Centaurus: Kernel 4.19.0.4 fails to enter desktop

Dai_trying · 2019-05-01 21:40

I have a problem with the current kernel (4.19.0.4-amd64) as I cannot access the desktop with it, I get the grub screen and can see the usual loading text as the system starts but after "[ OK ] Started OpenBSD Secure Shell Server." the screen goes black with a static curser at the top left corner of the screen and it stays frozen. I can still switch tty's and access a login prompt but cannot get to desktop.

While I was typing this post I had left the laptop in tty1 and as I switched back I have some screen output as if it is still trying to start but after another 5 minutes nothing further happens.

I have tested with a Debian Buster Xfce installation and have exactly the same problem so it is not solely a Q4OS bug. I just thought I would let you know.

I can (and have been) boot into the desktop by using the 4.19.0.2 kernel and everything seems to be working fine, If you need any system info or any other information let me know and I will supply it.

jotapesse · 2019-05-01 22:18

I don't have any issues with my current Q4OS "Centaurus" 3.6 with default kernel, on my HP Probook 650 G2 laptop, Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6200U, EFI setup:

4.19.0-4-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 4.19.28-2 (2019-03-15)

It may be related to your specific hardware setup (or failure, malfunction? RAM?), drivers or firmwares missing or config/changes you may have made?

Dai_trying · 2019-05-01 22:52

I can't see how it could be hardware failure if the 4.19.0-2 kernel is working fine, although it could be hardware specific...

q4osteam · 2019-05-01 23:04

Yes, it seems to be a Debian kernel issue, although no booting issues here so far. Anyway thanks for the report.

jotapesse · 2019-05-01 23:13

Well, sometimes certain kernel optimizations (or even regressions, bugs) introduced in different kernel versions may trigger different responses or faults if certain hardware is somewhat faulty, like RAM or chipset/graphics or even hard disk issues. Not saying it's your case, but it's a possibility. Hey, it may even trigger those faults on specific hardware even if it's not faulty at all.

q4osteam · 2019-05-02 09:03

@Dai_trying
Would you provide "journal.log.gz" please ?
$ sudo journalctl | gzip > /tmp/journal.log.gz

EDIT: for both kernels, if possible.

Last edited by q4osteam (2019-05-02 09:39)

Dai_trying · 2019-05-02 09:27

Sent both via email

Dai_trying · 2019-05-02 19:15

I just tested another Buster install, this time I used the Debian DVD image (debian-buster-DI-rc1-amd64-DVD-1.iso) and went with the Gnome desktop and that booted to the desktop although it did take longer than usual but this is normal for a first boot on a fresh install. I am now going to try another desktop (LxQt) to see if that boots ok, if it does I think it may be an Xfce issue although I don't know how that would affect Q4OS as I was using the standard TDE setup with no other DE's installed.

EDIT:
Tried installing Xfce,Lxqt and Kde Plasma all with the same failure (using Debian Buster DVD) I can only get Gnome to work on this machine.

Last edited by Dai_trying (2019-05-02 22:47)

Dai_trying · 2019-05-04 10:47

I finally found a workaround for this, I simply need to create an xorg.conf file (in /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf) for my Buster installation (Xfce) I will now try it with Centaurus but I am confident it will resolve this issue for me.

EDIT: Confirmed adding the xorg.conf file works and now Centaurus is booting to the 4.19.0-4 kernel.

Last edited by Dai_trying (2019-05-04 11:13)

jotapesse · 2019-05-04 17:51

That's so strange. A xorg.conf file should not be required as X.org has an automatic/dynamic hardware probe system. And when used as static/fallback config it should be on "/etc/X11/xorg.conf" or "/etc/xorg.conf".

Dai_trying · 2019-05-04 19:34

I agree that it should not be required and it would appear to only have started with this kernel (4.19.0-4) but I have to disagree with your location understanding

https://www.x.org/releases/X11R7.6/doc/man/man5/xorg.conf.5.xhtml wrote:

Xorg uses a configuration file called xorg.conf and files ending in the suffix .conf from the directory xorg.conf.d for its initial setup. The xorg.conf configuration file is searched for in the following places when the server is started as a normal user:
/etc/X11/<cmdline>
/usr/etc/X11/<cmdline>
/etc/X11/$XORGCONFIG
/usr/etc/X11/$XORGCONFIG
/etc/X11/xorg.conf
/etc/xorg.conf
/usr/etc/X11/xorg.conf.<hostname>
/usr/etc/X11/xorg.conf
/usr/lib/X11/xorg.conf.<hostname>
/usr/lib/X11/xorg.conf
... ...
Finally, configuration files will also be searched for in directories reserved for system use. These are to separate configuration files from the vendor or 3rd party packages from those of local administration. These files are found in the following directories:
/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d
/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d

jotapesse · 2019-05-04 22:26

Yes, yes, right. But still no mention on that document to the "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf" file you created as a workaround. And what I meant to say is that, typically on Debian, the local host/system configuration xorg.conf should be placed on "/etc/X11/xorg.conf" or "/etc/xorg.conf". The default vendor/3rd party files are usually placed on "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/" directory and those may get rewritten by package installs/updates, so not the best place to store the local configuration. Anyway, glad it solved it for you. :-) I just don't understand why.

Dai_trying · 2019-05-05 09:35

jotapesse wrote:

Yes, yes, right. But still no mention on that document to the "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf" file you created as a workaround.

I actually made an error in #9 the actual location of the xorg.conf file is /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/xorg.conf, maybe that clears up the confusion

jotapesse wrote:

The default vendor/3rd party files are usually placed on "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/" directory and those may get rewritten by package installs/updates, so not the best place to store the local configuration. Anyway, glad it solved it for you. :-) I just don't understand why.

No, the files in /usr/share/Z11/xorg.conf.d/ are not for vendor/3rd party files as noted in the quote from www.x.org.

jotapesse · 2019-05-05 18:19

Dai_trying wrote:

No, the files in /usr/share/Z11/xorg.conf.d/ are not for vendor/3rd party files as noted in the quote from www.x.org.

Are you sure? I read it differently:

https://www.x.org/releases/current/doc/man/man5/xorg.conf.5.xhtml wrote:

Finally, configuration files will also be searched for in directories reserved for system use. These are to separate configuration files from the vendor or 3rd party packages from those of local administration. These files are found in the following directories:
/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d

Also the default files located there are:

$ ls /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/
10-amdgpu.conf  10-quirks.conf  10-radeon.conf  40-libinput.conf  70-wacom.conf

They seem default vendor/3rd party specific configuration files to me.

Dai_trying · 2019-05-05 18:25

Yes you are right, I was the one reading it wrong I will try to read more carefully in the future

Q4OS Forum

#1 2019-05-01 21:40

Centaurus: Kernel 4.19.0.4 fails to enter desktop

#2 2019-05-01 22:18

Re: Centaurus: Kernel 4.19.0.4 fails to enter desktop

#3 2019-05-01 22:52

Re: Centaurus: Kernel 4.19.0.4 fails to enter desktop

#4 2019-05-01 23:04

Re: Centaurus: Kernel 4.19.0.4 fails to enter desktop

#5 2019-05-01 23:13

Re: Centaurus: Kernel 4.19.0.4 fails to enter desktop

#6 2019-05-02 09:03

Re: Centaurus: Kernel 4.19.0.4 fails to enter desktop

#7 2019-05-02 09:27

Re: Centaurus: Kernel 4.19.0.4 fails to enter desktop

#8 2019-05-02 19:15

Re: Centaurus: Kernel 4.19.0.4 fails to enter desktop

#9 2019-05-04 10:47

Re: Centaurus: Kernel 4.19.0.4 fails to enter desktop

#10 2019-05-04 17:51

Re: Centaurus: Kernel 4.19.0.4 fails to enter desktop

#11 2019-05-04 19:34

Re: Centaurus: Kernel 4.19.0.4 fails to enter desktop

#12 2019-05-04 22:26

Re: Centaurus: Kernel 4.19.0.4 fails to enter desktop

#13 2019-05-05 09:35

Re: Centaurus: Kernel 4.19.0.4 fails to enter desktop

#14 2019-05-05 18:19

Re: Centaurus: Kernel 4.19.0.4 fails to enter desktop

#15 2019-05-05 18:25

Re: Centaurus: Kernel 4.19.0.4 fails to enter desktop

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