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I did as root in my Debian 8.5 because wanted to test Matlab's thing but the commands removed some dependencies which affect the runlevel

  1. Run apt-get purge openjdk-7-jdk openjdk-7-doc openjdk-7-jre-lib openjdk-7-jre
  2. Reboot
  3. Output: notification about processing runlevel changes and staying there. All symbols were green and OK. I waited some minutes. Pressed then power off. Now, no such text are coming anymore when power on.

  4. Power on. Just white cursor blinking at the top-left corner in Fig. 1 just blinking symbol (_) on the blank display when normal boot

    enter image description here

  5. I press fn+f1/f2 but you see no logs of other TTYs, in contrast to outputs in Recovery mode.

Findings

I can start up the system in Linux kernel 3.16 but not 4.6 which is my default. This seems to be a firmware issue because came suddenly.

  • How can you you restore the system using Linux kernel 4.6 with Linux kernel 3.16?

Recovery mode in Linux kernel 4.6

I get Debian's boot menu stably now where you can choose Normal boot and Recovery boot. Booting in Recovery mode and studying in Terminal

  • /var/log/apt/history.log's last entries

    Start-Date: 2016-09-07 21:47:23 Commandline: apt-get purge openjdk-7-jdk openjdk-7-doc openjdk-7-jre-lib Purge: openjdk-7:amd64 (7u111-2.6.7-1'deb8u1), openjdk-7-jre-lib:amd64 (7u111-2.6.7-1'deb8u1), openjdk-7-doc:amd64 (7u111-2.6.7-1'deb8u1), default-jdk:amd64 (1.7-52) End-Date: 2016-09-07 21:47:24 Start-Date: 2016-09-07 21:51:15 Commandline: apt-purge openjdk-7-jre Purge: sat4j:amd64, default-jre:amd64 (1.7-52), eclipse-platform:amd64 (3.8.1-7), eclipse-rcp:amd64(3.8.1-7), eclipse:amd64 3.8.1-7), openjdk-7-jre:amd64 (7u111-2.6.7-1`deb8u1), eclipse-pde:amd64 (3.8.1-7), eclispe-jdt:amd64 (3.8.1-7) End-Date: 2016-09-07 21:51:17

  • /var/log/apt/term.log 

    Log started: 2016-09-07 21:47:23 (Reading database [...]) Removing default-jdk [...] Removing openjdk-7-doc [...] Removing openjdk-7-jdk:amd64 [...] update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/fastjar to provide /usr/bin/jar (jar) in auto mode Removing openjdk-7-jre-lib [...] Log ended: 2016-09-07 21:47:24 Log started: 2016-09-07 21:51:15 (Reading database [...]) Removing eclipse [and other its related eclipse-packages] Purging configuration files for eclipse-platform (3.8.1-7) ... Removing sat4j (2.3.3-1) ... Removing eclipse-rcp (3.8.1-7) ... Removing default-jre (2:1.7-52) ... Removing openjdk-7-jre:amd64 (7u111-2.6.7.1'deb8u1) ... Processing triggers for [man-db desktop-file utils gnome-menus mime-support hicolor-icon-theme) Log ended: 2016-09-07 21:51:17

  • I run in the recovery mode as root apt-get install openjdk-7-jdk openjdk-7-doc openjdk-7-jre-lib and get

    Could not resolve 'security.debian.org' E: Failed to fetch http://security.debian.org/pool/updates/main/o/openjdk-7-jre_[...] E: Unable to fetch some archives, may run apt-get update or try --fix-missing? [...] W: Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

  • I do as root apt-get update but I get

    W: Failed to fetch http://ftp.fi.debian.org/debian/dists/jessie/InRelease [...] W: Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

  • I run as root apt-get upgrade but similar errors and/or warnings.

  • I changed all Finnish (fi) to US (us) but the same issue persists.

Using GAD3R's proposal in Linux kernel 4.6

I run as root

# open internet in recovery mode by ifconfig eth0 up; dhclient eth0 apt-get update apt-get upgrade apt-get install openjdk-7-jdk openjdk-7-doc openjdk-7-jre-lib openjdk-7-jre apt-get install x11-common # output: 0 upgraded, 0, newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. reboot
  • Output: condition persists, but now the blinking of _ on blank display is visible also in other TTYs.
  • I also changed sources back to Finnish (fi) but no difference in the output.

Testing derobert's proposal in Linux kernel 4.6

  • Booting to recovery mode. I do exit or ctrl+d which just leaves the system to the state where the messages but not proceeding

    [ 26.566...] iwlwifi 0000:01:00.0: L1 Enabled - LTR Enabled [ 29.903871] ax88179_178a_2... eth0: ax88179 - Link status is: 1 [ 32.259410] [many wlan0 messages] [ 32.270956] wlan0: associated [ 32.078387] IPv6: wlan0: IPv6 duplicate address [ip address] detected!

  • Testing

    I'd suggest (in grub), pressing "e" on the normal boot entry, and removing any "quiet" on the kernel line, and booting it (possibly, even add "verbose" as well). That should at least get boot messages. (That's just a temporary change.)

X11 packages installed

masi@masi:~$ dpkg --get-selections | grep xserver x11-xserver-utils install xserver-common install xserver-xephyr install xserver-xorg install xserver-xorg-core install xserver-xorg-input-all install xserver-xorg-input-evdev install xserver-xorg-input-mouse install xserver-xorg-input-synaptics install xserver-xorg-input-vmmouse install xserver-xorg-input-wacom install xserver-xorg-video-all install xserver-xorg-video-ati install xserver-xorg-video-cirrus install xserver-xorg-video-fbdev install xserver-xorg-video-intel install xserver-xorg-video-mach64 install xserver-xorg-video-mga install xserver-xorg-video-modesetting install xserver-xorg-video-neomagic install xserver-xorg-video-nouveau install xserver-xorg-video-openchrome install xserver-xorg-video-qxl install xserver-xorg-video-r128 install xserver-xorg-video-radeon install xserver-xorg-video-savage install xserver-xorg-video-siliconmotion install xserver-xorg-video-sisusb install xserver-xorg-video-tdfx install xserver-xorg-video-trident install xserver-xorg-video-vesa install xserver-xorg-video-vmware install masi@masi:~$ apt-cache policy x11-xserver-utils x11-xserver-utils: Installed: 7.7+3+b1 Candidate: 7.7+3+b1 Version table: *** 7.7+3+b1 0 500 http://ftp.fi.debian.org/debian/ jessie/main amd64 Packages 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

Note that xserver-xorg-video-intel is the list, while it should not be there so some dependency has installed it automatically. So I purge it getting the list

root@masi:/home/masi# dpkg --get-selections | grep xserver x11-xserver-utils install xserver-common install xserver-xephyr install xserver-xorg install xserver-xorg-core install xserver-xorg-input-all install xserver-xorg-input-evdev install xserver-xorg-input-mouse install xserver-xorg-input-synaptics install xserver-xorg-input-vmmouse install xserver-xorg-input-wacom install xserver-xorg-video-ati install xserver-xorg-video-cirrus install xserver-xorg-video-fbdev install xserver-xorg-video-intel deinstall xserver-xorg-video-mach64 install xserver-xorg-video-mga install xserver-xorg-video-modesetting install xserver-xorg-video-neomagic install xserver-xorg-video-nouveau install xserver-xorg-video-openchrome install xserver-xorg-video-qxl install xserver-xorg-video-r128 install xserver-xorg-video-radeon install xserver-xorg-video-savage install xserver-xorg-video-siliconmotion install xserver-xorg-video-sisusb install xserver-xorg-video-tdfx install xserver-xorg-video-trident install xserver-xorg-video-vesa install xserver-xorg-video-vmware install

How to troubleshoot this?

OS: Debian 8.5 64 bit
Linux kernel: 4.6 (backports)
Window manager: Gnome 3.14
Internet: ethernet via USB (used in Recovery mode in an attempt to fix the system)
Hardware: Asus Zenbook UX303UA
Graphic firmwares: modesetting, firmware-misc-nonfree done as described here
Xserver: x11-xserver-utils 7.7+3+b1, (dpkg --get-selections | grep xserevr, apt-cache policy x11-xserver-utils)

Improve this question
8
  • 1
    Removing/installing java doesn't affect the boot process at all. You've removed something else than java packages. Commented Sep 7, 2016 at 21:24
  • nothing essential. The error is somewhere else than java packages. You may run other commands before removing java. Commented Sep 7, 2016 at 21:43
  • 2
    Look at /var/log/apt* and you can see exactly what else might have been removed. That may help you understand what went wrong. Commented Sep 7, 2016 at 21:48
  • 1
    Run ifconfig eth0 up then dhclient eth0 to get the internet working into recovery mode Commented Sep 8, 2016 at 11:52
  • 1
    If you're rarely getting the Debian boot menu, there's something wrong with your computer that has nothing to do with Debian. As to your apt-get update warnings, they're normal, we don't use InRelease yet. Commented Sep 8, 2016 at 11:52

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

You're trying to use the generic modesetting driver, but you somehow got xserver-xorg-video-intel installed again. Removing it should force Xorg to default back to the modesetting driver.

Creating an /etc/X11/xorg.conf with the following should keep it working, even if -video-intel gets installed again:

Section "Device" Identifier "Intel" Driver "modesetting" # on new enough Xorg, this might be "modeset" instead EndSection

This will be the default in Debian Stretch according to a post on Timo Aaltonen's blog. So once you upgrade to Stretch, you should be able to remove that config.

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5
  • Hi, I found a bug in the proposal. If you use the default LK, your system fail go to the condition described in the thread (blinking _ on blank display). - - How can you apply your proposal in /etc/X11/xorg.conf only in LK backports, not 3.16. Commented Sep 9, 2016 at 9:01
  • @Masi I don't think there is a way to do that... Probably modesetting doesn't work on the older kernel, does it work without that file and without - video-intel installed on 3.16? Commented Sep 9, 2016 at 9:06
  • The older kernel does not work with the file in modesetting. It works without the file in modesetting. Can you use any scripting in xorg.conf? Etc if older kernel, do not apply the part. Commented Sep 9, 2016 at 10:03
  • 1
    @Masi No, xorg.conf doesn't support scripting. You'd have to do something like have a boot script change the file, depending on which kernel version is running. But—unless you're planning on switching back and forth between 3.16 and 4.6 (which I'd guess not), doesn't seem worth the effort. Commented Sep 9, 2016 at 14:16
  • I have to be switching back and forth the kernels because there are bugs in Matlab, which I need to always test in the release kernel. Commented Sep 9, 2016 at 19:12

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