Switched GPU from Nvidia to AMD, booting causes screen to flash backlight

Support Graphics & Display
1

I’ve recenly switched from my Nvidia 1080Ti to a new AMD 9070 XT. I expected Linux to just work out of the box after the switch since the driver is supposedly in the kernel, and so I didn’t take any preparatory steps (hope that wasn’t a mistake). The GRUB bootloader starts fine. I am able to boot into Windows.

However, when I try to boot into Linux, I breifly get some console text (I have nosplash as a parameter), and then my monitor for some reason shows a black screen and constantly flashes the backlight on my monitor on and off. I’ve tried this with different kernel versions: 6.18, 6.12, and 6.6, but it’s all the same issue.

Unfortunately, I can’t get into a console. I also can’t SSH or ping my computer. I’ve been trying to figure out if I can boot into a very basic no acceleration mode so I can figure out what is going wrong. Any help?

My monitor isn’t exactly in the best condition, but it definitely worked before, and it works with my Windos installation, so I don’t think the monitor is the issue here.

2

More often than not, Linux does boot fine on new hardware, but Nvidia more often than we want, can causes hangups. The beauty of proprietary drivers, that aren’t even supported anymore for your old card.

Boot the live image, manjaro-chroot in and remove and install the drivers.

See what’s installed by..

sudo mhwd -li

Remove the proper one from the above list..

sudo mhwd -r ...

Then install the driver you want from this list..

mwhd -l
sudo mhwd -i pci video-...

You might have to rebuild your initramfs (I’m not 100%, but it won’t hurt anything)..

sudo mkinitcpio -P

And remember to update grub.. (Just in case as well. There are VGA related efivars.)

sudo update-grub
# or
sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/efi/grub.cfg
1 Like
3

Well, I’m still getting the same problem when I try to boot off a LiveUSB. This is with both “Boot with opensource drivers” as well as “Boot with proprietary drivers”

Also, if I have removed my nvidia card completely, even if I had nvidia drivers installed, it would not have a reason to start, right? So I don’t think removing the nvidia drivers is the issue here. However, I was willing to give it a try anyway.

I’m starting to think that the issue is with my monitor, combined with the way the video mode configures itself on Linux. Maybe it’s because it’s a g-sync monitor, and I’m using an AMD card? At the same time, that doesn’t explain why it works on Windows

EDIT: I was able to get Linux to boot by plugging the PC into my TV, which uses HDMI. At first I was dropped into an emergency console, so I did the steps you listed above. But it kept dropping me into the emergency console. I realized that it was failing to mount my secondary magnetic drive, so I just temporarily commented it out in my fstab, and now it starts the GUI just fine

However, even after starting the GUI, I tried plugging in my displayport monitor, and the same thing occurs. This time though I am able to see what’s showing up in the display settings.

It seems that it’s simply not detecting the correct

This is what xrandr --verbose gives me

[the9a3eedi@9a3eedi-linux ~]$ xrandr --verbose
Screen 0: minimum 16 x 16, current 4800 x 2160, maximum 32767 x 32767
HDMI-A-1 connected primary 3840x2160+0+0 (0x23) normal (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 1600mm x 900mm
        Identifier: 0x21
        Timestamp:  138071
        Subpixel:   unknown
        Gamma:      1.0:1.0:1.0
        Brightness: 0.0
        Clones:    
        CRTC:       0
        CRTCs:      0
        Transform:  1.000000 0.000000 0.000000
                    0.000000 1.000000 0.000000
                    0.000000 0.000000 1.000000
                   filter: 
        RANDR Emulation: 1 
        non-desktop: 0 
                supported: 0, 1
  3840x2160 (0x23) 712.750MHz -HSync +VSync *current +preferred
        h: width  3840 start 4152 end 4576 total 5312 skew    0 clock 134.18KHz
        v: height 2160 start 2163 end 2168 total 2237           clock  59.98Hz
  2048x1536 (0x24) 267.250MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  2048 start 2200 end 2424 total 2800 skew    0 clock  95.45KHz
        v: height 1536 start 1539 end 1543 total 1592           clock  59.95Hz
  1920x1440 (0x25) 233.500MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1920 start 2056 end 2264 total 2608 skew    0 clock  89.53KHz
        v: height 1440 start 1443 end 1447 total 1493           clock  59.97Hz
  1600x1200 (0x26) 161.000MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1600 start 1712 end 1880 total 2160 skew    0 clock  74.54KHz
        v: height 1200 start 1203 end 1207 total 1245           clock  59.87Hz
  1440x1080 (0x27) 129.000MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1440 start 1528 end 1680 total 1920 skew    0 clock  67.19KHz
        v: height 1080 start 1083 end 1087 total 1120           clock  59.99Hz
  1400x1050 (0x28) 121.750MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1400 start 1488 end 1632 total 1864 skew    0 clock  65.32KHz
        v: height 1050 start 1053 end 1057 total 1089           clock  59.98Hz
  1280x1024 (0x29) 109.000MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1280 start 1360 end 1496 total 1712 skew    0 clock  63.67KHz
        v: height 1024 start 1027 end 1034 total 1063           clock  59.89Hz
  1280x960 (0x2a) 101.250MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1280 start 1360 end 1488 total 1696 skew    0 clock  59.70KHz
        v: height  960 start  963 end  967 total  996           clock  59.94Hz
  1152x864 (0x2b) 81.750MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1152 start 1216 end 1336 total 1520 skew    0 clock  53.78KHz
        v: height  864 start  867 end  871 total  897           clock  59.96Hz
  1024x768 (0x2c) 63.500MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1024 start 1072 end 1176 total 1328 skew    0 clock  47.82KHz
        v: height  768 start  771 end  775 total  798           clock  59.92Hz
  800x600 (0x2d) 38.250MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   800 start  832 end  912 total 1024 skew    0 clock  37.35KHz
        v: height  600 start  603 end  607 total  624           clock  59.86Hz
  640x480 (0x2e) 23.750MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   640 start  656 end  720 total  800 skew    0 clock  29.69KHz
        v: height  480 start  483 end  487 total  500           clock  59.38Hz
  320x240 (0x2f)  6.000MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   320 start  328 end  360 total  400 skew    0 clock  15.00KHz
        v: height  240 start  243 end  247 total  253           clock  59.29Hz
  2560x1600 (0x30) 348.500MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  2560 start 2752 end 3032 total 3504 skew    0 clock  99.46KHz
        v: height 1600 start 1603 end 1609 total 1658           clock  59.99Hz
  1920x1200 (0x31) 193.250MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1920 start 2056 end 2256 total 2592 skew    0 clock  74.56KHz
        v: height 1200 start 1203 end 1209 total 1245           clock  59.88Hz
  1680x1050 (0x32) 146.250MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1680 start 1784 end 1960 total 2240 skew    0 clock  65.29KHz
        v: height 1050 start 1053 end 1059 total 1089           clock  59.95Hz
  1440x900 (0x33) 106.500MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1440 start 1520 end 1672 total 1904 skew    0 clock  55.93KHz
        v: height  900 start  903 end  909 total  934           clock  59.89Hz
  1280x800 (0x34) 83.500MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1280 start 1352 end 1480 total 1680 skew    0 clock  49.70KHz
        v: height  800 start  803 end  809 total  831           clock  59.81Hz
  1152x720 (0x35) 66.750MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1152 start 1208 end 1320 total 1488 skew    0 clock  44.86KHz
        v: height  720 start  723 end  729 total  748           clock  59.97Hz
  960x600 (0x36) 45.250MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   960 start  992 end 1088 total 1216 skew    0 clock  37.21KHz
        v: height  600 start  603 end  609 total  624           clock  59.63Hz
  928x580 (0x37) 42.750MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   928 start  968 end 1056 total 1184 skew    0 clock  36.11KHz
        v: height  580 start  583 end  589 total  603           clock  59.88Hz
  800x500 (0x38) 30.750MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   800 start  824 end  896 total  992 skew    0 clock  31.00KHz
        v: height  500 start  503 end  509 total  521           clock  59.50Hz
  768x480 (0x39) 28.750MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   768 start  792 end  864 total  960 skew    0 clock  29.95KHz
        v: height  480 start  483 end  489 total  500           clock  59.90Hz
  720x480 (0x3a) 26.750MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   720 start  744 end  808 total  896 skew    0 clock  29.85KHz
        v: height  480 start  483 end  493 total  500           clock  59.71Hz
  640x400 (0x3b) 20.000MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   640 start  656 end  720 total  800 skew    0 clock  25.00KHz
        v: height  400 start  403 end  409 total  417           clock  59.95Hz
  320x200 (0x3c)  5.000MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   320 start  328 end  360 total  400 skew    0 clock  12.50KHz
        v: height  200 start  203 end  209 total  215           clock  58.14Hz
  3200x1800 (0x3d) 492.000MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  3200 start 3448 end 3800 total 4400 skew    0 clock 111.82KHz
        v: height 1800 start 1803 end 1808 total 1865           clock  59.96Hz
  2880x1620 (0x3e) 396.250MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  2880 start 3096 end 3408 total 3936 skew    0 clock 100.67KHz
        v: height 1620 start 1623 end 1628 total 1679           clock  59.96Hz
  2560x1440 (0x3f) 312.250MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  2560 start 2752 end 3024 total 3488 skew    0 clock  89.52KHz
        v: height 1440 start 1443 end 1448 total 1493           clock  59.96Hz
  2048x1152 (0x40) 197.000MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  2048 start 2184 end 2400 total 2752 skew    0 clock  71.58KHz
        v: height 1152 start 1155 end 1160 total 1195           clock  59.90Hz
  1920x1080 (0x41) 173.000MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1920 start 2048 end 2248 total 2576 skew    0 clock  67.16KHz
        v: height 1080 start 1083 end 1088 total 1120           clock  59.96Hz
  1600x900 (0x42) 118.250MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1600 start 1688 end 1856 total 2112 skew    0 clock  55.99KHz
        v: height  900 start  903 end  908 total  934           clock  59.95Hz
  1368x768 (0x43) 85.250MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1368 start 1440 end 1576 total 1784 skew    0 clock  47.79KHz
        v: height  768 start  771 end  781 total  798           clock  59.88Hz
  1280x720 (0x44) 74.500MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1280 start 1344 end 1472 total 1664 skew    0 clock  44.77KHz
        v: height  720 start  723 end  728 total  748           clock  59.86Hz
  1024x576 (0x45) 46.500MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1024 start 1064 end 1160 total 1296 skew    0 clock  35.88KHz
        v: height  576 start  579 end  584 total  599           clock  59.90Hz
  864x486 (0x46) 32.500MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   864 start  888 end  968 total 1072 skew    0 clock  30.32KHz
        v: height  486 start  489 end  494 total  506           clock  59.92Hz
  720x400 (0x47) 22.250MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   720 start  744 end  808 total  896 skew    0 clock  24.83KHz
        v: height  400 start  403 end  413 total  419           clock  59.27Hz
  640x350 (0x48) 17.500MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   640 start  656 end  720 total  800 skew    0 clock  21.88KHz
        v: height  350 start  353 end  363 total  369           clock  59.28Hz
DP-1 connected 960x720+3840+0 (0x3c5) normal (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 0mm x 0mm
        Identifier: 0x3c4
        Timestamp:  138071
        Subpixel:   unknown
        Gamma:      0.13:1.1:-3.6
        Brightness: 0.016
        Clones:    
        CRTC:       1
        CRTCs:      1
        Transform:  1.000000 0.000000 0.000000
                    0.000000 1.000000 0.000000
                    0.000000 0.000000 1.000000
                   filter: 
        RANDR Emulation: 1 
        non-desktop: 0 
                supported: 0, 1
  960x720 (0x3c5) 55.750MHz -HSync +VSync *current +preferred
        h: width   960 start 1008 end 1104 total 1248 skew    0 clock  44.67KHz
        v: height  720 start  723 end  727 total  748           clock  59.72Hz
  800x600 (0x2d) 38.250MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   800 start  832 end  912 total 1024 skew    0 clock  37.35KHz
        v: height  600 start  603 end  607 total  624           clock  59.86Hz
  640x480 (0x2e) 23.750MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   640 start  656 end  720 total  800 skew    0 clock  29.69KHz
        v: height  480 start  483 end  487 total  500           clock  59.38Hz
  320x240 (0x2f)  6.000MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   320 start  328 end  360 total  400 skew    0 clock  15.00KHz
        v: height  240 start  243 end  247 total  253           clock  59.29Hz
  960x600 (0x36) 45.250MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   960 start  992 end 1088 total 1216 skew    0 clock  37.21KHz
        v: height  600 start  603 end  609 total  624           clock  59.63Hz
  928x580 (0x37) 42.750MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   928 start  968 end 1056 total 1184 skew    0 clock  36.11KHz
        v: height  580 start  583 end  589 total  603           clock  59.88Hz
  800x500 (0x38) 30.750MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   800 start  824 end  896 total  992 skew    0 clock  31.00KHz
        v: height  500 start  503 end  509 total  521           clock  59.50Hz
  768x480 (0x3c6) 28.500MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   768 start  792 end  864 total  960 skew    0 clock  29.69KHz
        v: height  480 start  483 end  489 total  500           clock  59.38Hz
  720x480 (0x3a) 26.750MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   720 start  744 end  808 total  896 skew    0 clock  29.85KHz
        v: height  480 start  483 end  493 total  500           clock  59.71Hz
  640x400 (0x3c7) 19.750MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   640 start  656 end  720 total  800 skew    0 clock  24.69KHz
        v: height  400 start  403 end  409 total  417           clock  59.20Hz
  320x200 (0x3c)  5.000MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   320 start  328 end  360 total  400 skew    0 clock  12.50KHz
        v: height  200 start  203 end  209 total  215           clock  58.14Hz
  864x486 (0x3c8) 32.250MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   864 start  888 end  968 total 1072 skew    0 clock  30.08KHz
        v: height  486 start  489 end  494 total  506           clock  59.45Hz
  720x400 (0x47) 22.250MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   720 start  744 end  808 total  896 skew    0 clock  24.83KHz
        v: height  400 start  403 end  413 total  419           clock  59.27Hz
  640x350 (0x48) 17.500MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width   640 start  656 end  720 total  800 skew    0 clock  21.88KHz
        v: height  350 start  353 end  363 total  369           clock  59.28Hz

It seems that the monitor is not sending its EDID information correctly to my machine. However, I did not have this problem with my previous graphics card (1080Ti with proprietary drivers). I also do not have this problem with this new AMD graphics card on Windows 11 (after installing drivers)

Note that the displayport monitor is supposed to be able to do 2560x1440p @ 144Hz, with g-sync. However, this is an AMD card, so I realize G-sync will not work here.

Another interesting thing is: I have tried using this laptop on two other computers and also faced problems, which may be related

  • On a Thinkpad T14 Gen 11 (I think) running Windows 11, I’ve used a USB-C to Displayport adapter to plug the laptop into the monitor. It works flawlessly. This uses an intel integrated GPU
  • On my Dell XPS 13 9360 running Manjaro, I used the same USB-C to Displayport adapter with the monitor. The monitor only shows up with a maximum of 1024x768. I could not figure out how to solve this problem. If I recall correctly, I did not have a problem when I ran Windows 10 on this laptop, using the same monitor. But this was a very long time ago.

So it seems like this monitor is problematic with Linux drivers, particularly open-source ones. I don’t have a better explanation. I don’t know if theres a solution either?

4

OK I figured out the solution

The issue seems to be an edge case specifically with my particular monitor (Asus PG278Q). Thanks to this Arch forum thread, I was able to solve it by following the exact same instructions. Some chatting with ChatGPT also helped me figure out the problem and eventually I was led to that thread.

Not the first time I had issues with this monitor to be honest. I think it’s really time for a new monitor anyway, to complement my new GPU.

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5

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