Notebook main monitor all black [SOLVED]

[Heitor]

Hi all,

Something happened to my mint notebook that made it stop recognizing the main monitor, only the hdmi is working.

• I already read the 20 first results from google

• I already tried the nomodeset on grub

• Reinstaled the nvidia drivers

• Fix broken pkgs from recovery mode

nothing works.

here is the result of: inxi -Fxz

Code: Select all

System:    Kernel: 5.11.0-40-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A Desktop: Cinnamon 5.0.7 Distro: Linux Mint 20.2 Uma 
           base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:   Type: Laptop System: Avell High Performance product: A65 MOB v: Standard serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: Avell High Performance model: Avell A65 MOB v: Standard serial: <filter> UEFI: American Megatrends LLC. 
           v: N.1.07AVE00 date: 07/23/2021 
Battery:   ID-1: BAT0 charge: 87.9 Wh condition: 93.5/93.5 Wh (100%) model: standard status: Charging 
           Device-1: hidpp_battery_0 model: Logitech Wireless Keyboard charge: 55% (should be ignored) status: Discharging 
CPU:       Topology: 8-Core model: 11th Gen Intel Core i7-11800H bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: N/A L2 cache: 24.0 MiB 
           flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 73728 
           Speed: 4599 MHz min/max: 800/4600 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 4599 2: 801 3: 801 4: 3971 5: 801 6: 4185 7: 3234 
           8: 3542 9: 3868 10: 3681 11: 2412 12: 2177 13: 1255 14: 801 15: 4593 16: 2548 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel vendor: Tongfang Hongkong Limited driver: N/A bus ID: 00:02.0 
           Device-2: NVIDIA vendor: Tongfang Hongkong Limited driver: nvidia v: 470.82.00 bus ID: 01:00.0 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.11 driver: nvidia resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU/PCIe/SSE2 v: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 470.82.00 direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel vendor: Tongfang Hongkong Limited driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1f.3 
           Device-2: NVIDIA vendor: Tongfang Hongkong Limited driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 01:00.1 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.11.0-40-generic 
Network:   Device-1: Intel driver: iwlwifi v: kernel port: 5000 bus ID: 00:14.3 
           IF: wlo1 state: up mac: <filter> 
           Device-2: Realtek RTL8125 2.5GbE vendor: Tongfang Hongkong Limited driver: r8169 v: kernel port: 3000 
           bus ID: 2e:00.0 
           IF: enp46s0 state: down mac: <filter> 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 953.87 GiB used: 270.87 GiB (28.4%) 
           ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 vendor: A-Data model: IM2P33F8BR2-1TB size: 953.87 GiB 
           ID-2: /dev/nvme1n1 vendor: A-Data model: IM2P33F8A-512GD size: 476.94 GiB 
Partition: ID-1: / size: 203.49 GiB used: 28.01 GiB (13.8%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/nvme1n1p6 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 79.0 C mobo: 79.0 C gpu: nvidia temp: 50 C 
           Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Info:      Processes: 401 Uptime: 15m Memory: 31.10 GiB used: 3.90 GiB (12.5%) Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 9.3.0 
           Shell: bash v: 5.0.17 inxi: 3.0.38 

My xorg.conf

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# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig:  version 470.82.00

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
    Option         "Xinerama" "0"
EndSection

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "unknow"
    Option         "Primary" "true"
    Option         "PreferredMode" "1920x1080"
EndSection


Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "DP1"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "LG Electronics LG FULL HD"
    HorizSync       30.0 - 85.0
    VertRefresh     56.0 - 75.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "Stereo" "0"
    Option         "nvidiaXineramaInfoOrder" "DFP-4"
    Option         "metamodes" "nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    Option         "SLI" "Off"
    Option         "MultiGPU" "Off"
    Option         "BaseMosaic" "off"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

thanks in advance for any help !

[SMG]

Something happened to my mint notebook that made it stop recognizing the main monitor, only the hdmi is working.

Welcome to the forum, Heitor.

That something is the xorg.conf file. It is telling your system to only use the Nvidia driver. Your laptop's screen is run by the Intel driver, so both drivers must be used for both monitors to be seen. The Intel driver is N/A and only the nvidia driver is listed as a display driver. (There should be both nvidia and modesetting as display drivers.)

Graphics:
Device-1: Intel vendor: Tongfang Hongkong Limited driver: N/A bus ID: 00:02.0
Device-2: NVIDIA vendor: Tongfang Hongkong Limited driver: nvidia v: 470.82.00 bus ID: 01:00.0
Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.11 driver: nvidia resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz
OpenGL: renderer: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU/PCIe/SSE2 v: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 470.82.00 direct render: Yes

Run sudo rm /etc/X11/xorg.conf in a terminal to remove the xorg.conf file.

Then make sure your nvidia-prime-applet (which should be in the lower right of your screen if you did not delete it) is set to On-Demand mode and then reboot your computer.

Let us know if that works to get both screens operating again.

[Heitor]

Yes, i just did it and now none of the monitors work. I´m booting on windows to respond.
...
I've entered in secure mode and restored the xorg.conf. And i have the external monitor again. And nvidia is configured to on demand
...
I've entered in secure mode (again) and executed:

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Xorg -configure

it generates a xorg.conf.new that i put in /etc/X11
Looks like i was missing the intel card configuration

Now i have the main monitor and no the second. And things are still bad. the image looks off and i get a message asking me to restart cinnamon.

[SMG]

I've entered in secure mode

What does that mean?

I've entered in secure mode (again) and executed:

Code: Select all

Xorg -configure

it generates a xorg.conf.new that i put in /etc/X11
Looks like i was missing the intel card configuration

Why are you generating an xorg.conf file? You should not be doing that. The default installation of Mint does not require a special xorg.conf file for the monitors to work.

Now i have the main monitor and no the second. And things are still bad. the image looks off and i get a message asking me to restart cinnamon.

Do you have a Timeshift snapshot of when the system was working?

[Heitor]

When i deleted the xorg.conf both monitors went all black.
and i dont have snapshots

[SMG]

When i deleted the xorg.conf both monitors went all black.

That sounds like there may be a problem with the graphics driver for Intel?

How long ago did you install Mint?

Can you boot to a live session of Mint using this Linux Mint 20.2 "Uma" - Cinnamon (Edge, 64-bit) ISO?
It has the 5.11 kernel which should have the graphic drivers for your Intel iGPU. Please give the inxi -SMCGx output for that live session.

[Heitor]

Hi,
here is the result from the live

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System:    Host: mint Kernel: 5.4.0-74-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 Desktop: Cinnamon 5.0.4 
           Distro: Linux Mint 20.2 Uma base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:   Type: Laptop System: Avell High Performance product: A65 MOB v: Standard serial: AVNB2138173 
           Mobo: Avell High Performance model: Avell A65 MOB v: Standard serial: Standard UEFI: American Megatrends LLC. 
           v: N.1.07AVE00 date: 07/23/2021 
CPU:       Topology: 8-Core model: 11th Gen Intel Core i7-11800H bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: N/A L2 cache: 24.0 MiB 
           flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 73728 
           Speed: 773 MHz min/max: 800/4600 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 833 2: 801 3: 779 4: 801 5: 755 6: 801 7: 762 8: 945 
           9: 801 10: 801 11: 800 12: 801 13: 801 14: 983 15: 910 16: 774 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel vendor: Tongfang Hongkong Limited driver: N/A bus ID: 00:02.0 
           Device-2: NVIDIA vendor: Tongfang Hongkong Limited driver: N/A bus ID: 01:00.0 
           Display: server: X.Org 1.20.9 driver: fbdev unloaded: modesetting,vesa resolution: 2560x1440~93Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 11.0.0 256 bits) v: 4.5 Mesa 20.2.6 direct render: Yes 

[SMG]

Hi,
here is the result from the live

That is not the correct ISO. That is showing the 5.4 kernel which does not have the graphics drivers for your system. I wanted you to use the ISO with the 5.11 kernel. I provided the link for it in my prior post.

[Heitor]

But i already updated the kernel, in the first inxi it shows th new version

[SMG]

But i already updated the kernel, in the first

inxi

it shows th new version

The version installed on your computer is currently not working properly. I do not know what changes you made for that to stop working properly.

I wanted to see if a live session works properly. The data from the live session you posted does not have any graphics drivers installed so it is not possible to know if that is working properly. That is why I asked you to boot with Edge ISO.

[Heitor]

hey, here it is:

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System:    Host: mint Kernel: 5.11.0-22-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A Desktop: Cinnamon 5.0.4 
           Distro: Linux Mint 20.2 Uma base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:   Type: Laptop System: Avell High Performance product: A65 MOB v: Standard serial: <superuser/root required> 
           Mobo: Avell High Performance model: Avell A65 MOB v: Standard serial: <superuser/root required> 
           UEFI: American Megatrends LLC. v: N.1.07AVE00 date: 07/23/2021 
CPU:       Topology: 8-Core model: 11th Gen Intel Core i7-11800H bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: N/A L2 cache: 24.0 MiB 
           flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 73728 
           Speed: 857 MHz min/max: 800/4600 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 849 2: 1033 3: 801 4: 1088 5: 941 6: 811 7: 791 8: 800 
           9: 899 10: 1048 11: 896 12: 798 13: 801 14: 816 15: 1028 16: 932 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel vendor: Tongfang Hongkong Limited driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 
           Device-2: NVIDIA vendor: Tongfang Hongkong Limited driver: N/A bus ID: 01:00.0 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.9 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa resolution: 2560x1440~165Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel UHD Graphics (TGL GT1) v: 4.6 Mesa 20.2.6 direct render: Yes 

[SMG]

That has the Intel graphics driver installed. I presume you booted normally and had graphics on the laptop screen when you did it.

Graphics: Device-1: Intel vendor: Tongfang Hongkong Limited driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0
Device-2: NVIDIA vendor: Tongfang Hongkong Limited driver: N/A bus ID: 01:00.0
Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.9 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa resolution: 2560x1440~165Hz
OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel UHD Graphics (TGL GT1) v: 4.6 Mesa 20.2.6 direct render: Yes

The Intel graphics drivers install automatically from the kernel. There is usually nothing special one would have to do to make them load. However, it is possible to block them from being used with an xorg.conf file if that file only mentions using Nvidia. I am not sure how else they might blocked from being used which is why I am not sure what caused the original problem. Because I do not have any guesses of what might have happened, I am not sure how to help you fix it.

Do you recall at all what you were doing before the display went black?

When you say "I've entered in secure mode" does that mean you are booting in Recovery Mode or maybe it means you are going to a tty?

[Heitor]

Hey,

I've wrote 'secure mode', but what what i meant was:
On grub menu: "Advanced options" -> then choose some kernel with recovery mode

Well, after that inxi -SMCGx on the mint with the kernel 5.11 i saw that it describes the drive of the intel graphics card driver as i915.
So to test a replaced in my xorg.conf that o generated with Xorg -configure, the generated version has a intel as driver.

Previous:

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Section "Device"
	Identifier  "Card0"
	Driver      "intel"
	BusID       "PCI:0:2:0"
EndSection

Now:

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Section "Device"
	Identifier  "Card0"
	Driver      "i915"
	BusID       "PCI:0:2:0"
EndSection

And now everything seems to be fine.

One thing to note is that when i first started to notice any problem my xorg.conf was missing the device section for the intel graphics card. And i'm not sure, but i think that happened because i was playing with the nvidia configuration and it has a write configuration option that overwrite the xorg.conf file.

Thanks for all the support (and patience) !!!

[SMG]

And now everything seems to be fine.

Both screens are working? If so, that is good news.

One thing to note is that when i first started to notice any problem my xorg.conf was missing the device section for the intel graphics card. And i'm not sure, but i think that happened because i was playing with the nvidia configuration and it has a write configuration option that overwrite the xorg.conf file.

By default, there is not a custom xorg.conf file at all. The system defaults are used and they would use both Intel and Nvidia.

If you ran sudo nvidia-xconfig then the system would assume you only have Nvidia graphics and create an xorg.conf file which only uses Nvidia. For an Optimus-style laptop it is my understanding you would have to run sudo nvidia-xconfig --prime.

I do not know why removing the xorg.conf file created problems because the system default should have been used. That is what is puzzling to me.

Thanks for all the support (and patience) !!!

You're welcome. If all is working, take a Timeshift snapshot so you can roll back to it if future problems arise.

Also, if everything is working to your satisfaction, please go to your first post in this topic, click the pencil icon, and add [SOLVED] to the title so others know you are no longer seeking help on this issue.

[Heitor]

If you ran sudo nvidia-xconfig then the system would assume you only have Nvidia graphics and create an xorg.conf file which only uses Nvidia. For an Optimus-style laptop it is my understanding you would have to run sudo nvidia-xconfig --prime.

Yes, i did the sudo nvidia-xconfig. Nice to know about the sudo nvidia-xconfig --prime