Centaurus desktop won't load

marcoA · 2019-07-17 11:40

After installing the 32bit version, the system restarts and I see a Q4OS desktop login: in the upper left corner of the screen.

It disappears then I'm left with a blank screen. I expect the desktop to load at this point as I see with my other computers.

Since posting I have reinstalled with the same result.

On boot up I've always observed larger fonts and then the screen adjusts resolution to smaller size fonts.

What I'm seeing is the larger fonts, then a blank screen (this is where the smaller size fonts should be), then I see the Q4OS desktop login:, and then nothing but a blank screen. No desktop.

Any thoughts?

Last edited by marcoA (2019-07-17 14:54)

marcoA · 2019-07-18 21:53

Sounds like my issue is not mainstream.

I'm gonna chalk it up to old hardware issues or something else that I don't care enough to trouble shoot. I have installed another system on it and all is good.

My complements on the Centaurus release. I have it up and running on two other systems.

Just a reminder to donate what money or time we can to support the Q4OS team.

Thanks

q4osteam · 2019-07-19 09:10

It looks, most likely, graphics drivers don't work correctly with your hardware. You could try to boot into the "recovery mode", just tap "Esc" key on boot, grub table appears. Go to "Advanced options ..." > "Q4OS desktop ... recovery mode" , try to boot and possibly configure graphics system.

If you ask for help with a hardware dependent issue, we would need to get at least a basic hardware specification to be able to provide an assistance.

marcoA · 2019-07-19 12:34

q4osteam wrote:

It looks, most likely, graphics drivers don't work correctly with your hardware. You could try to boot into the "recovery mode", just tap "Esc" key on boot, grub table appears. Go to "Advanced options ..." > "Q4OS desktop ... recovery mode" , try to boot and possibly configure graphics system.
If you ask for help with a hardware dependent issue, we would need to get at least a basic hardware specification to be able to provide an assistance.

Thanks for your reply. I tried "recovery mode" on another computer when I could only get the Trinity desktop to load but not the Plasma. No luck but that's another story.

If anything on the list is of interest, please let me know.

Attachments:

Dell Laptop Specs, Size: 20.86 KiB, Downloads: 677

q4osteam · 2019-07-19 13:04

Dell Inspiron .. Intel Graphics .. could it be similar to the Debian Buster issue, that Dai_trying solved https://www.q4os.org/forum/viewtopic.ph … 541#p15541 and resolved https://www.q4os.org/forum/viewtopic.ph … 556#p15556 ?

Did you try to install a plain Debian Buster on that laptop ?

marcoA · 2019-07-19 13:48

Worth trying both suggestions in the near future.

Thank you

q4osteam · 2019-07-19 14:05

If you would try to install Debian, don't select Gnome desktop, as it uses Wayland instead of Xorg. You should try for ex. Plasma or XFCE desktop.

q4osteam · 2019-07-19 14:40

Another approach could be to remove the "xserver-xorg-video-intel" package:
$ sudo apt autoremove xserver-xorg-video-intel
to let system use the KMS driver.

marcoA · 2019-07-20 12:30

After switching to console mode "Ctrl+Alt+F1", what do I use for login and password?

q4osteam · 2019-07-21 14:39

Use the login + password you have entered during installation.

marcoA · 2019-07-21 15:22

q4osteam wrote:

Use the login + password you have entered during installation.

Is login + password set during installation or after? The install disk was ejected with no login or password set by me.

The console works as expected only after booting into recovery mode.

I can enter "adminq" as login and no password to get a working command line.

I tried Dai_trying's suggestion using your stop tdm.service.

My success stops at X -configure..."Module fbcon not found in directory /lib/modules/4.19.0-5-686-pae" "Number of created screens does not match number of detected devices. Configuration failed".

I also tried "Another approach could be to remove the "xserver-xorg-video-intel" package:
$ sudo apt autoremove xserver-xorg-video-intel
to let system use the KMS driver."

No luck, I'm still left with a blank screen in the end. No desktop.

Willing to install again and or follow your detailed instructions.

Thanks

Note: xorg log shows... 9 video drivers and KMS is not one of them.

Edit: After removing "xserver-xorg-video-intel", sudo X -configure worked then I was able to finish Dai_trying's suggetion only adding "/root/" sudo mv /root/xorg.conf.new /etc/X11/xorg.conf

After starting the tdm.service and a restart, I was left with the same issue. No desktop.

Do you have any other suggestions for me or should I go back to Scorpion.

Last edited by marcoA (2019-07-21 19:00)

marcoA · 2019-07-22 19:46

I went back to Scorpion with Plasma Desktop.

Works well and will outlive this old Laptop.

Thumbs up!!!

Thanks

Last edited by marcoA (2019-07-22 19:47)

digidog · 2019-07-27 05:15

Hello, I am by no means qualified to offer advice but....
I have been testing various distros on a Dell Inspiron 1520 with Intel Graphics. With another Debian based release the only way I could get the GUI to not fail was by disabling the S-Video Port. It seems the DRM check fails because of it being there.

 video=SVIDEO-1:d

appending this to the grub parameters shut it off and allowed me to boot into that os. Perhaps the same is happening here ?

marcoA · 2019-07-27 14:06

digidog wrote:

Hello, I am by no means qualified to offer advice but....
I have been testing various distros on a Dell Inspiron 1520 with Intel Graphics. With another Debian based release the only way I could get the GUI to not fail was by disabling the S-Video Port. It seems the DRM check fails because of it being there.
 video=SVIDEO-1:d 
appending this to the grub parameters shut it off and allowed me to boot into that os. Perhaps the same is happening here ?

Thanks for posting your findings. You may be onto something here.

I do remember seeing "[CONNECTOR:50:SVIDEO-1] flip_done timed out".

Would someone please explain how to append this to the grub parameters?

Last edited by marcoA (2019-07-28 12:46)

q4osteam · 2019-07-27 20:04

marcoA wrote:

Would someone please explain how to append this to the grub parameters?

Edit the file "/etc/default/grub" as root and modify the "GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT" entry adding the desired kernel parameter at the end of line. Update Grub config file afterwards:
$ sudo update-grub

marcoA · 2019-07-28 15:02

q4osteam wrote:

marcoA wrote:
Would someone please explain how to append this to the grub parameters?
Edit the file "/etc/default/grub" as root and modify the "GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT" entry adding the desired kernel parameter at the end of line. Update Grub config file afterwards:
$ sudo update-grub

How do I execute commands as root in recovery mode?

If there's a password involved, I did not set any during install. The setup process set users and passwords.

So far I can only read grub file. I can't write to it or make changes.

I guess it needs the power of root.

q4osteam · 2019-07-28 16:17

You need to use "sudo" command for root access. Login as a user and run in terminal:
$ sudo su
as you enter the user password, you will be able to run terminal commands as root.

Dai_trying · 2019-07-28 18:20

q4osteam wrote:

You need to use "sudo" command for root access. Login as a user and run in terminal:
$ sudo su

Apparently (according to Debian User Forum experts) it is better to use sudo -i instead of sudo su, the use of sudo su was harshly criticised there, although I have seen many tutorials show it being used so it is a common method.

marcoA · 2019-07-28 19:04

I was able to use sudo su to edit the grub file as root.

I saved the changes and updated the grub file.

Unfortunately, I was not successful in loading the desktop.

q4osteam · 2019-07-28 19:22

Yes, we can confirm the "sudo -i" would be a more proper way, as suggested by Dai_trying. Anyway, you could still try to check some public directions for Debian Buster as Q4OS is based on Debian Buster. Unfortunately, Debian Buster obviously has troubles with some Intel graphics hardware.

marcoA · 2019-07-28 19:42

q4osteam wrote:

Yes, we can confirm the "sudo -i" would be a more proper way, as suggested by Dai_trying. Anyway, you could still try to check some public directions for Debian Buster as Q4OS is based on Debian Buster. Unfortunately, Debian Buster obviously has troubles with some Intel graphics hardware.

We gave it a good try, and I definitely learned some helpful knowledge along the way.

Thanks for your time.

marcoA · 2019-07-28 20:31

Would anyone care to share why sudo -i is better to use or more proper way than sudo su.

And do you think it would have made any difference if I had used sudo -i?

Last edited by marcoA (2019-07-28 21:13)

Dai_trying · 2019-07-28 21:19

It would not make a difference as you gain root prompt either way.

I think the gist of what the Debian folk were saying is that you should use su as it is or use sudo but not both together, my guess is that each would want to set it's own environment as sudo retains user env but su gets root env, which one you actually get could make a big difference depending on what you are actually doing.

I would also guess that for 99% if it's use sudo su would do exactly what you needed it to do, but if that 1% breaks something that could potentially take your system down then it's worth avoiding.

marcoA · 2019-07-28 21:36

What you said makes perfect sense.

Thanks again

sickpig · 2019-07-29 06:14

pkexec is more secure than sudo or su

Q4OS Forum

#1 2019-07-17 11:40

Centaurus desktop won't load

#2 2019-07-18 21:53

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#3 2019-07-19 09:10

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#4 2019-07-19 12:34

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#5 2019-07-19 13:04

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#6 2019-07-19 13:48

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#7 2019-07-19 14:05

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#8 2019-07-19 14:40

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#9 2019-07-20 12:30

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#10 2019-07-21 14:39

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#11 2019-07-21 15:22

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#12 2019-07-22 19:46

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#13 2019-07-27 05:15

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#14 2019-07-27 14:06

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#15 2019-07-27 20:04

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#16 2019-07-28 15:02

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#17 2019-07-28 16:17

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#18 2019-07-28 18:20

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#19 2019-07-28 19:04

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#20 2019-07-28 19:22

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#21 2019-07-28 19:42

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#22 2019-07-28 20:31

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#23 2019-07-28 21:19

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#24 2019-07-28 21:36

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

#25 2019-07-29 06:14

Re: Centaurus desktop won't load

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