Black screen when switching to any virtual console

English Hardware
#1

Hi all,

I’ve a Sony Vaio VPCS12L9E with Nvidia GeForce310M with OpenSuse 11.4 64bit.

I’m using lastest Nvidia proprietary drivers (x86_64-260.19.44) and everything seems working correctly, virtual consoles apart.

When I switch to any of virtual console (ALT-CTRL-Fx) I get black screens.

The console is present because I can login and executing commands (blind login), and by switching ALT-F7 I can return in graphical mode.

I’ve tried to use vga=normal as boot option in grub without any result.

Any suggestion to solve such annoying behavior?

Davide

#2

Hmm… I’m speculating here, so… YMWY (your mileage WILL vary :))

In console the resolution/frequency/bitmode may be different, I think, and whatever driver is controling it (fbdev?) may be getting it wrong.
If you boot straight into level 3 do you have this problem?
If your monitor have an auto setting button, did you try it (or is this Vaio a laptop)?
If you try a liveCD do you have this problem also?

I have no idea how to change fbdev settings, I think it’s part of X, perhaps Xorg.0.log (where it log the various driver tests) will give you a clue.

#3

I don’t suppose there’s any BIOS setting that affect this?

#4

You are experiencing a typical problem with Nvidia drivers. I have scourged and scourged and ran across some “solutions” that have never worked for me.
I think what brunomcl is talking about was one of those “solutions” - it didn’t work for me, but feel free to explore it.

#5

Boot with the kernel parameter nomodeset.
But be sure to use NVidia drivers (not the ones that come with the opensuse 11.4 installer.

I had the same problem and that’s the way I fixed it, but with ATI drivers. I also had to change the KDM RC file for other reasons.

#6

Unfortunately your suggestion doesn’t help me.

But I tried to use Nouveau driver and virtual consoles run perfectly. Therefore I suppose it’s a Nvidia issue.

#7

Booting into level 3 don’t present this problem.
It’s a Vaio laptop.

I’ll try a liveCD, but in the meantime I’ve discovered the Nouveau driver is not affected by this problem and virtual consoles run perfectly.
But it has many others…

#8

cough
As long as you use anything but Nvidia you won’t experience the problem.

#9

I figured out how to get the virtual consoles back using a Nvidia driver. You have to install uvesafb and let it replace vesa.
Some Arch instructions: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Uvesafb that worked for me.