Are there diagnostics to run on Zynthian after drop?

Using Zynthian
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1

My Zynthian fell to the ground when I was at rehearsal. It was in my gear bag so it didn’t get the full direct impact. When I booted it up the first time, it just displayed the red exclamation mark. Turned it off, ejected/reinserted the sd card. Again, red exclamation mark. I unplugged all cords including power, plugged the power in, ejected/reinserted sd card, and it booted. It’s been mostly consistently booting ever since.

I then got this error today, only once:

ul 11 16:46:55 zynthian startx[906]: (EE)
Jul 11 16:46:55 zynthian startx[906]: Fatal server error:
Jul 11 16:46:55 zynthian startx[906]: (EE) no screens found(EE)
Jul 11 16:46:55 zynthian startx[906]: (EE)
Jul 11 16:46:55 zynthian startx[906]: Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support
Jul 11 16:46:55 zynthian startx[906]: at http://wiki.x.org
Jul 11 16:46:55 zynthian startx[906]: for help.
Jul 11 16:46:55 zynthian startx[906]: (EE) Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional information.
Jul 11 16:46:55 zynthian startx[906]: (EE)
Jul 11 16:46:55 zynthian startx[906]: (EE) Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.
Jul 11 16:47:08 zynthian startx[905]: xinit: giving up
Jul 11 16:47:08 zynthian startx[905]: xinit: unable to connect to X server: Connection refused
Jul 11 16:47:08 zynthian startx[905]: xinit: server error
Jul 11 16:47:08 zynthian systemd[1]: zynthian.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Jul 11 16:47:08 zynthian systemd[1]: zynthian.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Jul 11 16:47:11 zynthian systemd[1]: zynthian.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 1.
Jul 11 16:47:11 zynthian systemd[1]: Stopped zynthian.service - Zynthian User Interface.
Jul 11 16:47:11 zynthian systemd[1]: Started zynthian.service - Zynthian User Interface.
Jul 11 16:47:11 zynthian startx[1284]: X.Org X Server 1.21.1.7
Jul 11 16:47:11 zynthian startx[1284]: X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Jul 11 16:47:11 zynthian startx[1284]: Current Operating System: Linux zynthian 6.12.93+rpt-rpi-2712 #1 SMP PREEMPT Debian 1:6.12.93-1+rpt1 (2026-06-12) aarch64
Jul 11 16:47:11 zynthian startx[1284]: Kernel command line: reboot=w coherent_pool=1M 8250.nr_uarts=1 pci=pcie_bus_safe cgroup_disable=memory numa_policy=interleave nvme.max_host_mem_size_mb=0 bcm2708_fb.fbwidth=640 bcm2708_fb.fbheight=480 bcm2708_fb.fbdepth=16 bcm2708_fb.fbswap=1 numa=fake=8 system_heap.max_order=0 iommu_dma_numa_policy=interleave smsc95xx.macaddr=88:A2:9E:01:88:0B vc_mem.mem_base=0x3fc00000 vc_mem.mem_size=0x40000000 root=PARTUUID=e249d476-02 rootfstype=ext4 fsck.repair=yes rootwait video=DSI-1:800x480@60,rotate=180 console=tty3 logo.nologo quiet loglevel=2 vt.global_cursor_default=0 modules-load=dwc2,libcomposite
Jul 11 16:47:11 zynthian startx[1284]: xorg-server 2:21.1.7-3+rpt3+deb12u12 ([https://www.debian.org/support)](https://www.debian.org/support)Jul)
[Jul](https://www.debian.org/support)Jul) 11 16:47:11 zynthian startx[1284]: Current version of pixman: 0.44.0
Jul 11 16:47:11 zynthian startx[1284]: Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
Jul 11 16:47:11 zynthian startx[1284]: to make sure that you have the latest version.
Jul 11 16:47:11 zynthian startx[1284]: Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
Jul 11 16:47:11 zynthian startx[1284]: (++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
Jul 11 16:47:11 zynthian startx[1284]: (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
Jul 11 16:47:11 zynthian startx[1284]: (==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Sat Jul 11 16:47:11 2026
Jul 11 16:47:11 zynthian startx[1284]: (==) Using config directory: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d"
Jul 11 16:47:11 zynthian startx[1284]: (==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
Jul 11 16:47:12 zynthian startx[1284]: (EE)
Jul 11 16:47:12 zynthian startx[1284]: Fatal server error:
Jul 11 16:47:12 zynthian startx[1284]: (EE) no screens found(EE)
Jul 11 16:47:12 zynthian startx[1284]: (EE)
Jul 11 16:47:12 zynthian startx[1284]: Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support
Jul 11 16:47:12 zynthian startx[1284]: at http://wiki.x.org
Jul 11 16:47:12 zynthian startx[1284]: for help.
Jul 11 16:47:12 zynthian startx[1284]: (EE) Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional information.
Jul 11 16:47:12 zynthian startx[1284]: (EE)
Jul 11 16:47:12 zynthian startx[1284]: (EE) Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.
Jul 11 16:47:26 zynthian startx[1283]: xinit: giving up

I powered down and restarted the Zynthian. Ever since getting that message earlier today, it has booted up normally, so perhaps this was just a onetime glitch.

Is it possible I have a loose cable, or worse? Is there any hardware diagnostic I can run to check the health of my Zynthian before my next gig?

Thanks!
TK

2

Since it was in the bag it presumably wasnt powered when dropped?

3

Correct, not plugged in or powered when dropped.

4

No screens found.have you checked that the display connectores havent moved?

5

I was going to do that next. Suppose it isn’t a bad idea to open it up and check for any looseness.

6

Its concievable that the display connector can get moved…

If you got an hdmi handy try plugging it in and switch to hdmi monitor in web conf and that might help the diagnosis without getting sugical initially.

That will confirm the health of several components and you dont end up with zynth in bits before you make your first examinations.

But do make a note of what it was set to before as its easy to forget that sort of stuff.

7

Thanks for the advice. To be clear, the unit is booting up fine ever since the issues I had Thursday and this morning. I don’t need to connect an HDMI monitor because the screen is coming on. I’m mainly just wondering if that “screen not found” error I got that one time was somehow just a one-time software issue rather than a hardware issue. I’m guessing there isn’t a diagnostic check I can run on the Zynthian terminal that will report on the health of the unit?

8

Franklyvthe quickest test is boot it up.
Webconf if it runs is a good way of stripping it down to a basic machine and getting that functioning. There are so many hardware and software configurations that a test suite will probably pose more questions than answer them.

But you have the advantage the maxhine has worked so that initself is a great help.
We have a fair bit of experience of getting all kinds of zynthian diy kits working so we flatter ourselves weve seen a few of the false paths so we have bypassed those sorts of issues here.

Could be intermittent. Generally screen displays can be a little bit sensitive to movement. The real test is do something live because you can almost guarentee that such a scenario will expose any issues.

Check it out at leasure because the live situation is generally rather involved and emotional and not conducted under decent lighting conditions.