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Display broke after transisioning to testing branch

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jpearey
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Display broke after transisioning to testing branch

#1 Post by jpearey »

I followed the instructions at the debian wiki. By the way, those instructions are a little confusing as they tell you to remove "all stable security updates line(s) (anything with security.debian.org in it)", but then tell you to include "deb http://security.debian.org <"testing" or codename>/updates main line in your /etc/apt/sources.list". My sources.list file:

Code: Select all

deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ testing main contrib non-free 
deb-src http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ testing main contrib non-free 
 
deb http://security.debian.org testing/updates main
I upgraded and found that I couldn't start x after a reboot! There were no relevant error messages any where in dmesg/syslog/Xorg.0.log! There's no /etc/etc/X11/xorg.conf file. Running init5 and startx did nothing. Running kdeinit5 5 gave me an error message: "kdeinit5 aborting. $DISPLAY not set."

I got it working after I installed a different display manager. Not sure if there are any compelling reasons to switch back to sddm? So, I think this may be an issue with sddm.

Kernel: 4.9.0-4-amd64 x86_64
gcc: 6.3.0
Desktop: KDE Plasma 5.12.3 (Qt 5.9.2)
Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.6 )
drivers: ati,amdgpu (unloaded: modesetting,fbdev,vesa,radeon)

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Re: Display broke after transisioning to testing branch

#2 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

jpearey wrote:Not sure if there are any compelling reasons to switch back to sddm?
If you switch back to sddm then you can try to figure out why it's broken and whether you should make a bug report about it (preferably including a fix).

The whole point of Debian testing is that you are supposed to test it for Debian and report back to them with any fixes for the problems you encounter (or pass it back to the developers if you can't figure it out).

What do you think Debian testing is for?

If you're looking for a usable, day-to-day reliable desktop distribution then you have picked the wrong one — try the stable release instead ;)
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jpearey
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Re: Display broke after transisioning to testing branch

#3 Post by jpearey »

Well, I'm trying to gauge if this is an actual bug or a known issue. To see if others experienced the same problem. I'm relatively new to debian and so don't spam bug reports every time I hit a road block.

I can understand people on debian-testing reporting bugs. That makes sense. But to expect people to fix debian is a whole other matter! Using debian and fixing debian are two separate activities. No where in software do testers fix the code, they simply test the software and report issues to the programmers that wrote the code.

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Re: Display broke after transisioning to testing branch

#4 Post by bw123 »

jpearey wrote:Well, I'm trying to gauge if this is an actual bug or a known issue. To see if others experienced the same problem. I'm relatively new to debian and so don't spam bug reports every time I hit a road block.

I can understand people on debian-testing reporting bugs. That makes sense. But to expect people to fix debian is a whole other matter! Using debian and fixing debian are two separate activities. No where in software do testers fix the code, they simply test the software and report issues to the programmers that wrote the code.
That's not what I've seen in debian. It's very common for people who report bugs to either include an actual patch for the souce code, or to figure out a workaround that often helps others find the right part of the code to patch.

BUT arguing about it is not going to help solve your issue. If X worked on stretch, but not on testing, that might indicate a bug. It also could be differences in configuration required for several different pkgs that make X windows work. It's medium difficulty, IMO to troubleshoot, but you can do it with a little research.

I had issues with sddm on stretch, and moved to lightdm myself, not sure what you wish to do?
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Re: Display broke after transisioning to testing branch

#5 Post by Bulkley »

jpearey wrote:I'm relatively new to debian . . .
For that reason you should be using Stable. Testing is not an upgrade and not for those who are going to need help fixing it.

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Re: Display broke after transisioning to testing branch

#6 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

jpearey wrote:Well, I'm trying to gauge if this is an actual bug or a known issue. To see if others experienced the same problem. I'm relatively new to debian and so don't spam bug reports every time I hit a road block.
I said that you should try to find out what's wrong so that you can determine *if* you need to make a bug report.

A fundamental feature of Debian testing is that it can break at any time and may stay broken for several days, if you don't like that then don't use testing.
to expect people to fix debian is a whole other matter! Using debian and fixing debian are two separate activities. No where in software do testers fix the code, they simply test the software and report issues to the programmers that wrote the code.
Go back to Ubuntu.
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Re: Display broke after transisioning to testing branch

#7 Post by dcihon »

There are a number of bugs with sddm right in testing and sid. This is just one of them:
https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugrepo ... bug=873080

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Re: Display broke after transisioning to testing branch

#8 Post by bw123 »

jpearey wrote: Kernel: 4.9.0-4-amd64 x86_64
gcc: 6.3.0
Desktop: KDE Plasma 5.12.3 (Qt 5.9.2)
Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.6 )
drivers: ati,amdgpu (unloaded: modesetting,fbdev,vesa,radeon)
I never did it, but wouldn't the system have a newer kernel if the move to testing was done correctly?
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Re: Display broke after transisioning to testing branch

#9 Post by jpearey »

bw123 wrote: That's not what I've seen in debian. It's very common for people who report bugs to either include an actual patch for the souce code, or to figure out a workaround that often helps others find the right part of the code to patch.

BUT arguing about it is not going to help solve your issue. If X worked on stretch, but not on testing, that might indicate a bug. It also could be differences in configuration required for several different pkgs that make X windows work. It's medium difficulty, IMO to troubleshoot, but you can do it with a little research.

I had issues with sddm on stretch, and moved to lightdm myself, not sure what you wish to do?
It's a bit foolish to block out testers in this way though. I'd imagine a project may have a small number of active programmers working on it, maybe even a handful. Now, how would they adequately test their software? Lots of companies release alpha and beta test versions for this reason. None expect those testers to issue code fixes. I did figure out a workaround! The same one that you, an anointed one, came up with. Yet I'm being heavily chastised as some unworthy peasant who dared soil the hallowed grounds of the Debian master race. Why didn't you fix sddm and issue a code fix? Are you unworthy of debian? Should you not consider "going back to unbuntu" where you belong?

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Re: Display broke after transisioning to testing branch

#10 Post by jpearey »

Head_on_a_Stick wrote: Go back to Ubuntu.
Oh, look a troll. Let's follow his signature...How To Answer Questions in a Helpful Way. Troll confirmed.

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Re: Display broke after transisioning to testing branch

#11 Post by None1975 »

jpearey wrote:It's a bit foolish to block out testers in this way though.
If you have experience in software testing, you need to know how to report a bugs. If you do not have experience-stick with Debian stable and keep learning.
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Re: Display broke after transisioning to testing branch

#12 Post by sunrat »

bw123 wrote:
jpearey wrote: Kernel: 4.9.0-4-amd64 x86_64
gcc: 6.3.0
Desktop: KDE Plasma 5.12.3 (Qt 5.9.2)
Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.6 )
drivers: ati,amdgpu (unloaded: modesetting,fbdev,vesa,radeon)
I never did it, but wouldn't the system have a newer kernel if the move to testing was done correctly?
Agreed, the transition must not have been completed correctly if this is the kernel. Buster current kernel is linux-image-4.14.0-3-amd64

The transition from Stretch to Buster is particularly huge with KDE as you get new major versions of Qt, KDE Frameworks and KDE4 goes to Plasma5. I have a few years experience with Debian distros and would be hesitant to attempt that transition.

Also it's advantageous not to refer to our most experienced contributors as trolls.
“ computer users can be divided into 2 categories:
Those who have lost data
...and those who have not lost data YET ”
Remember to BACKUP!

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Re: Display broke after transisioning to testing branch

#13 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

sunrat wrote:Also it's advantageous not to refer to our most experienced contributors as trolls.
Thank you very much for your kind words sunrat but the OP is quite correct — that was a total troll post :D

It was helpful, sure enough, just not for the OP...
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Re: Display broke after transisioning to testing branch

#14 Post by sunrat »

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:
sunrat wrote:Also it's advantageous not to refer to our most experienced contributors as trolls.
Thank you very much for your kind words sunrat but the OP is quite correct — that was a total troll post :D
Naughty HOAS! Go slap yourself with a wet trout. :mrgreen:

Your advice to stick to stable was sound though.
“ computer users can be divided into 2 categories:
Those who have lost data
...and those who have not lost data YET ”
Remember to BACKUP!

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Re: Display broke after transisioning to testing branch

#15 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

deadbang

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Re: Display broke after transisioning to testing branch

#16 Post by DeepDayze »

jpearey wrote:
Head_on_a_Stick wrote: Go back to Ubuntu.
Oh, look a troll. Let's follow his signature...How To Answer Questions in a Helpful Way. Troll confirmed.
HoaS is not a troll, he's very knowledgeable and you are being petty. If you want help you should be answering questions in an adult way...and even that goes a long way here :wink:

So maybe you SHOULD go back to Ubuntu.

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