Kernel video driver i915 Intel

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1

Hi all,
I have a Chuwi Gemibook 13 Laptop now running Fedora 36.
My problem is the following. If i run kernels major than 5.15.16.200 (Was released with F35) the laptop screen flicker horizontally. Specially when moving mouse. With 5.15.16.200 all works fine.

In my understanding the video driver loaded is i915.
here the modinfo i915 head result

filename:       /lib/modules/5.15.16-200.fc35.x86_64/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/i915.ko.xz
license:        GPL and additional rights
description:    Intel Graphics
author:         Intel Corporation
author:         Tungsten Graphics, Inc.

Kernel 5.19.13.200 is shipped with a different file of the same driver.
But also if i put the working version (5.15.16) when I boot in 5.19.13 I experience the horizontal flickering. (Checked that loaded module is correct).

comparing the dmesg log for the Good 5.15.16 Boot vs Wrong 5.19.13 I have noticed the following delta

[    2.614577] [drm] Initialized i915 1.6.0 20201103 for 0000:00:02.0 on minor 0

Note the “on minor 0”
In the problematic boot i have minor 1

[    4.282920] [drm] Initialized i915 1.6.0 20201103 for 0000:00:02.0 on minor 1

I’m not sure if this difference can be the reason of flickering.
I understood that minor is in some way related to driver version but in this case comparing modinfo results of the both boot i have the same result.

Can you please help me on the topic ?

Thank you.
Ciao.
gp

2

Hi, any help on that ?
Thank you.
gp

3

Kernel 5.19.12 was known for problems with intel video on laptops. That has already been replaced with (progressed to) 5.19.15 and 5.19.16 is in the works apparently due to wifi issues with 5.19.15.

4

Ciao, anyone that can help me on this topic ?

Thank you. Ciao.gp

5

Ciao, try live-booting Fedora 37, official images are already available: Test Results:Fedora 37 RC 1.7 Desktop - Fedora Project Wiki
If this flickering is still visible on F37, post here output of sudo inxi -Fmaz and dmesg --level=err,warn.

6

Ciao,
thanks for your reply.
On live-booting F37 flickering is not present.
Consider that also with live-booting F36 i had no flickering.

But on my installed version, only Kernel 5.15.16-200.fc35.x86_64 works without flickering.
Furthermore this is still a F35 kernel.

Do you have any ideas on what can cause this issue ?

Consider that the only delta i was able to identify between 5.16.15 boot and 5.19.13 was
“on minor 0” that change in ‘on minor 1’ for kernels with flickering.

Working

[    2.614577] [drm] Initialized i915 1.6.0 20201103 for 0000:00:02.0 on minor 0

Not Working

[    4.282920] [drm] Initialized i915 1.6.0 20201103 for 0000:00:02.0 on minor 1

Thank you.
Ciao.
gp

7

First of all we need to check whether that this issue persists with latest updates. Use dnf versionlock to keep the last known working kernel and make sure your system is up to date:

sudo dnf versionlock add kernel-5.15.16-200.fc35
dnf dsync --refresh

Make sure your BIOS is up to date and show us your kernel boot parameters and system info:

cat /proc/cmdline
inxi -SMGaz
8

Hi, I have updated the system.
Now last kernel installed is : 6.0.7.-200.fc36.x86_64.
Unfortunately if i boot with the new kernel flickering is still there.

I made i video but i’m not able to upload into the forum page.

Here the command line:

BOOT_IMAGE=(hd1,gpt5)/vmlinuz-6.0.7-200.fc36.x86_64 root=UUID=66714fd5-e869-491a-89b9-0015c79f3ef8 ro rhgb quiet

and inxi -SMGaz report :

System:
  Kernel: 6.0.7-200.fc36.x86_64 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc
    v: 2.37-36.fc36
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=(hd1,gpt5)/vmlinuz-6.0.7-200.fc36.x86_64
    root=UUID=66714fd5-e869-491a-89b9-0015c79f3ef8 ro rhgb quiet
  Desktop: GNOME v: 42.6 tk: GTK v: 3.24.34 wm: gnome-shell dm: GDM v: 42.0
    Distro: Fedora release 36 (Thirty Six)
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: CHUWI Innovation And (ShenZhen) product: GemiBook
    v: N/A serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: N/A model: IG131 serial: <superuser required>
    UEFI: American Megatrends v: BI-EM20_IG131_V0.6.4 date: 08/02/2021
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel GeminiLake [UHD Graphics 600] vendor: nCipher Security
    driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-9.5 process: Intel 14nm built: 2016-20
    ports: active: eDP-1 empty: DP-1,HDMI-A-1,HDMI-A-2 bus-ID: 00:02.0
    chip-ID: 8086:3185 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Microdia Webcam Vitade AF type: USB driver: uvcvideo
    bus-ID: 1-6:3 chip-ID: 0c45:6366 class-ID: 0e02 serial: <filter>
  Display: wayland server: X.org v: 1.20.14 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.5
    compositor: gnome-shell driver: gpu: i915 display-ID: 0
  Monitor-1: eDP-1 model: ChiMei InnoLux P130ZFA-BA1 built: 2018
    res: 2160x1440 dpi: 200 gamma: 1.2 size: 275x183mm (10.83x7.2")
    diag: 330mm (13") ratio: 3:2 modes: 2160x1440
  OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel UHD Graphics 600 (GLK 2) v: 4.6 Mesa 22.1.7  direct render: Yes

Booting with 5.15.16 screen is ok.

Here the command line :

BOOT_IMAGE=(hd1,gpt5)/vmlinuz-5.15.16-200.fc35.x86_64 root=UUID=66714fd5-e869-491a-89b9-0015c79f3ef8 ro rhgb quiet
type or paste code here

and inxi report :

System:
  Kernel: 5.15.16-200.fc35.x86_64 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc
    v: 2.37-10.fc35
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=(hd1,gpt5)/vmlinuz-5.15.16-200.fc35.x86_64
    root=UUID=66714fd5-e869-491a-89b9-0015c79f3ef8 ro rhgb quiet
  Desktop: GNOME v: 42.6 tk: GTK v: 3.24.34 wm: gnome-shell dm: GDM v: 42.0
    Distro: Fedora release 36 (Thirty Six)
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: CHUWI Innovation And (ShenZhen) product: GemiBook
    v: N/A serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: N/A model: IG131 serial: <superuser required>
    UEFI: American Megatrends v: BI-EM20_IG131_V0.6.4 date: 08/02/2021
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel GeminiLake [UHD Graphics 600] vendor: nCipher Security
    driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-9.5 process: Intel 14nm built: 2016-20
    ports: active: eDP-1 empty: DP-1,HDMI-A-1,HDMI-A-2 bus-ID: 00:02.0
    chip-ID: 8086:3185 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Microdia Webcam Vitade AF type: USB driver: uvcvideo
    bus-ID: 1-6:3 chip-ID: 0c45:6366 class-ID: 0e02 serial: <filter>
  Display: wayland server: X.org v: 1.20.14 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.5
    compositor: gnome-shell driver: gpu: i915 display-ID: 0
  Monitor-1: eDP-1 model: ChiMei InnoLux P130ZFA-BA1 built: 2018
    res: 2160x1440 dpi: 200 gamma: 1.2 size: 275x183mm (10.83x7.2")
    diag: 330mm (13") ratio: 3:2 modes: 2160x1440
  OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel UHD Graphics 600 (GLK 2) v: 4.6 Mesa 22.1.7
    direct render: Yes

I’m not sure but considering the with live version both F36 and F37 I do not have flickering
I think that it can be something related to my installed version.

But what ?

Thank you. Ciao.
gp

9

Can you confirm that 5.15.17 is the first kernel with that issue? Here’s it’s changelog, there were only two changes mentioning i915 (one pertaining backlight): https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v5.x/ChangeLog-5.15.17

10

I believe to say YES because i have retained version 5.15.16 on the system.
But I have no more the 5.15.17 available on the system. so cannot test it.

I tried to reinstall 5.15.17 but for now without success.

Thank you.
gp

11

Try incrementing installonly_limit in /etc/dnf/dnf.conf to allow another version of kernel to be installed.

1 Like
12

Ciao,
I have now installed Kernel version 5.15.17-200.fc35.x86_64 and restarted the laptop.
And Flickering is there !

If I boot back on Kernel 5.15.16-200.fc35.x86_64 all is fine.

Thank you.
gp

1 Like
13

Kernel 6.1 and 6.2 carry a rework of backlight support, you could test at least 6.1: Brightness broken and acting very strange - #32 by ozeszty

From what I see there’s a lot of topics about 5.15 Intel iGPU flickering and in some cases adding certain kernel boot parameters help.

14

I’m very discouraged.
I tried with Kernel 6.1.0-0.rc5.39.fc38.x86_64 without fortune.

I have upgraded system to Fedora 37 that it brings 6.0.8-300.fc37.x86_64.
But booting with 6.0.8 flickering is still there :worried:

Rebooting with5.15.16-200.fc35.x86_64 all works fine.

Any ideas on how to jump out of the hole ?

Thank you.
Ciao.
gp

15

That might be dependent on kernel/microcode pair, compare output of inxi -Ca of installed and live-booted system, loaded microcode will be in a 4th row.

Search for 5.15 Intel GPU flickering and try kernel boot parameters that others found helpful.

With above findings create a bug report in bugzilla, explain which kernels work (5.15.16 and all newer live-booted), that 5.15.17 brought regression, paste inxi -SMGCaz output and write what you’ve found out about microcode and kernel boot parameters.