I have a puzzling problem and I have run out of ideas on where to look for a cause, let alone a fix.
My preferred Linux distro is EndeavourOS (Arch Linux derivative), which offers a regular kernel (currently 6.11; previously 6.10) and an lts-kernel (6.6), which I run on two laptops, a System 76 Darter Pro (darp8) and an Asus Vivobook. My preferred desktop is Cinnamon. The System76 has Open Firmware with Coreboot; the Asus has a traditional BIOS.
On the System76, the regular kernel (both 6.11 and 6.10 before it) hangs while booting if Cinnamon is installed. If Cinnamon is not installed, it boots fine. If I first install EndeavourOS with Plasma, it boots and runs fine, and then if I install Cinnamon it hangs. If I install EndeavourOS with Cinnamon, it hangs on that first post-installation boot. The lts kernel boots and runs fine, and both kernels boot and run fine on the Asus. While I am happy with the lts-kernel, I am concerned as to what will happen when the lts kernel moves to 6.10 & up.
Looking at the syslog (with journalctl -b -1), these are the lines that seem marginally interesting:
... kernel: ACPI Error: AE_NOT_FOUND, While resolving a named reference package element - \_SB_.PCI0.SRAM (20240322/dspkginit-438)
... kernel: ACPI Error: AE_NOT_FOUND, While resolving a named reference package element - \_SB_.PCI0.HEC1 (20240322/dspkginit-438)
... kernel: ACPI Error: AE_NOT_FOUND, While resolving a named reference package element - \_SB_.PCI0.FSPI (20240322/dspkginit-438)
... kernel: ACPI Error: AE_NOT_FOUND, While resolving a named reference package element - \_SB_.PCI0.PEG0.MCHC (20240322/dspkginit-438)
... kernel: ACPI Error: AE_NOT_FOUND, While resolving a named reference package element - \_SB_.PCI0.RP01.MCHC (20240322/dspkginit-438)
... kernel: ACPI Error: AE_NOT_FOUND, While resolving a named reference package element - \_SB_.PCI0.RP08.MCHC (20240322/dspkginit-438)
... kernel: framebuffer coreboot10: probe with driver framebuffer failed with error -17
... kernel: BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: 0000000300000031
... kernel: #PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode
... kernel: #PF: error_code(0x0000) - not-present page
... kernel: platform regulatory.0: Direct firmware load for regulatory.db failed with error -2
The solutions suggested by posts (mostly on the Arch forum, and mostly having to do with framebuffer conflicts) which I tried did not work. What has me scratching my head is the Cinnamon dependency, since sddm should come up first to handle logins before Cinnamon is started.
Suggestions welcome on where to start troubleshooting. Thank you very much in advance.
Regards
– Bhaskar