LinuxQuestions.org
Welcome to the most active Linux Forum on the web.
Go Back   LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Hardware
User Name
Password
Linux - Hardware This forum is for Hardware issues.
Having trouble installing a piece of hardware? Want to know if that peripheral is compatible with Linux?

Notices


Reply
  Search this Thread
Old 02-15-2008, 09:21 AM   #1
fiz
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Feb 2008
Location: vienna, austria
Distribution: debian
Posts: 9

Rep: Reputation: 0
nvidia driver on smp kernel


Hi, I'm using Debian etch, with a 2.6.18-6-686 smp kernel
my video adapter is a GeForce 8800.
I used the card with my old system, but now i have an intel core2-quad processor, the nvidia driver doesn't work, neither the package driver (i guess this one doesn't support up to 8800), nor the one from the nvidia site.
i also found this howto:
http://www.informatix.or.id/willy/in...smp-kernel.php
except its not for debian, its for slackware.

here's the tail of Xorg.0.log (package-driver-output):
(==) NVIDIA(0): Using gamma correction (1.0, 1.0, 1.0)
(**) NVIDIA(0): Enabling RENDER acceleration
(EE) NVIDIA(0): Failed to initialize the GLX module; please check in your X
(EE) NVIDIA(0): log file that the GLX module has been loaded in your X
(EE) NVIDIA(0): server, and that the module is the NVIDIA GLX module. If
(EE) NVIDIA(0): you continue to encounter problems, Please try
(EE) NVIDIA(0): reinstalling the NVIDIA driver.
(EE) NVIDIA(0): Failed to initialize the NVIDIA kernel module! Please ensure
(EE) NVIDIA(0): that there is a supported NVIDIA GPU in this system, and
(EE) NVIDIA(0): that the NVIDIA device files have been created properly.
(EE) NVIDIA(0): Please consult the NVIDIA README for details.
(EE) NVIDIA(0): *** Aborting ***
(II) UnloadModule: "nvidia"
(II) UnloadModule: "ramdac"
(II) UnloadModule: "wfb"
(II) UnloadModule: "fb"
(EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.

My xorg.conf is just out of the box, except that i changed vesa to nvidia and enabled glx

I already googled for hours but wasn't able to find any usefull support for smp+nvidia, tell me if i should use anothe kernel (but i don't want to moss smp), or whatever else, i'll be very gladfull for any usefull help

PS: not sure if this thread belongs to hardware or to distros
 
Old 02-16-2008, 03:15 AM   #2
Electro
LQ Guru
 
Registered: Jan 2002
Posts: 6,042

Rep: Reputation: Disabled
This is easier than you think. The installation process for nVidia graphics on a multiple processor (SMP) system is the same as a single processor. If you have re-configure your kernel and re-compile it, you will have to re-compile the nVidia module because the symbols and pointers will be wrong. I strongly recommend do not use the pre-compile module. I recommend to always compile the nVidia module or else you will have problems. About the GLX problem, you either have a library problem or a problem in your /etc/X11/xorg.conf. From what I see, it hard to say what is causing it. I suggest post /etc/X11/xorg and the output of lsmod.

Do not use a framebuffer of nVidia (rivafb or nvidiafb) with the nVidia module or else they will conflict with each other.

The nVidia module is SMP safe.
 
Old 02-16-2008, 09:11 AM   #3
fiz
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Feb 2008
Location: vienna, austria
Distribution: debian
Posts: 9

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 0
tnx for the reply,
i uninstalled the package drivers and made sure nvidiafb wasn't loaded, then i re-ran the nvidia-installer, and it worked! i was also able to run glxgears, _but_ since i rebooted the machine its behaving like before,

so here's the tail of Xorg.0.log (nvidia-installer-driver)
(II) Initializing built-in extension SECURITY
(II) Initializing built-in extension XINERAMA
(II) Initializing built-in extension XFIXES
(II) Initializing built-in extension XFree86-Bigfont
(II) Initializing built-in extension RENDER
(II) Initializing built-in extension RANDR
(II) Initializing built-in extension COMPOSITE
(II) Initializing built-in extension DAMAGE
(II) Initializing built-in extension XEVIE
(II) Initializing extension GLX
<eof>

it displays a black screen and as soon as i hit any key i'm back at the text-console, so it kind of gets stuck with the GLX extension

lsmod:
Module Size Used by
i2c_algo_bit 8424 0
nvidia 7815200 0
agpgart 29896 1 nvidia
ipv6 226272 18
ppdev 8676 0
parport_pc 32132 0
lp 11012 0
parport 33256 3 ppdev,parport_pc,lp
button 6672 0
ac 5188 0
battery 9636 0
dm_snapshot 15552 0
dm_mirror 19152 0
dm_mod 50232 2 dm_snapshot,dm_mirror
sbp2 20840 0
loop 15048 0
tsdev 7520 0
i2c_i801 7468 0
serio_raw 6660 0
floppy 53156 0
rtc 12372 0
usbhid 37248 0
i2c_core 19680 3 i2c_algo_bit,nvidia,i2c_i801
psmouse 35016 0
pcspkr 3072 0
sky2 36164 0
evdev 9088 1
eth1394 18212 0
ext3 119240 2
jbd 52456 1 ext3
mbcache 8356 1 ext3
sd_mod 19040 4
ide_cd 36064 0
cdrom 32544 1 ide_cd
ahci 17924 0
ata_piix 13896 3
ohci1394 30800 0
r8169 28360 0
uhci_hcd 21164 0
libata 89396 2 ahci,ata_piix
ehci_hcd 28136 0
ieee1394 86904 3 sbp2,eth1394,ohci1394
scsi_mod 124168 4 sbp2,sd_mod,ahci,libata
jmicron 4192 0 [permanent]
generic 4868 0 [permanent]
ide_core 110504 3 ide_cd,jmicron,generic
usbcore 112644 4 usbhid,uhci_hcd,ehci_hcd
thermal 13608 0
processor 28840 1 thermal
fan 4804 0
<eof>

xorg.conf:
# vidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig: version 1.0 (buildmeister@builder3) Fri Jan 11 15:05:59 PST 2008

# /etc/X11/xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the /etc/X11/xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man /etc/X11/xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen" 0 0
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "Files"

# path to defoma fonts
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "i2c"
Load "bitmap"
Load "ddc"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "vbe"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "de"
Option "XkbVariant" "nodeadkeys"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Standardbildschirm"
HorizSync 28.0 - 64.0
VertRefresh 43.0 - 60.0
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Standardgrafikkarte"
Driver "nvidia"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Standardgrafikkarte"
Monitor "Standardbildschirm"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection
<eof>

i still wonder why it worked until a reboot, is any module missing?
 
Old 02-16-2008, 10:21 AM   #4
crashmeister
Senior Member
 
Registered: Feb 2002
Distribution: t2 - trying to anyway
Posts: 2,541

Rep: Reputation: 47
Go to a terminal (alt+ctrl+F1) and type startx.Then the xserver should complain about it problems.
 
Old 02-16-2008, 10:53 AM   #5
fiz
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Feb 2008
Location: vienna, austria
Distribution: debian
Posts: 9

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 0
alright, here's the startx output:

xauth: creating new authority file /root/.serverauth.3615

X: warning; process set to priority -1 instead of requested priority 0

X Window System Version 7.1.1
Release Date: 12 May 2006
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 7.1.1
Build Operating System: UNKNOWN
Current Operating System: Linux 4sukker 2.6.18-6-686 #1 SMP Sun Feb 10 22:11:31 UTC 2008 i686
Build Date: 18 January 2008
Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
to make sure that you have the latest version.
Module Loader present
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Sat Feb 16 16:52:21 2008
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
XIO: fatal IO error 104 (Connection reset by peer) on X server ":0.0"
after 0 requests (0 known processed) with 0 events remaining.
 
Old 02-16-2008, 11:10 AM   #6
crashmeister
Senior Member
 
Registered: Feb 2002
Distribution: t2 - trying to anyway
Posts: 2,541

Rep: Reputation: 47
This is strange - I got a 7600 and no problem.
How did you install the nvidia driver? Had trouble with some kernel version a while back.

Why is the agpgart module loaded? Ain't this a pci-e card?

The nvidia driver should work with a default debian kernel - it's not the debian way to install the driver but I couldn't care less.
Any way you screwed up something when you followed this tutorial and recompiled the kernel?

Last edited by crashmeister; 02-16-2008 at 11:19 AM.
 
Old 02-16-2008, 11:25 AM   #7
fiz
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Feb 2008
Location: vienna, austria
Distribution: debian
Posts: 9

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 0
i just used the installer from the nvidia website (http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree8...69.09-pkg1.run)
which used to work perfectly nice in the past (on non smp-kernels)
of course i also installed all the necessary packages like gcc, kernel headers, libc-dev etc.
the installer complains that no matching kernel interface was found, and that it needs to compile one, which succeeds (at least the installer thinks so ), then it works until the box is rebooted.

yes, its an pci-e card, maybe the agpgart is also responsible for pci-e? at least "rmmod agpgart" complains that the module is in use by the nvidia module.
 
Old 02-16-2008, 07:59 PM   #8
v00d00101
Member
 
Registered: Jun 2003
Location: UK
Distribution: Devuan Beowulf
Posts: 514
Blog Entries: 1

Rep: Reputation: 37
Try running at a lower resolution?

Are you really sure the vertical refresh has a max frequency of 60Hz?

My xorg.conf sections for graphics.

Code:
Section "Monitor"
        Identifier      "Monitor0"
        VendorName      "Monitor Vendor"
        ModelName       "Monitor 1280x1024"
        HorizSync       31.5 - 79.0
        VertRefresh     60.0 - 90.0
        Option          "dpms"
EndSection

Section "Device"
        Identifier      "Videocard0"
        Driver          "nvidia"
        VendorName      "Videocard vendor"
        BoardName       "nVidia Corporation Unknown device 01df"
        Option          "NoLogo"        "True"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier "Screen0"
        Device     "Videocard0"
        Monitor    "Monitor0"
        DefaultDepth     24
        SubSection "Display"
                Viewport   0 0
                Modes    "1280x1024_60" "1024x768_75"
                Depth     16
        EndSubSection
        SubSection "Display"
                Viewport   0 0
                Depth     24
                Modes    "1280x1024_60" "1024x768_75"
        EndSubSection
EndSection
I compiled mine on an SMP kernel, using the nvidia driver file from nvidia.com.

Try recompiling the driver. Have you checked /var/log/Xorg.log, dmesg and messages?
 
Old 02-17-2008, 11:28 AM   #9
fiz
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Feb 2008
Location: vienna, austria
Distribution: debian
Posts: 9

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 0
i already recompiled it several times, i found out, that if i simply disable the glx module i'm at least able to run the card in twinview mode. But of course without the glx module the driver is quite senceless

when i say compile, i'm talking about letting the installer compile the driver, are you using a different method to compile the driver (is there a "make-it-work"-Makefile ) ? are you using some command line options which i didn't?

yeah, i checked the logs, its just as i posted above, dmesg itself it not very helpfull as it only says nvidia module loaded, no complains about glx.
 
Old 02-17-2008, 11:53 AM   #10
crashmeister
Senior Member
 
Registered: Feb 2002
Distribution: t2 - trying to anyway
Posts: 2,541

Rep: Reputation: 47
Just get a plain vanilla debian-smp-kernel in there - forget about compiling your own except your machine has 64 mb ram - and d/l the driver from nvidia and install it.
Plus compiling your own kernels with most (about 95% distros is a major pain to keep it up todate and everything else in sync)is just a m/s thing except you don't have any ram at all.The days when it was necessary to do that are over.
Compiling my own kernels was something I did a couple of years ago but it just doesn't make sense anymore with the machines today - except you run slack it seems like.

Here's what you do:

1. install debian kernel
2. get nvidia driver from website and install it
3. get back here and tell us what went wrong

Last edited by crashmeister; 02-17-2008 at 11:57 AM.
 
Old 02-17-2008, 12:09 PM   #11
fiz
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Feb 2008
Location: vienna, austria
Distribution: debian
Posts: 9

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 0
i have a plain debian-kernel, uname -a gives:
Linux name 2.6.18-6-686 #1 SMP Sun Feb 10 22:11:31 UTC 2008 i686 GNU/Linux

so actually i did everything as you said, should i get another kernel? this one is just from debian "linux-image-2.6-686-smp"
 
Old 02-17-2008, 04:37 PM   #12
Electro
LQ Guru
 
Registered: Jan 2002
Posts: 6,042

Rep: Reputation: Disabled
When loading up X Window Server with nVidia module and the screen goes to blank, it means the nVidia module is working. To fix the blanking, use the utility gtf to create modelines for your monitor. Then place the modelines in the monitor section. It does help to set the min and max of both the vertical and horizontal specs of your computer monitor. If your monitor is an LCD monitor, you may have to force EPID to off.

I forgot to say that nVidia will over write X11 libraries, so X Window Server might get confused with mixed libraries. I have not had trouble in the past when I install nVidia's modules. They over write the X11 libraries and worked fine. Many people said this method is wrong and they want to use other video cards in the future, so they created a method to copy X11 libraries and nVidia libraries to make it easy to switch between the two. Gentoo does this easily. Other distributions does the same.

I suggest use Gentoo because just like Debian, it works with CLI and has additional easy utilities to help you change settings.

I have no problems compiling the kernel and making the nVidia module to work. Installing nVidia is easy compared to other modules such as VMware modules. I am using kernel version 2.6.22 and nVidia version 100.14.19.

Quote:
Plus compiling your own kernels with most (about 95% distros is a major pain to keep it up todate and everything else in sync)is just a m/s thing except you don't have any ram at all.The days when it was necessary to do that are over.
Compiling my own kernels was something I did a couple of years ago but it just doesn't make sense anymore with the machines today - except you run slack it seems like.
There are no problems compiling the kernel. It is good experience and knowledge to have. Also compiling the kernel can decrease the amount of memory and some vulnerabilities that a full blown kernel has before. Third by compiling the kernel, you can add additional security.
 
Old 02-18-2008, 03:40 AM   #13
crashmeister
Senior Member
 
Registered: Feb 2002
Distribution: t2 - trying to anyway
Posts: 2,541

Rep: Reputation: 47
Quote:
Originally Posted by Electro View Post
There are no problems compiling the kernel. It is good experience and knowledge to have. Also compiling the kernel can decrease the amount of memory and some vulnerabilities that a full blown kernel has before. Third by compiling the kernel, you can add additional security.
Good one
Can you elaborate on that please so we learn this things,too?


Back to topic:

Does the xserver work with the nv driver?

Pls PM me the nvidia install log (it's in /var/log).

Plus I am a dumb ass

BoardName "nVidia Corporation Unknown device 01df"

That definitely doesn't look right.Looks like your card isn't recognized correctly.

Shot in the dark - try nvidia-installer --update
That will pull a beta driver from the nvidia website.
 
Old 02-18-2008, 08:30 AM   #14
fiz
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Feb 2008
Location: vienna, austria
Distribution: debian
Posts: 9

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 0
@Elektro
I have a lcd monitor, which displays "out of range"-warnings, so i could eliminate that problem
I don't want to change to gentoo since i use debian on over 14 boxes, but i guess maybe my kernel is simply to old since your's 2.6.22 and mine only 2.6.18?

@chrashmeister
no it doesn't work with the nv-driver since the card is not yet supported by nv
nvidia-installer --update says i already have the newest version (169.09).
I can't PM you, maybe because my forum status is n00by? so i'll just post it here:
Code:
nvidia-installer log file '/var/log/nvidia-installer.log'
creation time: Mon Feb 18 14:26:35 2008

option status:
  license pre-accepted    : false
  update                  : true
  force update            : false
  expert                  : false
  uninstall               : false
  driver info             : false
  precompiled interfaces  : true
  no ncurses color        : false
  query latest version    : false
  OpenGL header files     : true
  no questions            : false
  silent                  : false
  no recursion            : false
  no backup               : false
  kernel module only      : false
  sanity                  : false
  add this kernel         : false
  no runlevel check       : false
  no network              : false
  no ABI note             : false
  no RPMs                 : false
  no kernel module        : false
  force SELinux           : default
  no X server check       : false
  force tls               : (not specified)
  X install prefix        : (not specified)
  X library install path  : (not specified)
  X module install path   : (not specified)
  OpenGL install prefix   : (not specified)
  OpenGL install libdir   : (not specified)
  utility install prefix  : (not specified)
  utility install libdir  : (not specified)
  doc install prefix      : (not specified)
  kernel name             : (not specified)
  kernel include path     : (not specified)
  kernel source path      : (not specified)
  kernel output path      : (not specified)
  kernel install path     : (not specified)
  proc mount point        : /proc
  ui                      : (not specified)
  tmpdir                  : /tmp
  ftp mirror              : ftp://download.nvidia.com
  RPM file list           : (not specified)

Using: nvidia-installer ncurses user interface
-> The latest NVIDIA Accelerated Graphics Driver for Linux-x86 (version 169.09)
   is already installed.
 
Old 02-18-2008, 09:06 AM   #15
crashmeister
Senior Member
 
Registered: Feb 2002
Distribution: t2 - trying to anyway
Posts: 2,541

Rep: Reputation: 47
Strange again - figured it would pull 171-something because thats what it did with my machine.On the other hand that was 32 bit.

Try nvidia-installer --sanity - maybe something pops up there.
Check with lspci if your card is recognized properly since you xconfig says 'unknown device'.
 
  


Reply

Tags
debian


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off



Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Kernel 2.6.20.5-smp and nVidia TL_CLD Slackware 2 04-08-2007 04:33 PM
NVIDIA Drivers + Slack 11 SMP kernel mogunus Slackware 40 02-01-2007 02:42 PM
nVidia with SMP Kernel Lord C Linux - Hardware 6 02-21-2005 11:54 PM
problems installing NVIDIA graphics driver and SMP littleneutral1 Debian 0 11-24-2004 12:24 PM
how to get Nvidia drivers working with RH9 kernel-smp-2.4.20-20.9 debaucher Linux - Software 10 10-02-2003 01:26 PM

LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Hardware

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:15 AM.

Main Menu
Advertisement
My LQ
Write for LQ
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute content, let us know.
Main Menu
Syndicate
RSS1  Latest Threads
RSS1  LQ News
Twitter: @linuxquestions
Open Source Consulting | Domain Registration