It was the GPU connector’s fault!!

Hardware GPU

After weeks I finally came to a conclusion about the issue of the monitor randomly disconnecting and needing PC restart.

I was misled by the the old Dell 24 inch power connector but as usual the magnificence of Linux made the difference.

Consulting the output after the new shutdown:

$ journalctl -b -1

giu 24 21:01:02 archlinux gvfsd-gphoto2[3711]: attempting to add an interface (GLoadableIcon) to class (GVfsIcon) after class_init
giu 24 21:01:22 archlinux gnome-shell[1373]: Window manager warning: Buggy client sent a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW message with a timestamp of 0 for >
[....]
giu 24 21:01:55 archlinux nautilus[3731]: _gtk_css_corner_value_get_x: assertion 'corner->class == &GTK_CSS_VALUE_CORNER' failed
giu 24 21:01:55 archlinux nautilus[3731]: _gtk_css_corner_value_get_y: assertion 'corner->class == &GTK_CSS_VALUE_CORNER' failed
giu 24 21:02:32 archlinux gnome-shell[1373]: Window manager warning: Buggy client sent a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW message with a timestamp of 0 for >
giu 24 21:03:24 archlinux gnome-shell[1373]: Window manager warning: Buggy client sent a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW message with a timestamp of 0 for >
giu 24 21:03:59 archlinux gnome-shell[1373]: Window manager warning: Buggy client sent a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW message with a timestamp of 0 for >
giu 24 21:04:57 archlinux gnome-shell[1373]: Window manager warning: Buggy client sent a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW message with a timestamp of 0 for >
giu 24 21:05:10 archlinux kernel: NVRM: GPU at PCI:0000:0a:00: GPU-137bcc86-7838-f7e7-93c4-31c9e6ab90c9
giu 24 21:05:10 archlinux kernel: NVRM: Xid (PCI:0000:0a:00): 79, pid='<unknown>', name=<unknown>, GPU has fallen off the bus.
giu 24 21:05:10 archlinux kernel: NVRM: GPU 0000:0a:00.0: GPU has fallen off the bus.
giu 24 21:05:10 archlinux kernel: NVRM: A GPU crash dump has been created. If possible, please run
                                  NVRM: nvidia-bug-report.sh as root to collect this data before
                                  NVRM: the NVIDIA kernel module is unloaded.
giu 24 21:05:22 archlinux gnome-shell[1373]: Window manager warning: META_CURRENT_TIME used to choose focus window; focus window may not be co>
giu 24 21:05:22 archlinux kernel: nvidia-modeset: ERROR: GPU:0: Failed to query display engine channel state: 0x0000c67e:6:0:0x0000000f
giu 24 21:05:22 archlinux kernel: nvidia-modeset: ERROR: GPU:0: Failed to query display engine channel state: 0x0000c67e:6:0:0x0000000f
giu 24 21:05:22 archlinux kernel: nvidia-modeset: ERROR: GPU:0: Failed to query display engine channel state: 0x0000c67e:6:0:0x0000000f
giu 24 21:05:22 archlinux kernel: nvidia-modeset: ERROR: GPU:0: Failed to query display engine channel state: 0x0000c67e:6:0:0x0000000f
giu 24 21:05:25 archlinux /usr/lib/gdm-x-session[1279]: (EE) NVIDIA(GPU-0): WAIT (2, 8, 0x8000, 0x000239c8, 0x000239d0)
giu 24 21:05:32 archlinux /usr/lib/gdm-x-session[1279]: (EE) NVIDIA(GPU-0): WAIT (1, 8, 0x8000, 0x000239c8, 0x000239d0)
giu 24 21:05:32 archlinux kernel: nvidia-modeset: ERROR: GPU:0: Failed to query display engine channel state: 0x0000c67e:6:0:0x0000000f
giu 24 21:05:35 archlinux /usr/lib/gdm-x-session[1279]: (EE) NVIDIA(GPU-0): WAIT (2, 8, 0x8000, 0x000239c8, 0x000239d8)
lines 3409-3445/3445 (END)

The problem was that the GPU or its power supply is loosely slotted.

I opened the case and found one of those plastic clips that go to the bottom of the PCI slot that was loose and wandering around the case.

GPU was not connected firmly and a small involuntary bump to the case was enough to make it disconnect.

I initially put the Nvidia RTX 3070 on the second PCIEX16_2 connector of my TUF GAMING B550-PLUS but apparently it wasn’t connected to the CPU but to the chipset and it didn’t support 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen™ Processors mode (Support PCIe Gen 4 SSDs).

I put everything back as before being careful to reinsert the clip.

I don’t know why it fell off by itself, maybe during a cleaning or maybe due to the limited space of the case. One of the next upgrades for a future configuration will certainly be a larger case and a larger desk (or a larger house…).

I didn’t take pictures of the replacement simply because I didn’t feel like it and I was tired…

The fact is that now I find myself with two working monitors, I decided to keep this LG and maybe give my sister the Dell or sell it as used on ebay but I should do some tests first..

I also really like the fact that this turns off automatically together with the PC.

For the rest this week I have dedicated myself to planning my next trip and it will be a crucial week for some important exams that I will have to take.

It’s scorching hot and I hope soon to install an air conditioner unit also in the PC room where the cold is blocked by the corridor..