Re: No console anymore. How to figure this out.

Michael <[email protected]> Sun, 15 Mar 2026 15:17:32 +0000
Newsgroups	gmane.linux.gentoo.user
Message-ID	<8657017.T7Z3S40VBb@rogueboard>
On Sunday, 15 March 2026 13:21:07 Greenwich Mean Time Dale wrote:
> On 3/15/26 7:11 AM, Alan Mackenzie wrote:
> > Sorry, I used the wrong word.  I really meant firmware.  This is in
> > the kernel configuration under Device Drivers/Generic Driver
> > Options/Firmware Loader in make menuconfig.  There, I have a (long)
> > list of firmware files for the built in AMD graphics I use on my
> > machine.  You surely have a similar list there, but for an nVidia
> > graphics card.
> > 
> > I don't think one can use the kernel module mechanism for these
> > files. Are you using a recently build kernel (e.g. 6.18.12)?  If
> > so, have any of these firmware files been updated recently?  They
> > are probably in package sys-kernel/linux-firmware.
> 
> No problem.  I'm on the same kernel I've used for a long time.  I need
> to upgrade but just haven't.  Anyway, I'm on gentoo-sources-6.12.31
> right now.

Was x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers rebuilt as part of your emerge update 
process, or are you still on the driver version you had when the gentoo-
sources-6.12.31 was installed?


> I do have this in /boot that is loaded when I boot.
> 
> -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 306176 Feb 5 04:13 amd-uc.img
> 
> 
> I think that is some sort of microcode.  I had forgot about that. I'm
> not sure what even installed it.  So, let me look.

You don't to look at the wrong thing.  It is the CPU microcode and not 
relevant to the nvidia graphics firmware.


> But this is the last update for it.
> 
> 
> Sat Jul 12 06:31:53 2025 >>> sys-kernel/linux-firmware-20250708
> 
> 
> 
> So it hasn't changed in a while now.  Since this started two or three
> weeks ago, that may not be it.  Maybe not.  ???

If this is the same you were running before your system update and dmesg 
does not complain about failed firmware blobs not found/failing to load, 
then this is unlikely to be a problem.

> >> I use Nvidia drivers.  I tried the other one but it was a disaster.
> >> Even on this fast rig, the mouse couldn't move smoothly.  It would
> >> jump and jerk to places.  Windows were slow too.  Is that where
> >> the microcode comes from or something else?
> > 
> > See above.
> > 
> >> I think the nvidia drivers updated a while back so that is a good
> >> idea.  I wouldn't have thought about that.  If it was the GUI, then
> >> I would.
> > 
> > Might it be possible that nVidia simply removed the console driver
> > from the code?
> 
> I can't go back to a previous version of nvidia since it is out of the
> tree now.  I did keyword a newer version to see if it had been fixed
> tho.  Still the same.  No console.
> 
> When I rebooted, the usual text was scrolling up until the display
> manager started.  That worked normally.  I also did something else.
> When I upgraded the nvidia drivers, I tried again to go to a
> console.  Blank screen.  I typed in root and then my password as if I
> was logging in.  I then typed in reboot.  A few seconds later the
> computer beeped the usual booting beep and up comes the BIOS screen. 
> So, agetty is running and it is working, this seems to be purely a
> display problem.  This may be yet another clue.  I dunno.
> 
> >> Oh, would I need to reboot for the code to take effect once I go
> >> back a version of something?
> > 
> > I think that's likely.  :-(
> > 
> >> Dale
> >> 
> >> :-)  :-)
> 
> Do you think it would help to regenerate the grub info for the kernel
> and init images and reinstall grub on the boot up thingy? Could
> something have maybe changed and something is not being seen/loaded
> now, that amd thingy in /boot for example???

If you upgrade the kernel you should rebuild the nvidia driver to use 
the same API as the kernel:

emerge --ask @module-rebuild


> I'm grasping at straws here.  Trying to share info that may be a clue
> to think on.  I'm kinda clueless.  Given I can blindly login, I know
> everything but the display is working.  I also know it works when
> booting up as well as all the kernel loading a services are
> displayed. Once it switches to GUI tho, no more console.
> 
> This info help any?  It give you a clue as to where we can look? I'm
> going to do like I usually do after a grub update and regenerate
> that.  See if that helps any.  Dang it takes me a while to get back
> up and running tho.  Several of my drive sets are encrypted.  The
> little scripts I wrote, with some help from this list, do help speed
> that up.  ;-)
> 
> Thanks for the help.  I'm open to ideas.
> 
> Dale
> 
> :-)  :-)

If your kernel, nvidia driver version and firmware are all correctly 
synchronized in their versioning, as they were before this problem 
revealed itself, then have a look here regarding modesetting:

https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/NVIDIA/nvidia-drivers

If none of the above helps, someone more clued up on nvidia may be able 
to help.
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