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CollieJim 01-07-2011 08:10 PM
xorg gives blank screen with nvidia driver
 
Once again nvidia is causing me grief.
I ran
Code:
emerge -aDuv world
emerge -a `qlist -I -C x11-drivers`
and got
Code:
x11-base/xorg-drivers-1.9
x11-base/xorg-server-1.9.2
x11-base/xorg-x11-7.1-r1
x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers-260.19.29
Now when I startx I get a blank screen. Not just blank, but no-signal low-power off type blank. The log file indicates that KDE4 starts normally. Ctrl-Alt-Backspace returns me to the command line.

If I use the vesa driver I get a low-res desktop so xorg is working. When I use the nvidia driver I get nothing.

My video card is a Geforce 8400 GS.

Am I missing something or is my card no longer supported?

TIA
Jim

serafean 01-08-2011 07:13 AM
Hi, the 8XXX series is supported. Dumb question : did you run
Code:
eselect opengl set nvidia
? Did you create a xorg.conf?how (X --configure/nvidia-xconfig?Have you tried starting X without a xorg.conf? You might want to try it with the nouveau driver (opensource for nvidia hardware), but don't forget to run eselect opengl set xorg-11 before :)

I once had a similar issue and it turned out that the card was sending the video signal through D-SUB while my screen was connected via DVI. Try looking into that.

This line in a Screen section maps the screen to an output (SVI in this case) :
Quote:
Option "metamodes" "DFP: 1360x768_60 +0+0"
Serafean

CollieJim 01-08-2011 08:01 AM
Yes, I did run eselect, and I am trying to use the same xorg.conf that I have been using for over a year. It's mostly left over from when it was required, and I've kept it so I can use my Wacom tablet and change from 1920x1080 to lower resolutions for magnification. I might try X --configure or nvidia-xconfig and compare their output with what I have when I get the chance.

The cables are good since the vesa driver is usable (barely) and text-mode is normal.

If I hide xorg.conf, the default gives me 800x600 stretched to 1920x1080 - not very nice at all.

Jim

serafean 01-08-2011 11:02 AM
Quote:
The cables are good since the vesa driver is usable (barely) and text-mode is normal.
I wasn't talking about cables (though that was good to check too). I was talking about the nvidia driver pushing video through the wrong connector (D-SUB instead of DVI). Which would not happen using vesa.

If you hide the xorg.conf, what driver is loaded? VESA or nvidia? I personnally have had no need for modelines in a xorg.conf for a couple of years now (except for dualscreen or other special setups). Could you attach your Xorg.0.log from when the nvidia driver won't show anything?

Serafean

CollieJim 01-08-2011 07:31 PM
First, how do I specify which connector is used?

nvidia and nvidiafb are loaded at boot time. vesa is not present after starting X (no surprise).

Code:
Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier    "Default Layout"
    Screen        0  "Screen0" 0 0
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
    Option        "AutoAddDevices" "false"
    Option        "AllowMouseOpenFail" "True"
EndSection

Section "Files"

# Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (they are concatenated together)
# By default, a font server independent of the X server is
# used to render fonts.
#    FontPath        "unix/:7100"
EndSection

Section "Module"
#    Load          "vnc"
    disable        "dri"
    disable        "dri2"
    Load          "dbe"
    Load          "extmod"
    Load          "fbdevhw"
    Load          "glx"
    Load          "record"
#    Load          "freetype2"
    Load          "type1"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier    "Keyboard0"
    Driver        "kbd"
    Option        "XkbModel" "pc105"
    Option        "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier    "Mouse0"
    Driver        "mouse"
    Option        "Protocol" "Auto"
#    Option        "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
    Option        "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
    Option        "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
    Option        "Emulate3Buttons" "yes"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier    "Monitor1"
    VendorName    "Acer"
    ModelName      "H223HQ"
    HorizSync      30.0 - 80.0
    VertRefresh    55.0 - 75.0
    Option        "dpms"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier    "Videocard0"
    Driver        "nvidia"
    VendorName    "Videocard vendor"
    BoardName      "nVidia Corporation NV34 [GeForce FX 5200]"
    BusId          "PCI:2:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier    "Videocard3"
    Driver        "vesa"
    VendorName    "Videocard vendor"
    BoardName      "nVidia Corporation NV34 [GeForce FX 5200]"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier    "Screen0"
    Device        "Videocard0"
    Monitor        "Monitor1"
    DefaultDepth    24

    SubSection    "Display"
        Viewport    0 0
        Depth      24
        Modes      "1920x1080" "1280x900" "800x360"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Code:
X.Org X Server 1.9.2
Release Date: 2010-10-30
 X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
 Build Operating System: Linux 2.6.36-gentoo-r5-03 i686 Gentoo
 Current Operating System: Linux D3-2 2.6.36-gentoo-r5-03 #2 SMP Fri Jan 7 13:07:36 WST 2011 i686
 Kernel command line: root=/dev/sda2 vga=794
 Build Date: 07 January 2011  09:28:44PM
 
 Current version of pixman: 0.20.0
        Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
        to make sure that you have the latest version.
 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: Sun Jan  9 08:59:18 2011
 (==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
 (==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
 (==) ServerLayout "Default Layout"
 (**) |-->Screen "Screen0" (0)
 (**) |  |-->Monitor "Monitor1"
 (**) |  |-->Device "Videocard0"
 (**) |-->Input Device "Mouse0"
 (**) |-->Input Device "Keyboard0"
 (**) Option "AllowMouseOpenFail" "True"
 (**) Option "AutoAddDevices" "false"
 (**) Not automatically adding devices
 (==) Automatically enabling devices
 (==) FontPath set to:
        /usr/share/fonts/misc/,
        /usr/share/fonts/TTF/,
        /usr/share/fonts/OTF/,
        /usr/share/fonts/Type1/,
        /usr/share/fonts/100dpi/,
        /usr/share/fonts/75dpi/
 (==) ModulePath set to "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
 (II) Loader magic: 0x81f3de0
 (II) Module ABI versions:
        X.Org ANSI C Emulation: 0.4
        X.Org Video Driver: 8.0
        X.Org XInput driver : 11.0
        X.Org Server Extension : 4.0
 (--) PCI: (0:0:6:0) 14f1:8800:17de:08a6 rev 5, Mem @ 0xdd000000/16777216
 (--) PCI:*(0:2:0:0) 10de:0422:105b:0f1e rev 161, Mem @ 0xda000000/16777216, 0xc0000000/268435456, 0xd8000000/33554432, I/O @ 0x0000bf00/128, BIOS @ 0x????????/131072
 (WW) "dri" will not be loaded unless you've specified it to be loaded elsewhere.
 (WW) "dri2" will not be loaded unless you've specified it to be loaded elsewhere.
 (II) "extmod" will be loaded. This was enabled by default and also specified in the config file.
 (II) "dbe" will be loaded. This was enabled by default and also specified in the config file.
 (II) "glx" will be loaded. This was enabled by default and also specified in the config file.
 (II) "record" will be loaded. This was enabled by default and also specified in the config file.
 (II) "dri" will be loaded even though the default is to disable it.
 (II) "dri2" will be loaded even though the default is to disable it.
 (II) LoadModule: "dbe"
 (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions/libdbe.so
 (II) Module dbe: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
        compiled for 1.9.2, module version = 1.0.0
        Module class: X.Org Server Extension
        ABI class: X.Org Server Extension, version 4.0
 (II) Loading extension DOUBLE-BUFFER
 (II) LoadModule: "extmod"
 (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions/libextmod.so
 (II) Module extmod: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
        compiled for 1.9.2, module version = 1.0.0
        Module class: X.Org Server Extension
        ABI class: X.Org Server Extension, version 4.0
 (II) Loading extension MIT-SCREEN-SAVER
 (II) Loading extension XFree86-VidModeExtension
 (II) Loading extension XFree86-DGA
 (II) Loading extension DPMS
 (II) Loading extension XVideo
 (II) Loading extension XVideo-MotionCompensation
 (II) Loading extension X-Resource
 (II) LoadModule: "fbdevhw"
 (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/libfbdevhw.so
 (II) Module fbdevhw: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
        compiled for 1.9.2, module version = 0.0.2
        ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 8.0
 (II) LoadModule: "glx"
 (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions/libglx.so
 (II) Module glx: vendor="NVIDIA Corporation"
        compiled for 4.0.2, module version = 1.0.0
        Module class: X.Org Server Extension
 (II) NVIDIA GLX Module  260.19.29  Wed Dec  8 12:25:40 PST 2010
 (II) Loading extension GLX
 (II) LoadModule: "record"
 (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions/librecord.so
 (II) Module record: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
        compiled for 1.9.2, module version = 1.13.0
        Module class: X.Org Server Extension
        ABI class: X.Org Server Extension, version 4.0
 (II) Loading extension RECORD
 (II) LoadModule: "nvidia"
 (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/nvidia_drv.so
 (II) Module nvidia: vendor="NVIDIA Corporation"
        compiled for 4.0.2, module version = 1.0.0
        Module class: X.Org Video Driver
 (II) LoadModule: "mouse"
 (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/input/mouse_drv.so
 (II) Module mouse: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
        compiled for 1.9.2, module version = 1.6.0
        Module class: X.Org XInput Driver
        ABI class: X.Org XInput driver, version 11.0
 (II) LoadModule: "kbd"
 (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/input/kbd_drv.so
 (II) Module kbd: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
        compiled for 1.9.2, module version = 1.5.0
        Module class: X.Org XInput Driver
        ABI class: X.Org XInput driver, version 11.0
 (II) NVIDIA dlloader X Driver  260.19.29  Wed Dec  8 12:10:28 PST 2010
 (II) NVIDIA Unified Driver for all Supported NVIDIA GPUs
 (--) using VT number 7

 (II) Loading sub module "fb"
 (II) LoadModule: "fb"
 (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/libfb.so
 (II) Module fb: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
        compiled for 1.9.2, module version = 1.0.0
        ABI class: X.Org ANSI C Emulation, version 0.4
 (II) Loading sub module "wfb"
 (II) LoadModule: "wfb"
 (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/libwfb.so
 (II) Module wfb: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
        compiled for 1.9.2, module version = 1.0.0
        ABI class: X.Org ANSI C Emulation, version 0.4
 (II) Loading sub module "ramdac"
 (II) LoadModule: "ramdac"
 (II) Module "ramdac" already built-in
 (**) NVIDIA(0): Depth 24, (--) framebuffer bpp 32
 (==) NVIDIA(0): RGB weight 888
 (==) NVIDIA(0): Default visual is TrueColor
 (==) NVIDIA(0): Using gamma correction (1.0, 1.0, 1.0)
 (**) NVIDIA(0): Enabling RENDER acceleration
 (II) NVIDIA(0): Support for GLX with the Damage and Composite X extensions is
 (II) NVIDIA(0):    enabled.
 (II) NVIDIA(0): NVIDIA GPU GeForce 8400 GS (G86) at PCI:2:0:0 (GPU-0)
 (--) NVIDIA(0): Memory: 524288 kBytes
 (--) NVIDIA(0): VideoBIOS: 60.86.42.00.11
 (II) NVIDIA(0): Detected PCI Express Link width: 16X
 (--) NVIDIA(0): Interlaced video modes are supported on this GPU
 (--) NVIDIA(0): Connected display device(s) on GeForce 8400 GS at PCI:2:0:0
 (--) NVIDIA(0):    Acer H223HQ (CRT-1)
 (--) NVIDIA(0):    NVIDIA TV Encoder (TV-0)
 (--) NVIDIA(0): Acer H223HQ (CRT-1): 400.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
 (--) NVIDIA(0): NVIDIA TV Encoder (TV-0): 400.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
 (--) NVIDIA(0): TV encoder: NVIDIA
 (II) NVIDIA(0): Assigned Display Device: CRT-1
 (WW) NVIDIA(0): No valid modes for "1280x900"; removing.
 (WW) NVIDIA(0): No valid modes for "800x360"; removing.
 (II) NVIDIA(0): Validated modes:
 (II) NVIDIA(0):    "1920x1080"
 (II) NVIDIA(0): Virtual screen size determined to be 1920 x 1080
 (--) NVIDIA(0): DPI set to (101, 101); computed from "UseEdidDpi" X config
 (--) NVIDIA(0):    option
 (==) NVIDIA(0): Enabling 32-bit ARGB GLX visuals.
 (--) Depth 24 pixmap format is 32 bpp
 (II) NVIDIA: Using 768.00 MB of virtual memory for indirect memory access.
 (II) NVIDIA(0): Initialized GPU GART.
 (II) NVIDIA(0): ACPI: failed to connect to the ACPI event daemon; the daemon
 (II) NVIDIA(0):    may not be running or the "AcpidSocketPath" X
 (II) NVIDIA(0):    configuration option may not be set correctly.  When the
 (II) NVIDIA(0):    ACPI event daemon is available, the NVIDIA X driver will
 (II) NVIDIA(0):    try to use it to receive ACPI event notifications.  For
 (II) NVIDIA(0):    details, please see the "ConnectToAcpid" and
 (II) NVIDIA(0):    "AcpidSocketPath" X configuration options in Appendix B: X
 (II) NVIDIA(0):    Config Options in the README.
 (II) NVIDIA(0): Setting mode "1920x1080"
 (II) Loading extension NV-GLX
 (II) NVIDIA(0): Initialized OpenGL Acceleration
 (==) NVIDIA(0): Disabling shared memory pixmaps
 (II) NVIDIA(0): Initialized X Rendering Acceleration
 (==) NVIDIA(0): Backing store disabled
 (==) NVIDIA(0): Silken mouse enabled
 (**) NVIDIA(0): DPMS enabled
 (II) Loading extension NV-CONTROL
 (II) Loading extension XINERAMA
 (II) Loading sub module "dri2"
 (II) LoadModule: "dri2"
 (WW) Warning, couldn't open module dri2
 (II) UnloadModule: "dri2"
 (EE) NVIDIA: Failed to load module "dri2" (module does not exist, 0)
 (II) NVIDIA(0): The X server will not be able to send the VDPAU driver name to
 (II) NVIDIA(0):    libvdpau.
 (==) RandR enabled
 (II) Initializing built-in extension Generic Event Extension
 (II) Initializing built-in extension SHAPE
 (II) Initializing built-in extension MIT-SHM
 (II) Initializing built-in extension XInputExtension
 (II) Initializing built-in extension XTEST
 (II) Initializing built-in extension BIG-REQUESTS
 (II) Initializing built-in extension SYNC
 (II) Initializing built-in extension XKEYBOARD
 (II) Initializing built-in extension XC-MISC
 (II) Initializing built-in extension XINERAMA
 (II) Initializing built-in extension XFIXES
 (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 extension GLX
 (**) Option "Protocol" "Auto"
 (**) Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
 (II) Mouse0: Setting mouse protocol to "ExplorerPS/2"
 (**) Mouse0: Device: "/dev/input/mice"
 (**) Mouse0: Protocol: "Auto"
 (**) Option "CorePointer"
 (**) Mouse0: always reports core events
 (**) Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
 (**) Option "Emulate3Buttons" "yes"
 (**) Mouse0: Emulate3Buttons, Emulate3Timeout: 50
 (**) Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
 (**) Mouse0: ZAxisMapping: buttons 4 and 5
 (**) Mouse0: Buttons: 9
 (**) Mouse0: Sensitivity: 1
 (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Mouse0" (type: MOUSE)
 (**) Mouse0: (accel) keeping acceleration scheme 1
 (**) Mouse0: (accel) acceleration profile 0
 (**) Mouse0: (accel) acceleration factor: 2.000
 (**) Mouse0: (accel) acceleration threshold: 4
 (II) Mouse0: Setting mouse protocol to "ExplorerPS/2"
 (II) Mouse0: ps2EnableDataReporting: succeeded
 (**) Option "CoreKeyboard"
 (**) Keyboard0: always reports core events
 (**) Option "Protocol" "standard"
 (**) Keyboard0: Protocol: standard
 (**) Option "XkbRules" "base"
 (**) Keyboard0: XkbRules: "base"
 (**) Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
 (**) Keyboard0: XkbModel: "pc105"
 (**) Option "XkbLayout" "us"
 (**) Keyboard0: XkbLayout: "us"
 (**) Option "CustomKeycodes" "off"
 (**) Keyboard0: CustomKeycodes disabled
 (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Keyboard0" (type: KEYBOARD)
 (II) config/udev: Adding input device Logitech USB Receiver (/dev/input/event1)
 (II) AutoAddDevices is off - not adding device.
 (II) config/udev: Adding input device Logitech USB Receiver (/dev/input/event2)
 (II) AutoAddDevices is off - not adding device.
 (II) config/udev: Adding input device Logitech USB Receiver (/dev/input/mouse0)
 (II) AutoAddDevices is off - not adding device.
 (II) config/udev: Adding input device Logitech USB Receiver (/dev/input/event3)
 (II) AutoAddDevices is off - not adding device.
 (II) config/udev: Adding input device Logitech USB Receiver (/dev/input/mouse1)
 (II) AutoAddDevices is off - not adding device.
 (II) config/udev: Adding input device PC Speaker (/dev/input/event0)
 (II) AutoAddDevices is off - not adding device.
 (II) UnloadModule: "mouse"
 (II) UnloadModule: "kbd"

CollieJim 01-09-2011 03:06 AM
I tried the default xorg.conf created by nvidia-xconfig. No luck.
I tried connecting the monitor directly to the computer, bypassing the KVM switch. No luck.
I tried adding to the Screen Section:
Code:
Options  "MetaModes" "CRT-0: 1920x1080_60 +0+0, DFP: NULL"
Options  "ConnectedMonitor" "CRT,CRT"  (or just CRT)
Again, no luck.

serafean 01-09-2011 09:13 AM
Getting out of ideas here... Maybe try disabling DPMS? From the nvidia readme file :
Quote:
Option "ConnectedMonitor" "string"
Allows you to override what the NVIDIA kernel module detects is connected to your video card. This may be useful, for example, if you use a KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) switch and you are switched away when X is started. In such a situation, the NVIDIA kernel module cannot detect what display devices are connected, and the NVIDIA X driver assumes you have a single CRT.
Valid values for this option are "CRT" (cathode ray tube), "DFP" (digital flat panel), or "TV" (television); if using TwinView, this option may be a comma-separated list of display devices; e.g.: "CRT, CRT" or "CRT, DFP".
It is generally recommended to not use this option, but instead use the "UseDisplayDevice" option.
NOTE: anything attached to a 15 pin VGA connector is regarded by the driver as a CRT. "DFP" should only be used to refer to digital flat panels connected via a DVI port.
Default: string is NULL (the NVIDIA driver will detect the connected display devices).

Option "UseDisplayDevice" "string"
When assigning display devices to X screens, the NVIDIA X driver by default assigns display devices in the order they are found (looking first at CRTs, then at DFPs, and finally at TVs). This option can be used to override this assignment. For example, if both a CRT and a DFP are connected, you could specify:
Option "UseDisplayDevice" "DFP"

to make the X screen use the DFP, even though it would have used a CRT by default.
Note the subtle difference between this option and the "ConnectedMonitor" option: the "ConnectedMonitor" option overrides what display devices are actually detected, while the "UseDisplayDevice" option controls which of the detected display devices will be used on this X screen.
Try playing around with those.

Serafean

CollieJim 01-09-2011 07:05 PM
I tried
Code:
startx -- -verbose 5 -logverbose 5
While lsmod does not show anything vesa related, the expanded logfile shows VESA is being used when xorg.conf is missing. It clearly does not acquire EDID data from the monitor and defaults to 800x600.

On the other hand, when using xorg.conf and the nvidia driver, EDID is read and the monitor is assigned to CRT-1.
I got no change in results using either
Code:
Option  "UseDisplayDevice" "CRT-0"  or
Option  "UseDisplayDevice" "CRT-1"
Clear lesson learned (I hope) here: backup Backup BACKUP! before a major update.

CollieJim 01-10-2011 10:50 PM
Configuration that did not work:
Code:
kernel 2.6.36-gentoo-r5
xorg-server 1.9.2
nvidia-drivers 260.19.29
I have now reverted to
Code:
kernel 2.6.31-gentoo-r6
xorg-server 1.7.7-r1
nvidia-drivers 256.52
and have my desktop back again using the same xorg.conf.

I will not call this one solved. Only avoided.


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