No video output after installing Ubuntu server 19.04

[fede]

Hi,

I hope someone out there has some insight and can help me solve this.

I've had my fit-pc3 for around 7 years, and it's been serving as the home's router/firewall, access point, file and media server... I've always used Ubuntu Server as it's the distribution I'm more comfortable with, and I kept updating it until one update made it stop seeing the 4 NICs in the face module. I rolled that update back and kept my server on... 14.04, I think (maybe 14.10, it was 14 something for sure) for years.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks back, and I decided to try and see if current Ubuntu played ball with the face modules' NICs. I used a Live USB of the 19.04 Desktop edition and, indeed, I could see the OS bringing the total of 5 NICs up. Encouraged by that, I took the plunge and installed 19.04 server edition. The text mode installer worked fine and, apparently, the install process completed successfully. However, upon update, I got no output.

I'm fairly certain the OS is actually booting UP, as I can see it getting an IP in the ISP's router (which forwards all traffic to the fit-pc, hence my statement that it is the router ), but I can't manage it on the local console with no output, and it is refusing SSH connections (I did request the installer to include the SSH server).

Things I've tried:
- Booting again with the Live USB and modifying the Grub config to include nomodeset in the default boot.
- Mess with the UEFI/BIOS to enable and disable BIOS exclusive booting, UEFI exclusive booting and both enabled.
- Update the UEFI/BIOS to the latest version (freshly downloaded a few days ago), then repeat the previous step again.
- Make the installer boot USB using MBR and GPT, trying installing using both.

So far my results have varied between booting and no output, and not even booting.

Has anyone been able to install a recent Ubuntu on this computer and have it output text? I don't need or really want a desktop as this is used as a headless server most of the time, administered via SSH, so text only ouput is perfectly fine.

Otherwise, what recent distribution does work without much hassle? I'd prefer something Debian based as it's the environment I'm more used to and with which I feel more comfortable, but I'm willing to try other things. If need be, I'm willing to try a BSD... But before trying things I'd like to ask if anyone has had success with recent Ubuntu on this little gem .

Thanks in advance!

[tamir]

Will consult our Linux expert regarding this and get back to you...

[fede]

Thank you tamir, will be eagerly waiting .

[Denis]

Hi fede,
Unfortunately can not reproduce the video issue on my fresh Ubuntu server 19.04 installation. Display is DELL U2311H 1920x1080 tested both with HDMI and DP output. Please try another display..

Code: Select all

denis@test-pc:~$ sudo cat /sys/class/dmi/id/board_*
Base Board Asset Tag Unknown
fit-PC3
1131106-02005
CompuLab
2.3

denis@test-pc:~$ sudo cat /sys/class/dmi/id/bios_*
01/20/2014
Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
SBC_2.1.0.333_14 X64

denis@test-pc:~$ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID:	Ubuntu
Description:	Ubuntu 19.04
Release:	19.04
Codename:	disco

denis@test-pc:~$ cat /proc/cmdline 
BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.0.0-29-generic root=UUID=5b237c4c-8a77-443d-9860-2a2fbfb25ed2 ro

denis@test-pc:~$ cat /sys/class/drm/card0-HDMI-A-1/edid | parse-edid 
Checksum Correct

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier "DELL U2311H"
	ModelName "DELL U2311H"
	VendorName "DEL"
	# Monitor Manufactured week 49 of 2010
	# EDID version 1.3
	# Digital Display
	DisplaySize 510 290
	Gamma 2.20
	Option "DPMS" "true"
	Horizsync 30-83
	VertRefresh 56-76
	# Maximum pixel clock is 170MHz
	#Not giving standard mode: 1152x864, 75Hz
	#Not giving standard mode: 1280x1024, 60Hz
	#Not giving standard mode: 1920x1080, 60Hz
	Modeline 	"Mode 0" 148.50 1920 2008 2052 2200 1080 1084 1089 1125 +hsync +vsync 
EndSection

[fede]

Hi Denis,

Thank you for your kind help, and apologies for the long delay. After your message I tried with a different display but the result was the same. I have also tried not mounting the home partition I carried from my previous installation, and installing the desktop edition to see if it made any difference. Every time the result is the same: black screen right after the BIOS splash screen.

I am installing on a 256GB msata Crucial SSD, whereas previously I was using a 30G OCZ msata SSD. There is also a 1TB 2.5" magnetic disk housing the home partition, but as I mentioned before my last few tests were made without mounting that during installation so as to have as pristine an installation as possible. Is it possible that there is any kind of incompatibility with a bigger disk?

I am including the output of the same commands you show in your post with both the 34" 21:9 3440x1440 display I was using at first and the 24" 16:9 1920x1080 display I've used as an alternative:

34"

Code: Select all

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo cat /sys/class/dmi/id/board_*
Base Board Asset Tag Unknown
fit-PC3
Unknown
CompuLab
Unknown
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo cat /sys/class/dmi/id/bios_*
01/20/2014
Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
SBC_2.1.0.333_14 X64
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID:	Ubuntu
Description:	Ubuntu 19.04
Release:	19.04
Codename:	disco
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ cat /proc/cmdline 
BOOT_IMAGE=/casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd quiet splash ---
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ cat /sys/class/drm/card0-HDMI-A-1/edid | parse-edid 
Checksum Correct

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier "Acer X34"
	ModelName "Acer X34"
	VendorName "ACR"
	# Monitor Manufactured week 11 of 2016
	# EDID version 1.3
	# Digital Display
	DisplaySize 800 330
	Gamma 2.20
	Option "DPMS" "false"
	Horizsync 30-140
	VertRefresh 24-60
	# Maximum pixel clock is 300MHz

	#Extension block found. Parsing...
	Modeline 	"Mode 1" 148.500 1920 2008 2052 2200 1080 1084 1089 1125 +hsync +vsync
	Modeline 	"Mode 0" 265.25 3440 3488 3520 3600 1440 1443 1453 1474 +hsync -vsync 
	Modeline 	"Mode 2" 148.500 1920 2448 2492 2640 1080 1084 1089 1125 +hsync +vsync
	Modeline 	"Mode 3" 74.250 1280 1390 1420 1650 720 725 730 750 +hsync +vsync
	Modeline 	"Mode 4" 74.250 1280 1720 1760 1980 720 725 730 750 +hsync +vsync
	Modeline 	"Mode 5" 27.027 720 736 798 858 480 489 495 525 -hsync -vsync
	Modeline 	"Mode 6" 27.000 720 732 796 864 576 581 586 625 -hsync -vsync
	Modeline 	"Mode 7" 25.200 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -hsync -vsync
	Option "PreferredMode" "Mode 1"
EndSection

24"

Code: Select all

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo cat /sys/class/dmi/id/board_*
Base Board Asset Tag Unknown
fit-PC3
Unknown
CompuLab
Unknown
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo cat /sys/class/dmi/id/bios_*
01/20/2014
Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
SBC_2.1.0.333_14 X64
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID:	Ubuntu
Description:	Ubuntu 19.04
Release:	19.04
Codename:	disco
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ cat /proc/cmdline 
BOOT_IMAGE=/casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd quiet splash ---
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ cat /sys/class/drm/card0-HDMI-A-1/edid | parse-edid 
Checksum Correct

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier "C24F390"
	ModelName "C24F390"
	VendorName "SAM"
	# Monitor Manufactured week 16 of 2018
	# EDID version 1.3
	# Digital Display
	DisplaySize 520 290
	Gamma 2.20
	Option "DPMS" "true"
	Horizsync 30-81
	VertRefresh 50-72
	# Maximum pixel clock is 170MHz
	#Not giving standard mode: 1680x1050, 60Hz
	#Not giving standard mode: 1280x720, 60Hz
	#Not giving standard mode: 1280x800, 60Hz
	#Not giving standard mode: 1280x1024, 60Hz
	#Not giving standard mode: 1440x900, 60Hz
	#Not giving standard mode: 1600x900, 60Hz

	#Extension block found. Parsing...
	Modeline 	"Mode 7" 74.25 1280 1720 1760 1980 720 725 730 750 +hsync +vsync 
	Modeline 	"Mode 0" 148.50 1920 2008 2052 2200 1080 1084 1089 1125 +hsync +vsync 
	Modeline 	"Mode 1" 148.500 1920 2008 2052 2200 1080 1084 1089 1125 +hsync +vsync
	Modeline 	"Mode 2" 74.250 1280 1390 1420 1650 720 725 730 750 +hsync +vsync
	Modeline 	"Mode 3" 148.500 1920 2448 2492 2640 1080 1084 1089 1125 +hsync +vsync
	Modeline 	"Mode 4" 74.250 1280 1720 1760 1980 720 725 730 750 +hsync +vsync
	Modeline 	"Mode 5" 27.000 720 732 796 864 576 581 586 625 -hsync -vsync
	Modeline 	"Mode 6" 27.027 720 736 798 858 480 489 495 525 -hsync -vsync
	Modeline 	"Mode 8" 27.00 720 732 796 864 576 581 586 625 -hsync -vsync 
	Modeline 	"Mode 9" 27.00 720 736 798 858 480 489 495 525 -hsync -vsync 
	Option "PreferredMode" "Mode 7"
EndSection

Any other ideas, things to test, additional information to get...? I noticed the output for the motherboard information is less complete on my unit than the one you are using to test, could it be there is a difference between revisions that could lead to the difference between your install working and mine having these display issues?

Thanks!

Edit: Just to avoid any confusion, the output was obtained by using a live USB session. That way I have no issues getting normal output and all hardware seems to work fine, it's only when I install to disk that I no longer get any output.

[fede]

Hi Denis,

Just found the issue, the bootloader doesn't work when installed on the msata drive. I'm pretty sure this already happened to me when I first installed the system so many years ago, but I did not remember and, as the system is installed in the SSD drive it seemed only natural to install GRUB there as well.

Installing the bootloader on the magnetic drive fixed the issue, which wasn't missing ouput as I thought but complete lack of boot (but without any error message about missing boot device!).

Again, thanks for your help!