Dell G5 5505 Laptop issue

[Rudi]

May as well do a little diary given my woes with bare metal COSV. I reinstalled COSV with the intent to daily drive until my subsequent C64x or VIC build. And I ain't giving up simply because the distro is just, plain and simple, my dream distro. I was never a fan of MINT anyways, ha ha.

Not that it is annoying or anything. Far from it. This is the first Linux distro I have touched since Q4OS in 2017-2018.
I have had many issues specific to my device with GPU switching, ACPI bios errors, and some odd hiccups.

Within the span of a few hours recollecting my brain and wrapping around the common commands, I've solved a few things as of reporting my problems in my introduction to the forum.
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First Problem: Compiz Artifacts
The primary problem with a young distro on a newer-ish-maybe laptop with an APU and GPU is that due to power savings,whether it is in the BIOS or kernel, I've experienced some graphical artifacts with the Compiz desktop.

My solution: command line -> xrandr --listproviders -> Provider 0: CPU Graphics / Provider 1: GPU -> xrandr --setprovideroutput source CPUgraphics GPUgraphics -> ENTER -> DRI_PRIME=1

Second Problem: ACPI Bios Error
Usually a common thing with newer desktops and laptops on newer Linux kernels. My laptop had a 50/50 of hardlocking, rebooting and rebooting until it would land to desktop. I believe below is the solution however I could not get a read on what the ACPI BIOS error was correlated to. But this seemed to do the trick.

My solution: GRUB (ohgod)
sudo apt-get install gedit -> gksu gedit /etc/default/grub -> line break after last line, enter these lines without break:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="amdgpu.exp_hw_support=1"

-> sudo grub-update
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For folks running laptops with AMD-AMD setups, this may be a godsend or not. For my Dell G5 5505 SE (Ryzen 9 4900H + Rx 5600M) it did. System is stable, I use SystemD for disabling hibernate and sleep modes on laptop lid close. I've configured GRUB to automatically boot to the latest kernel using systemd and it has worked flawlessly.

However.
My external monitor woes still exist. Loading the OS, sure. My monitor is detected. On desktop, there is no signal nor output detected through xrandr.

I will keep this updated.

[Rudi]

Update: according to lspci -v

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07:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Renoir (rev f0) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
	Subsystem: Dell Renoir
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 57, IOMMU group 6
	Memory at fcc0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
	Memory at fcd0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=2M]
	I/O ports at 1000 [size=256]
	Memory at d0300000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512K]
	Capabilities: <access denied>
	Kernel driver in use: amdgpu
	Kernel modules: amdgpu

My APU is detected as a VGA compatible controller. However.

0

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3:00.0 Display controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Navi 10 [Radeon RX 5600 OEM/5600 XT / 5700/5700 XT] (rev c2)
	Subsystem: Dell Navi 10 [Radeon RX 5600 OEM/5600 XT / 5700/5700 XT]
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 82, IOMMU group 11
	Memory at 600000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=8G]
	Memory at 500000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=2M]
	Memory at d0700000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512K]
	Expansion ROM at d07a0000 [disabled] [size=128K]
	Capabilities: <access denied>
	Kernel driver in use: amdgpu
	Kernel modules: amdgpu

My dGPU is detected as a display controller.
According to xrandr DisplayPort-1 is disconnected on both my mini-DP port and HDMI port (for the sake of argument).

Will keep posted.[/size]

[LeoNigro]

Do you know if the latest Debian works as expected on your laptop?
Because if it does, that's a good argument for me to crank up working on COS3.

I hope you don't mind, but as your hardware is kinda unique I'm going to change the topic heading to be more specific.

[Rudi]

Do you know if the latest Debian works as expected on your laptop?
Because if it does, that's a good argument for me to crank up working on COS3.

I hope you don't mind, but as your hardware is kinda unique I'm going to change the topic heading to be more specific.

Got my hands on the newest Debian and without needing to update the kernel it works flawlessly even with my laptop lid closed. I'm writing this post on my 4:3 external through the HDMI out (GNOME Flashback desktop environment still hits like a champ. I miss it.) Is there any difference in xrandr or how drivers are handled with Debian and COSV that could be causing this? No doubt take your time with the development of COSV3 and in the event I can find a workaround I'm assuredly full-time on this distro. The workaround I had led to graphic artifacts and an insanely low frame rate on modern games with the past 3 versions of Proton and DXVK for non-Steam games. I am led to believe that the Rx5600M can not be used on COSV2 at this time due to a fail in GPU switching.
Trying to input

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xrandr --setprovideroutputsource 0 1

led to an error and

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xrandr --setprovideroffloadsink 0 1

to rectify the GPU switching issue also led to no avail:

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X Error of failed request:  BadValue (integer parameter out of range for operation)
  Major opcode of failed request:  140 (RANDR)
  Minor opcode of failed request:  34 (RRSetProviderOffloadSink)
  Value in failed request:  0x54
  Serial number of failed request:  16
  Current serial number in output stream:  17

But if my external monitor works flawlessly on the latest and version equivalent to COS for Debian, I'm wondering what the issue REALLY is. It's baffling.

[LeoNigro]

Hi Rudi,

Thanks for your input on the forum.
Unfortunately, the latest Debian Bookworm is not version equivalent with Commodore OS based on Debian Bullseye.
The base version changed during COS development and we're starting to see some hardware issues occurring on newer or more obscure hardware.
It isn't an issue for most people though and we're nowhere near an EOL. Whilst most Kernel features are being backported so we can continue to get kernel updates, there are certain things the Debian team have decided are not going to be backported or included, which are affecting newer hardware.

There is a way to update to the latest version....
but it's got a lot of visual hiccups, bugs and breakages at the moment that I need to sort out, if I am to go through with it as a valid upgrade path.
So at the moment I can't recommend it unless you want to have a bad time. Eventually I would want to make it entirely script-able so we can move the user base to the latest Debian version without a hitch.

Currently, as of necessity, my focus is on other things and I can't see myself getting to it until next year.
Perhaps as an advanced user Rudi, you can help. See the forum posting here.
viewtopic.php?t=33