System freezes on SDDM login

Issues & Assistance
,
1

I updated my machine using the update command in a terminal. I shutdown my machine and then powered on my machine an hour or 2 later. My system seizes at SDDM login upon powering on my machine. I cannot switch to TTY. I reverted to the snapshot before the update I get the same problem. I reverted to a snapshot back on 09/23 when I never had a problem yet the SDDM login screen still freezes. I boot into recovery image and printed garuda-inxito a file.

I’ve ran into this problem before after running garuda-fix and it installed different nvidia drivers. I booted into a previous snapshot and I could log in and install the nvidia-open-lts which has always been stable but something happened with this update.

I ran nvidia-smi in recovery mode and the card shows up.

garuda-inxi:

System:
  Kernel: 6.12.48-1-lts arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 15.2.1 clocksource: tsc
    avail: acpi_pm parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/@/boot/vmlinuz-linux-lts
    root=UUID=32d37909-96c4-4cf7-9a19-78bc2be4e2b4 rw single rootflags=subvol=@
    vt.default_red=30,243,166,249,137,245,148,186,88,243,166,249,137,245,148,166
    vt.default_grn=30,139,227,226,180,194,226,194,91,139,227,226,180,194,226,173
    vt.default_blu=46,168,161,175,250,231,213,222,112,168,161,175,250,231,213,200
  Console: tty 1 DM: SDDM Distro: Garuda base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: HP product: OMEN by HP Laptop 15-dc1xxx v: N/A serial: <filter> Chassis:
    type: 10 serial: <filter>
  Mobo: HP model: 8575 v: 21.12 serial: <filter> part-nu: 7RP99UA#ABA
    uuid: 39444335-3333-5937-5a46-f8b46aafc77c UEFI: AMI v: F.12 date: 06/10/2019
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i7-9750H socket: BGA1440 (U3E1) note: check bits: 64 type: MT MCP
    arch: Coffee Lake gen: core 9 level: v3 note: check built: 2018 process: Intel 14nm family: 6
    model-id: 0x9E (158) stepping: 0xA (10) microcode: 0xFA
  Topology: cpus: 1x dies: 1 clusters: 6 cores: 6 threads: 12 tpc: 2 smt: enabled cache:
    L1: 384 KiB desc: d-6x32 KiB; i-6x32 KiB L2: 1.5 MiB desc: 6x256 KiB L3: 12 MiB desc: 1x12 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 800 min/max: 800/4500 base/boost: 3960/8300 scaling: driver: intel_pstate
    governor: performance volts: 1.2 V ext-clock: 100 MHz cores: 1: 800 2: 800 3: 800 4: 800 5: 800
    6: 800 7: 800 8: 800 9: 800 10: 800 11: 800 12: 800 bogomips: 62431
  Flags-basic: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
  Vulnerabilities: <filter>
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel CoffeeLake-H GT2 [UHD Graphics 630] vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: i915
    v: kernel arch: Gen-9.5 process: Intel 14nm built: 2016-20 ports: active: eDP-1
    empty: DP-1,HDMI-A-1 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:3e9b class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: NVIDIA TU117M [GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile / Max-Q] vendor: Hewlett-Packard
    driver: nvidia v: 580.82.09 alternate: nouveau,nvidia_drm non-free: 550-580.xx+ status: current
    (as of 2025-08; EOL~2026-12-xx) arch: Turing code: TUxxx process: TSMC 12nm FF
    built: 2018-2022 pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 8 link-max: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s
    lanes: 16 ports: active: none empty: DP-2,HDMI-A-2 bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:1f91
    class-ID: 0300
  Device-3: Cheng Uei Precision Industry (Foxlink) HP Wide Vision HD Integrated Webcam
    driver: uvcvideo type: USB rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 bus-ID: 1-6:3
    chip-ID: 05c8:03bc class-ID: 0e02
  Display: server: X.org v: 1.21.1.18 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.8 driver: X:
    loaded: modesetting,nvidia dri: iris gpu: i915 tty: 192x54
  Monitor-1: eDP-1 model: BOE Display 0x07ff built: 2018 res: 1920x1080 dpi: 142 gamma: 1.2
    size: 344x194mm (13.54x7.64") diag: 395mm (15.5") ratio: 16:9 modes: 1920x1080
  API: EGL v: 1.5 hw: drv: intel iris drv: nvidia platforms: device: 0 drv: nvidia device: 2
    drv: iris device: 3 drv: swrast gbm: drv: nvidia surfaceless: drv: nvidia
    inactive: wayland,x11,device-1
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6.0 compat-v: 4.5 vendor: mesa v: 25.2.3-arch1.2 note: console (EGL sourced)
    renderer: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650/PCIe/SSE2, Mesa Intel UHD Graphics 630 (CFL GT2), llvmpipe
    (LLVM 20.1.8 256 bits)
  API: Vulkan v: 1.4.321 layers: 11 device: 0 type: integrated-gpu name: Intel UHD Graphics 630
    (CFL GT2) driver: mesa intel v: 25.2.3-arch1.2 device-ID: 8086:3e9b surfaces: N/A device: 1
    type: discrete-gpu name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 driver: nvidia v: 580.82.09
    device-ID: 10de:1f91 surfaces: N/A device: 2 type: cpu name: llvmpipe (LLVM 20.1.8 256 bits)
    driver: mesa llvmpipe v: 25.2.3-arch1.2 (LLVM 20.1.8) device-ID: 10005:0000 surfaces: N/A
  Info: Tools: api: clinfo, eglinfo, glxinfo, vulkaninfo de: kscreen-console,kscreen-doctor
    gpu: nvidia-settings,nvidia-smi wl: wayland-info x11: xdpyinfo, xprop, xrandr
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Cannon Lake PCH cAVS vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel
    alternate: snd_soc_avs,snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl bus-ID: 00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:a348 class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: NVIDIA vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: gen: 3
    speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 8 link-max: lanes: 16 bus-ID: 01:00.1 chip-ID: 10de:10fa class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.12.48-1-lts status: kernel-api with: aoss type: oss-emulator
    tools: alsactl,alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.4.8 status: off with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: off 2: wireplumber
    status: off 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8211/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet vendor: Hewlett-Packard
    driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: 4000 bus-ID: 03:00.0
    chip-ID: 10ec:8168 class-ID: 0200
  IF: eno1 state: down mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Realtek RTL8822BE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac WiFi adapter vendor: Hewlett-Packard
    driver: rtw_8822be v: kernel modules: rtw88_8822be pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1
    port: 3000 bus-ID: 04:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:b822 class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlo1 state: down mac: <filter>
  Info: services: systemd-timesyncd
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Realtek Bluetooth 4.2 Adapter driver: btusb v: 0.8 type: USB rev: 1.1 speed: 12 Mb/s
    lanes: 1 mode: 1.1 bus-ID: 1-7:4 chip-ID: 0bda:b00b class-ID: e001 serial: <filter>
  Report: btmgmt ID: hci0 rfk-id: 1 state: down bt-service: enabled,running rfk-block:
    hardware: no software: yes address: <filter> bt-v: 4.2 lmp-v: 8 status: discoverable: no
    pairing: no
RAID:
  Hardware-1: Intel 82801 Mobile SATA Controller [RAID mode] driver: ahci v: 3.0 port: 6060
    bus-ID: 00:17.0 chip-ID: 8086:282a rev: N/A class-ID: 0104
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 950.16 GiB used: 592.33 GiB (62.3%)
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: Toshiba model: N/A size: 476.94 GiB block-size:
    physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 tech: SSD serial: <filter>
    fw-rev: AGHA4101 temp: 49.9 C scheme: GPT
  SMART: yes health: PASSED on: 302d 19h cycles: 3,136 read-units: 79,800,736 [40.8 TB]
    written-units: 192,008,058 [98.3 TB]
  ID-2: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Hitachi model: HTS545050A7E380
    family: HGST Travelstar Z5K500 size: 465.76 GiB block-size: physical: 4096 B logical: 512 B
    sata: 2.6 speed: 3.0 Gb/s tech: HDD rpm: 5400 serial: <filter> fw-rev: A950 temp: 35 C
  SMART: yes state: enabled health: PASSED on: 1y 335d 13h cycles: 3336 read: 16.53 TiB
    written: 13.99 TiB
  ID-3: /dev/sdb maj-min: 8:16 vendor: Lexar model: USB Flash Drive size: 7.46 GiB block-size:
    physical: 512 B logical: 512 B type: USB rev: 2.0 spd: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 tech: SSD
    serial: <filter> fw-rev: 1100 scheme: MBR
  SMART Message: Unknown USB bridge. Flash drive/Unsupported enclosure?
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 476.68 GiB size: 476.68 GiB (100.00%) used: 283.73 GiB (59.5%) fs: btrfs
    block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 260 MiB size: 256 MiB (98.46%) used: 591 KiB (0.2%) fs: vfat
    block-size: 512 B dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1 maj-min: 259:1
  ID-3: /home raw-size: 476.68 GiB size: 476.68 GiB (100.00%) used: 283.73 GiB (59.5%) fs: btrfs
    block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
  ID-4: /var/log raw-size: 476.68 GiB size: 476.68 GiB (100.00%) used: 283.73 GiB (59.5%)
    fs: btrfs block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
  ID-5: /var/tmp raw-size: 476.68 GiB size: 476.68 GiB (100.00%) used: 283.73 GiB (59.5%)
    fs: btrfs block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 133 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default) zswap: no
  ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 31.15 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: 100 comp: zstd
    avail: lzo-rle,lzo,lz4,lz4hc,deflate,842 max-streams: 12 dev: /dev/zram0
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 49.4 C mobo: N/A gpu: nvidia temp: 45 C
  Fan Speeds (rpm): cpu: 1985 fan-2: 0
Info:
  Memory: total: 32 GiB available: 31.15 GiB used: 1.06 GiB (3.4%) igpu: 64 MiB
  Processes: 264 Power: uptime: 3m states: freeze,mem,disk suspend: deep avail: s2idle
    wakeups: 0 hibernate: platform avail: shutdown, reboot, suspend, test_resume image: 12.37 GiB
    Init: systemd v: 258 default: graphical tool: systemctl
  Packages: pm: pacman pkgs: 2098 libs: 543 tools: yay Compilers: clang: 20.1.8 gcc: 15.2.1
    Shell: Bash v: 5.3.3 running-in: tty 1 inxi: 3.3.39
Garuda (2.8.3-2):
  System install date:     2021-09-28
  Last full system update: 2025-09-25 ↻
  Is partially upgraded:   No
  Relevant software:       snapper dracut
  Windows dual boot:       No/Undetected
  Failed units:            
--- System Health Check Report ---
24/24 checks run in 1.12 seconds ⌛
Powered by garuda-health 🦅

--- INFO ---
 - Nvidia drivers are installed, but no hardware profile is active (fix available)
 - A reboot is pending (update applied since last reboot)

✅ System health check passed. No issues found.
Run garuda-health --fix to apply fixes.
2

Run in Konsole/Terminal

garuda-health --fix

to apply fixes.

3 Likes
3

I don’t know what happened but I could login normally this morning. I ran garuda-health --fix and it removed nvidia-open-lts and replaced it with nvidia-open-dkms and installed nvidia-prime with garuda-nvidia-settings. I rebooted my machine and it stutters severely on SDDM. I notice watchdog is spamming soft lockups on CPU cores and eventually froze. Reverting to previous snapshots do the same thing.

I can’t run garuda-fix in recovery-mode as no NIC is shown even with a ethernet jack plugged in.

4

I did a memtest on both of my RAM sticks. One of them got an error and the other passed. I booted with the one that passed and I’m still getting SDDM freezes.

5

Given that a snapshot revert is not resulting in a working system, I assume this is some kind of hardware issue. If you go ahead and add nomodeset to the kernel parameters in grub (press E on the boot entry), does it log into the DE successfully?

6

It didn’t. ChatGPT assisted through most of they way I but ended up wiping the drive, reinstalling Garuda, and restoring from a Vorta backup. When I was able to get into TTY, the system would spam kernel and systemctl messages. I suppressed those message and got stuck on a frozen cursor instead. I did a btrfs scrub from a Garuda liveCD which fixed some errors in the drive but could not chroot into the drive and reinstall linux-lts & linux-lts-headers. I thought for the sake of time to simply reinstall Garuda and restore the home folder from a backup. I’m only booting with the one RAM stick that passed memtest and the system’s been stable since it seems.

7

That’s good to hear. Sorry that happened. I suspect the filesystem issues were caused by the ram maybe?

8

I guess so, it just happened out of nowhere after an update. After the boot messages go away the system freezes and the fans max out until I power off the machine.