linuxboot / linuxboot/heads

Kicksecure ISO live amnesic (USER Session) boot fails on novacustom-v540tu; works on x230 and nv4x_adl

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#2,188 4 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

A pull request for this has already been merged.

  • #2186 by @tlaurion — merged
bug help wanted upstream wontfix
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Description

## Before filing a bug report

Follow-up to #2008 and #2186. #2186 merged in master.

## Hardware details

- Board: **novacustom-v540tu** (failing). Working: x230 (EOL_x230-maximized), novacustom-nv4x_adl.
- GPU: iGPU-only (Intel Meteor Lake, device ID 7d55).
- Heads/Dasharo: `Dasharo Heads-v0.2.1-3144-g7850f7a` (DMI BIOS string), vendor-installed by Novacustom.
- ROM: vendor (Dasharo) image, maximized.

## Please describe the problem

**Describe the bug**

#2186 ("initrd: boot dd-written hybrid ISOs in mount-usb and usb-autoboot") fixes #2008 ("kicksecure iso doesn't boot under Heads") on x230 and novacustom-nv4x_adl. On novacustom-v540tu the Kicksecure ISO fails to boot **only in live-amnesic mode** ("LIVE Mode | USER Session | disposable use"): the machine auto-reboots before/at the LXQt desktop.

**The failure is specific to the live-amnesic USER session.** Non-live-amnesic modes boot fine on the same machine: "LIVE Mode | SYSMAINT Session" (sysmode) boots to console, and the other grub entries are unaffected.

**To Reproduce**

1. Boot the Kicksecure 18 live ISO on novacustom-v540tu via Heads (dd-written hybrid ISO path from #2186).
2. Select "LIVE Mode | USER Session | disposable use".
3. The machine auto-reboots before the desktop.
4. Select "LIVE Mode | SYSMAINT Session" instead: boots to console fine. Both entries work on x230 and novacustom-nv4x_adl.

**Expected behavior**

Live amnesic USER session boots to the LXQt desktop with autologin, as on x230 and nv4x_adl.

**Additional context**

Full sysmode capture (the mode that was successfully logged, since live-amnesic reboots before a capture is possible): https://gist.github.com/tlaurion/f9d3070cd0126a190fe52eec8732c302 (`kicksecure_sysmode_v540tu.log`).

The two modes pass an identical kernel cmdline except the session target (`graphical.target` + autologin vs `systemd.unit=sysmaint-boot.target` + `noautologin`), so the failure is at graphical/display bring-up, not the overlay. The v540tu is the only machine whose i915 driver does not initialize cleanly. Relevant lines from the gist above:

- L1926: `i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] Found METEORLAKE (device ID 7d55) display version 14.00`
- L2360: `i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] [ENCODER:249:DDI B/PHY B] failed to retrieve link info, disabling eDP`
- L2393-L2437: panel power-sequencing WARN + Call Trace:
- L2394: `i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] drm_WARN_ON(intel_dp->pps.vdd_wakeref)`
- L2395: `WARNING: CPU: 8 PID: 1012 at drivers/gpu/drm/i915/display/intel_pps.c:755 intel_pps_vdd_on_unlocked+0x32b/0x340 [i915]`
- L2402: `RIP: 0010:intel_pps_vdd_on_unlocked+0x32b/0x340 [i915]`
- L2414: `Call Trace:` ... `drm_dp_dpcd_probe` / `intel_dp_detect` / `intel_dp_set_edid`
- L3565: `i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] *ERROR* GT1: GSC proxy component didn't bind within the expected timeout`
- L3566: `i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] *ERROR* GT1: GSC proxy handler failed to init`

x230 and nv4x_adl show clean i915 init (zero kernel WARNINGs).

Also noted: the v540tu final ISO cmdline retains `intel_iommu=on` while x230/nv4x_adl strip it, traced to a per-machine `config.user` override (config-gui "Debug/Output" menu) rather than a board-config difference. Unlikely the cause (no DMAR faults on v540tu), but worth checking.

This looks like an upstream i915/Meteor Lake display issue surfaced by the graphical autologin session. Next steps: reproduce in plain Debian trixie, and capture a live-amnesic boot over the Heads serial console to confirm the failure at graphical.target.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with the linked sysmode capture and compare the live-amnesic USER session with the sysmaint path, focusing on graphical.target, autologin, and the i915 warnings. Reproduce on plain Debian trixie and capture the failing boot over the Heads serial console; done means the graphical-session failure is confirmed and its cause is isolated, including whether intel_iommu=on is relevant.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
debian, linux
Domain
desktop, operating-systems
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Active
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
38/100

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