Bug 515011

Created attachment 299403 [details]
This is the Xorg.0.log file that I saved from when the X-Windows was broken

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.9.0.11) Gecko/2009060200 SUSE/3.0.11-0.1.1 Firefox/3.0.11

Hardware: Dell Inspiron 700m with Intel 855 GM graphics card (reported in YAST)

Update intall of OpenSuSE 11.1 over 10.3 went well.  Later, I installed all the online patches, and that seemed to work.  However, after the next reboot, the system failed to enter graphics mode.  The screen had a text based login screen.  I could login both in my user account, or as root, but only had a text terminal.  I tried entering "init 5" and "xinit" to see if the X-Window server could be entered at that point.  Neither worked.  I tried entering "sax2" to see if it could rediscover the graphics hardware, but sax2 failed to open.  I looked at the /var/log/Xorg.0.log and found problems.  I saved the Xorg.0.log file to my NAS (file attached).

I then tried booting into the Safe configuration and found that the X-Windows did work in safe mode.  I tried to enter the YAST/Hardware/Graphics Card and Monitor and fix from there.  Everything looked ok there.  I did change from the detected AEO LCD screen to the Dell laptop LCD screen, but that did not fix.  Since safe mode graphics is not good enough I tried to reinstall.

First, I tried to repair the install with the DVD install repair option, but had no joy.  Then, I tried an upgrade install from DVD, and that did not fix.

I then backed up my personal files to a NAS, and did a new install.  The X-Windows graphics worked again.

To verify the problem, I first backed up my new / partition to the NAS (using dd piped to gzip, stored to NAS).  I did that from a Linux Live CD from a light weight distro I keep around for trouble shooting.  I then started installing patches a few at a time and then rebooting.  I was lucky and found that the only patch that broke the X-Windows was the last one that I installed called "Mesa - X.org Various critical fixes".

After the patch was installed the X-Windows quit working again.  I used the Live CD distro to restore my / partition.  That worked.

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1.Install OpenSuSE on Dell Inspiron 700m
2.Install the "Mesa - X.org Various critical fixes" patch
3.Reboot
Actual Results:  
The system will only boot in text mode (normal kernel boot).  Can boot in X-Windows if boot in safe mode, but that is not very useful.

Expected Results:  
X-Windows continues to work after recommended patches.

It would help very much if there was a way to "undo" patches or restore to known working condition.  I hate to say this but MS Windoz (the evil empire) does have a very workable restore if updates break things.

This was an irritating problem, because the original update install left all my files and settings.  When I had to do a new install my files and settings were at least temporarily lost.  Since I backed up my home dir I can probably reinstall my files and settings, but it will take some time.  

I guess I shouldn't complain, because OpenSuSE is free to download, but I have spent more time on this problem than the cost of the purchased version of OpenSUSE.  By the way, I would be more likely to purchase a DVD if I could buy at my local computer store (I purchsed several earlier versions).  At about the time of 10.3 Novell/SuSE decided to quit offering the consumer level products at commercial computer stores.  I find it too much of a hassle to purchase online.  Perhaps, I should reconsider, so you have more money to test patches.

In general I am a great fan.  Thanks for OpenSuSE.  Please fix this patch soon.

Brian Whatcott