New PC & SW rendering again - [Solved]

[ianblakeley]

I've just bought a new PC and am in the process of transferring all my data and setting it up a few glitches but so far mostly sorted, however, the video is reporting software rendering even with the latest kernel just updated yesterday. The HW is i5-8400 an Asus PRIME B365M-A motherboard and no separate graphic card. There was a line that could be added to grub to support Intel on board graphics but I though this was now included in the later kernels. Here is the current information.

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ian@bilbo2 ~/ $ uname -a
Linux bilbo2 4.15.0-48-generic #51~16.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Fri Apr 5 12:01:12 UTC 2019 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux


ian@bilbo2 ~/ $ inxi -G
Graphics:  Card: Intel Device 3e92
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: fbdev,intel (unloaded: vesa) Resolution: 1680x1050@77.00hz
           GLX Renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 6.0, 256 bits) GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 18.0.5

ian@bilbo2 ~/ $ sudo lshw -C video
  *-display UNCLAIMED     
       description: VGA compatible controller
       product: Intel Corporation
       vendor: Intel Corporation
       physical id: 2
       bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
       version: 00
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pciexpress msi pm vga_controller bus_master cap_list
       configuration: latency=0
       resources: memory:f6000000-f6ffffff memory:e0000000-efffffff ioport:f000(size=64) memory:c0000-dffff

ian@bilbo2 ~/ $ grep modesetting /var/log/Xorg.0.log
[   105.246] (==) Matched modesetting as autoconfigured driver 1
[   105.246] (II) LoadModule: "modesetting"
[   105.246] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/modesetting_drv.so
[   105.246] (II) Module modesetting: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[   105.247] (II) modesetting: Driver for Modesetting Kernel Drivers: kms
[   105.249] (WW) Falling back to old probe method for modesetting
[   105.249] (II) UnloadModule: "modesetting"
ian@bilbo2 ~/ $ 

Is it that the display shows unclaimed? otherwise to my limited reading it looks as I'd expect. Thanks for all help

[Hoser Rob]

I'd go into update manager and update the kernel to the latest supported 4.18 kernel myself.

[ianblakeley]

I'd go into update manager and update the kernel to the latest supported 4.18 kernel myself.

Thanks but the latest in Update Manager is the 4.15 series and the latest of those is the one I am currently using. I don't see an option for 4.18.

[roblm]

I don't see an option for 4.18.

The inxi -G output you posted shows X.Org 1.18, which comes with Mint 18.x. You will need to install Mint 19 to install the 4.18 kernel.

[ianblakeley]

I am running Mint 18.3 it seemed a better idea at the time to install the same version I was using on the original PC to simplify the restoring of apps/data et al. There's still an odd few things that I need to sort out even with that path. I did believe from reading about that the UHD drivers were in from 5.15.20 or thereabouts. Even tried the old i915.alpha_support=1 but no difference.

[roblm]

Add the Canonical Kernel Team/Proposed PPA to get 4.18 and 5.0 kernels:
https://launchpad.net/~canonical-kernel ... u/proposed

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sudo apt-add-repository ppa:canonical-kernel-team/proposed
sudo apt-get update

Then open Update Manager > View > Linux kernels.

[thx-1138]

...in addition to what roblm said, you can also apt install xserver-xorg-hwe-16.04 xserver-xorg-video-all-hwe-16.04,
such will get you Xorg 1.19.6...Note that using Timeshift before doing so might be a good idea.

[ianblakeley]

Add the Canonical Kernel Team/Proposed PPA to get 4.18 and 5.0 kernels:
https://launchpad.net/~canonical-kernel ... u/proposed

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sudo apt-add-repository ppa:canonical-kernel-team/proposed
sudo apt-get update

Then open Update Manager > View > Linux kernels.

Thanks, that's not showing any new kernels in the manager. I'll take a snapshot with Back in Time more or less as thx-1138 suggests then see if I can find another way to get the kernel

[ianblakeley]

...in addition to what roblm said, you can also apt install xserver-xorg-hwe-16.04 xserver-xorg-video-all-hwe-16.04,
such will get you Xorg 1.19.6...Note that using Timeshift before doing so might be a good idea.

Thanks I am ending up using the older backintime, there seems no way to exclude particular folders with Timeshift and I have my old windows data awaiting an eventual install of a VM which I don't have the space to snapshot.

[roblm]

I was going to suggest installing Ukuu (Ubuntu Kernel Upgrade Utility), but when I tested it on a Mint 18.3 installation, there were errors with the 4.18 and 5.0 kernel installations.

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sudo apt-add-repository -y ppa:teejee2008/ppa
apt update						
apt install ukuu

Open Ukuu in the menu.

[ianblakeley]

I did update with ukuu to 4.18.20, there were a number of missing dependencies including a number of intel i915 files which took a while to sort so I was hopeful but was same again. Then I updated to the later xorg,that broke everything, could not get back to a working state just a blank screen, no keyboard no mouse. I've reinstalled and restored what I could from the backup but of course there is a shed load of stuff I missed / needs reconfiguring. So I am back to 4.15.0.48 with SW rendering and a few days of faffing to get a viable system again <sigh>

[thx-1138]

...thing is, UHD 630 was released in October 2017, and Xorg 1.18.4 in July 2016 (for example).
Missing i915 files - you mean the firmware files i assume? You could grab them from here,
copy them under /lib/firmware/i915, then sudo update-initramfs -uk all for them to load as early as possible.
Hope that helps...

4.15 was the first kernel to not need i915.alpha_support=1 for such - however it still provides very basic elementary support.
I mean, you already see it yourself above...plus, with 18.3, you're stuck with older Mesa / Xorg etc,
fairly certain that Canonical will not provide any hwe updates for such anymore.
Not even sure if any ppas provide newer versions of those anymore if at some point you happen to need such actually.
Ie. say that at some point down the road, due to whatever bug,
it again 'reverts' down to sw rendering for some reason: you'd still have more options to try out under 19.x...
Depending on other parts of your system, you might also find now & then that you will need newer firmware,
for those to work properly under newer kernel versions, eg. for your network card(s).

Such annoyances are fixable manually, sure, but why go hunting...since this is a quite new system,
i dunno, why kinda limit it (and also possibly have to fiddle with it manually every now & then...)
Personal opinion, but I'd prefer myself to go with 19.1 myself from the beginning,
ie. having to do the extra step(s) only once in the beginning (restoring apps / ppas & the likes).
You can certainly pull it off with 18.3 via some error & trial - there's no question about that,
it's just that it seems more hassle (long-term wise speaking) than necessary in a sense....

[roblm]

In Mint 18.x, the default 2D driver for Intel chipsets is intel. Try switching to the generic modesetting driver.

Use this command to create an xorg.conf file: gksudo xed /etc/X11/xorg.conf

In the opened empty file, add these lines:

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Section "Device"
   Identifier "Intel"
   Driver "modesetting"
   Option "kmsdev" "/dev/dri/card0"
   Option "AccelMethod" "glamor"
   Option ShadowFB "on"
   BusID  "PCI:0:2:0"
EndSection

Log out and back in.

If that doesn’t work, then open the xorg.conf file: gksudo xed /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Change the line Option "AccelMethod" "glamor" to Option "AccelMethod" "sna"

If that doesn’t work, then change the line Option ShadowFB "on" to Option ShadowFB "off"

If there is a problem getting back to the desktop, then press Ctrl+Alt+F1 to enter the virtual console tty1. Use this command to remove the xorg.conf file and reboot: sudo rm /etc/X11/xorg.conf; reboot

Also, are you getting the software rendering when running a live session using the Mint Installation USB / DVD?

[ianblakeley]

Such annoyances are fixable manually, sure, but why go hunting...since this is a quite new system,
i dunno, why kinda limit it (and also possibly have to fiddle with it manually every now & then...)
Personal opinion, but I'd prefer myself to go with 19.1 myself from the beginning,
ie. having to do the extra step(s) only once in the beginning (restoring apps / ppas & the likes).
You can certainly pull it off with 18.3 via some error & trial - there's no question about that,
it's just that it seems more hassle (long-term wise speaking) than necessary in a sense....

I went with what was on the old machine I was upgrading from I perhaps wrongly assumed it would be simpler to restore to the same version. I'd planned then at some point to upgrade to 19+ using the upgrade tool, I'll leave it a bit before trying, there's a degree of flak from Mrs. B about the amount of time I have spent this last week Thanks for your suggestions

[ianblakeley]

Also, are you getting the software rendering when running a live session using the Mint Installation USB / DVD?

Thanks again for your suggestions, I'll make a note and try in a little while, for the sake of peace at home best I have a break away from the machine other than normal use for a bit. Vis-a-vis the the USB yes it runs in rendering mode too. I'll try burning live DVD of MINT 19 see what that does.

[thx-1138]

...just to further note that roblm is again correct (...well, he more than usually is, heh) in regards to modesetting.
The much older xserver-xorg-video-intel will quite likely not work properly with recent CoffeeLake graphics.
If you wanna continue tweaking it under 18.x, you might wanna try removing that driver,
(apt purge xserver-xorg-video-intel), and if things get worse (...i doubt),
you can always Ctrl+Alt+F1, and reinstall-it from a tty (apt install xserver-xorg-video-intel).
Replace with xserver-xorg-video-intel-hwe-16.04 if you upgraded Xorg above.
But that's just another thing to consider/try out if somehow configuring a Xorg.conf doesn't do it.
However, ideally, you want to eventually see something like i965 modesetting under inxi -G...

[ianblakeley]

I made a DVD of 19.1 and it does seem that the video is working in that

https://www.dropbox.com/s/50woftnqo20gi ... 5.png?dl=0

so perhaps use the upgrade tool is the best option?

[ianblakeley]

In Mint 18.x, the default 2D driver for Intel chipsets is intel. Try switching to the generic modesetting driver.

Carried out the steps detailed, no joy each time after reboot the screen is frozen with the 4 green dots from the start up sequence, cannot access mouse or keyboard, the only way in is via ssh

Also, are you getting the software rendering when running a live session using the Mint Installation USB / DVD?

Yes, live USB is the same, however, 19.1 DVD seems okay had to include a screen shot in my earlier answer could not immediately figure saving the text output got that now. Upgrade tool suggests it will upgrade but I am somewhat nervous of hosing it again.

[roblm]

Test this xorg.conf file. The line Option ShadowFB "on" was removed:

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Section "Device"
   Identifier "Intel"
   Driver "modesetting"
   Option "kmsdev" "/dev/dri/card0"
   Option "AccelMethod" "glamor"
   BusID  "PCI:0:2:0"
EndSection

[ianblakeley]

In the meantime I upgraded to 19.1 via the tool & update manager still it is not loading the intel driver.

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ian@bilbo2:~$ 
ian@bilbo2:~$ uname -a
Linux bilbo2 4.18.0-18-generic #19~18.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Fri Apr 5 10:22:13 UTC 2019 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
ian@bilbo2:~$ 
ian@bilbo2:~$ 
ian@bilbo2:~$ inxi -G
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel driver: N/A 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.19.6 driver: fbdev unloaded: modesetting,vesa resolution: 1680x1050~77Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 7.0 256 bits) v: 3.3 Mesa 18.2.8 
ian@bilbo2:~$ 

I guess the comment above suggestion is now no valid with the latest SW, this was working in the DVD so not sure what is different, maybe I should bite the bullet and make a fresh install from the DVD. I even tried copying in their entirety the /lib/firmware/i915 from the installation DVD and running

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sudo update-initramfs -uk all

and updating to a later kernel.

There's 7 files in the GIT not on the DVD so I left them out but did download

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ian@bilbo2:~/Downloads/Intel Graphic$ ls -al
total 1780
drwxrwxr-x  3 ian ian   4096 May  2 21:03 .
drwxr-xr-x 37 ian ian   4096 May  2 16:07 ..
-rw-rw-r--  1 ian ian 146880 May  2 20:55 bxt_huc_ver01_8_2893.bin
-rw-rw-r--  1 ian ian 176640 May  2 20:55 glk_guc_32.0.3.bin
-rw-rw-r--  1 ian ian 222080 May  2 20:56 glk_huc_ver03_01_2893.bin
-rw-rw-r--  1 ian ian  25716 May  2 20:59 icl_dmc_ver1_07.bin
-rw-rw-r--  1 ian ian 380096 May  2 20:59 icl_guc_32.0.3.bin
-rw-rw-r--  1 ian ian 488960 May  2 20:59 icl_huc_ver8_4_3238.bin
-rw-rw-r--  1 ian ian 176448 May  2 20:59 kbl_guc_32.0.3.bin
-rw-rw-r--  1 ian ian 175552 May  2 20:58 skl_guc_32.0.3.bin
ian@bilbo2:~/Downloads/Intel Graphic$ 

Thanks for all the help