Bug: KDE X11 - Graphics reset / desktop crash when switching screens on Driver 555 (.58.02) - xrandr & kscreen-doctor

Hi,
Since upgrading to Nvidia 555 drivers on KDE,
Whenever I run xrandr or kscreen-doctor to switch between screen configurations, plasmashell and Kwin will crash citing a graphics reset with the message:

“Kwin Window Manager: Desktop effects were restarted due to a graphics reset”

Below is my monitor configuration, when switching the office screens off and my TV in the living room on, the crash will occur. The same will happen when switching screens back to my office.

GPU: ASUS GeForce RTX 3090 OC:

Example command which causes a crash every time:
xrandr --output HDMI-0 --mode 1920x1080 --pos 0x0 --rotate normal --refresh 60 --scale 1x1 --output DP-2 --off --output DP-0 --off --output DP-5 --off --output HDMI-1 --off

It also crashes when using kscreen-doctor to switch.

Wayland doesn’t appear to be affected, switching screens works no problem. However I’m not able to migrate to Wayland due to other significant issues there currently.

OS: Arch Linux
Kernel: Linux 6.10.3-arch1-2
KDE Version: KDE Plasma 6.1.4
Nvidia Driver: 555.58.02

This has been happening since the introduction of 555 drivers as far as I remember.

If I roll the drivers back to 550 or 535 using the package nvidia-535xx-dkms in the AUR the problem goes away.

Below is a journal extract made starting just before I invoked the crash, this was taken about a week ago, I can produce a new one if needs be but the crashing is still occurring the same as it did:

Nvidia bug report as required:
nvidia-bug-report.log.gz (915.7 KB)

Let me know if there is anything else I can supply.

Many thanks for your time in reading this.

Hi @Xeauron
We have filed a bug 4812984 internally for tracking purpose.
I will try to replicate issue locally and will get back to you if required any additional information.

Many thanks.

FYI before I submitted this post I did a full, clean re-install of arch KDE to make sure it wasn’t my configuration at fault in some way.

Once I got the desktop up and running on driver 555 the crashing started occurring. And again, once I installed 550 or lower it stopped again.

Hi @Xeauron
I tried to duplicate issue locally using 3 displays with below commands but did not get exact KDE crash issue.

  1. xrandr --output DP-0 --mode 1920x1080 --pos 0x0 --rotate normal --refresh 60 --scale 1x1 --output DP-2 --off --output DP-4 --off
  2. xrandr --output DP-2 --auto --output DP-4 --auto
  3. xrandr --output DP-2 --auto --right-of DP-0

Is it possible for you to run experiments with 2 or 3 displays connected and share test results.
Also, is KDE crashing every time when you switch screens.

Hi @amrits sure, apologies for the delay. Only just had the chance to do this today.

Results are scattered, sometimes it works, then it doesn’t.

I’ve updated the drivers, so my current setup is:

Kernel: Linux 6.10.6-arch1-1
Driver: 560.35.03 (Open kernel modules NOT used)
Nvidia Kernel Parameters: nvidia_drm.modeset=1 nvidia_drm.fbdev=1

All Kernel Parameters (not including luks & btrfs params):
lsm="landlock,lockdown,yama,integrity,apparmor,bpf" audit=1 loglevel=3 amd_pstate.shared_mem=1 amd_pstate=passive amd_iommu=on iommu=pt vfio_iommu_type1.allow_unsafe_interrupts=1 kvm.ignore_msrs=1 preempt=voluntary nvidia_drm.modeset=1 nvidia_drm.fbdev=1

Screenshot with a bit more info:

I ran some tests using xrandr, they are logged in the order I did them in:

screens connected    |  current screen(s) enabled   |     Screen(s) switched to    |    Retults
        1-4          |              4               |               1              |     Crash
        1-4          |              1               |               4              |     Crash
disconnected screen 4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        1-3          |            1,2,3             |               1              |    Success
        1-3          |              1               |             1,2,3            |    Success  -- (see below)
        1-3          |            1,2,3             |               3              |     Crash
        1-3          |              3               |               1              |     Crash
        1-3          |              1               |             1,2,3            |     Crash   -- Same as above: But crashed
        1-3          |              1               |               2              |     Crash
        1-3          |              2               |               1              |     Crash
disconnected screen 3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        1-2          |             1,2              |               1              |    Success
        1-2          |              1               |               2              |     Crash
        1-2          |              2               |               1              |     Crash
KDE Renderer Fallback (see bottom)                  |                              |
        1-2          |              1               |              1,2             |    Success (but no desktop on screen 2)
disconnected screen 2, connected screen 3 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        1,3          |             1,3              |               1              |    Success
        1,3          |              1               |               3              |     Crash
        1,3          |              3               |               1              |     Crash
        1,3          |              1               |              1,3             |    Success
        1,3          |             1,3              |               3              |     Crash
KDE Renderer Fallback (see bottom)                  |


KDE Renderer Fallback:
KDE Renderer crashed and switched to software mode -- re-enabled hardware mode and restarted plasmashell

Nvidia Bug Report:
nvidia-bug-report.log.gz (1.2 MB)

When using xrandr I specify the screens I want on, and use the off switch (--output DP-0 --off) for any displays not in use, for example:

To enable my TV:

xrandr --output HDMI-0 --mode 1920x1080 --pos 0x0 --rotate normal --refresh 60 --scale 1x1 --output DP-2 --off --output DP-0 --off --output DP-5 --off --output HDMI-1 --off

To enable my office screens and disable my TV:

xrandr --output DP-2 --mode 2560x1440 --pos 0x240 --rotate normal --refresh 120 --output DP-0 --mode 3440x1440 --primary --pos 2560x240 --rotate normal --refresh 120 --output DP-5 --mode 1920x1080 --pos 6000x0 --rotate right --refresh 60 --output HDMI-1 --off

To switch to screen 1 (ASUS):

xrandr --output DP-2 --mode 2560x1440 --pos 0x0 --rotate normal --refresh 120 --output DP-0 --off --output DP-5 --off --output HDMI-1 --off --output HDMI-0 --off

Note: Using the KDE screen configuration to switch between my office displays worked mostly without issue.

I was able to produce a crash when switching from 1,2,3 to 3. And similarly It will crash when switching from any combination or screens 1,2 and 3 to the TV.

Again let me know if there’s any more info I can provide.

Rolling the drivers back to 550.107.02 has fixed the issue. I can switch between any combination of screens without issue.

Thanks.

Hi @Xeauron
Could you please help to test with driver 565.77

https://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86_64/565.77/NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-565.77.run

Hi amrits,
Hope you’re well.

I’m still experiencing crashing unfortunately - I tried a variety of screen combinations.

I’ll have to do some more testing this weekend when I get time and post some journal entries during the crash. I ended up with garbled graphics after one crash (I took a photo - again I will share this weekend in more detail).

Kernel: Linux 6.12.10-arch1-1
Driver: 565.77 dkms (Open kernel modules NOT used)

nvidia-bug-report.log.gz (1.1 MB)

Many thanks

Thanks @Xeauron
Could you please confirm the minimum displays needed to reproduce issue.

Hi @Xeauron
Could you please confirm the minimum displays needed to reproduce issue.

Hi @Xeauron
Could you also please test with driver 570.86.16 and confirm the minimum displays needed to reproduce issue.

Hi @Xeauron
Could you also please test with driver 570.86.16 and confirm the minimum displays needed to reproduce issue.

Hi amrits, apologies for the latent replies, I’ve just not had time recently unfortunately.

I’ve tested with the following config:

Kernel: 6.13.5.arch1-1
Driver: 570.124.04

The system now crashes on initial cold boot (every time). When I hard reset the system it comes up and runs as long as I don’t change the display config.

This occurs with 2 or more displays connected (see my post above on Aug 26 regarding the minimum displays),

If I switch display configurations using xrandr on driver 270 it usually now results in a hard crash. Using the KDE display config the issue is a little better but still results in hard crashes when switching display configs - I can’t seem to nail this down to a frequency of occurrence though - it just seems random.

So it appears the issue has gotten a lot worse.

I’ve reverted back to release 550 which, again, has resolved the issue - though I’m now stuck on that driver release and the LTS kernel 6.12.

Thanks

Hi @Xeauron
Apologize for the late response, I can see kwin_X11 getting crashed on cold boot and reboot sometimes on below setup.

Setup - ASRock TRX40 Taichi + Arch Linux + kernel 6.13.1-arch1-1 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti + Driver 570.124.04 + 2 Displays
1st Display - Asus VG 279qM with resolution 1920x1080 and refresh rate as 60 Hz connected via HDMI
2nd Display - Asus VG27AQML1A with resolution 2560x1440 and refresh rate as 144 Hz connected via DP

However, I am still not able to repro issue while switching between screens, have started an infinite loop and will keep it running for few hours.

xrandr --output DP-2 --mode 2560x1440 --pos 0x0 --rotate normal --refresh 144 --scale 1x1 --output HDMI-0 --off
xrandr --output HDMI-0 --mode 1920x1080 --pos 0x0 --rotate normal --refresh 60 --scale 1x1 --output DP-2 --off

Could you please share output of command (coredumpctl info kwin_x11) when you see the crash.

Hi @Xeauron
As per my earlier comment, could you please share output of command (coredumpctl info kwin_x11) when you see the crash.

Hi @Xeauron
As per my earlier comment, could you please share output of command (coredumpctl info kwin_x11) when you see the crash.