# The Ubuntu Forum Community > Ubuntu Specialised Support > Ubuntu Development Version > [ubuntu] 13.04 and Low Graphics mode

## AlanR8

This is beginning to <snip> me off.

Acer Aspire 5742 that has "Intel HD Graphics" falls to low graphics mode at the drop of a hat. It will not boot beyond the warning screens and I have to go to recovery mode then I get the low graphics desktop loaded.

NOT good.

I can fix it but sometimes I have to reinstall ubuntu-desktop, and sometimes unity-greeter. It just took an hour to get to the proper desktop. 

It's a fully patched version of 13.04 with:




> sudo apt-get install preload sysinfo desktop-webmail gm-notify indicator-weather vlc gconf-editor gnome-tweak-tool


installed and Ubuntu Restricted Extras.

Any thoughts?

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## ubuntukid

I had the exact same problem with my Lenovo Thinkpad Edge 13 with Intel integrated graphics. Unfortunately, I don't think I can provide any useful logs as I've reinstalled Ubuntu 12.10 now.

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## celluloid

> This is beginning to pi** me off.
> 
> Acer Aspire 5742 that has "Intel HD Graphics" falls to low graphics mode at the drop of a hat. It will not boot beyond the warning screens and I have to go to recovery mode then I get the low graphics desktop loaded.
> 
> NOT good.
> 
> I can fix it but sometimes I have to reinstall ubuntu-desktop, and sometimes unity-greeter. It just took an hour to get to the proper desktop. 
> 
> It's a fully patched version of 13.04 with:
> ...


I've been having this exact issue with my Dell laptop & Intel graphics. I'm pretty sure there's some major work going on with the xorg-intel drivers at the moment.
Luckily, I'm running btrfs & using btrfs-apt-snapshot - so every time this has happened, I've just mounted a previous snapshot and got myself back up and running. I then wait a few hours to a day before I update again and it seems to fix the problem.

No idea what's ACTUALLY going on here, it's definitely weird. I also sometimes get an X session and can see my mouse cursor, but the screen is completely black and forcing a lightdm restart doesn't help either.

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## nomenkultur

edit: (wasn't explicit)

 I can confirm that, since I updated to this 2.21.2 I have been getting strange artifacts and graphic glitches in menus, chromium, etc...
 There's something shady going on with intel drivers...

http://youtu.be/JUkrmbrvk_o

 the others are hard to replicate since when you move the mouse they return to normal etc

[    18.851] (II) LoadModule: "intel"
[    18.852] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/intel_drv.so
[    18.852] (II) Module intel: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[    18.853]     compiled for 1.13.2, module version = 2.21.2
[    18.853]     Module class: X.Org Video Driver


A few hours ago in the 'software update' app the updates in the 'ubuntu base' were not just a new intel driver but also a new kernel.


 I would just download the latest live image and install from there,  surprisingly for me even after multiple kernel updates etc everything has been stable but it does get tiring having to download 100 megs of updates every 2 days or so.

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## cariboo

> I can confirm that.
> 
> [    18.851] (II) LoadModule: "intel"
> [    18.852] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/intel_drv.so
> [    18.852] (II) Module intel: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
> [    18.853]     compiled for 1.13.2, module version = 2.21.2
> [    18.853]     Module class: X.Org Video Driver
> 
> 
> ...


Most of us here, update at least a couple of times a day, I personally have synaptic on a different workspace, and continue doing something else while the update is done.

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## AlanR8

nomenkultur

Updated at about 16:30 GMT today and picked up the new driver and kernel. On reboot, straight to low graphics mode! This time it was a re-install of greeter that got me up and running.

Am working away from home so I suspect I won't be rebooting until I get home this weekend when I can reinstall from clean if necessary.

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## nomenkultur

R8 I think it's best to stay away from this intel 2.21 driver release....


 my advise would be to try to get a 13.04 live cd from last week and when using software update:

  in ubuntu base, deselect the intel 2.21.2 driver


 too many glitches and regressions.... even here in a simple g45


 They must be optimizing these drivers for ivy bridge or newer hardware and it's breaking/glitching our older laptop cards

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## Brucey99

I have a Dell XPS 15z with Intel integrated graphics and having the same issues.

It's strange because it installed fine and I logged into the system the first time and used the desktop with no issues. It is only after restarting that it will not boot without the graphic error.




> edit: (wasn't explicit)
> A few hours ago in the 'software update' app the updates in the 'ubuntu base' were not just a new intel driver but also a new kernel.


This did not fix the issue for me.

I recommend anyone to boot in recovery mode to access the desktop. Then run any updates every now and then to see if it fixes it. I will keep doing this and post any updates.

In the mean time, as I do have access to the desktop in recovery mode, is there anything I can do to locate the issue? Should I post a bug report?

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## jbicha

Perhaps this is a problem with SNA which has been enabled by default for raring.

Add (or edit if it already exists) */etc/X11/xorg.conf* and I think this is the code you need:


```
Section "Device"
   Identifier  "Intel Graphics"
   Driver      "intel"
   Option      "AccelMethod"  "uxa"
EndSection
```

And then reboot. If that works, please run ubuntu-bug and choose Display to file a bug. The Ubuntu X developers really want to know about these problems.

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## Brucey99

> Perhaps this is a problem with SNA which has been enabled by default for raring.
> 
> Add (or edit if it already exists) */etc/X11/xorg.conf* and I think this is the code you need:
> 
> 
> ```
> Section "Device"
>    Identifier  "Intel Graphics"
>    Driver      "intel"
> ...


IT WORKED!  :Very Happy: 

You genius  :Wink: 

I already submitted a bug report using those instructions. Although I did do it whilst in recovery mode - will that effect the report? Or should I submit a new report whilst logged in normally now?

Thanks jbicha

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## nomenkultur

Bicha but I have been using SNA since that SNA thread (a couple of months I believe) and only after updating to this new driver I have been getting this weird artifacts and glitches

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## Starks

Intel was wonky a few days ago, but it's fine now.

The bottom of Firefox kept having this artifact where it bounced up and down nonstop.

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## AlanR8

jbicha

Thanks for that it seems to have worked, in that I've just rebooted for the first time this week and all has come back as it should!

I'll not mark the thread solved just yet though........

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## ventrical

The Feb11th live iso is working just great here on my old Dell Inspiron B130.

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ uname -a
Linux ubuntu 3.8.0-6-generic #11-Ubuntu SMP Mon Feb 11 16:03:48 UTC 2013 i686 i686 i686 GNU/Linux
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ 


   resources: irq:0
        *-display:0
             description: VGA compatible controller
             product: Mobile 915GM/GMS/910GML Express Graphics Controller
             vendor: Intel Corporation
             physical id: 2
             bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
             version: 03
             width: 32 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pm vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
             configuration: driver=i915 latency=0

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## Brucey99

> Thanks for that it seems to have worked, in that I've just rebooted for the first time this week and all has come back as it should!
> 
> I'll not mark the thread solved just yet though........


This doesn't really fix/solve the issue, it's more of a work around I guess

To help get the issue fixed, if you wouldn't mind, please run *Ubuntu-bug* and file a display bug now you have access to your system.

This is what I did, as suggested by jbircha: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...l/+bug/1125759

There may be similarities between our configs. But remember, we could all be having different unrelated issues in this thread.

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## AlanR8

Reverted to 12.10 today as I could NOT get 13.04 to work reliably. Hopefully I'll get back there ag=fter the full release.

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## kuvanito

jbicha work around saved me from now
i am also testing 13.04 on an xps m1330 
so far so good  :Smile:

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## Brucey99

jbicha's work around no longer works for me, well it's very hit and miss

we believe this is the bug though: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...rm/+bug/982889 and the work around in comment #5 works everytime for me

If you can't boot, try booting in recovery mode, then *Alt+F2* and run *gksudo nautilus*

find and edit */etc/init/lightdm.conf

*find line

*exec lightdm*

and add this on the line above it

*sleep 10*

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## meborc

I'm also running into this issue when booting up.

I get around it by ctrl+alt+F2 to terminal and then 

```
sudo service lightdm restart
```

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## AlanR8

Hey

Back again with a clean install of 13.04 and guess what, all the same issues!

Then I tried the scripting as in Brucey99's post above:




> If you can't boot, try booting in recovery mode, then Alt+F2 and run gksudo nautilus
> 
> find and edit /etc/init/lightdm.conf
> 
> find line
> 
> exec lightdm
> 
> and add this on the line above it
> ...


and all seems to be well!

Still won't mark the thread closed, not fully convinced just yet!

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## AlanR8

Still working!!!

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## cariboo

> Hey
> 
> Back again with a clean install of 13.04 and guess what, all the same issues!
> 
> Then I tried the scripting as in Brucey99's post above:
> 
> 
> 
> and all seems to be well!
> ...


Unfortunately the Mark as solved plugin isn't installed yet, so you can't mark this thread as solved for the time being.

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## Kajover

I added this to */etc/X11/xorg.conf* and it works now.



```
Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Intel Graphics"
	Driver		"intel"
	Option		"AccelMethod"	"sna"
	Option		"TearFree"	"true"
EndSection
```

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## MikeM6244

I have an XPS 15z, too.

How does 13.04 work compared to 12.10? I had to do a lot of fidgeting to get it to run 12.10.

Does it work from boot with 13.04?

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## galadrin

Hi, i have the same problem on my Dell vostro 3360.
Have test all the solution but no one working for me  :Sad:  
Will try a clean install.

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## user_of_gnomes

> IT WORKED! 
> 
> You genius 
> 
> I already submitted a bug report using those instructions. Although I did do it whilst in recovery mode - will that effect the report? Or should I submit a new report whilst logged in normally now?
> 
> Thanks jbicha


Can you link to your bug report? I submitted one as well.

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