Bug#859639: linux-image-4.9.0-2-amd64: random crashes on Thinkpad X201s

[Uwe Laverenz <uwe@laverenz.de>]

Hi,

after dealing with this for a while and tinkering with different systems 
I want to add some points here (just for the record). Please note that 
on all systems I use KDE Plasma 5:

1) The x201s has a core i7-640LM with a "GMA HD" graphics chip, so the 
processor is a Nehalem/Westmere and therefore belongs to the generation 
before Sandy Bridge. I guess hardware as old as this (~2010) is just not 
supported and/or well tested with modesetting.

2) Fedora 25 also uses modesetting (I was wrong here) and does not crash 
but is unbearably slow (the graphics).

3) Ubuntu 16.04 LTS behaves almost as bad as Stretch does but instead of 
crashing completely it just shows the blank/black display (you can 
recover the system if you switch to and from a different tty with 
ctrl+alt+Fx).

4) A slightly more modern Thinkpad T520 (~2012) with Sandy Bridge and 
"HD 3000" graphics works perfectly with Stretch and modesetting.

5) An even more modern Thinkpad T450s (~2015) with Broadwell and "HD 
5500" graphics also works perfectly with Stretch and modesetting.

6) A workaround that solves the problem for me and my X201s is the use 
of the intel driver instead of modesetting:

Minimum file "/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf":

	Section "Device"
        	Identifier      "Intel Graphics"
        	Driver          "intel"
        EndSection


7) P.S.: All mentioned systems run Debian Stretch now, which I think 
will be a great release. :)

cu,
Uwe