Enabling Intel Fastboot Support By Default Brought Up, Again

The Intel DRM "Fastboot" option is what allows skipping a mode-set upon the device initalization during the Linux boot process to allow for a slick and smooth Linux desktop boot experience free of any excess flickers. While Intel Fastboot has been an option for years, it isn't yet the default behavior for this graphics driver.

Intel Fastboot support has been hidden behind a kernel module parameter for years since on some (mostly older) hardware has caused problems when activated. But most newer generations of Intel graphics hardware (Skylake and newer) has been trouble-free for quite a while. Rather than needing to ship with i915.fastboot=1, Hans de Goede of Red Hat who has been working on the Fedora boot polishing sent out a patch to enable it by default.

This is just the latest in a string of attempts to turn it on by default over the years. The proposed patch was going to start off by just enabling it by default for Skylake graphics and newer.

Unfortunately today's patch discussion quickly pointed out there are some pending info-frame patches the Intel developers would like to merge first before flipping on Fastboot by default. It's too late for these additions to be queued for Linux 4.21 anyways, but let's hope that all the patches can be squared away in time for Linux 4.22 so that the Intel graphics driver can provide this smoother boot experience by default that pairs well with the latest Plymouth UEFI improvements and other boot improvements led by Fedora / Red Hat.