0002223: Random blank screens on X restarts.

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Category

Severity

Reproducibility

Date Submitted

Last Update

0002223

[CentOS-5] xorg-x11-drv-i810

major

random

2007-07-24 02:59

2008-03-07 06:38

Reporter

schuelaw

View Status

public

Assigned To

Priority

normal

Resolution

open

Status

assigned

Product Version

5.0 - i386

Summary

0002223: Random blank screens on X restarts.

Description

Problem:

After logging out of a user session gdm restarts to a blank screen (LCD
backlit but black), more specifically, the behavior appears to be a
random selection of either restarting to a blank screen or restarting
perfectly correctly. Issuing /usr/sbin/gdm-restart repeatedly from
another VT will always, eventually, cause a successful restart.
Failure rate appears to be about 50-70%.

System:

Dell GX280, CentOS 5, fully patched, gdm

Xorg details (from /var/log/Xorg.log):

X Window System Version 7.1.1
Release Date: 12 May 2006
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 7.1.1
Build Operating System: Linux 2.6.9-42.0.10.ELsmp i686 Red Hat, Inc.
Current Operating System: Linux sloth.whitman.edu
2.6.18-8.1.8.el5.centos.plus 0000001 SMP Mon Jul 16 08:49:50 EDT 2007 i686
Build Date: 09 April 2007
Build ID: xorg-x11-server 1.1.1-48.13.0.1.el5
Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org [^]
to make sure that you have the latest version.

Video card:

Intel Corporation 82915G/GV/910GL Express Chipset Family Graphics
Controller rev 4, Mem @ 0xdff00000/19, 0xc0000000/28, 0xdfec0000/18,
I/O @ 0xe898/3

using the stock i810 driver

Xorg configuration:

default installed configuration

Investigation so far:

    - Behavior is the same if using kdm

    - Xorg.log entries are identical in the cases of both successful
      and unsuccessful restarts.

    - With gdm debugging info turned on, relevant syslog entries are
      the same in cases of both successful and unsuccessful
      restarts.

    - Moved the hard drive into an identical machine and the same
      behavior is exhibited. (Rules out flaky hardware?)

    - I am completely stumped.

I'm happy to provide additional details as requested. Thanks,

Albert

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Notes
(0006920) labrown (reporter) 2008-02-21 20:10	I, too, have a Dell GX280 exhibiting the same symptoms. I had Fedora Core 4 on this machine and after reinstalling with CentOS5 it started giving me blank screens at random. My symptoms are exactly ike Albert's. Just wanted to add another data point. --[Lance]

(0007000) jlgraham (reporter) 2008-03-07 02:07	Seeing the same issue here across a lab of GX280s. Haven't found a solution yet but I did notice that the gdm screen will immediately reappear if you push the mouse a long ways towards the upper left corner of the screen. -Justin

(0007002) jlgraham (reporter) 2008-03-07 06:38	Seriously hackish work around here: http://techblog.lucidillusion.org/2008/03/06/random-blankblack-x-sessions-with-gdm-on-a-dell-gx280-running-centos-5/ [^] Uses a tool called xdotool to simulate the mouse being pushed to the upper left corner of the screen just after GDM loads.

Issue History
Date Modified	Username	Field	Change
2007-07-24 02:59	schuelaw	New Issue
2007-07-24 02:59	schuelaw	Status	new => assigned
2007-07-24 02:59	schuelaw	Assigned To	=> kbsingh@karan.org
2008-02-21 20:10	labrown	Note Added: 0006920
2008-03-07 02:07	jlgraham	Note Added: 0007000
2008-03-07 02:33	jlgraham	Issue Monitored: jlgraham
2008-03-07 06:38	jlgraham	Note Added: 0007002