Unable to disable simple-framebuffer on the host

skal · Mar 26, 2025

Hi all,
I'm getting mad. please help me.

# cat /etc/default/grub
# If you change this file, run 'update-grub' afterwards to update
# /boot/grub/grub.cfg.
# For full documentation of the options in this file, see:
# info -f grub -n 'Simple configuration'

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
GRUB_TIMEOUT=5
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
#GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet intel_iommu=on iommu=pt video=efifb:off,simplefb:off,vesafb:off nomodeset"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

# cat /etc/kernel/cmdline
root=ZFS=rpool/ROOT/pve-1 boot=zfs intel_iommu=on iommu=pt video=efifb:off,simplefb:off,vesafb:off nomodeset

# update-initramfs -u
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-9-pve
Running hook script 'zz-proxmox-boot'..
Re-executing '/etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-proxmox-boot' in new private mount namespace..
Copying and configuring kernels on /dev/disk/by-uuid/CAEF-0D0A
Copying kernel and creating boot-entry for 6.8.12-4-pve
Copying kernel and creating boot-entry for 6.8.12-9-pve
Copying and configuring kernels on /dev/disk/by-uuid/CAF0-5A84
Copying kernel and creating boot-entry for 6.8.12-4-pve
Copying kernel and creating boot-entry for 6.8.12-9-pve

# proxmox-boot-tool refresh
Running hook script 'proxmox-auto-removal'..
Running hook script 'zz-proxmox-boot'..
Re-executing '/etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-proxmox-boot' in new private mount namespace..
Copying and configuring kernels on /dev/disk/by-uuid/CAEF-0D0A
Copying kernel and creating boot-entry for 6.8.12-4-pve
Copying kernel and creating boot-entry for 6.8.12-9-pve
Copying and configuring kernels on /dev/disk/by-uuid/CAF0-5A84
Copying kernel and creating boot-entry for 6.8.12-4-pve
Copying kernel and creating boot-entry for 6.8.12-9-pve

# cat /etc/modprobe.d/i915.conf
options i915 force_probe=46d4 options enable_guc=3

# reboot

After all this changes,

# lspci -nn | grep VGA
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N [Intel Graphics] [8086:46d4]

but if I try

# lsmod | grep i915

is empty, and the simple-FB is still loaded instead of i915...

# dmesg | grep -i "i915\|drm\|gpu"
[ 0.644808] ACPI: bus type drm_connector registered
[ 0.648990] [drm] Initialized simpledrm 1.0.0 20200625 for simple-framebuffer.0 on minor 0
[ 0.650629] simple-framebuffer simple-framebuffer.0: [drm] fb0: simpledrmdrmfb frame buffer device
[ 5.380079] systemd[1]: Starting modprobe@drm.service - Load Kernel Module drm...
[ 5.418898] systemd[1]: modprobe@drm.service: Deactivated successfully.
[ 5.419768] systemd[1]: Finished modprobe@drm.service - Load Kernel Module drm.
[ 5.735267] RAPL PMU: hw unit of domain pp1-gpu 2^-14 Joules

Any idea how to fix it?

BobhWasatch · Mar 26, 2025

Some questions:

I guess this is an N100/150? Perhaps you could provide more HW details?
Have you tried just doing 'modprobe i915? Any errors?

For comparison's sake, I have a Beelink N100 mini-pc. It has this GPU:

Code:

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N [UHD Graphi
cs] [8086:46d1]

[    1.900828] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] Found ALDERLAKE_P/ADL-N (device ID 46d1) display version 13.00 stepping D0

It auto-loads the i915 driver and everything works fine, with no special kernel parameters, but it does not run PVE, it runs Debian 12 with a kernel from backports (6.12.12). I had some issues with the video until I updated the kernel and firmware but IIRC I was able to get a display before. Here is the firmware info from the kernel:

Code:

[    1.909950] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] Finished loading DMC firmware i915/adlp_dmc.bin (v2.20)

Sorry I can't be more specific but maybe this gives you some things to investigate.

skal · Mar 26, 2025

Hello @BobhWasatch and @Kingneutron
Some questions:

BobhWasatch said:
I guess this is an N100/150? Perhaps you could provide more HW details?

Have you tried just doing 'modprobe i915? Any errors?

For comparison's sake, I have a Beelink N100 mini-pc. It has this GPU:

Code:

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N [UHD Graphi cs] [8086:46d1] [ 1.900828] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] Found ALDERLAKE_P/ADL-N (device ID 46d1) display version 13.00 stepping D0

It auto-loads the i915 driver and everything works fine, with no special kernel parameters, but it does not run PVE, it runs Debian 12 with a kernel from backports (6.12.12). I had some issues with the video until I updated the kernel and firmware but IIRC I was able to get a display before. Here is the firmware info from the kernel:

Code:

[ 1.909950] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] Finished loading DMC firmware i915/adlp_dmc.bin (v2.20)

Sorry I can't be more specific but maybe this gives you some things to investigate.

You are totaly right about the HW, it is a minipc based on a N150.

$ lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N Processor Host Bridge/DRAM Registers
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N [Intel Graphics]
00:0d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N Thunderbolt 4 USB Controller
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N PCH USB 3.2 xHCI Host Controller
00:14.2 RAM memory: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N PCH Shared SRAM
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N PCH HECI Controller
00:17.0 SATA controller: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N SATA AHCI Controller
00:1a.0 SD Host controller: Intel Corporation Device 54c4
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N PCI Express Root Port
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N PCI Express Root Port #4
00:1c.6 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N PCI Express Root Port
00:1d.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N PCI Express Root Port
00:1d.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N PCI Express Root Port
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N PCH eSPI Controller
00:1f.3 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N PCH High Definition Audio Controller
00:1f.4 SMBus: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N SMBus
00:1f.5 Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-N SPI (flash) Controller

01:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller: Shenzhen Longsys Electronics Co., Ltd. Lexar NM610 PRO NVME SSD (DRAM-less) (rev 01)

02:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller: Shenzhen Longsys Electronics Co., Ltd. Lexar NM610 PRO NVME SSD (DRAM-less) (rev 01)

03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Wi-Fi 7(802.11be) AX1775*/AX1790*/BE20*/BE401/BE1750* 2x2 (rev 1a)
04:00.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation Ethernet Controller I226-V (rev 04)
05:00.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation Ethernet Controller I226-V (rev 04)

This is a second minipc and the first works like charm. This one I don't know why the video card is not detected as it should.
The fact is that even forcing the i915 module

$ cat /etc/modules
# /etc/modules: kernel modules to load at boot time.
#
# This file contains the names of kernel modules that should be loaded
# at boot time, one per line. Lines beginning with "#" are ignored.
# Parameters can be specified after the module name.
i915
$ cat /etc/modules-load.d/modules.conf
# /etc/modules: kernel modules to load at boot time.
#
# This file contains the names of kernel modules that should be loaded
# at boot time, one per line. Lines beginning with "#" are ignored.
# Parameters can be specified after the module name.
i915
$ lsmod |grep i9
i915 3936256 0
drm_buddy 20480 1 i915
ttm 98304 1 i915
drm_display_helper 225280 1 i915
cec 90112 2 drm_display_helper,i915
i2c_algo_bit 16384 1 i915
video 77824 1 i915

the card is not detected as it should.

# journalctl -xe | grep -i i915
Mar 26 08:04:34 pmxnas systemd-modules-load[426]: Inserted module 'i915'
# dmesg | grep -i "i915\|drm\|gpu"

[    0.000000] Command line: initrd=\EFI\proxmox\6.8.12-9-pve\initrd.img-6.8.12-9-pve root=ZFS=rpool/ROOT/pve-1 boot=zfs intel_iommu=on iommu=pt video=efifb:off,simplefb:off,vesafb:off  i915.modeset=1

[    0.086245] Kernel command line: initrd=\EFI\proxmox\6.8.12-9-pve\initrd.img-6.8.12-9-pve root=ZFS=rpool/ROOT/pve-1 boot=zfs intel_iommu=on iommu=pt video=efifb:off,simplefb:off,vesafb:off  i915.modeset=1

[ 0.653283] ACPI: bus type drm_connector registered
[ 0.658362] [drm] Initialized simpledrm 1.0.0 20200625 for simple-framebuffer.0 on minor 0
[ 0.659956] simple-framebuffer simple-framebuffer.0: [drm] fb0: simpledrmdrmfb frame buffer device
[ 5.067050] systemd[1]: Starting modprobe@drm.service - Load Kernel Module drm...
[ 5.112713] systemd[1]: modprobe@drm.service: Deactivated successfully.
[ 5.113766] systemd[1]: Finished modprobe@drm.service - Load Kernel Module drm.

I can add more. I've tried to install ubuntu and truenas scale on the same pc, and with this OS everything seems detected as it should!
Any other idea?

BobhWasatch · Mar 27, 2025

The only idea I have is to try the optional 6.11 kernel and see if that detects your GPU.

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Unable to disable simple-framebuffer on the host

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