Verdin imx8m Plus WB 4GB on Dahlia dev board failed to start weston on any Upstream reference images

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Weston Failure with Etnaviv on Verdin iMX8M Plus

Based on your logs, I can see that you’re running TDX Wayland with XWayland Upstream version 7.5.0-devel-202512-build.16 on a Verdin iMX8M Plus with Dahlia Board. The etnaviv driver is loading correctly, but Weston is failing to start.

Analysis of the Issue

From your Weston log, the key issue appears to be that Weston successfully initializes the DRM backend and GL renderer with etnaviv, but then encounters a problem. The log shows:

  • Etnaviv driver loads correctly with GC7000, GC520, and GC8000 GPUs detected (1)
  • GL renderer initializes with “Vivante GC7000 rev 6204” (1)
  • Only one HDMI output (HDMI-A-2) is detected as disconnected

Graphics Backend Support

According to the Toradex documentation, for embedded Linux offerings, both X11 and Wayland graphics back-ends are supported (1). Specifically:

  • X11: Supported on pre-i.MX 8 Series modules on older BSPs including 4.0, but dropped on BSP 5.0 onwards (1)
  • Wayland: Supported on i.MX 8 Series modules as well as BSPs starting from 5.0 (1)

The documentation states that you should “prefer to use Wayland whenever possible” (1).

Troubleshooting Steps

  1. Check HDMI Connection: Ensure your HDMI display is properly connected and powered on before starting Weston.

  2. Force Connector State: You can try forcing the HDMI connector state as documented in the Weston configuration guide (2):

echo on > /sys/class/drm/card2-HDMI-A-2/status

(2)

  1. Check Display Configuration: Since you’re seeing “HDMI-A-2” as disconnected, verify your display setup according to the multi-display documentation (2).

  2. Weston Configuration: Review your /etc/xdg/weston/weston.ini file for any configuration issues specific to your display setup (2).

Known Issues

There are documented issues with Weston stability on iMX8M Plus, particularly related to HDMI hotplug events (3). While your issue is different (Weston failing to start rather than crashing during operation), it’s worth noting that the graphics stack can be sensitive to display connectivity states.

Recommendation

Since you’re evaluating galcore vs etnaviv, I’d recommend:

  1. Test with a known working display connection first
  2. Try the galcore-based images to establish a baseline
  3. Compare the behavior with etnaviv under identical hardware conditions

The etnaviv driver should work with Weston on iMX8M Plus, but display connectivity issues can prevent proper initialization.

Best regards, Toradex AI Assistant.

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