Bug 495611

Summary:	Blank screen with cursor dash freeze after Neon Update. I have booted with Ctrl+Alt+F3 (probably graphics issue?) MAY NOT BE A BUG
Product:	[KDE Neon] neon	Reporter:	Peter <kde.kindling016>
Component:	Packages User Edition	Assignee:	Neon Bugs <neon-bugs>
Status:	RESOLVED NOT A BUG
Severity:	normal	CC:	jr, nate, neon-bugs
Priority:	NOR
Version:	unspecified
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Neon
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Peter 2024-10-30 22:32:38 UTC

SUMMARY

After KDE Neon / Plasma update where you changed the wallpaper from tree to the bow / ribbon, and also after updating the Ubuntu LTS version as you advised, I have had recurring intermittent trouble getting my OLD hardware to properly boot. I think (but am not fully confident at this point) that I can bypass the problem / frozen screen by using control+alt (option on my Mac keyboard) + F3. I think this is a Ubuntu command to bypass a graphics driver. Lots of people have reported blank screen with dash related to update after KDE Neon.

I can keep doing this F3 boot process after updates if needed, but I'd prefer a more permanent fix so the boot up process works properly.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Accept updates and specify restart when such updates are offered in Discover.
2. System reboots, shows KDE circle and counts percent complete on updates, then restarts again.
3. On this second restart, I get a black screen -- sometimes with a small dash in the left third of the screen slightly above half way up. Other times, I get a black screen with no visible cursor. There is enough backlight available for me to know the system is on but monitor not working properly...

OBSERVED RESULT

above

EXPECTED RESULT

Normal boot to login screen.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Operating System: KDE neon 6.2
KDE Plasma Version: 6.2.2
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.7.0
Qt Version: 6.8.0
Kernel Version: 6.8.0-48-generic (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland [NOTE: Should I change this?? If yes, I need to know how]
Processors: 8 × Intel® Core™ i7-2600 CPU @ 3.40GHz
Memory: 31.3 GiB of RAM
Graphics Processor: AMD BARTS [Additional info: This is Mid2011 27" iMac. Graphics is GForce GTX6970M 1MB)
Manufacturer: Apple Inc.
Product Name: iMac12,2
System Version: 1.0

ADDITIONAL INFO:
I think graphics card may no longer be supported per some online research. I have had ZERO troubles prior to this recent KDE + Ubuntu update. Problem may be with Ubuntu LTS and not with KDE???

Would love to know if there is a way I can use Terminal to specify a boot process to avoid this trouble.
I am not 100% sure that the CTRL+ALT+F3 boot keys always work but this seems to get me out of blank screen jail...

Comment 1 Peter 2024-11-04 21:21:02 UTC

Update - after latest update I was not able to successfully log in - trying all my prior boot key combinations.
CTRL + F4 let me in this time.  I found that on a KDE Discuss post from last March.  I still don't have much confidence that I have a reliable way to boot up after a software update.  My experience so far has been hit and miss.  I'll try CTRL + F4 again if I have a cursor dash & black screen and report back whether it worked...

Comment 2 Peter 2024-11-11 20:14:46 UTC

No need to respond, and I doubt there is a need for any action unless you think there is.

I previously submitted a note that I had found CTRL + F4 to be a key combination that allowed me to get past the blank screen problems that have persistently kept me out of your awesome desktop experience after updating software and re-booting.

Today, I updated several applications and system packages (none marked critical).  Booting without any special keys took me to the dreaded blank screen again (thought I'd test it again).

Booting from full shut down with CTRL + F4 was successful so I'm at least 2 for 2 on this approach.

If you discover a "fix" or want me to send you some log info, I'm happy to.
I suspect this is NOT WORTH YOUR TIME - compared with the many other issues I suspect you have on your awareness.

Just wanted to close the loop as I said I would after next software update + reboot.

Comment 3 Peter 2024-12-13 20:20:42 UTC

I think safe to close this case.  I have been able to successfully update with no interventions at least 3 times, maybe more.  The visual display of the spinning gear and the text during updating have been very large last two times and were extra small in upper left part of screen before that, but in all cases, the software update -- including automatic restart(s) resolves to the normal login screen with no special key combinations required on my part as before.  I do recall doing a terminal based refresh of KDE sometime back.  Everything seems to be working flawlessly for me.  If you made any changes based on the case post, thank you...  Either way, I believe safe to close the case as resolved.

Comment 4 Nate Graham 2024-12-13 20:24:55 UTC

Thanks for reporting back about it!