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i915 Drivers with Kernel 4.16

Linux Kernel, Network, and Services configuration.
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aselker
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Joined: 2018-06-07 04:03

i915 Drivers with Kernel 4.16

#1 Post by aselker »

I have a Dell XPS 13 9350, with Intel Iris 540 graphics. I am running Debian Unstable. With kernel 4.15, it works. With 4.16, it doesn't. A moment after booting, the screen goes black. If I add "nomodeset" to the kernel command line, it solves that problem, but then X can't start -- it says it can't find any screens.

I think the issue stems from firmware. When I run update-initramfs, I get this message:

Code: Select all

update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.16.0-2-amd64
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/skl_dmc_ver1_27.bin for module i915
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/kbl_dmc_ver1_04.bin for module i915
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/kbl_guc_ver9_39.bin for module i915
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/bxt_guc_ver9_29.bin for module i915
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/skl_guc_ver9_33.bin for module i915
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.16.0-1-amd64
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/skl_dmc_ver1_27.bin for module i915
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/kbl_dmc_ver1_04.bin for module i915
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/kbl_guc_ver9_39.bin for module i915
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/bxt_guc_ver9_29.bin for module i915
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/i915/skl_guc_ver9_33.bin for module i915
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-3-amd64
Note that 4.15 doesn't throw the errors, and it's the one that works. I also tried moving the .bin files that 4.15 wants, and it causes the same symptoms in that kernel.

I tried getting the .bin files from kernel.org, as this answer describes. It gets rid of the errors that update-initramfs throws, but doesn't solve the problem.

I have firmware-linux-nonfree and firmware-misc-nonfree installed.

Thank you!

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Head_on_a_Stick
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Re: i915 Drivers with Kernel 4.16

#2 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

Sounds like you may have encountered a kernel regression.

The wiki has a bisect guide that you can use to narrow down the bad commit and report it upstream to get it fixed:

https://wiki.debian.org/DebianKernel/GitBisect
deadbang

aselker
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Re: i915 Drivers with Kernel 4.16

#3 Post by aselker »

Head_on_a_Stick:

I'm a bit hesitant to call it a kernel issue since the firmware seems key to the problem. It would have to be coincidence that a) the new firmware isn't on the repos yet, and that b) the new kernel doesn't work well with the firmware.

Is this a common pattern? i.e. if I wait, will the firmware be released eventually?

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Re: i915 Drivers with Kernel 4.16

#4 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

aselker wrote:firmware seems key to the problem
Download the new firmware directly from Intel and place it in /lib/firmware, the kernel will pick it up.

A regression is more likely, IMO.

Are you using xserver-xorg-video-intel?

It is recommended to drop that buggy POS :mrgreen:
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Re: i915 Drivers with Kernel 4.16

#5 Post by sunrat »

There was a major problem in Sid with xserver-xorg. I think it's fixed if you do a full-upgrade now. Using Sid is great for surprises if you don't check for upgrade warnings. :mrgreen:
Read this - https://forum.siduction.org/index.php?topic=7181.0
“ computer users can be divided into 2 categories:
Those who have lost data
...and those who have not lost data YET ”
Remember to BACKUP!

Wheelerof4te
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Re: i915 Drivers with Kernel 4.16

#6 Post by Wheelerof4te »

sunrat wrote:There was a major problem in Sid with xserver-xorg.
I jumped ship in time, then :D
But seriously, Sid is just a hassle. Way worse if you don't have a stable and fast internet connection.

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Re: i915 Drivers with Kernel 4.16

#7 Post by sunrat »

Wheelerof4te wrote: I jumped ship in time, then :D
But seriously, Sid is just a hassle....
I've been running siduction/aptosid/sidux for the last 10 years. Originally it was well worth it for the novelty and there were noticeable advantages in some newer versions over Stable. I even helped with a couple of bugs on the way.
However the changes in software have become incremental rather than groundbreaking between versions, and I am tiring of doing up to 500MB of updates each week. I've been thinking of changing back to Stable for a while but have held out as I think Plasma 5.12 is a big improvement over 5.8 in Stretch. Now I have found a way to install a reliable Plasma 5.12 in Stretch and am almost finished testing this as my main system. :wink: 8)
“ computer users can be divided into 2 categories:
Those who have lost data
...and those who have not lost data YET ”
Remember to BACKUP!

aselker
Posts: 8
Joined: 2018-06-07 04:03

Re: i915 Drivers with Kernel 4.16

#8 Post by aselker »

Head_on_a_Stick:

Thank you! I tried that, but it didn't seem to help -- the error messages went away, but the problem didn't. full-upgrade also didn't help.

I'll try removing xserver-xorg-video-intel. (Edit: it went fine, but didn't change anything.)

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