Fresh install debian 12, black screen on Alder Lake N100 (i915)

[ChairmanFaust]

I picked up one of those generic 8" micro laptops (Amazon Link) and after a new install with KDE plasma, grub will display and then I get a blank screen. The problem is that I can only get a CLI to work if i use nomodeset with grub and then SDDM just hangs, or KDE will just crash if i try to launch from the CLI.

I switched my sources to backports thinking it was a kernel driver issue but it did not change the blank screen. I've seen a lot of posts about this device but no real solutions. It seems to want to use the i915 driver. The screen looks to be some off the shelf touchscreen that is in portrait mode by default, so everything has to be rotated 90 degrees. I'm stumped as to what I'm missing or if there is some driver outside of backports. Any ideas on what to try?

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inxi -Fxxxza

System:
  Kernel: 6.10.6+bpo-amd64 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.10.6+bpo-amd64
    root=UUID=67d319b4-7745-4962-8094-ba982e301b2f ro fbcon=rotate:1 nomodeset quiet
  Console: pty pts/0 DM: SDDM Distro: Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Laptop Mobo: N/A model: N/A serial: N/A UEFI: American Megatrends LLC. v: 5.25
    date: 09/19/2023
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT0 charge: 36.5 Wh (100.0%) condition: 36.5/36.5 Wh (100.0%) volts: 13.0 min: 11.4
    model: Intel SR 1 SR Real Battery type: Unknown serial: <filter> status: full
  Device-1: hid-0003:04F3:2F33.0001-battery model: ELAN Touchscreen serial: N/A charge: N/A
    status: N/A
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel N100 socket: U3E1 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Alder Lake level: v3 note: check
    built: 2021+ process: Intel 7 (10nm ESF) family: 6 model-id: 0xBE (190) stepping: 0
    microcode: 0x17
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 4 smt: <unsupported> cache: L1: 384 KiB desc: d-4x32 KiB; i-4x64 KiB
    L2: 2 MiB desc: 1x2 MiB L3: 6 MiB desc: 1x6 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 700 min/max: 700/3400 base/boost: 2871/3400 scaling: driver: intel_pstate
    governor: powersave volts: 1.0 V ext-clock: 100 MHz cores: 1: 700 2: 700 3: 700 4: 700
    bogomips: 6451
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: itlb_multihit status: Not affected
  Type: l1tf status: Not affected
  Type: mds status: Not affected
  Type: meltdown status: Not affected
  Type: mmio_stale_data status: Not affected
  Type: reg_file_data_sampling mitigation: Clear Register File
  Type: retbleed status: Not affected
  Type: spec_rstack_overflow status: Not affected
  Type: spec_store_bypass mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Enhanced / Automatic IBRS; IBPB: conditional; RSB filling;
    PBRSB-eIBRS: Not affected; BHI: BHI_DIS_S
  Type: srbds status: Not affected
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Alder Lake-N [UHD Graphics] driver: N/A alternate: i915 arch: Gen-12.2
    process: Intel 10nm built: 2021-22+ bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:46d1 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: icSpring camera type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 3-3:2 chip-ID: 32e6:9005
    class-ID: 0e02
  Display: server: X.org v: 1.21.1.7 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.9 driver: X: loaded: N/A
    unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa gpu: N/A tty: 137x54
  API: OpenGL Message: GL data unavailable in console for root.
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Alder Lake-N PCH High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel
    alternate: snd_soc_avs,snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl bus-ID: 00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:54c8 class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.10.6+bpo-amd64 status: kernel-api tools: alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: PulseAudio v: 16.1 status: off tools: pacat,pactl
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie:
    gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: 4000 bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8168 class-ID: 0200
  IF: enp1s0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Realtek RTL8852BE PCIe 802.11ax Wireless Network driver: rtw89_8852be v: kernel
    pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: 3000 bus-ID: 02:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:b852
    class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlp2s0 state: down mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Realtek Bluetooth Radio type: USB driver: btusb v: 0.8 bus-ID: 3-8:4
    chip-ID: 0bda:b85b class-ID: e001 serial: <filter>
  Report: hciconfig ID: hci0 rfk-id: 0 state: up address: <filter> bt-v: 3.0 lmp-v: 5.2
    sub-v: 91cb hci-v: 5.2 rev: dfb7
  Info: acl-mtu: 1021:6 sco-mtu: 255:12 link-policy: rswitch hold sniff park
    link-mode: peripheral accept
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 953.87 GiB used: 6.45 GiB (0.7%)
  ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Eaget model: SSD Device size: 953.87 GiB block-size:
    physical: 512 B logical: 512 B sata: 3.2 speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 1A0
    temp: 45 C scheme: GPT
  SMART: yes state: enabled health: PASSED on: 38 hrs cycles: 59 read: 18.7 MiB
    written: 33.6 MiB
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 947.67 GiB size: 931.72 GiB (98.32%) used: 6.44 GiB (0.7%) fs: ext4
    block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/sda3 maj-min: 8:3
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 487 MiB size: 486 MiB (99.80%) used: 5.8 MiB (1.2%) fs: vfat
    block-size: 512 B dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 60 (default) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: partition size: 5.72 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2 dev: /dev/sda2
    maj-min: 8:2
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 35.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Info:
  Processes: 127 Uptime: 0m wakeups: 3 Memory: 11.44 GiB used: 490 MiB (4.2%) Init: systemd v: 252
  target: graphical (5) default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12 Packages: pm: dpkg
  pkgs: 1962 libs: 1219 tools: apt,apt-get Shell: Bash v: 5.2.15 running-in: pty pts/0 (SSH)
  inxi: 3.3.26

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/etc/default/grub

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
GRUB_TIMEOUT=5
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="fbcon=rotate:1 nomodeset"
GRUB_GFXMODE=800x1280

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/etc/apt/sources.list

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm main non-free-firmware
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm main non-free-firmware

deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main non-free-firmware
deb-src http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main non-free-firmware

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm-backports main non-free-firmware
deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ bookworm-backports main non-free-firmware

[mrmazda]

Have you tried using i915.enable_psr=0 instead of nomodeset?

Nomodeset is no more than a troubleshooting enabler, so that reconfiguration and/or data collection is facilitated. Most Intel GPUs from the past two decades or more require i915 kernel module for competent operation. Plasma and SDDM are too demanding to be used without KMS, which i915 provides, enabled. You should try ruling out SDDM by switching to a different DM. I use LightDM, TDM or XDM instead of SDDM. While disabling KMS might be required for performing certain fixup functions, it is highly unlikely ever to be a part of a favorable end result. So, when you try something other than making repairs or collecting data, nomodeset can't be part of the current /proc/cmdline.

AFAIK, Plasma simply won't run on any fallback driver, so either i915 needs to work, or you need to find what will, if such exists. That might be Xe. However, you might need to force it using the following: xe.force_probe=46d1 i915.force_probe=!46d1 (without nomodeset).

As I understand it, some low power models of Intel GPUs simply do not have support from any FOSS kernel module. I haven't seen any evidence that any Alder Lakes are among them, but one never knows what one doesn't know.....

BTW, a subsumes xxx when using G with inxi:

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> inxi -Gxxxz | wc
     19     141    1038
> inxi -Gxxxaz | wc
     20     157    1144
> inxi -Gaz | wc
     20     157    1144
>

I also recommend a separate option with inxi, regardless which are first used, when posting inxi output in public: --za. It suppresses extra data that doesn't usually need to be made public. The first z with initial parameters does more limited suppression.

[ChairmanFaust]

Thanks for the suggestions, unfortunately they did not work with i915.enable_psr=0

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uname -r
6.10.6+bpo-amd64

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/etc/default/grub
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet fbcon=rotate:1 i915.enable_psr=0"
GRUB_GFXMODE=800x12800

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inxi -Gaz
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Alder Lake-N [UHD Graphics] driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-12.2
    process: Intel 10nm built: 2021-22+ ports: active: DSI-1 empty: DP-1,HDMI-A-1 bus-ID: 00:02.0
    chip-ID: 8086:46d1 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: icSpring camera type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 3-3:2 chip-ID: 32e6:9005
    class-ID: 0e02
  Display: x11 server: X.org v: 1.21.1.7 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.9 driver: X: loaded: modesetting
    unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: iris gpu: i915 tty: 163x57
  Monitor-1: DSI-1 size-res: N/A in console modes: 800x1280
  API: OpenGL Message: GL data unavailable in console for root.

using xe.force_probe=46d1 i915.force_probe=!46d1 it looks like it ignores the xe and continues to use i915

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inxi -Gaz
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Alder Lake-N [UHD Graphics] driver: N/A alternate: i915 arch: Gen-12.2
    process: Intel 10nm built: 2021-22+ bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:46d1 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: icSpring camera type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 3-3:2 chip-ID: 32e6:9005
    class-ID: 0e02
  Display: server: X.org v: 1.21.1.7 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.9 driver: X: loaded: modesetting
    unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: iris gpu: N/A tty: 163x57
  API: OpenGL Message: GL data unavailable in console for root.

this results in text being displayed but it looks similar to nomode set and its hanging up after it starts cups, so i presume its SDDM failing to display... I have to CTRL-ALT-F2 to get a prompt


with SDDM disabled i am able to reach a command prompt, but when i try to start plasma, it fails:

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startplasma-wayland
Error: could not determine $DISPLAY
Error: can not contact kdeinit5!
org.kde.startup: "kdeinit5_shutdown" () exited with code 255

[mrmazda]

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/etc/default/grub
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet fbcon=rotate:1 i915.enable_psr=0"
GRUB_GFXMODE=800x12800

12800 can't be right.

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inxi -Gaz
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Alder Lake-N [UHD Graphics] driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-12.2
    process: Intel 10nm built: 2021-22+ ports: active: DSI-1 empty: DP-1,HDMI-A-1 bus-ID: 00:02.0
    chip-ID: 8086:46d1 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: icSpring camera type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 3-3:2 chip-ID: 32e6:9005
    class-ID: 0e02
  Display: x11 server: X.org v: 1.21.1.7 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.9 driver: X: loaded: modesetting
    unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: iris gpu: i915 tty: 163x57
  Monitor-1: DSI-1 size-res: N/A in console modes: 800x1280
  API: OpenGL Message: GL data unavailable in console for root.

A lot of what inxi wants to show is inaccessible to it when running in a vt instead of X. z filters output that needn't be shared with the public. --vs shows inxi version. This is more like what I expect to see from inxi -Ga:

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# inxi -GSaz --vs
inxi 3.3.36-00 (2024-09-04)
System:
  Kernel: 6.1.0-22-amd64 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0
    clocksource: tsc avail: hpet,acpi_pm parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz
    root=LABEL=tm8p10deb12 noresume ipv6.disable=1 net.ifnames=0
    consoleblank=0 preempt=full mitigations=off video=1440x900@60
  Desktop: TDE (Trinity) v: R14.1.2 tk: Qt v: 3.5.0 wm: Twin v: 3.0
    with: kicker vt: 7 dm: 1: TDM 2: XDM Distro: Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel RocketLake-S GT1 [UHD Graphics 730] vendor: ASUSTeK
    driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-12.1 process: Intel 10nm built: 2020-21
    ports: active: DP-1,HDMI-A-1,HDMI-A-2 empty: HDMI-A-3 bus-ID: 00:02.0
    chip-ID: 8086:4c8b class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 compositor: Twin v: 3.0 driver: X:
    loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: iris gpu: i915 display-ID: :0
    screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 3600x2640 s-dpi: 120 s-size: 762x558mm (30.00x21.97")
    s-diag: 944mm (37.18")
  Monitor-1: DP-1 pos: primary,bottom-l model: Acer K272HUL serial: <filter>
    built: 2018 res: 2560x1440 hz: 60 dpi: 109 gamma: 1.2
    size: 598x336mm (23.54x13.23") diag: 686mm (27") ratio: 16:9 modes:
    max: 2560x1440 min: 720x400
  Monitor-2: HDMI-A-1 mapped: HDMI-1 pos: top-left model: NEC EA243WM
    serial: <filter> built: 2011 res: 1920x1200 hz: 60 dpi: 94 gamma: 1.2
    size: 519x324mm (20.43x12.76") diag: 612mm (24.1") ratio: 16:10 modes:
    max: 1920x1200 min: 640x480
  Monitor-3: HDMI-A-2 mapped: HDMI-2 pos: top-right model: Dell P2213
    serial: <filter> built: 2012 res: 1680x1050 hz: 60 dpi: 90 gamma: 1.2
    size: 473x296mm (18.62x11.65") diag: 558mm (22") ratio: 16:10 modes:
    max: 1680x1050 min: 720x400
  API: EGL v: 1.5 hw: drv: intel iris platforms: device: 0 drv: iris
    device: 1 drv: swrast gbm: drv: iris surfaceless: drv: iris x11: drv: iris
    inactive: wayland
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 vendor: intel mesa v: 22.3.6 glx-v: 1.4 es-v: 3.2
    direct-render: yes renderer: Mesa Intel Graphics (RKL GT1)
    device-ID: 8086:4c8b memory: 29.48 GiB unified: yes
  API: Vulkan v: 1.3.239 layers: 3 device: 0 type: integrated-gpu name: Intel
    Graphics (RKL GT1) driver: mesa intel v: 22.3.6 device-ID: 8086:4c8b
    surfaces: xcb,xlib device: 1 type: cpu name: llvmpipe (LLVM 15.0.6 256
    bits) driver: mesa llvmpipe v: 22.3.6 (LLVM 15.0.6) device-ID: 10005:0000
    surfaces: xcb,xlib
#

using xe.force_probe=46d1 i915.force_probe=!46d1 it looks like it ignores the xe and continues to use i915
...
this results in text being displayed but it looks similar to nomode set and its hanging up after it starts cups, so i presume its SDDM failing to display... I have to CTRL-ALT-F2 to get a prompt
...
with SDDM disabled i am able to reach a command prompt, but when i try to start plasma, it fails:

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startplasma-wayland
Error: could not determine $DISPLAY
Error: can not contact kdeinit5!
org.kde.startup: "kdeinit5_shutdown" () exited with code 255

Plymouth shows up among messages I can make out in your image. Could be 12800 or something else is interfering with its exit, thus interfering with SDDM. I never use SDDM, even in Neon; Plymouth either. When not using TDM or KDM3 I use LightDM. Try removing or disabling Plymouth, and a DM other than SDDM.

Does dbus-run-session startplasma-wayland behave any better? Does startplasma-x11 produce similar results?

[ChairmanFaust]

12800 can't be right.

You are correct, that was a typo that has been fixed, no change in results so i went ahead and removed SDDM and Plymouth and installed lightDM. LightDM fails to start the display manager and hangs at startup. I then disabled the service so i can get to a command prompt.

Unfortuantely i cant seem to launch X , so i tried running inxi -GSaz --vs from the laptop itself and not from an ssh session:

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inxi 3.3.26-00 (2023-03-28)
System:
  Kernel: 6.10.6+bpo-amd64 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.10.6+bpo-amd64
    root=UUID=c3d87e49-47fd-4e0e-9c4e-89d5f69fee0e ro quiet
    fbcon=rotate:1 xe.force_probe=46d1 i915.force_probe=!46d1
  Console: tty 1 Distro: Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Alder Lake-N [UHD Graphics] driver: N/A alternate: i915
    arch: Gen-12.2 process: Intel 10nm built: 2021-22+ bus-ID: 00:02.0
    chip-ID: 8086:46d1 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: icSpring camera type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 3-3:2
    chip-ID: 32e6:9005 class-ID: 0e02
  Display: server: X.org v: 1.21.1.7 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.9 driver:
    X: loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: iris gpu: N/A
    tty: 75x50
  API: OpenGL Message: GL data unavailable in console for root.

Does dbus-run-session startplasma-wayland behave any better?

Same end result:

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Error: could not determine $DISPLAY
Error: can not contact kdeinit5!
org.kde.startup: "kdeinit5_shutdown" () exited with code 255

Does startplasma-x11 produce similar results?

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$DISPLAY is not set or cannont connect to the x server