Some Linux are reporting that the screens on their Intel-based laptops are blinking rapidly or showing strange white flashes after upgrading to Linux kernel version 5.19.12 (a bug that could break displays).
It is worth noting that Linux kernel 5.19.12 is not an experimental or beta version, but a point release of the stable branch. The version was released about ten days ago, on September 28, 2022.
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The error users are describing (unexpected screen flickering) is very annoying, as it prevents users from doing anything on their systems. But what's worse is that it could eventually damage the display, as Intel Linux kernel engineer Ville Syrjäl has mentioned.
After analyzing Linux logs from users affected by the issue, Syrjäl said that the problem could eventually damage displays and suggested immediately rolling back the Linux Kernel to an older version to avoid causing damage. “Anyone with a laptop with an Intel GPU should not run Linux kernel version 5.19.12.”
Unfortunately, the bug was discovered at a time when many users had already upgraded to the problematic version.
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The largest user community affected by the issue was those using Framework laptops. Users reported problems after upgrading to Linux kernel 5.19.12.
Greg Kroah-Hartman, maintainer of the stable branch, released version 5.19.13 on Tuesday, resolving the issue.
“This release is intended to resolve an issue on some Intel graphics systems that had issues with 5.19.12. If you are not experiencing this issue with 5.19.12, you do not need to upgrade,” the announcement states.
The popular Arch-based distribution, Manjaro, has already announced that it will move from version 5.19.7 directly to 5.19.13, to avoid potentially causing damage to laptops with Intel GPUs.
However, many other distributions may get the buggy version, as there is a delay in pushing Linux kernel upgrades.
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Users can check the version numbers before upgrading to avoid Linux kernel 5.19.12 if they are using Intel laptops.
Those already affected by the bug should not leave their laptop running with a flickering screen, as this increases the chances of causing irreversible damage. Typically, bootloaders allow users to choose from the last three kernel versions. Therefore, it is easy to roll back to a previous non-problematic version.
Source: www.bleepingcomputer.com
