Dennis HilkLinux diagnosticsDE

Intel graphics

Intel Alder Lake-P graphics

Alder Lake-P graphics with checked i915/Xe candidates and a DMC filename/fallback distinction.

Editorial source review: Share public profileOpen in the identification tool
On this page
  1. Overview & identity
  2. Driver & binding
  3. Firmware
  4. Read-only diagnostics
  5. Limitations & related issues
  6. References

Overview & identity

0x46a6 is a checked Alder Lake-P row. Both graphics drivers consume the ADLP macro, while the desktop ADLS macro is separate in source. The suffix is useful family context, but cannot infer the exact mobile CPU, laptop or external connector arrangement.

Curated identifiers
pci 8086:46a6

A numeric match establishes a candidate family within the reviewed evidence. Marketing names, board variants, subsystem conditions and successful operation remain separate questions.

Driver & binding

The snapshot declares an unversioned ADLP DMC path and a versioned fallback, illustrating that a driver request can evolve without changing the PCI ID. Record the exact current request and the bound driver before deciding whether a firmware package matches the running implementation. i915-specific instructions do not automatically apply to Xe.

  • i915 — kernel driver/module candidate
  • xe — kernel driver/module candidate

Detected, bound, operational: learn the difference

Firmware

Device/revision dependent

The listed DMC paths are explicitly constructed or declared in the reviewed i915 display source. DMC supports display power management; GuC/HuC images serve different graphics functions and have separate policy. Use the exact current kernel message and actual bound driver; the examples do not form a complete firmware manifest.

Checked examples or filename branches, not a complete installation list:

  • i915/adlp_dmc.bin
  • i915/adlp_dmc_ver2_16.bin

Inspect firmware packaging on your distribution

Read-only diagnostics

Run one displayed command at a time. Replace uppercase placeholders with the affected device, interface or module from your own output. Commands are never executed here. Read-only output can still contain private identifiers.

Identify this Intel graphics function

lspci -nnk -s BDF

Replace BDF with the display function address. This summary normally needs no sudo. Keep 8086:46a6 and the “Kernel driver in use” observation together; the candidate module list does not establish the selected driver.

Read the active graphics implementation

readlink /sys/bus/pci/devices/BDF/driver

BDF must include the full PCI domain. The read-only driver link normally requires no sudo. Its last component identifies the active implementation; no link is a binding observation, not proof that the platform is unsupported.

Associate DRM nodes with the PCI address

ls -l /sys/bus/pci/devices/BDF/drm

This read-only directory listing normally needs no sudo. Associate any card/render names with this function rather than assuming card0 is the desired GPU. A missing directory can follow disabled hardware, unbound graphics or failed probe; a listed render node does not prove an application uses acceleration.

Separate engine, display and firmware messages

journalctl -k -b --no-pager

Read the current boot and retain the first i915 or Xe error associated with this address. A GPU hang, DMC warning and EDID rejection describe different subsystems. Journal group permissions may restrict reading; a permissions error is not a GPU result.

Limitations & related issues

A fallback filename is not evidence that both files are required on the same boot. This profile has no tested suspend result, force-probe recommendation or distribution-specific package prescription.

These guides are linked for relevant observations, not as known defects of every device in this family.

Choose a hardware diagnostic workflow · Inspect a log excerpt in Fix Lab

References

Source review records a checked implementation or document, not a reproduced hardware test. Version-specific tables do not establish a minimum kernel or guaranteed operation.