Grub2/Boot loader Problem

English Install/Boot/Login
41

Prompt is command line. Displays my hostname, I am also able to login.

What’s the output of those commands:

systemctl get-default

runlevel5.target

 systemctl status display-manager

It displays a bunch of lines but I’ll pick out the necessary ones

 X-Display Manager Active: active (running)
X server died during startup
X Server for display :0 cannot be start...ed

GRUB2 is only in command line mode.

I’m already in that runlevel by default (as soon as it boots) as nothing happens when I press CTRL+ALT+F1. Last lines on CTRL+ALT+F7 are

 
[OK] Started wicked network nanny service...
Starting wicked network nanny interfaces.
[OK] Started X Display Manager.
42

What video card?

Does advanced mode - rescue boot help at all?

43

I tried Advanced mode but it’s the same thing. It only displays the kernel entries installed but they all boot in text mode.

44

You want the second entry I believe in advanced mode that is rescue

Still did not say what video card/chip??

45

Thanks much, this helped. I’m in.

lspci -vnn | grep VGA -A 12
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0046] (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
        Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:040a]
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 11
        Memory at f0000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4]
        Memory at e0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256]
        I/O ports at 7110 [size=8]
        Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled]
        Capabilities: [90] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
        Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 2
        Capabilities: [a4] PCI Advanced Features
        Kernel modules: i915

00:16.0 Communication controller [0780]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset HECI Controller [8086:3b64] (rev 06)

Please advise on how I can resolve to default boot as recovery mode is temporary. Is there a way to remove the other kernel entries?[/size][/size][/size]

46

You can set the recovery mode as default in YaST->System->Boot Loader.
But you shouldn’t really do that.
It should be enough to add “nomodeset” to the boot options (also in YaST), to prevent the intel driver from being used.

But it would be even better to get the intel driver to work instead.
Please do a normal boot. When the boot finished (to text mode), reboot and select recovery mode.
Then post the file /var/log/Xorg.0.log.old please.
This should give a clue what the problem is.

47

Thanks guys. Here’s my /var/log/Xorg.0.log.old extract

    29.048] 
X.Org X Server 1.16.1
Release Date: 2014-09-21
    29.048] X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
    29.048] Build Operating System: openSUSE SUSE LINUX
    29.048] Current Operating System: Linux EauxNeaux 3.17.0-50.gc467423-pae #1 SMP Thu Oct 9 04:04:52 UTC 2014 (c467423) i686
    29.048] Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.17.0-50.gc467423-pae root=UUID=391c4480-70c1-4c0f-800c-45db5d7a09fe quiet splash nomodeset
    29.048] Build Date: 08 October 2014  05:32:42PM
    29.048]  
    29.048] Current version of pixman: 0.32.6
    29.048]    Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
        to make sure that you have the latest version.
    29.048] Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
        (++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
        (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
    29.048] (==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Tue Jan  6 08:47:44 2015
    29.060] (==) Using config directory: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d"
    29.060] (==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
    29.156] (==) No Layout section.  Using the first Screen section.
    29.156] (==) No screen section available. Using defaults.
    29.156] (**) |-->Screen "Default Screen Section" (0)
    29.156] (**) |   |-->Monitor "<default monitor>"
    29.156] (==) No device specified for screen "Default Screen Section".
        Using the first device section listed.
    29.156] (**) |   |-->Device "Default Device"
    29.156] (==) No monitor specified for screen "Default Screen Section".
        Using a default monitor configuration.
    29.156] (==) Automatically adding devices
    29.156] (==) Automatically enabling devices
    29.156] (==) Automatically adding GPU devices
    29.257] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/misc/sgi" does not exist.
    29.257]    Entry deleted from font path.
    29.265] (==) FontPath set to:
        /usr/share/fonts/misc:unscaled,
        /usr/share/fonts/Type1/,
        /usr/share/fonts/100dpi:unscaled,
        /usr/share/fonts/75dpi:unscaled,                                                                                                                                                   
        /usr/share/fonts/ghostscript/,                                                                                                                                                     
        /usr/share/fonts/cyrillic:unscaled,                                                                                                                                                
        /usr/share/fonts/truetype/,                                                                                                                                                        
        built-ins                                                                                                                                                                          
    29.265] (==) ModulePath set to "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"                                                                                                                                
    29.265] (II) The server relies on udev to provide the list of input devices.                                                                                                          
        If no devices become available, reconfigure udev or disable AutoAddDevices.
    29.265] (II) Loader magic: 0x826e640
    29.265] (II) Module ABI versions:
    29.265]    X.Org ANSI C Emulation: 0.4
    29.265]    X.Org Video Driver: 18.0
    29.265]    X.Org XInput driver : 21.0
    29.265]    X.Org Server Extension : 8.0
    29.268] (--) PCI:*(0:0:2:0) 8086:0046:1028:040a rev 2, Mem @ 0xf0000000/4194304, 0xe0000000/268435456, I/O @ 0x00007110/8
    29.268] (II) LoadModule: "glx"
    29.315] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions/libglx.so
    29.398] (II) Module glx: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
    29.398]    compiled for 1.16.1, module version = 1.0.0
    29.398]    ABI class: X.Org Server Extension, version 8.0
    29.398] (==) AIGLX enabled
    29.398] (II) LoadModule: "intel"
    29.398] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/intel_drv.so
    29.647] (II) Module intel: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
    29.647]    compiled for 1.16.1, module version = 2.99.916
    29.648]    Module class: X.Org Video Driver
    29.648]    ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 18.0
    29.648] (II) intel: Driver for Intel(R) Integrated Graphics Chipsets:
        i810, i810-dc100, i810e, i815, i830M, 845G, 854, 852GM/855GM, 865G,
        915G, E7221 (i915), 915GM, 945G, 945GM, 945GME, Pineview GM,
        Pineview G, 965G, G35, 965Q, 946GZ, 965GM, 965GME/GLE, G33, Q35, Q33,
        GM45, 4 Series, G45/G43, Q45/Q43, G41, B43
    29.648] (II) intel: Driver for Intel(R) HD Graphics: 2000-6000
    29.648] (II) intel: Driver for Intel(R) Iris(TM) Graphics: 5100, 6100
    29.648] (II) intel: Driver for Intel(R) Iris(TM) Pro Graphics: 5200, 6200, P6300
    29.648] (++) using VT number 7

    29.826] (EE) No devices detected.
    29.826] (EE) 
Fatal server error:
    29.826] (EE) no screens found(EE) 
    29.827] (EE) 
Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support 
         at http://wiki.x.org
 for help. 
    29.827] (EE) Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional information.
    29.827] (EE)
48

Well, here the problem is this:

    29.048] Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.17.0-50.gc467423-pae root=UUID=391c4480-70c1-4c0f-800c-45db5d7a09fe quiet splash nomodeset

You have to remove that nomodeset to use the intel driver.

I don’t understand why it is even loaded though. Do you have any file in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ that specifies to load the intel driver?

grep intel /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/*

That would explain why recovery mode works, but a normal boot with “nomodeset” does not.

49

Looks like I do.
grep intel /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/*

/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/50-device.conf:Driver "intel"
50

Can you post the whole file, please? (/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/50-device.conf)

If you remove it (or comment out everything in it by prepending a ‘#’ to each line), your system should work in normal mode with “nomodeset” added at least.
But maybe some option is set in that file that actually causes your problem, so try without “nomodeset” again as well.
And then, if it still doesn’t work without “nomodeset”, reboot with “nomodeset” (or recovery mode) and post Xorg.0.log.old again. Maybe then it will show a clue why intel does not work.

51 
cat 50-device.conf
# Having multiple "Device" sections is known to be problematic. Make
# sure you don't have in use another one laying around e.g. in another
# xorg.conf.d file or even a generic xorg.conf file. More details can
# be found in https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=32430.
#
Section "Device"
 Identifier "Default Device"
#
#  #Driver "radeon"
Driver "intel"
#
#  ## Required magic for radeon/radeonhd drivers; output name
#  ## (here: "DVI-0") can be figured out via 'xrandr -q'
#  #Option "monitor-DVI-0" "Default Monitor"
#
EndSection
52

Ok, so this really only forces the intel driver, which means Xorg will fail to start if the intel driver cannot be loaded for whatever reasons.

Please comment out all lines (i.e. put a ‘#’ at the start of each line where there is none already), or remove the file altogether.
Your system should boot then in normal mode, even without “nomodeset”.
If it still doesn’t, please reboot to recovery mode and post Xorg.0.log.old again.

You don’t have to tell Xorg which driver to load, it will figure out itself which is the best driver that is working and use that.

If your system boots fine, it would still be nice to see the Xorg.0.log afterwards to know which driver is actually used.

Oh, and what graphics card/chip does this system actually have?

As a next step, I’d suggest to clean out your kernels then…
A not-working intel driver might just as well be a kernel problem.:wink:

53

I commented out all the lines and rebooted but it booted straight to command line mode. When I booted in recovery mode, it still went straight to command line mode so I had to uncomment out those 3 lines and then boot to recovery mode.

Should I still share the Xorg.0.old.log?

cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log.old 
    24.153] 
X.Org X Server 1.16.1
Release Date: 2014-09-21
    24.153] X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
    24.153] Build Operating System: openSUSE SUSE LINUX
    24.153] Current Operating System: Linux EauxNeaux 3.17.0-50.gc467423-pae #1 SMP Thu Oct 9 04:04:52 UTC 2014 (c467423) i686
    24.153] Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.17.0-50.gc467423-pae root=UUID=391c4480-70c1-4c0f-800c-45db5d7a09fe showopts apm=off noresume nosmp maxcpus=0 edd=off powersaved=off nohz=off highres=off processor.max_cstate=1 nomodeset x11failsafe
    24.153] Build Date: 08 October 2014  05:32:42PM
    24.153]  
    24.153] Current version of pixman: 0.32.6
    24.153]    Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
        to make sure that you have the latest version.
    24.153] Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
        (++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
        (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
    24.153] (==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Wed Jan  7 12:18:24 2015
    24.154] (==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf.install"
    24.154] (==) Using config directory: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d"
    24.154] (==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
    24.157] Parse error on line 16 of section InputClass in file /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/50-device.conf
        "(�P�8�" is not a valid keyword in this section.
    24.157] (EE) Problem parsing the config file
    24.157] (EE) Error parsing the config file
    24.157] (EE) 
Fatal server error:
    24.157] (EE) no screens found(EE) 
    24.157] (EE) 
Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support 
         at http://wiki.x.org
 for help. 
    24.157] (EE) Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional information.
    24.157] (EE) 
    24.157] (EE) Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.



lspci -vnn | grep VGA -A 12
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0046] (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
        Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:040a]
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 11
        Memory at f0000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4]
        Memory at e0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256]
        I/O ports at 7110 [size=8]
        Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled]
        Capabilities: [90] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
        Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 2
        Capabilities: [a4] PCI Advanced Features
        Kernel modules: i915

00:16.0 Communication controller [0780]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset HECI Controller [8086:3b64] (rev 06)

[/size][/size][/size]

54

Well, you obviously did something wrong when commenting out the lines:

cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log.old 
...
    24.157] Parse error on line 16 of section InputClass in file /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/50-device.conf
        "(�P�8�" is not a valid keyword in this section.
    24.157] (EE) Problem parsing the config file
    24.157] (EE) Error parsing the config file

There seems to have been some garbage left in the file.
If in doubt, just move the file out of its directory to some other place where it won’t be found by Xorg. E.g.:

mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/50-device.conf /

You could still move it back afterwards with this then if you wanted:

mv /50-device.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/

lspci -vnn | grep VGA -A 12
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0046] (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
        Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:040a]
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 11
        Memory at f0000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4]
        Memory at e0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256]
        I/O ports at 7110 [size=8]
        Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled]
        Capabilities: [90] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
        Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 2
        Capabilities: [a4] PCI Advanced Features
        Kernel modules: i915

Ok, this is indeed an intel chip, but for some reason, the kernel module seems not to be loaded. (It should say “Kernel driver in use: i915”)
Might be caused by the fact that you booted recovery mode now though.[/size][/size][/size]

55

Thank you, I moved it to another directory, managed to boot to normal mode. Let me get rid of old kernels.

56

Actually I would suggest to try whether the standard kernel works (3.16.7 for 13.2), and keep that.

3.17.0 is old already as well (older than 3.16.7), and probably has bugs that got fixed later on (the latest 3.17 kernel is 3.17.7, and 3.18.1 has been released already as well).

57

Thanks for that, almost made a huge blunder.

Here’s my rpm -qa | grep -i kernel, which confused me cuz I thought updates overwrite previous versions

kernel-default-devel-3.11.10-21.1.i586
kernel-default-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.i586
kernel-pae-3.11.10-21.1.i686
kernel-desktop-devel-3.11.10-21.1.i686
kernel-default-devel-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.i586
kernel-desktop-devel-3.16.6-2.1.i686
kernel-ec2-3.11.10-21.1.i686
kernel-devel-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.noarch
kernel-pae-devel-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.i686
kernel-xen-devel-3.16.6-2.1.i686
kernel-firmware-20140903git-2.4.noarch
kernel-xen-devel-3.11.10-21.1.i686
kernel-ec2-3.16.3-49.3.gd2bbe7f.i686
kernel-default-devel-3.16.6-2.1.i586
kernel-xen-devel-3.16.3-49.3.gd2bbe7f.i686
kernel-ec2-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.i686
kernel-ec2-devel-3.16.3-49.3.gd2bbe7f.i686
kernel-default-3.16.6-2.1.i586
kernel-ec2-devel-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.i686
texlive-l3kernel-doc-2013.81.svn_4469svn29409-10.5.3.noarch
kernel-desktop-3.16.3-49.3.gd2bbe7f.i686
kernel-pae-3.16.6-2.1.i686
kernel-desktop-3.11.10-21.1.i686
kernel-source-3.16.3-49.1.gd2bbe7f.noarch
kernel-ec2-devel-3.11.10-21.1.i686
kernel-desktop-devel-3.16.3-49.3.gd2bbe7f.i686
kernel-xen-devel-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.i686
kernel-devel-3.16.3-49.1.gd2bbe7f.noarch
kernel-pae-devel-3.16.3-49.3.gd2bbe7f.i686
kernel-default-devel-3.16.3-49.3.gd2bbe7f.i586
kernel-macros-3.16.6-2.1.noarch
kernel-source-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.noarch
kernel-pae-devel-3.16.6-2.1.i686
kernel-desktop-devel-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.i686
kernel-pae-devel-3.11.10-21.1.i686
kernel-desktop-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.i686
kernel-source-3.11.10-21.1.noarch
kernel-pae-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.i686
kernel-source-3.16.6-2.1.noarch
kernel-desktop-3.16.6-2.1.i686
kernel-devel-3.16.6-2.1.noarch
kernel-default-3.11.10-21.1.i586
kernel-pae-3.16.3-49.3.gd2bbe7f.i686
kernel-default-3.16.3-49.3.gd2bbe7f.i586
kernel-devel-3.11.10-21.1.noarch
58

Oops, looks like I have to do a zypper dup cuz I don’t have 3.16.8 either. Not sure what the last update installed before my laptop went AWOL.
Forgot to mention that it doesn’t recognize my secondary monitor ever since I booted into normal mode. Desktop display only shows one default monitor even though the second one is connected.

59

Well, personally I would remove those:

kernel-default-devel-3.11.10-21.1.i586
kernel-default-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.i586
kernel-pae-3.11.10-21.1.i686
kernel-desktop-devel-3.11.10-21.1.i686
kernel-default-devel-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.i586
kernel-ec2-3.11.10-21.1.i686
kernel-devel-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.noarch
kernel-pae-devel-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.i686
kernel-xen-devel-3.16.6-2.1.i686
kernel-xen-devel-3.11.10-21.1.i686
kernel-ec2-3.16.3-49.3.gd2bbe7f.i686
kernel-default-devel-3.16.6-2.1.i586
kernel-xen-devel-3.16.3-49.3.gd2bbe7f.i686
kernel-ec2-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.i686
kernel-ec2-devel-3.16.3-49.3.gd2bbe7f.i686
kernel-default-3.16.6-2.1.i586
kernel-ec2-devel-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.i686
kernel-desktop-3.16.3-49.3.gd2bbe7f.i686
kernel-pae-3.16.6-2.1.i686
kernel-desktop-3.11.10-21.1.i686
kernel-source-3.16.3-49.1.gd2bbe7f.noarch
kernel-ec2-devel-3.11.10-21.1.i686
kernel-desktop-devel-3.16.3-49.3.gd2bbe7f.i686
kernel-xen-devel-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.i686
kernel-devel-3.16.3-49.1.gd2bbe7f.noarch
kernel-pae-devel-3.16.3-49.3.gd2bbe7f.i686
kernel-default-devel-3.16.3-49.3.gd2bbe7f.i586
kernel-source-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.noarch
kernel-pae-devel-3.16.6-2.1.i686
kernel-desktop-devel-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.i686
kernel-pae-devel-3.11.10-21.1.i686
kernel-desktop-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.i686
kernel-source-3.11.10-21.1.noarch
kernel-pae-3.17.0-50.1.gc467423.i686
kernel-default-3.11.10-21.1.i586
kernel-pae-3.16.3-49.3.gd2bbe7f.i686
kernel-default-3.16.3-49.3.gd2bbe7f.i586
kernel-devel-3.11.10-21.1.noarch

[/QUOTE]
I.e remove everything except:
kernel-desktop-3.16.6-2.1.i686, kernel-firmware-20140903git-2.4.noarch, kernel-macros-3.16.6-2.1.noarch, kernel-devel-3.16.6-2.1.noarch, kernel-desktop-devel-3.16.6-2.1.i686 (if you need it for compiling kernel modules, if not you can uninstall it as well), kernel-source-3.16.6-2.1.noarch (although you probably don’t need the kernel sources either).
If you install updates, you should get 3.16.7 then.

texlive-l3kernel-doc-2013.81.svn_4469svn29409-10.5.3.noarch is something completely different, so keep this as well.

You can remove a particular kernel by explicitely stating the version number to zypper or rpm, e.g.:

rpm -e kernel-default-3.16.3
zypper rm kernel-default-3.11.10

or via the “Versions” tab in YaST->Software Management.

One word of advice though:
Better try to boot the one kernel you are going to keep (i.e. kernel-desktop-3.16.6) first before you remove the others to see whether the system actually boots. You should be able to select it in “Advanced Options” in the boot menu.

60

No, you shouldn’t.
Use “zypper patch” to update the system. Or YaST->Online Update.

But I would cleanup the kernels first.

And I think it would be a good time now to check your repo list:

zypper lr -d

Forgot to mention that it doesn’t recognize my secondary monitor ever since I booted into normal mode. Desktop display only shows one default monitor even though the second one is connected.

Probably because the intel driver doesn’t work.

After you cleaned up the kernels and installed all updates, please post the Xorg.0.log if that’s still the case.