Unblinking cursor on black screen initial startup problem [Solved]

[artytux]

I'm getting an unblinking cursor on a blackscreen need to press esc key to startup or if miss the esc key press (me too slow) then press power off button powering off is an instant as it seens that nothing is running (could be wrong here) did check this morning the fan on the tower is spinning,
then power on pressed again and starts up as if all is good so results in computer going into
unblinking cursor screen wait few seconds mouse lights on , wait a few seconds Numlock lights on , yes a few seconds and MXL start menu page appears then the computer is good to go on for the day, Inc reboots no problem.

I am sort of OK with this fancy dance to a startup althou I do Question is it ( safe , good , really bad ) to do the power button thing ? What are alternatives,

This a fresh install on a fresh computer with two internal drives
1 drive for Windows 11 (yet to use Windows 11 only for updating auto GPS)
2 drive the other drive is for MXLinux KDE, had a bit of sorting out and adjusting , as you do , twin 4K displays use Liquorix kernel sorted that with ARandR - good had computer up and running MXL it seems have settled in with the new hardware very well,
The Liquorix kernels the best fit I started at
Liquorix kernel 6.7.5
Liquorix kernel 6.7.6 about here I added the line in the hope of solving this startup problem it didn't it did solve reboots that function worked now.
GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=menu followed with 'update-grub',
Liquorix kernel 6.7.8
Liquorix kernel 6.7.9
Liquorix kernel 6.7.10 yesterday got this fresh kernel . . . seemed all same same
(More about this in the next mornig startup later)

Took a fair bit of experimenting and trying to have the sit and wait for something to happen next.
Now I've got this

A Startup from cold

1 Press power button on
2 press Esc couple times and mouse lights up then Num Lock lights up
3 Then take a deep breath knowing MXL is about to start up and good for the day Inc reboots now.

If I miss pressing the Esc button press
not pressed the Esc button just to see what is to happen today all I get is just an unblinkinking cursor on the back screen
so press power button off (power light goes to off)
wait few seconds then press the power button on and then the mouse lights up then Num Lock lights up I know MXL is about to start up and good for the day Inc reboots

Question is it ( safe , good , really bad ) to do the power button thing ?

I not too enthusiastic about knocking it out with the power button.

and does anyone have any idea what is going on what to do with this situation ?


edit/update with new LQKernel 6.7.10
the next morning startup

Do the usual routine power on up this morning
pressing the Esc key a few times mouse lights up annnd but no Num Lock light but just the unblinking cursor on black screen ooohh Kayyy nothing great, here we go again
go back to
press power off button ( light should have gone off) wait a few seconds and power on should go into reboot and all work !
this morning hah it did this below happened before with could have been LQkernel 6.7.6 maybe,
press the power button off and light to off and instead of powering off goes straight away into reboot (power light stays on also screens reactivated) so left it to do the reboot and it did, the computer went from black screen with static cursor to MXL startup screen to startup and working as if all is all good, with me feeling that this really not cool.

With doing work from home you'd think I have more time to work on fixing this, quite the opposite once the computer is up there is always much to do.

This a lot longer than I expected or thought it would be, giving as much info seems better than leaving details out.

Thanks for reading, need any extra info please ask

artytux

and the QSI

Code: Select all

Snapshot created on: 20240316_2146
System:
  Kernel: 6.7.10-1-liquorix-amd64 [6.7-14~mx23ahs] arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0 parameters: audit=0
    intel_pstate=disable rcupdate.rcu_expedited=1 BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-6.7.10-1-liquorix-amd64
    root=UUID=<filter> ro quiet splash
  Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 5.27.5 wm: kwin_x11 vt: 7 dm: SDDM Distro: MX-23.2_KDE Libretto 2024 01
    21 base: Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Desktop Mobo: ASRock model: B660M-HDV serial: <superuser required> UEFI: American
    Megatrends LLC. v: 17.01 date: 01/11/2024
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i7-14700F bits: 64 type: MST AMCP arch: Raptor Lake gen: core 14
    level: v3 note: check built: 2022+ process: Intel 7 (10nm) family: 6 model-id: 0xB7 (183)
    stepping: 1 microcode: 0x11D
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 20 mt: 8 tpc: 2 st: 12 threads: 28 smt: enabled cache: L1: 1.8 MiB
    desc: d-12x32 KiB, 8x48 KiB; i-8x32 KiB, 12x64 KiB L2: 28 MiB desc: 8x2 MiB, 3x4 MiB L3: 33 MiB
    desc: 1x33 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 819 high: 1001 min/max: 800/2101 boost: enabled scaling: driver: acpi-cpufreq
    governor: ondemand cores: 1: 900 2: 800 3: 800 4: 800 5: 1000 6: 800 7: 800 8: 800 9: 1001
    10: 800 11: 800 12: 800 13: 800 14: 800 15: 839 16: 800 17: 800 18: 800 19: 800 20: 800 21: 800
    22: 800 23: 800 24: 800 25: 800 26: 800 27: 800 28: 800 bogomips: 118272
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling 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: Vulnerable: No microcode
  Type: retbleed status: Not affected
  Type: spec_rstack_overflow status: Not affected
  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: Enhanced / Automatic IBRS, IBPB: conditional, RSB filling,
    PBRSB-eIBRS: SW sequence
  Type: srbds status: Not affected
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel DG2 [Arc A750] driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-12.7 code: Alchemist
    process: TSMC n6 (7nm) built: 2022+ pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 ports:
    active: DP-1,HDMI-A-2 empty: DP-2, DP-3, DP-4, HDMI-A-1, HDMI-A-3 bus-ID: 03:00.0
    chip-ID: 8086:56a1 class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.9 compositor: kwin_x11 driver: X:
    loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: iris gpu: i915 display-ID: :0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 7680x2160 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 2030x571mm (79.92x22.48")
    s-diag: 2109mm (83.02")
  Monitor-1: DP-1 pos: left model: Samsung built: 2021 res: 3840x2160 hz: 60 dpi: 52 gamma: 1.2
    size: 1872x1053mm (73.7x41.46") diag: 801mm (31.5") ratio: 16:9 modes: max: 3840x2160
    min: 640x480
  Monitor-2: HDMI-A-2 mapped: HDMI-2 pos: primary,right model: Samsung built: 2021 res: 3840x2160
    hz: 60 dpi: 52 gamma: 1.2 size: 1872x1053mm (73.7x41.46") diag: 801mm (31.5") ratio: 16:9 modes:
    max: 3840x2160 min: 640x480
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 Mesa 23.1.2-1~mx23ahs renderer: Mesa Intel Arc A750 Graphics (DG2)
    direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Alder Lake-S HD Audio vendor: ASRock driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel
    alternate: snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl bus-ID: 00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:7ad0 class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: Intel DG2 Audio driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1
    bus-ID: 04:00.0 chip-ID: 8086:4f90 class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.7.10-1-liquorix-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 Ethernet I219-V vendor: ASRock driver: e1000e v: kernel port: N/A bus-ID: 00:1f.6
    chip-ID: 8086:1a1d class-ID: 0200
  IF: eth0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Cambridge Silicon Radio Bluetooth Dongle (HCI mode) type: USB driver: btusb v: 0.8
    bus-ID: 1-10:10 chip-ID: 0a12:0001 class-ID: e001
  Report: hciconfig ID: hci0 rfk-id: 0 state: up address: <filter> bt-v: 2.1 lmp-v: 4.0
    sub-v: 22bb hci-v: 4.0 rev: 22bb
  Info: acl-mtu: 310:10 sco-mtu: 64:8 link-policy: rswitch hold sniff park
    link-mode: peripheral accept service-classes: rendering, capturing, object transfer, audio,
    telephony
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 9.12 TiB used: 1.29 TiB (14.2%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: HP model: SSD EX900 Plus 512GB size: 476.94 GiB
    block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 type: SSD serial: <filter>
    rev: 1.4.7.61 temp: 44.9 C scheme: GPT
  ID-2: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Lexar model: SSD NS100 512GB size: 476.94 GiB block-size:
    physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 357 scheme: GPT
  ID-3: /dev/sdb maj-min: 8:16 type: USB vendor: Toshiba model: External USB 3.0 size: 1.82 TiB
    block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B type: N/A serial: <filter> rev: 5438 scheme: MBR
  ID-4: /dev/sdc maj-min: 8:32 type: USB vendor: Western Digital model: WD20SDRW-11VUUS0
    size: 1.82 TiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B type: HDD rpm: 5400 serial: <filter>
    rev: 1026 scheme: GPT
  ID-5: /dev/sdd maj-min: 8:48 type: USB vendor: Western Digital model: WD50NDZW-11MR8S1
    size: 4.55 TiB block-size: physical: 4096 B logical: 512 B type: HDD rpm: 5400 serial: <filter>
    rev: 4010 scheme: GPT
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 50 GiB size: 48.91 GiB (97.83%) used: 9.94 GiB (20.3%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p4 maj-min: 259:4
  ID-2: /boot raw-size: 612 MiB size: 585.5 MiB (95.67%) used: 226.3 MiB (38.7%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
  ID-3: /boot/efi raw-size: 102 MiB size: 100.4 MiB (98.45%) used: 274 KiB (0.3%) fs: vfat
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1 maj-min: 259:1
  ID-4: /home raw-size: 100 GiB size: 97.87 GiB (97.87%) used: 5.02 GiB (5.1%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p5 maj-min: 259:5
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 15 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: partition size: 1.25 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2 dev: /dev/nvme0n1p3
    maj-min: 259:3
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 43.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos:
  Packages: pm: dpkg pkgs: 2583 libs: 1395 tools: apt,apt-get,aptitude,nala,synaptic pm: rpm
    pkgs: 0
  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/mx.list
    1: deb http://mx.debian.nz/mx/repo/ bookworm main non-free
    2: deb http://mx.debian.nz/mx/repo/ bookworm ahs
Info:
  Processes: 519 Uptime: 1h 45m wakeups: 1 Memory: 62.63 GiB used: 5.15 GiB (8.2%) 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: UEFI

[Charlie Brown]

Take the rams out , then re-seat.

(No matter they look tight etc. This solved unknown/random freezing issues so many times even when memtest showed everything was fine. Also it won't be difficult as it's a desktop.)

[artytux]

Even thou this a new machine that worked fine in the workshop where was built (they showed the Windows 11, no Linux install then) , then if yes then will do , have to wait until work gets done (not Computer work) later on today that's if you mind the wait.
Until later
Thanks Charlie Brown

[artytux]

I very much had my doubts about the ram reseating without any problem have to go chat with the tech man that built computer( I broke something in there (OOPS) sure he will be impressed I was)
Charlie you are magnific (yes new word)
Thank you so very much

I'll put the money on top the fridge next week, won't get paid till then.

Just for you Charlie

[Charlie Brown]

...you are magnific ...

Thank you so much, so are you :)

Also thank you for the feedback. (Yes, quite normally, no one would expect such a thing when the pc is already new... but this has been one more evidence / testimony )

[artytux]

I have switched off and on two no three times bit slow with gif on startup that could be LQKernel 6.7.10 will be trying out the other LQK 6.7.9 if recall correct it was faster, still be checking with builder tech man if all is good after breaking off tab ( used to be I unclip two clips for each ram now they got it down to one ).
rant
All I can think of is yeah it's OK don't tell the buyer let the buyer break it yeah it's fine great ! , manufacturers just don't care anymore.
end
I'm so still very glad for the help you give @Charlie Brown for me and all the many others along the way,
Goodnite from this side of the little blue planet.

Warmest Regards
artytux

[artytux]

Interesting discovery,
when and if computer switched off for a short time of 15~30 minutes approx then startup is a OK
when left off say overnite press power on, the computer just sits on a unblinking cursor on black screen, mouse lit up but no mun lock light on so no no go to startup process.
then do this
this is the worry
'press power off then it either re-powers up on it's own or have to press power button on (must a timing thing) and startup is good to go all the way thru'

So as I asked in opening post does power on (no go on) have to 'press power off then . . .' does pressing this power button more than once will it do any harm ?
even if I thought it was solved.

I not imagined to have to revisit this topic.
Not the best way to start the week.

Any ideas most welcome.

[Charlie Brown]

Did you disable "Fast Startup" on Windows? (if no, do that, cause it keeps devices engaged for it doesn't really shutdown).

Other than that maybe resetting Bios to factory defaults would be good.

If it was suspend/hibernate then I would understand but when it's turned off it shouldn't know how much time, 1 hour or 11 hours ...

What if you just suspend rather than poweroff, any problems there?

[artytux]

Hello again
Went and checked your Q's then off down the road get things for work, on return checked some more try this and try that, this is an update

in bios

Q 1 - Did you disable "Fast Startup" on Windows? (if no, do that, cause it keeps devices engaged for it doesn't really shutdown).
A -
the secure boot was/is 'off'
the fast boot was/is disabled
under that secureboot mode was set to standard - now set to custom , why did I change that umm couldn't tell you but it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Q 2 - Other than that maybe resetting Bios to factory defaults would be good.
A - wouldn't that just reset fast boot and secure boot back on ?

Q 3 - If it was suspend/hibernate then I would understand but when it's turned off it shouldn't know how much time, 1 hour or 11 hours ...
A - Tested again and again that also because of to go down the road and yeah 100% your spot on , so why did I get that wrong result before, who knows.

Q 4 - What if you just suspend rather than poweroff, any problems there?
A - suspend never ever used that so gave it a try, went to screens blacked out sweet then MXL showed up working again ,huh, it might be from the very small swap partition I have installed just to keep some software happy it (swap) being there, have enough ram to not worry about that that sort of thing.

So it seems that when startup is powered up I (EYE) will have to be ready to press esc key, ( and it's really fast no time to sip on coffee)
seems this hardware problem has not much other solution but that's OK , Eh it isn't the MXLinux Distro it's hardware cool,
Deal breaker NOT likely.
I enjoy working with and using MXL, if Microsoft wants to try to discourage other Distros and other OS's influencing manufactures specs to build this sort of modern smart HaHaHa machines , sorry Billy not with this penguin , I enjoy having flat feet and waddling as I walk unsteadily . . .

I do appreciate your own time you @Charlie Brown have put into this Thank You, Time to have a cuppa yes everyone. Thanks again.
Good enough, we all have better things to do !
Consider this closed . . .

edit
I still consider you @Charlie Brown a genius.

[j2mcgreg]

@artytux wrote:

Interesting discovery,
when and if computer switched off for a short time of 15~30 minutes approx then startup is a OK
when left off say overnite press power on, the computer just sits on a unblinking cursor on black screen, mouse lit up but no mun lock light on so no no go to startup process.
then do this
this is the worry
'press power off then it either re-powers up on it's own or have to press power button on (must a timing thing) and startup is good to go all the way thru'

I'd replace the CMOS battery. Since this is a new machine the battery should be good for about seven years, but, it could have a manufacturing defect, it may have sat in a warehouse for a long time before it was used, it may not be seated properly on your motherboard and it's only thing in your system that could deplete overnight to the point where the next boot is affected.