Lenovo Thinkpad T420 hangs at bootup on OpenSuSE 11.4 64 bit

[vjohari]

When i tried to install OpenSuSE 11.4 64 bit on Thinkpad T420 then at the installation screen it hanged/freezed, when i digged more then found that it stucked on -

Starting udev...

Finally i started installing using acpi=off option, installation went fine .. when it rebooted after applying all the patches then it again hanged/freezed at that time i can see in the console -

Starting udevd:
Loading drivers, configuring devices

When i boot using acpi=off then it boots properly .. But i am loosing all acpi features which are very much required in this laptop.

Finally i tried to boot using maxcpus=0 then it works fine ..

Any tip?

[jdmcdaniel3]

When i tried to install OpenSuSE 11.4 64 bit on Thinkpad T420 then at the installation screen it hanged/freezed, when i digged more then found that it stucked on -

Starting udev...

Finally i started installing using acpi=off option, installation went fine .. when it rebooted after applying all the patches then it again hanged/freezed at that time i can see in the console -

Starting udevd:
Loading drivers, configuring devices

When i boot using acpi=off then it boots properly .. But i am loosing all acpi features which are very much required in this laptop.

Finally i tried to boot using maxcpus=0 then it works fine ..

Any tip?

What kind of graphics GPU(s) does this laptop have? If its dual, can you disable one of them in your BIOS setup? Have you tried using the kernel load option nomodeset?

Thank You,

[oldcpu]

According to the Thinkwiki for the Thinkpad T420, it has either:

• Intel Integrated HD Graphics 3000, or
• Discrete NVIDIA NVS 4200M (1GB VRAM) with Optimus™ Technology

jdmcdaniel3 gave (IMHO) some good advice.

Which does yours have ? Or does it have both ? If it has both it is a hybrid graphics device, and we are into a completely different 'kettle of fish' in that case.

Can you please run the command in a terminal:

/sbin/lspci -nnk | grep VGA -A2

and post here the output ? That will tell us what graphics this T420 of yours has.

If yours has only the NVIDIA NVS 4200M graphics, then it is possible the 'nouveau' driver does not yet support it properly, and you need in such a case to turn of Kernel Mode Setting (KMS) which you can do by specifying the boot code 'nomodeset' as noted by jdmcdaniel3. That will boot to the 'nv' graphic driver (which is of poorer performance than the 'nouveau' driver). That will only be a temporary solution, and in that case for the NVIDIA NVS 4200M ultimately you will likely need to install the proprietary graphic driver (referred to as the 'nvidia' graphic driver). If 'nomodeset' does not work you can also try 'x11failsafe' by itself, or in together with 'nomodeset' (ie 'x11failsafe nomodeset' as a boot code) which will possibly force the PC to load the very basic FBDEV driver. Again, that is only a temporary solution until the proprietary 'nvidia' driver is loaded. I note you have discovered 'acpi=off' and 'maxcpus=0' also work for you, and instead you could use those as an interim until the proprietary 'nvidia' driver is installed and loaded.

However if your T420 has the Intel Integrated HD Graphics 3000 then it should 'just work' without the need for 'nomodeset' or 'x11failsafe' or 'maxcpus=0' or 'acipi=off'. I have read of some GNU/Linux users finding for Intel Integrated HD Graphics 3000 that the boot code "i915.semaphores=1" works. ... And finally if you have the "Intel Integrated HD Graphics 3000" , I think that is also known as 'Sandybridge' graphics, and for that you may need to wait until openSUSE-12.1 GM is released (and until it is debugged as the 12.1 beta is having a rough time currently). I think SeanMc98 has pioneered an interesting technique for "Intel Integrated HD Graphics 3000" that requires no boot codes .... (although I may have the Intel hardware wrong). In his case he simply opens and closes the laptop screen at a key point during the boot process, which enables the laptop to nominally work (although based on your description of the 'freeze' location your problem reads to be different).

And finally, if this laptop has hybrid graphics (ie both Intel and nVidia) you may need to turn one off in BIOS (as noted by jdmcdaniel3) until you can apply a possible approach such as provided by the application 'bumblebee'.

[oldcpu]

However if your T420 has the Intel Integrated HD Graphics 3000 then it should 'just work' without the need for 'nomodeset' or 'x11failsafe' or 'maxcpus=0' or 'acipi=off'. I have read of some GNU/Linux users finding for Intel Integrated HD Graphics 3000 that the boot code "i915.semaphores=1" works. ... And finally if you have the "Intel Integrated HD Graphics 3000" , I think that is also known as 'Sandybridge' graphics, and for that you may need to wait until openSUSE-12.1 GM is released (and until it is debugged as the 12.1 beta is having a rough time currently). I think SeanMc98 has pioneered an interesting technique for "Intel Integrated HD Graphics 3000" that requires no boot codes .... (although I may have the Intel hardware wrong). In his case he simply opens and closes the laptop screen at a key point during the boot process, which enables the laptop to nominally work (although based on your description of the 'freeze' location your problem reads to be different).

I forgot to add that according to Lenovo ThinkPad T410 [LinLap - Linux Laptop Wiki] some Fedora users have discovered they need to use the boot code "intel_iommu=off" on this laptop, and it could be that the T420 has similar requirements.

[vjohari]

While using Nvidia Discreet Graphics -
#/sbin/lspci -nnk | grep VGA -A2

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: nVidia Corporation Device [10de:1057] (rev a1)
Subsystem: Lenovo Device [17aa:21ce]
Kernel driver in use: nvidia

It is working fine with boot code maxcpus=0

While using Integrated Graphics -
#/sbin/lspci -nnk | grep VGA -A2

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0126] (rev 09)
Subsystem: Lenovo Device [17aa:21d0]
Kernel driver in use: i915

Used boot code "intel_iommu=off", system booted properly. I will upgrade to OpenSuSE 12.1 when it release, by the mean time i will happy to use OpenSuSE 11.4.

"nomodeset" did not help in both cases ..

Thanks a lot !!

[oldcpu]

While using Nvidia Discreet Graphics -
#/sbin/lspci -nnk | grep VGA -A2

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: nVidia Corporation Device [10de:1057] (rev a1)
Subsystem: Lenovo Device [17aa:21ce]
Kernel driver in use: nvidia
.........
While using Integrated Graphics -
#/sbin/lspci -nnk | grep VGA -A2

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0126] (rev 09)
Subsystem: Lenovo Device [17aa:21d0]
Kernel driver in use: i915

Hmmm ... Hybrid graphics. Unfortunately hybrid graphics are not handled as well in GNU/Linux as in MS-Windows. And we are in need of one of our openSUSE community users who have a good handle on hybrid graphics to write an appropriate guide.

Used boot code "intel_iommu=off", system booted properly.

That's good news. I hope the power management works reasonably well with that boot code.

[vjohari]

I have update the BIOS firmware after that, I dont need to use "intel_iommu=off" boot code anymore.

Power Management is working fine the only feature which is not working is "Desktop Effects" while using Intel Integrated Graphics Controller, when I tried to configure "Desktop Effects" then it didn't worked. I can see there are few bugs related to this issue is already open in bugzilla.

However "Desktop Effects" are just working fine in SLED11 SP2 B6, without "intel_iommu=off" boot code. It is using 3.0.4-0.23-default Kernel.