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(For specs please see below)

Hi, I dualboot Ubuntu and Windows 10 on my laptop. I installed Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS from a live USB and I was using it for quite a while without any problems.

My frustration-less relationship with Ubuntu ended suddenly after an update. (As for which update please see below) As seen in the video, the top row of pixels flicker constantly. I should also note that the intensity of flickering changes depending on how dark the other pixels are on the top portion of the screen. It does not go away when an application is on fullscreen. Also, there's flickering while Ubuntu is booting up. (the loading screen with the manufacturer's logo)

Here are the list of things that I've tried so far:

  • Dualbooted to Windows to ensure that it is not a hardware problem
  • Copied the entire /home/ directory to another partition and reinstalled 20.04.2 LTS again, the flickering stopped until Ubuntu updated itself
  • Tried changing the refresh rate (which was 60.00 Hz) from Ubuntu's default GUI settings app
  • Inspired by this post, edited the line GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT in /etc/default/grub/ by adding amdgpu.dc=0 amdgpu.dc=1 amdgpu.dpm=1 amdgpu.dpm=0 (tried separately, none of them worked)
  • Switched to Wayland and GNOME Classic, flickering continued
  • Tried modifying 20-intel.conf as told in many posts on this website
  • Tried updating to Ubuntu 20.10 (idk why I thought this would fix it)

As for which update is causing the problem, I have once again installed 20.04.2 LTS from the live USB and looked at /var/log/apt/history.log after the update. Here's the result of that: (I'm guessing it has to do with amd packages)

Upgrade: libpam0g:amd64 (1.3.1-5ubuntu4, 1.3.1-5ubuntu4.1), fdisk:amd64 (2.34-0.1ubuntu9, 2.34-0.1ubuntu9.1), perl-base:amd64 (5.30.0-9build1, 5.30.0-9ubuntu0.2), netplan.io:amd64 (0.99-0ubuntu1, 0.101-0ubuntu3~20.04.2), libseccomp2:amd64 (2.4.3-1ubuntu1, 2.4.3-1ubuntu3.20.04.3), libdbus-1-3:amd64 (1.12.16-2ubuntu2, 1.12.16-2ubuntu2.1), libfdisk1:amd64 (2.34-0.1ubuntu9, 2.34-0.1ubuntu9.1), libpam-modules:amd64 (1.3.1-5ubuntu4, 1.3.1-5ubuntu4.1), openssl:amd64 (1.1.1f-1ubuntu2, 1.1.1f-1ubuntu2.1), libgirepository-1.0-1:amd64 (1.64.0-2, 1.64.1-1~ubuntu20.04.1), libpython3.8-minimal:amd64 (3.8.2-1ubuntu1, 3.8.5-1~20.04), libsystemd0:amd64 (245.4-4ubuntu3, 245.4-4ubuntu3.4), gcc-10-base:amd64 (10-20200411-0ubuntu1, 10.2.0-5ubuntu1~20.04), apt:amd64 (2.0.2, 2.0.4), dbus:amd64 (1.12.16-2ubuntu2, 1.12.16-2ubuntu2.1), libmount1:amd64 (2.34-0.1ubuntu9, 2.34-0.1ubuntu9.1), libsqlite3-0:amd64 (3.31.1-4, 3.31.1-4ubuntu0.2), zlib1g:amd64 (1:1.2.11.dfsg-2ubuntu1, 1:1.2.11.dfsg-2ubuntu1.2), sudo:amd64 (1.8.31-1ubuntu1, 1.8.31-1ubuntu1.2), libc6:amd64 (2.31-0ubuntu9, 2.31-0ubuntu9.2), util-linux:amd64 (2.34-0.1ubuntu9, 2.34-0.1ubuntu9.1), python3.8:amd64 (3.8.2-1ubuntu1, 3.8.5-1~20.04), udev:amd64 (245.4-4ubuntu3, 245.4-4ubuntu3.4), locales:amd64 (2.31-0ubuntu9, 2.31-0ubuntu9.2), passwd:amd64 (1:4.8.1-1ubuntu5, 1:4.8.1-1ubuntu5.20.04), libpam-runtime:amd64 (1.3.1-5ubuntu4, 1.3.1-5ubuntu4.1), libisc-export1105:amd64 (1:9.11.16+dfsg-3~build1, 1:9.11.16+dfsg-3~ubuntu1), libapt-pkg6.0:amd64 (2.0.2, 2.0.4), libudev1:amd64 (245.4-4ubuntu3, 245.4-4ubuntu3.4), rsyslog:amd64 (8.2001.0-1ubuntu1, 8.2001.0-1ubuntu1.1), libapparmor1:amd64 (2.13.3-7ubuntu5, 2.13.3-7ubuntu5.1), systemd-timesyncd:amd64 (245.4-4ubuntu3, 245.4-4ubuntu3.4), mount:amd64 (2.34-0.1ubuntu9, 2.34-0.1ubuntu9.1), ubuntu-minimal:amd64 (1.450, 1.450.2), libblkid1:amd64 (2.34-0.1ubuntu9, 2.34-0.1ubuntu9.1), libc-bin:amd64 (2.31-0ubuntu9, 2.31-0ubuntu9.2), gir1.2-glib-2.0:amd64 (1.64.0-2, 1.64.1-1~ubuntu20.04.1), python3.8-minimal:amd64 (3.8.2-1ubuntu1, 3.8.5-1~20.04), tar:amd64 (1.30+dfsg-7, 1.30+dfsg-7ubuntu0.20.04.1), systemd-sysv:amd64 (245.4-4ubuntu3, 245.4-4ubuntu3.4), libuuid1:amd64 (2.34-0.1ubuntu9, 2.34-0.1ubuntu9.1), libpam-systemd:amd64 (245.4-4ubuntu3, 245.4-4ubuntu3.4), distro-info-data:amd64 (0.43ubuntu1, 0.43ubuntu1.4), xz-utils:amd64 (5.2.4-1, 5.2.4-1ubuntu1), systemd:amd64 (245.4-4ubuntu3, 245.4-4ubuntu3.4), libsmartcols1:amd64 (2.34-0.1ubuntu9, 2.34-0.1ubuntu9.1), login:amd64 (1:4.8.1-1ubuntu5, 1:4.8.1-1ubuntu5.20.04), libpam-modules-bin:amd64 (1.3.1-5ubuntu4, 1.3.1-5ubuntu4.1), apt-utils:amd64 (2.0.2, 2.0.4), libdns-export1109:amd64 (1:9.11.16+dfsg-3~build1, 1:9.11.16+dfsg-3~ubuntu1), libnss-systemd:amd64 (245.4-4ubuntu3, 245.4-4ubuntu3.4), bsdutils:amd64 (1:2.34-0.1ubuntu9, 1:2.34-0.1ubuntu9.1), libnetplan0:amd64 (0.99-0ubuntu1, 0.101-0ubuntu3~20.04.2), libgcc-s1:amd64 (10-20200411-0ubuntu1, 10.2.0-5ubuntu1~20.04), libglib2.0-data:amd64 (2.64.2-1~fakesync1, 2.64.6-1~ubuntu20.04.1), bash:amd64 (5.0-6ubuntu1, 5.0-6ubuntu1.1), libpython3.8-stdlib:amd64 (3.8.2-1ubuntu1, 3.8.5-1~20.04), libgnutls30:amd64 (3.6.13-2ubuntu1, 3.6.13-2ubuntu1.3), ca-certificates:amd64 (20190110ubuntu1, 20210119~20.04.1), libp11-kit0:amd64 (0.23.20-1build1, 0.23.20-1ubuntu0.1), libcryptsetup12:amd64 (2:2.2.2-3ubuntu2, 2:2.2.2-3ubuntu2.3), libssl1.1:amd64 (1.1.1f-1ubuntu2, 1.1.1f-1ubuntu2.1), libjson-c4:amd64 (0.13.1+dfsg-7, 0.13.1+dfsg-7ubuntu0.3), liblzma5:amd64 (5.2.4-1, 5.2.4-1ubuntu1), libstdc++6:amd64 (10-20200411-0ubuntu1, 10.2.0-5ubuntu1~20.04), libglib2.0-0:amd64 (2.64.2-1~fakesync1, 2.64.6-1~ubuntu20.04.1), less:amd64 (551-1, 551-1ubuntu0.1), base-files:amd64 (11ubuntu5, 11ubuntu5.3), tzdata:amd64 (2019c-3ubuntu1, 2021a-0ubuntu0.20.04)

Here's my specs currently:

  • OS version: Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS
  • GPU, integrated: Intel HD Graphics 4600 (HSW GT2)
  • GPU, dedicated: AMD Radeon HD 8850M / R9 M265X
  • Laptop Manufacturer: Toshiba
  • Kernel: Linux 5.11.0-25-generic
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • I am using the default drivers that come with Ubuntu
  • I have more than enough memory on the Ubuntu partition

I can provide more data if necessary

It's been more than a month I hope someone has a possible solution

Best Regards!

1 Answer 1

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If your kernel version is 5.11.0-22 or newer can you try to downgrade it? There is a bug related to old laptop panels. (https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1936708)

I am suffering this bug as well and using older kernel as a workaround until the patched kernel is released (5.13)

Can you try to install kernel 5.8.0-48 and boot with that?

$ sudo apt install linux-image-5.8.0-48-generic linux-modules-5.8.0-48-generic linux-modules-extra-5.8.0-48-generic
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  • That fixed it! Apologies for the late reply. It is a bummer really, I hope it gets patched. Aug 10, 2021 at 22:29
  • Yeah I will switch to it as soon as it drops to OEM :D Glad it worked!
    – Alca
    Aug 10, 2021 at 22:32

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