NovaCustom V54 Series (V540TU), Dasharo coreboot+UEFI

User Support HCL Reports
8 
---
layout: hcl
type: Notebook
hvm: yes
iommu: yes
slat: yes
tpm: 2.0
remap: yes
brand: NovaCustom
model: V5xTNC_TND_TNE
bios: Dasharo (coreboot+UEFI) v0.9.1
cpu: Intel(R) Core(TM) Ultra 7 155H
cpu-short: Core Ultra 7 155H
chipset: Intel Corporation Device [8086:7d01] (rev 04)
chipset-short: Meteor Lake
gpu: |
  Intel Corporation Meteor Lake-P [Intel Graphics] [8086:7dd5] (rev 08) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
  NVIDIA Corporation AD107M [GeForce RTX 4060 Max-Q / Mobile] [10de:28a0] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
gpu-short: Intel Arc / NVIDIA RTX 4060
network: |
  Intel Corporation Device [8086:7e40] (rev 20)
  Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller [10ec:8168] (rev 15)
memory: 32404
scsi: None
usb: 3
certified: no
versions:
  - works: partial
    qubes: R4.2.4
    xen: 4.17.5
    kernel: 6.15.7-1.fc37
    remark: |
      Experiencing multiple compatibility issues with Qubes OS, likely kernel-related, affecting video playback, battery charging, USB functionality, and network switching. Details below.
    credit: Qubstadin
    link: https://forum.qubes-os.org/t/novacustom-v54-series-v540tu-dasharo-coreboot-uefi/33116/9

---

Issues Encountered

I am running Qubes OS R4.2.4 on a NovaCustom V5xTNC_TND_TNE laptop with Dasharo (coreboot+UEFI) v0.9.1 firmware and an NVIDIA RTX 4060 GPU. This model is not Qubes-certified, and I am experiencing several issues that I believe are related to kernel or hardware compatibility rather than configuration. These issues appeared after recent Qubes updates and were not present initially. Below is a detailed list of the problems and my observations:

  1. Video Playback Lag:

    • YouTube videos are extremely laggy, even at 720p, regardless of resource allocation (e.g., increased RAM/CPU, disabling memory balancing) in AppVMs, DisposableVMs, or Whonix-based qubes.
    • In contrast, 1080p videos on some sites (e.g., Internet Archive) play without issues.
    • This affects browsers like LibreWolf and Firefox in Debian-based qubes.

  2. Battery Charging Issue:

    • The battery fails to charge above 40% after multiple reboots when using the latest kernel (likely 6.6.7-1.fc37, as mentioned; possibly a typo in my original post).
    • Switching to kernel 6.15.7-1.fc37 in dom0 resolves this issue.

  3. Network Switching Failure:

    • When using the latest kernel (6.6.7-1.fc37) in the sys-net qube, unplugging an Ethernet cable prevents the system from switching back to WiFi, even after a reboot.
    • Reverting to an older kernel (e.g., 6.15.7-1.fc37) fixes this issue.
    • I use a Mullvad VPN qube, and suspend/resume causes network drops, requiring me to disable suspend to maintain connectivity for downloads.

  4. USB Port Functionality:

    • Both USB ports detect devices (e.g., phones) for charging but fail to recognize them as storage devices for file transfers in sys-usb qubes.

  5. High System Temperatures:

    • The system runs abnormally hot, even when operating a single DisposableVM, despite low CPU usage (below 50%) and ample free RAM (e.g., 8GB free out of 10GB allocated in affected qubes).

  6. Additional Notes:

    • These issues were not present initially; performance was excellent until recent Qubes updates.
    • Testing on Ubuntu with the same hardware showed no such problems, suggesting Qubes-specific compatibility issues.
    • I have tried switching between recent kernels (e.g., 6.11.25-1.fc37, where NVIDIA CUDA is detected, vs. 6.15.7-1.fc37 or later, where it is not).
    • My BIOS configuration is mostly default, and CPU/RAM usage remains low during these issues.

Questions for the Community and @NovaCustom

  • Are these issues primarily due to kernel or firmware incompatibilities with the NVIDIA GPU variant, given this model lacks Qubes certification?
  • Would switching to open-source Nouveau drivers for the NVIDIA RTX 4060 resolve these issues, or are proprietary drivers necessary for stability?
  • Which kernel version is recommended for dom0 and sys-net/sys-usb to balance hardware support, stability, and NVIDIA functionality?
  • Should I consider switching to another OS (e.g., Ubuntu, which had no issues) to avoid these problems, or are there specific configurations/firmware updates I should try first?

I appreciate any guidance or recommendations, especially from users with similar hardware or NovaCustom support. If needed, I can provide logs (e.g., /var/log/xen/console/guest-* or dmesg) when I return to my system.

Or as a last resort, switch another OS?, which seems to solve all of my problems.

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