My Screen keeps blanking out! [Solved]

[woodyb12]

Screensaver is "turned off". Power settings set to "never". What else is causing my screen to "blank out" every 5 minutes?

[siamhie]

Post your Quick System Info found in MX Tools.

[woodyb12]

Code: Select all

System:
  Kernel: 6.1.0-37-amd64 [6.1.140-1] arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-37-amd64 root=UUID=<filter> ro quiet splash
  Desktop: Xfce v: 4.20.0 tk: Gtk v: 3.24.38 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm v: 4.20.0 vt: 7
    dm: LightDM v: 1.32.0 Distro: MX-23.6_x64 Libretto October 15  2023 base: Debian GNU/Linux 12
    (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Desktop Mobo: ASRock model: X570 Phantom Gaming-ITX/TB3 serial: <superuser required>
    UEFI-[Legacy]: American Megatrends v: P1.60 date: 08/28/2019
Battery:
  Device-1: hidpp_battery_0 model: Logitech Wireless Keyboard serial: <filter>
    charge: 55% (should be ignored) rechargeable: yes status: discharging
CPU:
  Info: model: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Zen 2 gen: 3 level: v3 note: check
    built: 2020-22 process: TSMC n7 (7nm) family: 0x17 (23) model-id: 0x71 (113) stepping: 0
    microcode: 0x8701013
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 8 tpc: 2 threads: 16 smt: enabled cache: L1: 512 KiB
    desc: d-8x32 KiB; i-8x32 KiB L2: 4 MiB desc: 8x512 KiB L3: 32 MiB desc: 2x16 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 2200 min/max: 2200/3600 boost: enabled scaling: driver: acpi-cpufreq
    governor: ondemand cores: 1: 2200 2: 2200 3: 2200 4: 2200 5: 2200 6: 2200 7: 2200 8: 2200 9: 2200
    10: 2200 11: 2200 12: 2200 13: 2200 14: 2200 15: 2200 16: 2200 bogomips: 115200
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: indirect_target_selection status: Not affected
  Type: itlb_multihit status: Not affected
  Type: l1tf status: Not affected
  Type: mds status: Not affected
  Type: meltdown status: Not affected
  Type: mmio_stale_data status: Not affected
  Type: reg_file_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: retbleed mitigation: untrained return thunk; SMT enabled with STIBP protection
  Type: spec_rstack_overflow mitigation: safe RET
  Type: spec_store_bypass mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Retpolines; IBPB: conditional; STIBP: always-on; RSB filling;
    PBRSB-eIBRS: Not affected; BHI: Not affected
  Type: srbds status: Not affected
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: AMD Cape Verde PRO [Radeon HD 7750/8740 / R7 250E] vendor: VISIONTEK driver: radeon
    v: kernel alternate: amdgpu arch: GCN-1 code: Southern Islands process: TSMC 28nm built: 2011-20
    pcie: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16 ports: active: DP-4 empty: DP-1, DP-2, DP-3, DP-5, DP-6
    bus-ID: 2a:00.0 chip-ID: 1002:683f class-ID: 0300 temp: 61.0 C
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 compositor: xfwm v: 4.20.0 driver: X: loaded: radeon
    unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa dri: radeonsi gpu: radeon display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 509x286mm (20.04x11.26") s-diag: 584mm (22.99")
  Monitor-1: DP-4 mapped: DisplayPort-3 model: TCL serial: <filter> built: 2013 res: 1920x1080
    hz: 60 dpi: 61 gamma: 1.2 size: 800x450mm (31.5x17.72") diag: 815mm (32.1") ratio: 16:9 modes:
    max: 1920x1080 min: 720x400
  API: OpenGL v: 4.5 Mesa 22.3.6 renderer: VERDE ( LLVM 15.0.6 DRM 2.50 6.1.0-37-amd64)
    direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: AMD Oland/Hainan/Cape Verde/Pitcairn HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 7000 Series]
    vendor: VISIONTEK driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16
    bus-ID: 2a:00.1 chip-ID: 1002:aab0 class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: AMD Starship/Matisse HD Audio vendor: ASRock driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie:
    gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16 bus-ID: 2c:00.4 chip-ID: 1022:1487 class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.1.0-37-amd64 status: kernel-api tools: alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: active
    2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 driver: iwlwifi v: kernel modules: wl pcie: gen: 2 speed: 5 GT/s
    lanes: 1 bus-ID: 25:00.0 chip-ID: 8086:2723 class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Intel I211 Gigabit Network vendor: ASRock driver: igb v: kernel pcie: gen: 1
    speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: e000 bus-ID: 26:00.0 chip-ID: 8086:1539 class-ID: 0200
  IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Intel AX200 Bluetooth type: USB driver: btusb v: 0.8 bus-ID: 5-2:2 chip-ID: 8087:0029
    class-ID: e001
  Report: hciconfig ID: hci0 rfk-id: 1 state: up address: <filter> bt-v: 3.0 lmp-v: 5.2
    sub-v: 200f hci-v: 5.2 rev: 200f
  Info: acl-mtu: 1021:4 sco-mtu: 96:6 link-policy: rswitch sniff link-mode: peripheral accept
    service-classes: rendering, capturing, audio, telephony
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 465.76 GiB used: 117.45 GiB (25.2%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: Sabrent model: Rocket 4.0 500GB size: 465.76 GiB
    block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 63.2 Gb/s lanes: 4 type: SSD serial: <filter>
    rev: RKT401.3 temp: 66.8 C scheme: GPT
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 52.08 GiB size: 50.96 GiB (97.85%) used: 14.6 GiB (28.7%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
  ID-2: /home raw-size: 283.92 GiB size: 278.41 GiB (98.06%) used: 102.84 GiB (36.9%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p4 maj-min: 259:4
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 15 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: partition size: 91.46 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p3 maj-min: 259:3
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 76.4 C mobo: N/A gpu: radeon temp: 61.0 C
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos:
  Packages: 2837 pm: dpkg pkgs: 2833 libs: 1521 tools: apt,apt-get,aptitude,nala,synaptic pm: rpm
    pkgs: 0 pm: flatpak pkgs: 4
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
    2: deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list
    1: deb [arch=amd64] https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list
    1: deb http://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/mxlinux/mx/repo/ bookworm main non-free
Info:
  Processes: 377 Uptime: 2h 0m wakeups: 14 Memory: 62.72 GiB used: 6.11 GiB (9.7%) Init: SysVinit
  v: 3.06 runlevel: 5 default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12.2.0 alt: 12
  Client: shell wrapper v: 5.2.15-release inxi: 3.3.26
Boot Mode: BIOS (legacy, CSM, MBR)

[j2mcgreg]

You have an overheating problem:

Code: Select all

Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 76.4 C mobo: N/A gpu: radeon temp: 61.0 C
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A

What you are describing is a common symptom of a bios shutting down services in order to protect the CPU. Since this is a desktop, in addition to cleaning the heat sink and fan, and replacing the thermal paste, you should consider adding at least one cooling fan (two would be better).

[woodyb12]

I disagree. If the BIOS were doing what you say; it would shut down "the whole system!" I build computers! I am well aware of what the BIOS would do. So! You have demonstrated to me that you have "no idea" what you are talking about. I will no longer consider ANY answer you give on this issue!

[CharlesV]

I disagree. If the BIOS were doing what you say; it would shut down "the whole system!" I build computers! I am well aware of what the BIOS would do. So! You have demonstrated to me that you have "no idea" what you are talking about. I will no longer consider ANY answer you give on this issue!

Bring down the tone please. It would suffice to say that you have experience and disagree.

[j2mcgreg]

I disagree. If the BIOS were doing what you say; it would shut down "the whole system!" I build computers! I am well aware of what the BIOS would do. So! You have demonstrated to me that you have "no idea" what you are talking about. I will no longer consider ANY answer you give on this issue!

On older rigs than yours, overheating would shut down a computer completely. But on modern machines the shutdown tends to happen in stages and the only thing that jumps out from your QSI is the high CPU temperature. When it is compared to the temp reading from my HP 17's 3rd gen Ryzen 3 which has been up for six hours this morning and under load the whole time:

Code: Select all

Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 40.9 C mobo: N/A gpu: amdgpu temp: 34.0 C
  Fan Speeds (RPM): fan-1: 0 fan-2: 0

The high 76.4 C temp of your CPU has to be cause for concern.

[woodyb12]

I have been using computers since Tandy 1000; with 51/2" floppies, etc. I have never met a BIOS that "simply shut off a monitor: or, for that matter, a graphics card!" in order to "save itself". They always shut down the "whole system". The same way as if there were a "power outage". This problem didn't exist until I installed "upgrades" a few weeks ago. It has nothing to do with the BIOS!
I really do understand that you are probably a "volunteer"; trying to help other users. I am "grateful" for such a community! The Linux community wasn't always so accommodating! I LOVE this community! But; I am a "NO xxxxxxx" kinda person, too! So! Please forgive me if I tend to seem like a "mean spirited" individual. I am not. Thanking you in advance! I am: "A Linux user 4 ever!!!"

P.S. CPU temp: [current] 61-C= 141.8-F! I changes all the time but does not get much hotter than that.

[CharlesV]

@woodyb12 You mentioned the screen blanks every five minutes... if it is regular like this, then give some of the following a try:

- Remove screen saver entirely for testing
- Turn power saving on. exit the app, then go back in and turn it off again. (We have seen some oddities in older settings and newer power manager.)

Does this happen on a cold machine or just when it has been on for a while?

[woodyb12]

It happens "cold or hot". And as soon as I touch the mouse, or, hit a key on the keyboard it comes back on.