Kde plasma black screen

Hello,
After updating with yay, and rebooting my endeavouros is showing a black screen.
I see booting messages, as soon as greeter should start, just black screen.
I can ssh to the machine, and see that not all the services are running, which is odd.

$ sudo systemctl list-unit-files --type=service --no-pager
UNIT FILE                                    STATE           PRESET
accounts-daemon.service                      disabled        disabled
alsa-restore.service                         static          -
alsa-state.service                           static          -
archlinux-keyring-wkd-sync.service           static          -
arptables.service                            disabled        disabled
audit-rules.service                          disabled        disabled
auditd.service                               disabled        disabled
auth-rpcgss-module.service                   static          -
autovt@.service                              alias           -
avahi-daemon.service                         enabled         disabled
avahi-dnsconfd.service                       disabled        disabled
blk-availability.service                     disabled        disabled
bluetooth.service                            disabled        disabled
btrfs-scrub@.service                         static          -
canberra-system-bootup.service               disabled        disabled
canberra-system-shutdown-reboot.service      disabled        disabled
canberra-system-shutdown.service             disabled        disabled
capsule@.service                             static          -
console-getty.service                        disabled        disabled
container-getty@.service                     static          -
containerd.service                           disabled        disabled
dbus-broker.service                          disabled        disabled
dbus-org.freedesktop.Avahi.service           alias           -
dbus-org.freedesktop.home1.service           alias           -
dbus-org.freedesktop.hostname1.service       alias           -
dbus-org.freedesktop.import1.service         alias           -
dbus-org.freedesktop.locale1.service         alias           -
dbus-org.freedesktop.login1.service          alias           -
dbus-org.freedesktop.machine1.service        alias           -
dbus-org.freedesktop.nm-dispatcher.service   alias           -
dbus-org.freedesktop.portable1.service       alias           -
dbus-org.freedesktop.resolve1.service        alias           -
dbus-org.freedesktop.timedate1.service       alias           -
dbus-org.freedesktop.timesync1.service       alias           -
dbus.service                                 alias           -
debug-shell.service                          disabled        disabled
dirmngr@.service                             static          -
display-manager.service                      alias           -
dm-event.service                             static          -
dmraid.service                               disabled        disabled
dnsmasq.service                              disabled        disabled
docker.service                               enabled         disabled
dracut-cmdline.service                       static          -
dracut-initqueue.service                     static          -
dracut-mount.service                         static          -
dracut-pre-mount.service                     static          -
dracut-pre-pivot.service                     static          -
dracut-pre-trigger.service                   static          -
dracut-pre-udev.service                      static          -
dracut-shutdown-onfailure.service            static          -
dracut-shutdown.service                      static          -
e2scrub@.service                             static          -
e2scrub_all.service                          static          -
e2scrub_fail@.service                        static          -
e2scrub_reap.service                         disabled        disabled
ead.service                                  disabled        disabled
ebtables.service                             disabled        disabled
emergency.service                            static          -
eos-reboot-required.service                  disabled        disabled
fancontrol.service                           disabled        disabled
fsidd.service                                disabled        disabled
fstrim.service                               static          -
ftpd.service                                 disabled        disabled
fwupd-refresh.service                        static          -
fwupd.service                                static          -
geoclue.service                              static          -
getty@.service                               enabled         enabled
git-daemon@.service                          static          -
glances.service                              disabled        disabled
gpg-agent@.service                           static          -
gpm.service                                  disabled        disabled
gssproxy.service                             disabled        disabled
haveged-once.service                         static          -
haveged.service                              disabled        disabled
healthd.service                              disabled        disabled
hpnssh-agent.service                         indirect        disabled
hpnsshd.service                              disabled        disabled
hpnsshdgenkeys.service                       static          -
initrd-cleanup.service                       static          -
initrd-parse-etc.service                     static          -
initrd-switch-root.service                   static          -
initrd-udevadm-cleanup-db.service            static          -
ip6tables.service                            disabled        disabled
iperf3.service                               disabled        disabled
iptables.service                             disabled        disabled
iwd.service                                  disabled        disabled
keyboxd@.service                             static          -
kmod-static-nodes.service                    static          -
krb5-kadmind.service                         disabled        disabled
krb5-kdc.service                             disabled        disabled
krb5-kpropd.service                          disabled        disabled
krb5-kpropd@.service                         static          -
lastlog2-import.service                      disabled        disabled
ldconfig.service                             static          -
lm_sensors.service                           disabled        disabled
logrotate.service                            static          -
lvm-devices-import.service                   disabled        disabled
lvm2-lvmpolld.service                        static          -
lvm2-monitor.service                         static          -
man-db.service                               static          -
mdadm-grow-continue@.service                 static          -
mdadm-last-resort@.service                   static          -
mdcheck_continue.service                     static          -
mdcheck_start.service                        static          -
mdmon@.service                               static          -
mdmonitor-oneshot.service                    static          -
mdmonitor.service                            static          -
ModemManager.service                         disabled        disabled
modprobe@.service                            static          -
named.service                                disabled        disabled
netctl-auto@.service                         disabled        disabled
netctl-ifplugd@.service                      disabled        disabled
netctl-sleep.service                         disabled        disabled
netctl-wait-online.service                   disabled        disabled
netctl.service                               disabled        disabled
netctl@.service                              static          -
NetworkManager-dispatcher.service            enabled         disabled
NetworkManager-wait-online.service           disabled        disabled
NetworkManager.service                       enabled         disabled
nfs-blkmap.service                           disabled        disabled
nfs-idmapd.service                           static          -
nfs-mountd.service                           static          -
nfs-server.service                           disabled        disabled
nfs-utils.service                            static          -
nfsdcld.service                              static          -
nfsv4-exportd.service                        static          -
nfsv4-server.service                         disabled        disabled
nftables.service                             disabled        disabled
nm-priv-helper.service                       static          -
nmb.service                                  disabled        disabled
ntpd.service                                 disabled        disabled
ntpdate.service                              disabled        disabled
nvmefc-boot-connections.service              disabled        disabled
nvmf-autoconnect.service                     disabled        disabled
nvmf-connect-nbft.service                    static          -
nvmf-connect@.service                        static          -
nxserver.service                             enabled         disabled
openvpn-client@.service                      disabled        disabled
openvpn-server@.service                      disabled        disabled
paccache.service                             static          -
pacman-filesdb-refresh.service               static          -
pam_namespace.service                        static          -
passim.service                               static          -
pcscd.service                                indirect        disabled
pkgfile-update.service                       static          -
pkgfiled.service                             disabled        disabled
plocate-updatedb.service                     static          -
polkit.service                               static          -
ppp@.service                                 disabled        disabled
quotaon-root.service                         static          -
quotaon@.service                             static          -
reflector.service                            disabled        disabled
rescue.service                               static          -
rfkill-block@.service                        disabled        disabled
rfkill-unblock@.service                      disabled        disabled
rlogin@.service                              static          -
rngd.service                                 disabled        disabled
rpc-gssd.service                             static          -
rpc-statd-notify.service                     static          -
rpc-statd.service                            static          -
rpcbind.service                              disabled        disabled
rsh@.service                                 static          -
rsyncd.service                               disabled        disabled
rsyncd@.service                              static          -
rtkit-daemon.service                         disabled        disabled
samba-bgqd.service                           disabled        disabled
samba.service                                disabled        disabled
sddm.service                                 enabled         disabled
sensord.service                              disabled        disabled
serial-getty@.service                        disabled        disabled
shadow.service                               static          -
smartd.service                               disabled        disabled
smb.service                                  disabled        disabled
sshd-generated@.service                      generated       -
sshd-unix-local@.service                     alias           -
sshd-vsock@.service                          alias           -
sshd.service                                 enabled         disabled
sshdgenkeys.service                          disabled        disabled
sudo_logsrvd.service                         disabled        disabled
system-update-cleanup.service                static          -
systemd-ask-password-console.service         static          -
systemd-ask-password-wall.service            static          -
systemd-backlight@.service                   static          -
systemd-battery-check.service                static          -
systemd-binfmt.service                       static          -
systemd-bless-boot.service                   static          -
systemd-boot-check-no-failures.service       disabled        disabled
systemd-boot-random-seed.service             static          -
systemd-boot-update.service                  disabled        enabled
systemd-bootctl@.service                     static          -
systemd-bsod.service                         static          -
systemd-confext.service                      disabled        enabled
systemd-coredump@.service                    static          -
systemd-creds@.service                       static          -
systemd-exit.service                         static          -
systemd-firstboot.service                    static          -
systemd-fsck-root.service                    enabled-runtime disabled
systemd-fsck@.service                        static          -
systemd-growfs-root.service                  static          -
systemd-growfs@.service                      static          -
systemd-halt.service                         static          -
systemd-hibernate-clear.service              static          -
systemd-hibernate-resume.service             static          -
systemd-hibernate.service                    static          -
systemd-homed-activate.service               enabled         enabled
systemd-homed-firstboot.service              disabled        disabled
systemd-homed.service                        enabled         enabled
systemd-hostnamed.service                    static          -
systemd-hwdb-update.service                  static          -
systemd-hybrid-sleep.service                 static          -
systemd-importd.service                      static          -
systemd-journal-catalog-update.service       static          -
systemd-journal-flush.service                static          -
systemd-journal-gatewayd.service             indirect        disabled
systemd-journal-remote.service               indirect        disabled
systemd-journal-upload.service               disabled        disabled
systemd-journald-sync@.service               static          -
systemd-journald.service                     static          -
systemd-journald@.service                    static          -
systemd-kexec.service                        static          -
systemd-localed.service                      static          -
systemd-logind.service                       static          -
systemd-machine-id-commit.service            static          -
systemd-machined.service                     static          -
systemd-modules-load.service                 static          -
systemd-mountfsd.service                     indirect        disabled
systemd-network-generator.service            disabled        enabled
systemd-networkd-persistent-storage.service  static          -
systemd-networkd-wait-online.service         disabled        enabled
systemd-networkd-wait-online@.service        disabled        disabled
systemd-networkd.service                     disabled        enabled
systemd-nspawn@.service                      disabled        disabled
systemd-nsresourced.service                  indirect        disabled
systemd-oomd.service                         disabled        disabled
systemd-pcrextend@.service                   static          -
systemd-pcrfs-root.service                   static          -
systemd-pcrfs@.service                       static          -
systemd-pcrlock-file-system.service          disabled        disabled
systemd-pcrlock-firmware-code.service        disabled        disabled
systemd-pcrlock-firmware-config.service      disabled        disabled
systemd-pcrlock-machine-id.service           disabled        disabled
systemd-pcrlock-make-policy.service          disabled        disabled
systemd-pcrlock-secureboot-authority.service disabled        disabled
systemd-pcrlock-secureboot-policy.service    disabled        disabled
systemd-pcrlock@.service                     static          -
systemd-pcrmachine.service                   static          -
systemd-pcrphase-initrd.service              static          -
systemd-pcrphase-sysinit.service             static          -
systemd-pcrphase.service                     static          -
systemd-portabled.service                    static          -
systemd-poweroff.service                     static          -
systemd-pstore.service                       disabled        enabled
systemd-quotacheck-root.service              static          -
systemd-quotacheck@.service                  static          -
systemd-random-seed.service                  static          -
systemd-reboot.service                       static          -
systemd-remount-fs.service                   enabled-runtime disabled
systemd-repart.service                       static          -
systemd-resolved.service                     enabled         enabled
systemd-rfkill.service                       static          -
systemd-soft-reboot.service                  static          -
systemd-storagetm.service                    static          -
systemd-suspend-then-hibernate.service       static          -
systemd-suspend.service                      static          -
systemd-sysctl.service                       static          -
systemd-sysext.service                       disabled        enabled
systemd-sysext@.service                      static          -
systemd-sysupdate-reboot.service             indirect        disabled
systemd-sysupdate.service                    indirect        disabled
systemd-sysusers.service                     static          -
systemd-time-wait-sync.service               disabled        disabled
systemd-timedated.service                    static          -
systemd-timesyncd.service                    enabled         enabled
systemd-tmpfiles-clean.service               static          -
systemd-tmpfiles-setup-dev-early.service     static          -
systemd-tmpfiles-setup-dev.service           static          -
systemd-tmpfiles-setup.service               static          -
systemd-tpm2-setup-early.service             static          -
systemd-tpm2-setup.service                   static          -
systemd-udev-load-credentials.service        disabled        disabled
systemd-udev-settle.service                  static          -
systemd-udev-trigger.service                 static          -
systemd-udevd.service                        static          -
systemd-update-done.service                  static          -
systemd-update-utmp.service                  static          -
systemd-user-sessions.service                static          -
systemd-userdbd.service                      indirect        disabled
systemd-vconsole-setup.service               static          -
systemd-vmspawn@.service                     disabled        disabled
systemd-volatile-root.service                static          -
talk.service                                 indirect        disabled
teamd@.service                               static          -
telnet@.service                              static          -
udisks2.service                              disabled        disabled
upower.service                               disabled        disabled
usb_modeswitch@.service                      static          -
user-runtime-dir@.service                    static          -
user@.service                                static          -
uuidd.service                                indirect        disabled
vmtoolsd.service                             enabled         disabled
vmware-vmblock-fuse.service                  enabled         disabled
vpnc@.service                                disabled        disabled
winbind.service                              disabled        disabled
wpa_supplicant-nl80211@.service              disabled        disabled
wpa_supplicant-wired@.service                disabled        disabled
wpa_supplicant.service                       disabled        disabled
wpa_supplicant@.service                      disabled        disabled
xfs_scrub@.service                           static          -
xfs_scrub_all.service                        static          -
xfs_scrub_all_fail.service                   static          -
xfs_scrub_fail@.service                      static          -
xfs_scrub_media@.service                     static          -
xfs_scrub_media_fail@.service                static          -
xl2tpd.service                               disabled        disabled

314 unit files listed.

The installation is a virtual guest on windows 10/vmware workstation 17.
I have 8 cpu cores and 12gb ram allocated.
I have been using this vm every day for last 1 year with “no” issues (other than, kde bugs with kwin_x11 cpu usage etc).

I figure I will install a fresh endy on to a vm on my proxmox.
I did and after first reboot I got exactly the same black screen.
Is there a bug with a package/packages that screws the installation?
The thing that connects the two installations, is that first one was freshly updated, the second one was an “online” install so it would have fetched latest packages.

The virtualization tech is different, the hardware is different, the installation media is at least a year apart.

screenshot

If you are using Nvidia, there’s issue with Mesa that affects some systems running it.

I do have an nvdia gpu on the windows virtual host, but I am NOT using 3D acceleration.

$ lspci | grep 'VGA'
00:0f.0 VGA compatible controller: VMware SVGA II Adapter

The proxmox qemu host does not have anything nvidia. Proxmox host uses 12th gen, alderlake cpu (1265u).

Using the instructions on this I managed to fix the windows/vmware virtual host like this:

2025-05-23 T14:23:34 sudo pacman -U file:///var/cache/pacman/pkg/mesa-1:25.0.5-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst
2025-05-23 T14:24:10 sudo pacman -U file:///var/cache/pacman/pkg/xf86-video-vmware-13.4.0-3-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst

Had to roll back packages, thank goodness I have not run my clean-cache scripts :sweat_smile:

Over on the Arch forums is another VM that had a similar problem. Try downgrading Mesa and see if that “fixes” it.

Sounds good…read the Arch forum posting for more info…

:scientist: I wonder how I fix the fresh install ?

  • ctrl + alt + F2-F5 does not work
  • SSH not running

I will do an offline reinstall, but effectively, fresh installs can be bricked out of the gate.

I feel like downgrading right after installation when you still have your live medium connected might work. I have the same problem but didn’t try that “fix” yet
(chrooting and downgrading the finished install I mean, for clarification)