Ubuntu 12.04 + Sony SDM-P234 display

Linux Support
1

Hi, I’m back! :wink:
I have a Sony SDM-P234 which seemed to install fine initially on 12.04 but has gone haywire on reboot. The display is completely misaligned, split into sections and move upon mouse input. Problem now is that I can’t read the screen to make any changes. It is currently turned off as I had to do a cold power off. :frowning:

The only changes I can recall making prior to the issue were a) trying to uninstall/reinstall Samba due to an error and b) replacing the gnome-screensaver with xscreensaver. There was also an intermittent Nautilus error, mainly straight after boot/login but the popup message didnt give any specific details.

Any help appreciated.
Thank you

2
The only changes I can recall making prior to the issue were a) trying to uninstall/reinstall Samba due to an error and b) replacing the gnome-screensaver with xscreensaver.
I would expect that the screenserver replacement broke something.

Have you tried with a different monitor?

3

No but can easily plug it into my Samsung TV, will do so now, brb.

4

Yeh, would be interesting to know if a different monitor makes a difference … though I suspect this is more likely graphics driver related.

Do you know what graphics card you have ?

and can you boot to a root prompt (by selecting “Recovery” at the GRUB menu) without the display messing up ?

or

What happens if you boot normally … then when you’re at the messed up desktop … hit Ctrl+Alt+F3, is the console (black screen with white writing) messed up ?

BTW, Ctrl+Alt+F7 should get you back to the messed up graphical desktop.

Also NEVER do a cold power off … if necessary, hold Alt+SysRq and whilst holding them type R E I S U O leaving a few seconds between keystrokes.
(some laptops requuire AltGr+SysRq instead)

Alt+SysRq then REISUO = OFF

Alt+SysReq then REISUB = Reboot

Easy way to remember REISUB

Reboot
Even
If
System
Utterly
Broken

If necessary … write those down, they will shut down/reboot a system SAFELY … whereas a cold power off can screw the file system :wink:

5

Thanks guys.

The system doesn’t have a graphics card mainly due to it being an ‘Ultra Slim Desktop Tower’ (HP Compaq dc7600) so I’d need a right-angled riser board and they’re not easy to come by. Also getting both to fit with each other is pretty hit and miss. Hence the USB WiFi adapter (thanks to Mark :wink: ).

hold Alt+SysRq and whilst holding them type R E I S U O

Only problem there is due it being a desktop with a third party keyboard, there is no SysRq key I’m afraid but thanks for the tips Mark. I am searching for a MS keyboard I have somewhere which I ‘think’ has a SysRQ key.

Well, I connected the system to the second monitor and it was fine, both booting and logging in so I thought I’d see if changing the resolution caused any issue (as I think that may have triggered the initial problem) and the exact same thing happened. It seems to be the process of changing resolution that causes it. I know the easy answer is don’t change the resolution but it wasn’t quite right when it first happened so it seemed necessary.

What happens if you boot normally .. then when you're at the messed up desktop .. hit Ctrl+Alt+F3, is the console (black screen with white writing) messed up ?

Ctrl+Alt+F3 does indeed make the screen black out but there’s no white text. Ctrl+Alt+F7 does bring back the desktop too, yes

I have managed to boot into recovery mode at grub and the screen is normal/readable thankfully.

Thank you so far guys.

6

You do have a graphics card, but it’s built into the motherboard.

SysRq is usually the same key as PrtSc (printscreen) :slight_smile: … so try Alt+PrtSc then REISUB/REISUO

If you can boot in recovery mode, can you send the output from:

sudo lshw -C display

(Be aware it may take that command a few seconds to complete)

[EDIT]

Which desktop are you using … the default (Unity) with the bar at the left side of screen ?

7

I meant to say the graphics are onboard (I know I come across as complete computer illiterate but I’m just a Linux newbie despite appearances :stuck_out_tongue: lol )

*-display UNCLAIMED
description: VGA compatible controller
product: 82Q963/Q965 Integrated Graphics Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 2
bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
version: 02
width: 64bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: msi pm vga_controller bus_master cap_list
configuration: latency=0
resources: memory:f0400000-f04fffff memory:e0000000-efffffff ioport:1100(size=8)
Which desktop are you using .. the default (Unity) with the bar at the left side of screen ?

Yes, although I did install something else Cinnamon too but don’t use it. I’ll have a think what it was!

8

OK, let’s try creating an /etc/X11/xorg.conf file and see if that helps.

You might want to write this down as you’re going to be doing some of it from the console.

Boot the way you have been booting.

Hit Ctrl+Alt+F3 to drop to a console.

At the console login with your username and password, then run these commands in sequence:

sudo service lightdm stop

then

sudo Xorg -configure

then

sudo mv -v /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup

(the above command may fail, but just carry on with the next command)
then

sudo cp -v ~/xorg.conf.new /etc/X11/xorg.conf

When that finishes, run:

sudo service lightdm start

You should now be back at a desktop … if not, hit Ctrl+Alt+F7 … now reboot normally to test.

If you find yourself stuck at the command line:

sudo shutdown -P now

will shut down the PC

sudo shutdown -r now

will reboot.

Be aware Linux commands ARE case sensitive, so that’s a capital X in X11 and Xorg

[EDIT]

In a worst case scenario (ie. if this makes things worse), running:

sudo mv -v /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.broken

then rebooting will get you back to where you are now.

If that doesn’t help, can you post the output from:

dpkg -l | grep xserver-xorg-video-intel
9

Just FYI, I’m not having problems with it, I just can’t do the above yet, but will a.s.a.p., probably this evening.

Thanks Mark :wink:

10

Okey Dokey … let me know how you get on :slight_smile:

11

Finally have time to do this. Can you clarify please Mark:

Boot the way you have been booting

Do you mean booting into the problematic desktop or into ‘recovery’?
Thanks

12

Into “Recovery” … or anything that lets you drop to a working console by hitting Ctrl+Alt+F3

If you can’t drop to a console (black background with white writing) from “Recovery” … let me know and we’ll take it from there.

13

Hmmm why might the console not accept my password?

14

OK, the console WILL accept your password, but …

a) It won’t echo anything to screen, not even ***** … but it IS going in, so just type it and hit enter.
and
b) I’ve noticed the console seems to repeat keystrokes really quickly … so don’t keep your finger on the key for each keystroke very long :slight_smile:

15

I’ve booted the normal way and prior to logging in have hit Ctrl+Alt+F3 to enter a console. I’ve typed in the first command: sudo service lightdm stop and it asks for my password. I’ve entered my password carefully and it keeps saying login incorrect. This has happened numerous times.

16

Got it! I had to actually enter my username FIRST then password to login, then it allowed me to successfully enter the first command.
You did state that so I apologise. I was thinking it only wanted my password because my username was already on screen.

Doing the rest now…

17

Ok, error after ‘sudo Xorg -configure’:

Number of created screens does not match the number of detected devices.
Configuration failed.
ddxSigGiveUp: Closing log
Service terminated with error (2). Closing log file.

18

was there any more to the error than that … did it say the xorg.con.new file got created ?

What’s the output from:

ls -l ~/xorg.conf.new

?

19

Yes there was quite a bit. Would you like it all; it may take a while!:slight_smile:
Part of it (immediately prior to what I wrote above) says:
(++) Using config file: “/home/ubuntu3/xorg.conf.new”
(==) Using system config directory “/usr/share/X11/xorg.config.d”

ls -l ~/xorg.conf.new
-rw-r–r-- 1 root root 5179 Jul 14 14:16 /home/ubuntu3/xorg.conf.new

20

Just carry on with the instructions from the next line … ie. the:

sudo mv -v /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup

line :slight_smile: