Non-used GPU causing login problems?

[CompleteLinuxNoob]

Total linux noob here. Here's a quick back story. I have a Toshiba S70B laptop with a dedicated gpu (AMD Radeon R9 M265X, 2GB). The only change I've made to the laptop was to swap out the HD for an SSD (500GB). I installed Windows 10 clean install. Several times. Kept running into problems where the system would just lock up (stupid blue screen with the qr code (whatever that thing is)). Eventually realized it was a bad graphics driver. Tried earlier versions, etc. Kept happening.

Clean installs about 7 or 8 times in a two month period. I eventually disabled the discrete gpu through Device Manager. No more issues.

Last week I decided I wanted to try linux to see if I could do all my daily jobs with linux (and Wine when needed). I used a partition program to free up some GBs and created a dual boot laptop. Linux partition has 500 MB Boot/EFI, 4GB swap, 40 GB root and 100 GB home partitions. Installed Kubuntu 19.04 minimal. Updated, used etc. No issues. Then last week an update failed. It gave me this warning (there was other stuff but I think this is the important one).

"W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/amdgpu/vega20_ta.bin for module amdgpu"

The the login/power failure problem began. I boot up, go to Ubuntu, and sometimes it will just shut down. Most times it will show login screen. I start to type and the system stops. Typing does nothing. Mouse doesn't move. Then about 20 or 30 seconds later, it shuts down. I restart, try again. If I can get the password typed in time, it'll log in and I can use the system. Sometimes this takes 5 or more retries.

So I changed login to automatic for my account. Now it'll start to log in and sometimes it'll freeze up (you'll actually see the screen freeze where the login part is disappearing and the taskbar is being displayed both at the same time, frozen).

Once I am successful at loggin in, the system will run with zero issues. I went to System Settings, Driver Manager. This results in this message: "Driver management software. Your computer requires no proprietary drivers"

But if I'm not using a proprietary driver, why am I receiving the "possible missing firmware..." message?

I am willing to try using the gpu in linux but am unsure how to try downloading/installing/etc. Or is there another way to simply have the system ignore the gpu? I do have two external monitors connected. However, they work once the system is running.

And this might not be a gpu issue because once the login process completes the system runs fine. No issues that I can recall. Just usually takes multiple attempts before I can get in.

Again, this is my first attempt at linux. Well, not entirely true... I did try it once about 5 years ago with regular Ubuntu but only for about two days). If you can provide any help, suggestions, etc., please explain it to me like I'm four years old.

Thank you.

[claydoh]

The missing firmware warning is informational, and only relevant if you have the card specified - a Vega 20 - which you do not have.
As it is an AMD gpu, you do not need a proprietary video driver, as the open source on is the best, and already installed. (there are proprietary drivers, but they are intended for professional workstation usage, and AMD actually bases these on the open source drivers).

Something tells me this is maybe a hardware issue or bug, maybe it is switching GPUs at the login screen or something. The proper way to disable the discrete GPU would be in the bios, and thus switching to the on-board Intel graphics, assuming it is an Intel laptop, and seeing if things are more stable there. Unless you have done this, you have been using the AMD gpu the whole time already, but hybrid dual graphics systems seem to me to be a little bit more prone to anomalies.

Also, you don't say what part of the update failed, and whether or not you have updated successfully since then. Maybe something has not been installed that is a bit important.

I would also looking to see if there is a bios update, and try physically switching to the Intel graphics. You won't need to modify your OS at all, as the Intel driver is already built in like the AMD one is so there is nothing to install or set up.

[vinnywright]

I'm with @claydoh on the possible update failure.

since you state

Installed Kubuntu 19.04 minimal. Updated, used etc. No issues. Then last week an update failed.

get logged in , then open a konsole and do

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

if errors post them , ALL of them .

if it goes through , good , dose the problem persist ?

VINNY

[CompleteLinuxNoob]

@claydoh and @vinnywright - Thank you both for the help.

I went into BIOS and my laptop has no settings for the video card.

I have run updates since the last one before the lockups started. The only errors I have received is when the updates are "locked" because another program is accessing it. I am guess that is when the system software is running the update process itself.

The problem is persisting. I boot up, select the Ubuntu option from the menu, and it'll start booting. I'll see "Kubuntu" (with the blueish outline). Something flashes for less than a second (line of text a couple of lines below the kubuntu image). Then I'll see the circle indicator. It will usually freeze during this time. Sometimes it'll start loading the desktop (I'll see the background image of the desktop, the taskbar, etc). But the circle progress bar will freeze. Then I have to do a hard reset.

I can also choose during bootup to go with the other options, and choose the second line. From there I do clean, package and fchk. Then reboot. I'll need to use the power button as the reset itself doesn't work.

Usually I have to do the regular restart 5 or 6 times before the login will be successful. Once I'm in the system usually runs with no issues. I can watch videos, listen to music, run updates, browse the web, etc. No issues.

I *think* the issue is with the video card for only one reason. On the Windows partition, a couple of months ago I started have it lockup and give me the blue screen with the QR Code image. Run for 5 minutes, lockup. Run for 1 hour, lockup. Etc. Eventually I realized that the AMD video card was causing the problem. I disabled the card/driver via Device Manager. And I have had zero problems since then.

I understand it could be something else. It just seems strange that on the Windows side disabling the dedicated GPU solved the problem.

Is there any way of knowing what locked up while it is trying to boot? Some sort of log or something?

Again, total noob here so please excuse any dumb questions that I ask.

[Don B. Cilly]

A good place to start could be
dmesg -T
Lots of boot information. Red entries can be problematic.

dmesg -T >dmesg.txt
would generate a text file in your /home dir with no colours but easy to search.

Another thing that could be useful would be to boot in "text" mode.
The output is too fast to read, but if something "hangs", you notice it immediately.

To do that... edit /etc/default/grub. It's a text file.
Change
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
to
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=""
and then do
sudo update-grub