suddenly no graphics?

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UserError
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suddenly no graphics?

Post by UserError »

I've been running Linux Mint for a while & it has been reasonably stable since I did a clean install to 18.1.

I have 3 displays on an ATI HD6670 (DVI, HDMI to DVI & Dp to DVI adaptors). After faffing round for a while I got these running OK & they have been for months.

I turned the PC on the other day & got a black screen after boot. It was working fine the night before & I didn't play with anything.

Sometimes I get the grub menu with my boot options, usually not. Previously it sat at grub waiting for my input, now it goes onto loading LM then goes black.

I can get a command line.
I can boot OK into W7 & a live disk - the graphics card seems to be OK.
If I disconnect the DisplayPort connector, I can boot with the two remaining displays and all seems OK other tan the missing display.

So I'm thinking that the graphics driver has gone bad somehow.

I've seen this sort of stuff:
Code:
[drm:radeon_dp_link_train [radeon] *ERROR* channel eq failed: 5 tries
and I've read this thread https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ng-4175606615/
but it doesn't appear to offer me much.

It seems there was a kernel update recently? If so, how can I either go back to the one that worked or fix the driver to work with the new kernel?

Many thanks
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
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catweazel
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Re: suddenly no graphics?

Post by catweazel »

In Grub, select Advanced options. You should be able to boot to an older kernel.
"There is, ultimately, only one truth -- cogito, ergo sum -- everything else is an assumption." - Me, my swansong.
mrmajik45

Re: suddenly no graphics?

Post by mrmajik45 »

catweazel wrote:In Grub, select Advanced options. You should be able to boot to an older kernel.
Yes indeed that would be a 1st thing to do.
UserError
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Re: suddenly no graphics?

Post by UserError »

HI,
After running with two monitors, I'm fed up with my black one staring at me...

If I go back to an older kernel, what happens?

What happens when another update comes along? Especially with the Meltdown/Spectre situation

If I do revert, how do I prevent this catastrophic loss of functionality? (one morning nothing happened when I turned the PC on...)
Many thanks
mrmajik45

Re: suddenly no graphics?

Post by mrmajik45 »

If you go to a older kernel, well... It's just like how you used the pc before the update.
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catweazel
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Re: suddenly no graphics?

Post by catweazel »

UserError wrote: Wed Feb 14, 2018 2:51 pm If I do revert, how do I prevent this catastrophic loss of functionality? (one morning nothing happened when I turned the PC on...)
Many thanks
If you're concerned about simply testing an older kernel, don't do it. The other option is to try the latest version of a different series, e.g. 4.4, 4.14...

At the end of the day, it's merely a test to determine if a different kernel will help the situation.
"There is, ultimately, only one truth -- cogito, ergo sum -- everything else is an assumption." - Me, my swansong.
UserError
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Re: suddenly no graphics?

Post by UserError »

catweazel wrote: Fri Feb 16, 2018 1:16 am If you're concerned about simply testing an older kernel, don't do it. The other option is to try the latest version of a different series, e.g. 4.4, 4.14...

At the end of the day, it's merely a test to determine if a different kernel will help the situation.
I understand that, but if it screws everything up I have a problem. There is an update waiting in the Update Manager "mintupdate 5.2.1.1" This is presumably a newer kernel? I'm really not familiar with kernels - I think I have the loosest of ideas what it is, but not at any level of knowledge.

How many old kernels can I go back to from Grub? If I do the latest update, can I go back 2 kernels to the one before the one I'm on now?

I've got an added aspect now in that I installed Timeshift to take a snapshot but it couldn't due to insufficient space. And (coincidentally?) my disk is full. Presumably it has created a partial snasphot somewhere which I've tried to find so I can delete it, but with no success.
Many thanks
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