[QUOTE=Didier Spaier;5103528]I assume that your laptop does have Optimus technology (hybrid graphics). To make sure please post output of following command:

Code:

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

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller [8086:0166] (rev 09) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: NVIDIA Corporation GK107M [GeForce GTX 660M] [10de:0fd4] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])

I got the other bits from some other distro discussions on similar issues. And tried them all until I finally succumbed to asking for some Slackware-specific help

Anikha · 01-23-2014, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Didier Spaier

Out of curiosity, what leaded you to this custimzed command line and why do you have two config files for X?

Did you try a simpler configuration first?

Did you try using Nouveau instead (+VGA Switcheroo/Bumblebee)?

I tried to get something to work with the vanilla install and the NVidia proprietary driver first as this always did well on my desktop machines. But this Optimus technology is very new and strange to me.

Anikha · 01-23-2014, 07:18 AM

You guys are awesome

Bumblebee + Nouveau = Fully Functional Runlevel 4 (And and even World of Warcraft runs under wine with okay FPS)
That Howto needs to be amended as BumbleBee and Bumblebeed, no longer seems to be seperate packs.

Much thanks

Didier Spaier · 01-23-2014, 08:27 AM

I'm happy you got it working.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anikha

That Howto needs to be amended

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