Black Screen - I can't even see grub, I can't see anything

[BlackLaptopScreen]

My laptop screen is completely black and I need help to investigate the issue.

Yesterday I was programming as every other day, suddenly some horizontal black stripes appeared on my laptop. I found it annoying and tried to fix it by messing with the "screen settings" configuration on Garuda. I deactivated the main monitor and activated it again. I did the same for the external monitor. Didn't work.

I rebooted the computer.

Now both monitors are black. I can't do anything.

The company that manufactured my notebook claimed that Garuda Linux may have downloaded and installed an Intel or Nvidia driver that is incompatible with my video card, which is why my notebook screen is black.

I have two SSDs, one with Garuda Linux, the other has Windows.

When I turn my computer on, normally the grub would appear. But now, even the grub does not appear, the screen is black.

But I know that the first grub option is Garuda, and the third grub option is Windows. After I turned the computer on, I pressed down arrow twice and pressed enter, and the computer booted on Windows.

The laptop is still black, but the external monitor is working on Windows. I asked help on Telegram to recover my linux files, a friendly Garuda member sent me a brtfs driver, I downloaded it on Windows and I recovered my Garuda Linux files and made a full backup.

Now I need help on how to proceed. I am not sure what is the cause of the problem. Today, I rebooted the computer 100 times, and one of them Garuda Linux worked and both monitors were working! Woohoo, I went to eat something, after 10 minutes, the idle screen was activated by Garuda, and the black screen never disappeared anymore from both monitors.

I still can boot on Windows and use the external monitor.

My question is: is this a physical problem of the laptop screen? Is this a driver incompatibility issue (as the manufacturer claims)? What should I test, what should I investigate?

I would appreciate any input on this. Thanks.

[SGS]

Just search, like the template say, in forum, web, etc. for "black screen".

Post here your garuda-inxi as text and also the answers you got in telegram.

[petsam]

@BlackLaptopScreen

My question is: is this a physical problem of the laptop screen? Is this a driver incompatibility issue (as the manufacturer claims)?

Since you have a black screen when not having an external monitor plugged in, it is probably a HW problem.

@BlackLaptopScreen

what should I investigate?

You have at least two ways.

1. Boot with a Garuda installer USB. If it boots properly, post system info and logs. Also get logs from your installed system, after mounting Garuda partition. Read how:
   systemd/Journal - ArchWiki
2. Boot to BIOS/UEFI setup. If the display is working, check whether there was settings reset (usually after a WinOS update ).

[BlackLaptopScreen]

I have been searching on the web for "black screen", but I didn't find any solution to my problem.
"Post here your garuda-inxi as text and also the answers you got in telegram."

My screen is black, i.e., it is not possible to see any pixel on the screen. I can not run this command without seeing anything on the screen.

[SGS]

Computer doesn’t boot, boots to a black screen, or stops at a message

While there are many potential reasons why your installation doesn’t boot to a desktop, the primary reason is that the graphics drivers haven’t loaded correctly so your login/display manager (DM) doesn’t start. This is why you get a “black screen” or stuck at an [ OK ] Started some service message. The normal reason for this is that you have the incorrect driver version for the kernel. This can happens when the mirror you are updating from is not fully synchronised, or times out, and so y…

Try also all TTY screens, sometimes TTY7 give me the login screen.

[BlackLaptopScreen]

Since you have a black screen when not having an external monitor plugged in, it is probably a HW problem.

Yes, I also think that, but I am not completely sure.

Boot with a Garuda installer USB. If it boots properly, post system info and logs. Also get logs from your installed system, after mounting Garuda partition. Read how

I will try that.

1. Boot to BIOS/UEFI setup. If the display is working, check whether there was settings reset (usually after a WinOS update ).

It is impossible to do that one because the display is not working.

[BlackLaptopScreen]

You are referring to GitHub - piotrmurach/tty-screen: Terminal screen detection - cross platform, major ruby interpreters, right?

[SGS]

Black screen since grub

Maybe you should change the title if you can’t see grub or the installer menu of the live ISO.

@BlackLaptopScreen

right?

No, TTY7 as sample is
Ctrl + Alt + F7
No install needed.

But how petsam wrote, it seems to be a hardware problem.

[BluishHumility]

There is no way for me to know, but it sounds suspiciously like a bad graphics card.

@BlackLaptopScreen

Intel or Nvidia

Try to remove the Nvidia card and see if you can boot on the Intel graphics.

[petsam]

@BlackLaptopScreen

It is impossible to do that one because the display is not working

Then, there are two things.
Either this is a HW failure (monitor), or you have to reset UEFI/BIOS firmware, as described in the User Manual.
Do the latter to confirm or not the former.

[mrvictory]

If I remember correctly, you can boot to UEFI setup by pressing up arrow once and enter on GRUB menu. UEFI entry shoukd be on the bottom and hitting up arrow should cycle back from top to bottom.
On GRUB, hit down arrow three times and enter, this should hopefully take you to your firmware interface.