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Xorg Display Errors — X Server Crashes, Black Screen, and Resolution Issues

Errorsystem

Overview

Fix Xorg display server errors including X server crashes, black screen after login, resolution detection failures, and multi-monitor configuration problems.

Key Details

  • Xorg (X11) is the traditional display server for Linux desktop environments
  • Xorg logs are in /var/log/Xorg.0.log — lines starting with (EE) are errors
  • Configuration files in /etc/X11/xorg.conf and /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/
  • Common crash causes: wrong GPU driver, missing firmware, incompatible monitor resolution
  • xrandr is the primary tool for managing display resolution and multi-monitor layouts

Common Causes

  • GPU driver not installed or incompatible with the kernel version
  • Missing GPU firmware blobs (/lib/firmware/ missing files for your GPU)
  • xorg.conf specifying a resolution or refresh rate not supported by the monitor
  • NVIDIA/AMD proprietary driver conflict with the open-source Nouveau/AMDGPU driver
  • Multi-monitor setup with mismatched resolutions causing layout errors

Steps

  1. 1Check Xorg log for errors: grep '(EE)' /var/log/Xorg.0.log
  2. 2Install the correct GPU driver: nvidia-driver (NVIDIA), mesa (AMD/Intel open-source), amdgpu-pro (AMD proprietary)
  3. 3Test a basic configuration: sudo Xorg :1 -configure to generate a test xorg.conf
  4. 4Use xrandr to list available resolutions: xrandr --listmonitors and xrandr --output HDMI-1 --mode 1920x1080
  5. 5For black screen: switch to TTY (Ctrl+Alt+F2), login, and check Xorg log
  6. 6Delete custom xorg.conf: mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.bak to use auto-detection

Tags

xorgx11displaygpu-driverxrandr

Related Items

linux-wayland-display-errors

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Frequently Asked Questions

Wayland is the modern replacement with better security and performance. However, some apps and NVIDIA GPUs still work better with Xorg. Most distros now default to Wayland but allow Xorg as fallback.