Display issues on power on

Framework Laptop 13 Linux
1

Hi, I’m having issues with my display on boot for my laptop. I’ve tried a lot of potential fixes, but none have seemed to work. I’ve seen some threads that indicate similar issues, but I’m having trouble figuring out what the best path forward.

Here are the details for my laptop using inxi -F:

  Host: tenochtitlan Kernel: 6.12.25-1-MANJARO arch: x86_64 bits: 64
  Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 6.3.5 Distro: Manjaro Linux
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: Framework product: Laptop (12th Gen Intel Core) v: A4
    serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: Framework model: FRANMACP04 v: A4 serial: <superuser required>
    UEFI: INSYDE v: 03.05 date: 08/23/2022
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT1 charge: 41.3 Wh (94.5%) condition: 43.7/55.0 Wh (79.4%)
CPU:
  Info: 12-core (4-mt/8-st) model: 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1240P bits: 64
    type: MST AMCP cache: L2: 9 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 580 min/max: 400/4400:3300 cores: 1: 580 2: 580 3: 580
    4: 580 5: 580 6: 580 7: 580 8: 580 9: 580 10: 580 11: 580 12: 580 13: 580
    14: 580 15: 580 16: 580
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Alder Lake-P Integrated Graphics driver: i915 v: kernel
  Device-2: Realtek Laptop Camera driver: uvcvideo type: USB
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.16 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.6 driver: X:
    loaded: modesetting dri: iris gpu: i915 s-res: 2256x1504
    resolution: 2256x1504
  API: EGL v: 1.5 drivers: iris,swrast platforms: gbm,x11,surfaceless,device
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 compat-v: 4.5 vendor: intel mesa v: 25.0.5-arch1.1
    renderer: Mesa Intel Graphics (ADL GT2)
  API: Vulkan v: 1.4.309 drivers: intel surfaces: xcb,xlib
  Info: Tools: api: clinfo, eglinfo, glxinfo, vulkaninfo
    de: kscreen-console,kscreen-doctor wl: wayland-info x11: xdpyinfo,xprop
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Alder Lake PCH-P High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel
  API: ALSA v: k6.12.25-1-MANJARO status: kernel-api
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.4.2 status: active
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX210/AX1675 2x2 [Typhoon Peak] driver: iwlwifi
  IF: wlp166s0 state: up mac: 04:cf:4b:1e:25:08
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Intel AX210 Bluetooth driver: btusb type: USB
  Report: rfkill ID: hci0 state: up address: see --recommends
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 1.82 TiB used: 7.93 GiB (0.4%)
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 vendor: Samsung model: SSD 990 PRO 2TB size: 1.82 TiB
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 1.82 TiB used: 7.93 GiB (0.4%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2
  ID-2: /boot/efi size: 299.4 MiB used: 600 KiB (0.2%) fs: vfat
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1
  ID-3: /home size: 1.82 TiB used: 7.93 GiB (0.4%) fs: btrfs
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2
  ID-4: /var/log size: 1.82 TiB used: 7.93 GiB (0.4%) fs: btrfs
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2
Swap:
  Alert: No swap data was found.
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 49.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (rpm): cpu: 3085
Info:
  Memory: total: 32 GiB note: est. available: 31.06 GiB used: 4.3 GiB (13.9%)
  Processes: 382 Uptime: 1d 5h 17m Shell: Zsh inxi: 3.3.38

I believe this is a Framework Laptop 13 DIY edition.
The device worked fine out of the box for a year or so, and I’ve been having this issue since.

The main issue is that I have no display when I power on the device. The backlight usually doesn’t come on until the login screen, and the actual graphics display doesn’t come on until I enter my password. If I use an external display, then usually there will be a display on the external monitor when the backlight would normally come on, but this does not usually occur until the login screen.

In the past when the display worked normally, I would usually see a display with the Framework logo, followed by a boot selection screen (GRUB), and then I would see the boot messages, followed by eventually the login screen. Now I usually have nothing until maybe just before the login screen. Here have been my attempts to rectify the issue throughout the last several months:

  • Enter the BIOS (worked normally), then disable fast boot (or quick boot, whatever it’s called). This did not resolve the issue, and since I’ve made that change I have been unable to access the UEFI or BIOS with a display.
  • Several fix attempts using .config files or messing with the grub settings, none of these worked
  • I bought a new SSD drive and thought that maybe the problem would resolve if I had no OS in the system. When I tried booting with the blank SSD, there was no display.
  • I tried to reset the mainboard several times, including removing the RTC battery to maybe flash the BIOS, no luck.
  • I tried moving the Memory to the other port, no change. I have since moved it back.
  • In order to use my laptop for the time being, I reinstalled Manjaro KDE-Plasma from a USB drive on the new SSD. The boot had no display until the screen for the Manjaro installation, when the backlight came on. I could see a display after I plugged in an external monitor. (For all of these, once I see a display anywhere, the display remains on even if I disconnect monitors). The new installation is working fine except for the same display issue on boot.
  • Looking at the LED for any diagnostic codes, it appears to be 11 or 12 greens followed by 1 red, before flashing green a few more times, blue once, I believe red once, and then solid white.
  • I have tried to boot directly to firmware settings, no luck. (Though the fan does run when the computer is trying to reboot)

My suspicion is a firmware or hardware issue, but I haven’t found anything yet that works. I’m willing to replace a part or two if it gets the issue resolved, including maybe a new memory if that would help. Any ideas?

2

I should also mention, when the display does come on, it flickers 3 or 4 times before it is visible.