Re: XFree86 (Knoppix) and NVidia 5200 Ultra...
On Thu, 11 Sep 2003, Daniel Stone wrote: > (CCing debian-knoppix, debian-x, and Mark Vojkovitch). > > On Thu, Sep 11, 2003 at 09:15:42AM +0930, behoffski wrote: > > I'm using the version of Debian XFree86 contained in Knoppix 5.2 > > (2007-07-26). > > Hmm, interesting. Knoppix guys: do you know about XFree86 4.3.0-0pre1v1 > in experimental, which is newer than my -0ds series? It's the > team-maintained version, by myself, Branden Robinson, and ISHIKAWA > Mutsumi. > > > I've used this package with four identical systems containing > > NVidia FX 5200 Ultra cards (using boot parameter "xmodule=nv" to > > avoid the problem that the card's ID isn't known). I've found > > that the operation of XFree86 is unreliable -- ome machine fails > > to start X at all -- others are flaky. That's kindof vague. I've had no problem with the 5200 series and XFree86 4.3.0, and don't know of any problems other than the usual 4.3.0 nv driver confusion about which head it's supposed to come up on (usually only a problem with DFP). Not starting is usually a configuration issue. There were no outstanding fatal issues with 4.3.0 except for a segfault on the old Riva128 when doing DDC detection. > > > > I've noticed that in xfree86.org's online CVS archive, there has > > been a reworked nv module added in the last fortnight -- with > > CVS comments indicating that "Some newer GeForceFX cards have a > > new PLL design which needs to be programmed differently in order > > to get a stable display." This comment appears to tie in very > > neatly with my observations. "Newer" meaning not released yet. The 5200 is what I would consider "old" GeForceFX hardware. The PLL changes are not applicable. > > > > http://cvsweb.xfree86.org/cvsweb/xc/programs/Xserver/hw/xfree86/drivers/nv/ > > Hmm, interesting. We've already backported the SiS and Savage drivers, > so I don't see why we couldn't pull nv back as well. OTOH, we might want > to wait for the SDK stuff - XSF? > > > My main interest in this is to have a Knoppix CD that works well > > with the 5200 Ultra systems. So two questions: > > > > 1. If I remaster the existing Knoppix CD, and merely replace the > > NV driver with an object compiled from the current CVS sources > > (nv_drv.o), what is your estimate of the likeihood of success > > (or, in other words, how compatible is this set of sources from > > the XFree86 CVS archive with the XFree86-4.3.0-ds package contained > > in Knoppix)? > > Umm, it *should* work, but no guarantees. CVS drivers that use Xv will not work with 4.3.0 due to Marc La France moving duplicated Xv clipping and data-copying code into the core server to be shared by all. The CVS "nv" driver therefore calls Xv helper functions which are not present in 4.3.0. > > > 2. Would it be feasible to fast-track these sources into upcoming > > XFree86-4.3.0 Debian experimental packages -- or would this be > > too much against the grain of Debian's emphasis on stable code? > > Given we've already dragged back the SiS and Savage stuff, I don't see > why we couldn't drag the nVidia driver back, as ewll. Mark, how stable > is the new nv code? CVS has no bug fixes over 4.3.0 except for: 1) Better "which head do I use" detection. 2) Fix some fullscreen video overlay static using DFP on GeForceFX. 3) Fix a DPMS problem with some laptop flat panels (regression from 4.2) 4) Fix a segfault on Riva128 during DDC probing (regression from 4.2) 5) Video overlay works correctly in doublescan modes now. 6) Fix a problem misdetecting 256 Meg cards as 16 Meg cards. About 5 weeks ago I COMPLETELY REWROTE all acceleration in the driver and split Riva128 support out into a separate module. While I'm not aware of any outstanding problems with this code, it hasn't seen much testing beyond my own testing. The magnitude of the changes was substantial and is therefore risky. Note also, that the driver is now split over two modules. Improvements (not bugfixes) in CVS over 4.3.0 include: 1) GeForce4 and newer support scaling of small modes on a larger DFP instead of just centering it. 2) Add interlaced mode support for GeForceFX. 3) Better 2D performance overall due to the rewrite, particularly on GeForce3, GeForce4 Ti and GeForceFX processors. The rewrite was done not so much for performance but to get a head start on the major rewrite necessary for some future hardware which is dropping some old features used by the 4.3.0 drivers. 4) A new XvImage adaptor for TNT and up which uses a YUV blits. Mark.
Re: XFree86 (Knoppix) and NVidia 5200 Ultra...
On Thu, 11 Sep 2003, Daniel Stone wrote: > (CCing debian-knoppix, debian-x, and Mark Vojkovitch). > > On Thu, Sep 11, 2003 at 09:15:42AM +0930, behoffski wrote: > > I'm using the version of Debian XFree86 contained in Knoppix 5.2 > > (2007-07-26). > > Hmm, interesting. Knoppix guys: do you know about XFree86 4.3.0-0pre1v1 > in experimental, which is newer than my -0ds series? It's the > team-maintained version, by myself, Branden Robinson, and ISHIKAWA > Mutsumi. > > > I've used this package with four identical systems containing > > NVidia FX 5200 Ultra cards (using boot parameter "xmodule=nv" to > > avoid the problem that the card's ID isn't known). I've found > > that the operation of XFree86 is unreliable -- ome machine fails > > to start X at all -- others are flaky. That's kindof vague. I've had no problem with the 5200 series and XFree86 4.3.0, and don't know of any problems other than the usual 4.3.0 nv driver confusion about which head it's supposed to come up on (usually only a problem with DFP). Not starting is usually a configuration issue. There were no outstanding fatal issues with 4.3.0 except for a segfault on the old Riva128 when doing DDC detection. > > > > I've noticed that in xfree86.org's online CVS archive, there has > > been a reworked nv module added in the last fortnight -- with > > CVS comments indicating that "Some newer GeForceFX cards have a > > new PLL design which needs to be programmed differently in order > > to get a stable display." This comment appears to tie in very > > neatly with my observations. "Newer" meaning not released yet. The 5200 is what I would consider "old" GeForceFX hardware. The PLL changes are not applicable. > > > > http://cvsweb.xfree86.org/cvsweb/xc/programs/Xserver/hw/xfree86/drivers/nv/ > > Hmm, interesting. We've already backported the SiS and Savage drivers, > so I don't see why we couldn't pull nv back as well. OTOH, we might want > to wait for the SDK stuff - XSF? > > > My main interest in this is to have a Knoppix CD that works well > > with the 5200 Ultra systems. So two questions: > > > > 1. If I remaster the existing Knoppix CD, and merely replace the > > NV driver with an object compiled from the current CVS sources > > (nv_drv.o), what is your estimate of the likeihood of success > > (or, in other words, how compatible is this set of sources from > > the XFree86 CVS archive with the XFree86-4.3.0-ds package contained > > in Knoppix)? > > Umm, it *should* work, but no guarantees. CVS drivers that use Xv will not work with 4.3.0 due to Marc La France moving duplicated Xv clipping and data-copying code into the core server to be shared by all. The CVS "nv" driver therefore calls Xv helper functions which are not present in 4.3.0. > > > 2. Would it be feasible to fast-track these sources into upcoming > > XFree86-4.3.0 Debian experimental packages -- or would this be > > too much against the grain of Debian's emphasis on stable code? > > Given we've already dragged back the SiS and Savage stuff, I don't see > why we couldn't drag the nVidia driver back, as ewll. Mark, how stable > is the new nv code? CVS has no bug fixes over 4.3.0 except for: 1) Better "which head do I use" detection. 2) Fix some fullscreen video overlay static using DFP on GeForceFX. 3) Fix a DPMS problem with some laptop flat panels (regression from 4.2) 4) Fix a segfault on Riva128 during DDC probing (regression from 4.2) 5) Video overlay works correctly in doublescan modes now. 6) Fix a problem misdetecting 256 Meg cards as 16 Meg cards. About 5 weeks ago I COMPLETELY REWROTE all acceleration in the driver and split Riva128 support out into a separate module. While I'm not aware of any outstanding problems with this code, it hasn't seen much testing beyond my own testing. The magnitude of the changes was substantial and is therefore risky. Note also, that the driver is now split over two modules. Improvements (not bugfixes) in CVS over 4.3.0 include: 1) GeForce4 and newer support scaling of small modes on a larger DFP instead of just centering it. 2) Add interlaced mode support for GeForceFX. 3) Better 2D performance overall due to the rewrite, particularly on GeForce3, GeForce4 Ti and GeForceFX processors. The rewrite was done not so much for performance but to get a head start on the major rewrite necessary for some future hardware which is dropping some old features used by the 4.3.0 drivers. 4) A new XvImage adaptor for TNT and up which uses a YUV blits. Mark. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [XFree86] S3 ViRGE/MX locks up
On Thu, 15 May 2003, Kevin Brosius wrote: > Basz wrote: > > > > > > I've been trying to get a generic no-name laptop up using Debian. The video > > chip is a S3 Virge / MX. > > > > I started on Woody, then Sarge and now I'm on Sid. The problem is the > > same. (I've also tried RH7.2-RH8, I haven't yet tried RH9). > > > > After "startx", the screen clears, the hard disk light is on for a second, > > and then hard lock (no responce from the keyboard, network and still > > the same blank screen). > > > > The lcd is a generic 24bit 1024x768 panel. The processor is an amd k6. > > The Virge driver claims it can do 24 bit color, I dropped the default > > color depth to 8 with no effect. > > > > Any help, thanks, > > -Frank Baszler > > > > XFree86 Version 4.2.1.1 (Debian 4.2.1-5 20030122074040 [EMAIL PROTECTED]) / > > X Window System [...] > > (--) PCI:*(0:2:0) S3 ViRGE/MX+MV rev 3, Mem @ 0xc000/26, BIOS @ > > 0x000c/16 [...] > > (II) VGA: Generic VGA driver (version 4.0) for chipsets: generic > > > How about a log from a depth 16 run? That's the most likely candidate > to work. Also, XFree86 4.3.0 is newest, and may run MX better. The VGA driver only supports depths 1, 4 and 8. 8 only at 320x240, 4 only at 640x480. It's just VGA. Mark.
Re: [Xpert]Re: XFree 4.1-6 crashes on Notebook with ati Grafik card
On Wed, 6 Feb 2002, Dave Swegen wrote: > On Wed, Feb 06, 2002 at 09:56:04AM -0700, Marc Aurele La France wrote: > > On Tue, 5 Feb 2002, Wilfried Goesgens wrote: > > > > > > > Please excuse me, if I'm wrong here with my problems here and tell me > > > > > were to go. > > > > > > Xpert@XFree86.Org > > > > > > The ati driver maintainer reads that list. > > > > > well, I didn't receive any response from that. > > > Now I've Isolated the program that causes the Crash: > > > It's wmcpu : > > wmcpu does some sort of nasty stuff and reliably crashes X on all my > machines. And it is not an ATI driver thing - the tdfx driver had > problems with it too. Avoid like the plague. > Crashes X or crashes your machine? I don't see anything unusual in the code other than it uses the shape extension. It is reading proc files however so maybe it's a linux kernel bug if it's crashing your machine. The application: http://www.linux.org/apps/AppId_5159.html doesn't display anything on my system, so maybe you need window maker running for it to work. Mark.
Re: [Xpert]Re: XFree 4.1-6 crashes on Notebook with ati Grafik card
On Wed, 6 Feb 2002, Dave Swegen wrote: > On Wed, Feb 06, 2002 at 09:56:04AM -0700, Marc Aurele La France wrote: > > On Tue, 5 Feb 2002, Wilfried Goesgens wrote: > > > > > > > Please excuse me, if I'm wrong here with my problems here and tell me > > > > > were to go. > > > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > The ati driver maintainer reads that list. > > > > > well, I didn't receive any response from that. > > > Now I've Isolated the program that causes the Crash: > > > It's wmcpu : > > wmcpu does some sort of nasty stuff and reliably crashes X on all my > machines. And it is not an ATI driver thing - the tdfx driver had > problems with it too. Avoid like the plague. > Crashes X or crashes your machine? I don't see anything unusual in the code other than it uses the shape extension. It is reading proc files however so maybe it's a linux kernel bug if it's crashing your machine. The application: http://www.linux.org/apps/AppId_5159.html doesn't display anything on my system, so maybe you need window maker running for it to work. Mark. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Xv client library: shared version?
On 13 Apr 2001, Juliusz Chroboczek wrote: > Dear Mark, > > There has been some discussion recently on the Debian list devoted to > maintaining X (see CC) about the lack of a shared version of the Xv > library. There would appear to be an opinion that shared versions of > the libraries should be included. > > Any chance you could drop a note to the list about the rationale for > not including the shared library in the default XFree86 build, and > whether you think there may be any issues with including such a > library in the Debian version? > It's not an X-consortium standard, or even a de-facto standard. If you have an app that links against Xv, it won't even start unless you have the libraries on your machine. That would prohibit using that app with anything other than an XFree86 4.x installation. Say you had an app that wanted to use Xv if available, and do its own software scaling/color conversion otherwise so it would work on XiG's server or with 3.3.x. If you called XvQueryExtension to find if the extension was available your app will not run. Debian can include a shared library if they want, but applications wanting to optionally use Xv would be wise to compile with the static version. Mark.
Re: Xv client library: shared version?
On 13 Apr 2001, Juliusz Chroboczek wrote: > Dear Mark, > > There has been some discussion recently on the Debian list devoted to > maintaining X (see CC) about the lack of a shared version of the Xv > library. There would appear to be an opinion that shared versions of > the libraries should be included. > > Any chance you could drop a note to the list about the rationale for > not including the shared library in the default XFree86 build, and > whether you think there may be any issues with including such a > library in the Debian version? > It's not an X-consortium standard, or even a de-facto standard. If you have an app that links against Xv, it won't even start unless you have the libraries on your machine. That would prohibit using that app with anything other than an XFree86 4.x installation. Say you had an app that wanted to use Xv if available, and do its own software scaling/color conversion otherwise so it would work on XiG's server or with 3.3.x. If you called XvQueryExtension to find if the extension was available your app will not run. Debian can include a shared library if they want, but applications wanting to optionally use Xv would be wise to compile with the static version. Mark. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [Xpert]How to debug the X server?
On 4 Mar 2001, Andreas Voegele wrote: > [Please CC me] > > I've finally upgraded my X server from 3.3.6 to 4.0.2. The new server > runs fine but when I switch to the text console and back to X the > server freezes. I can still log into the system from another machine > and reboot the system though. Did the server segfault or is it still running? Make sure your shell has core dumps turned on. If it segfaulted run gdb on the core: gdb -c core /usr/X11R6/bin/XFree86 If it's still running run it on the process. gdb /usr/X11R6/bin/XFree86 pid_of_X_process > > I have an ELSA Victory Erazor AGP card (NVIDIA RIVA 128). I'm > currently using Debian Woody and Linux 2.4.1. Disabling the agpgart > and frame buffer devices doesn't help and with Linux 2.2.17, 2.4.0 and > 2.4.2 (*) the X server freezes too. > > I've downloaded the XFree86 Debian sources but I don't want to build > all the packages. Is it possible to build only the X server? > > Can anyone give me some hints on how to debug the X server? There's a special version of gdb on the xpert ftp site. You'll need that or else it won't be able to debug the modules. From the gdb propt type: module /usr/X11R6/lib/modules and it will load the XFree86 modules. The a normal backtrace (type "bt") should work. It will show where it crashed or got hung at. Without the special version of gdb all the functions in modules appear as question marks. I'm not aware of any problems with the nv driver on Riva 128 in the 4.0.2 server so I don't have a clue what the problem is. Finding where it crashed at may give a clue. Mark.
Re: [Xpert]How to debug the X server?
On 4 Mar 2001, Andreas Voegele wrote: > [Please CC me] > > I've finally upgraded my X server from 3.3.6 to 4.0.2. The new server > runs fine but when I switch to the text console and back to X the > server freezes. I can still log into the system from another machine > and reboot the system though. Did the server segfault or is it still running? Make sure your shell has core dumps turned on. If it segfaulted run gdb on the core: gdb -c core /usr/X11R6/bin/XFree86 If it's still running run it on the process. gdb /usr/X11R6/bin/XFree86 pid_of_X_process > > I have an ELSA Victory Erazor AGP card (NVIDIA RIVA 128). I'm > currently using Debian Woody and Linux 2.4.1. Disabling the agpgart > and frame buffer devices doesn't help and with Linux 2.2.17, 2.4.0 and > 2.4.2 (*) the X server freezes too. > > I've downloaded the XFree86 Debian sources but I don't want to build > all the packages. Is it possible to build only the X server? > > Can anyone give me some hints on how to debug the X server? There's a special version of gdb on the xpert ftp site. You'll need that or else it won't be able to debug the modules. From the gdb propt type: module /usr/X11R6/lib/modules and it will load the XFree86 modules. The a normal backtrace (type "bt") should work. It will show where it crashed or got hung at. Without the special version of gdb all the functions in modules appear as question marks. I'm not aware of any problems with the nv driver on Riva 128 in the 4.0.2 server so I don't have a clue what the problem is. Finding where it crashed at may give a clue. Mark. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
