UNRESOLVED - Screen randomly loses resolution/colors

[jamesd]

Ok. Before I waste too much of your time, do you think it's a software issue? If it's hardware I can buy the screen and try it.

I wanted to get screenshots of the display settings and it offered 40hz as an option. Today is the first time I've seen that.

Also, while typing this up, it did the weird resolution thing. I swapped it to one of the other 1360x768 options and it came back on fine.

I appreciate the help. It's a very annoying problem to be having on such a nice laptop. It makes me hesitant to use it for online classes as you need to exit out of the desktop to clear it up.

Thanks again.

James

[jamesd]

Also, I got this...

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package linux-modules-5.8.0-63
E: Couldn't find any package by glob 'linux-modules-5.8.0-63'
E: Unable to locate package linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-63-generic
E: Couldn't find any package by glob 'linux-modules-extra-5.4.0-63-generic'
E: Unable to locate package linux-image-5.8.0-63
E: Couldn't find any package by glob 'linux-image-5.8.0-63'

[Aravisian]

@jamesd

Ok. Before I waste too much of your time, do you think it's a software issue? If it's hardware I can buy the screen and try it.

I have no idea.

But I prefer to exhaust software possibilities as much as we can, since those solutions do not require rushing out and buying something which may or may not work.
I am a mechanic by trade- so yuo can imagine, I have a very low opinion of the "Throw new parts at a problem until the problem goes away" approach.
Proper Diagnostics are the Proper approach.
Sadly, I am better with cars, then I am computers.

Incidentally... Have you upgraded since installing Zorin OS? Just... in case...

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

@jamesd

Unable to locate package linux-modules-5.8.0-63

That is very odd.
I checked the packages in my terminal prior to submitting that post.

Can you open Software & Updates from the app menu and under the section Download from - Check if you are on Main Server.

[jamesd]

It was set to "Main Server for United States." I changed it to Main Server.

It is downloading 13 updates from the sudo apt command now.

What kind of cars do you work on?

[Aravisian]

@jamesd

What kind of cars do you work on?

Classic car mechanic and Restoration. I do, however, begrudgingly work on the New Junk in between

I enjoy the many months that can stretch where we are too busy to take in anything newer than 1970's vehicles.

Since Covid... It has been... interesting...

[jamesd]

That sounds like the ideal way to be a mechanic. I did a short stint at the local Ford dealership and loved it. They got bought out and it turned into a "squeeze the last cent out of everyone you can" thing.

My dad and I both enjoy cars. He's a little more old school hot rodding and I'm a cool old car but focus on racing guy. I'm building an 89 Mustang, he's building a 94 Mustang and my brother just picked up a turbo 92 Mustang.

[Aravisian]

@jamesd

That sounds like the ideal way to be a mechanic. I did a short stint at the local Ford dealership and loved it.

This is a welcome response. the usual reaction I get is the "Oh you're JUST a mechanic."

A lot of people seem to think we don't need to know math to do mechanical. I use calculus more often than trig.
In the shop, when someone comes in with that attitude, I like to point at something like a Dana 7:62 and ask them to toss me the appropriate speed gear. And when they look confused, I say, "Clock is ticking."

[jamesd]

Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.31-0ubuntu9.2) ...
libdvd-pkg: Checking orig.tar integrity...
/usr/src/libdvd-pkg/libdvdcss_1.4.2.orig.tar.bz2: OK
libdvd-pkg: apt-get check failed, you may have broken packages. Aborting...

I'm not sure if this is important or not?

[Aravisian]

sudo apt --fix-broken install

[jamesd]

The mechanic pay scale needs to be adjusted to the times. Factor in the complexity of keeping them reliable, dealing with government regulations, and the fact that the majority of people can no longer change a tire should be making it a much more valuable profession. Not to confuse that with the increase in shop rates over the last few years that really didn't do much to increase actual pay.

[jamesd]

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

[Aravisian]

@jamesd

libdvd-pkg

It looks like this package did not install or is broken from the above.
Can you check with

sudo apt install libdvd-pkg

You may need to run:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure libdvd-pkg

Afterward.

[jamesd]

That might have been successful this time?

ibdvd-pkg: Installing...
Selecting previously unselected package libdvdcss-dev:amd64.
(Reading database ... 280144 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libdvdcss-dev_1.4.2-1~local_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libdvdcss-dev:amd64 (1.4.2-1~local) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libdvdcss2:amd64.
Preparing to unpack .../libdvdcss2_1.4.2-1~local_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libdvdcss2:amd64 (1.4.2-1~local) ...
Setting up libdvdcss2:amd64 (1.4.2-1~local) ...
Setting up libdvdcss-dev:amd64 (1.4.2-1~local) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.31-0ubuntu9.2) ...

[jamesd]

Well I thought it was better but after a few hours it did it again.

Any ideas?

[Aravisian]

Hmmm... This may seem dense but... Have you checked the cables? I recall not long ago, I went through some weirdness only to find that the cable was at fault on mine.

[jamesd]

I have not. I watched a video on getting the screen removed and it seems like a nightmare. It has some sore of double sided tape or something behind the bezel.

I tried hitting escape during the boot up to roll back the driver but it didn't give me any options, it just showed the code loading for bootup. Is there something I missed?

[jamesd]

Plus, it does it while perfectly still just sitting on the table. I did shake it and open and close the screen just to see if it was something like a loose cable and it just seems too random.

[Aravisian]

Gotcha- notebook lid.
On esc, you may try tapping the Left Shift Key furiously instead of esc key.

[carmar]

Edited title.