Screen Goes Blank when Changing to Console

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1

Recently I realized that whenever I wanted to change to any of the console windows (Ctrl+Alt+F2 - Ctrl+Alt+F6), my screen simply blanks out and goes into standby due to lack of input from my graphics adapter. This issue was definitely not there on Fedora 31, but I cannot say whether it was in Fedora 32 from the start or started somewhat later. The system is a fresh installation and not an upgrade.

While I can regain control of the computer by pressing Ctrl+Alt+F1 (GDM greeter screen) or Ctrl+Alt+F7 (graphical environment after being logged in), the change to the plain text console window no longer works.

Running journalctl -f with elevated permissions I get the following output (I timed the switch to make it easier to spot in the logs, which is why the timestamps are all with zero-seconds):

Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (**) Option "fd" "54"
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) event2  - Power Button: device removed
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (**) Option "fd" "33"
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) event8  - Video Bus: device removed
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (**) Option "fd" "52"
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) event1  - Power Button: device removed
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (**) Option "fd" "92"
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) event0  - Sleep Button: device removed
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (**) Option "fd" "53"
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) event13 - Corsair CORSAIR HS70 Pro Wireless Gaming Headset Consumer Control: device removed
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (**) Option "fd" "51"
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) event12 - HID 0557:2419: device removed
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (**) Option "fd" "59"
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) event16 - HID 0557:2419: device removed
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (**) Option "fd" "48"
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (**) Option "fd" "57"
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (**) Option "fd" "55"
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (**) Option "fd" "48"
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) event11 - Logitech MX Ergo: device removed
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (**) Option "fd" "57"
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) event3  - ckb1: Corsair Gaming K95 RGB PLATINUM Keyboard vKB: device removed
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (**) Option "fd" "55"
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) event4  - ckb1: Corsair Gaming K95 RGB PLATINUM Keyboard vM: device removed
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here kernel: rfkill: input handler enabled
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) systemd-logind: got pause for 13:72
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) systemd-logind: got pause for 13:75
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) systemd-logind: got pause for 13:76
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) systemd-logind: got pause for 13:65
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) systemd-logind: got pause for 13:77
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) systemd-logind: got pause for 13:66
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) systemd-logind: got pause for 13:68
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) systemd-logind: got pause for 13:67
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) systemd-logind: got pause for 226:1
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) systemd-logind: got pause for 13:80
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) systemd-logind: got pause for 226:0
Sep 24 12:24:00 computer_name_here /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[4285]: (II) systemd-logind: got pause for 13:64
Sep 24 12:24:15 computer_name_here kernel: fbcon: Taking over console
Sep 24 12:24:15 computer_name_here kernel: Console: switching to colour frame buffer device 100x37

The last two lines are the result of me pressing Enter after a short time in the feeble (and futile) attempt to revive the screen.

Suspecting graphics driver issues, I may need to mention that I have a GeForce GTX 1080 using the following drivers:

$ sudo dnf list installed "*nvidia*"
Installed Packages
akmod-nvidia.x86_64                          3:450.66-1.fc32    @rpmfusion-nonfree-updates
kmod-nvidia-5.8.10-200.fc32.x86_64.x86_64    3:450.66-1.fc32    @@commandline             
kmod-nvidia-5.8.4-200.fc32.x86_64.x86_64     3:450.66-1.fc32    @@commandline             
kmod-nvidia-5.8.7-200.fc32.x86_64.x86_64     3:450.66-1.fc32    @@commandline             
nvidia-settings.x86_64                       3:450.66-1.fc32    @rpmfusion-nonfree-updates
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia.x86_64                   3:450.66-2.fc32    @rpmfusion-nonfree-updates
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia-cuda-libs.x86_64         3:450.66-2.fc32    @rpmfusion-nonfree-updates
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia-kmodsrc.x86_64           3:450.66-2.fc32    @rpmfusion-nonfree-updates
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia-libs.x86_64              3:450.66-2.fc32    @rpmfusion-nonfree-updates

The kmod packages are not manually installed by me, but must have been installed through the akmod package when installing a new kernel.

GRUB starts my installation using the following line:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="rd.driver.blacklist=nouveau modprobe.blacklist=nouveau nvidia-drm.modeset=1 rd.lvm.lv=Samsung_SSD_970_PRO/system rhgb quiet intel_iommu=on"

Does anyone have a solution and/or can hint me to the appropriate file to verify its contents? If more logs or information is required, I am happy to supply it.

1 Like
2

I’ve experienced this as well, and only very recently. (Last 1 or 2 Nvidia driver releases at most — though I’m not saying for certain that the issue is caused by the Nvidia drivers; plenty of other things have updated on my system in that same timeframe.)

Oddly enough, last time it happened, I ssh'd in to the machine using ConnectBot on my phone — and the moment I did, the console woke up. So, it seems like a seat/session-management issue of some sort.

3

Just ssh’ed into my computer using Prompt on my iPad, but the screen does not budge. So, the underlying cause may be different.

I posed the same question on StackExchange where I got a comment to check out and ask on the Nvidia developer forum. Did not do it so far due to time constraints, but may do so some time later (e.g. weekend) if I have time and a free mind.

4

Hmm, I’ll have to test that again. Perhaps I’m misremembering. Also, pretty sure I wasn’t logged in on the graphical session at the time — in fact, IIRC there was no graphical session running, I’d booted without it and found I couldn’t log in at all since no default text console came up.

But I’m definitely also having the issue whrere, if I’m logged in graphically, hitting Ctrl+Alt+F3 (or any higher function key) takes me to an inactive display instead of a login prompt, and then, yeah, ssh-ing in does nothing.

The weird thing is, I can even see the agetty process running for that console — it’s just not displaying for some reason. Doesn’t seem to be accepting input, either, I tried to carefully type my username and password at the blank screen but no new login was registered.

5

While I have not tried going back to multi-user.target, I can see the Plymouth boot screen during startup. I tried again with Ctrl+Alt+F3, but similar to how you remember it, I am unable to log in blindly.

6

Same here. Sorry, what I should’ve said was, no login came up on the default text console. The boot process output was still visible — it just ended in the screen powering down, same as when switching to a secondary text console after logging in graphically.

7

Due to having shifted around hard drives, I now even reinstalled Fedora, but with the same result. So, as suggested on StackExchange, I am inclined to think that this may have something to do with the Nvidia drivers.

I was also testing pressing Esc while the Plymouth boot screen is displayed to see the text underneath, but even then it turns blank. Just as if the drivers do not handle any plain text mode at all.

This bears the question if one can use a two-pronged driver approach, one for text (nouveau would be enough there really) and one for the graphics. I just would not know how or where to configure it, if it is even possible.

8

The newly released Nvidia driver v460.32.03 solved the problem.

9

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