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Old 03-26-2008, 06:39 PM   #1
almora99
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Registered: Mar 2008
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Nvidia 8400M G problem on acer 5520


Hi everybody.
I can't make my notebook's graphic card working.
(I'm using Fedora 8. My graphic card is "Nvidia 8400M G")

*Here is my story:

when I installed kmod-nvidia via yum and rebooted system, sometimes system freezes while booting (when switched to graphical boot screen).
But if system doesn't freeze while booting, it freezes (sometimes) when login screen loading.
And, if I'm lucky and logged in system without a failure screen freezes if I move any window.
If I don't move a window system goes properly.
I tried to open 3D application (glest) without moving a window. It worked properly performance was very good. I could play hours and hours. So in 3D app, no problem.

I'm not so new to installation of nvidia driver on a linux machine. I used "yum install kmod-nvidia" many times before and none of them failed.
So I think I 'm not missing something in installation progress.

*Here is my workaround with 3 fresh systems:

I installed a fresh system
I installed kmod-nvidia via yum. (Yum installed 169.07 nvidia kernel module). I did not work. The problem is same as above.

After days I installed a fresh system again. And run "yum update" as root.
Then I installed kmod-nvidia via yum. (Yum installed 169.12 nvidia kernel module). I did not work. The problem is same as above.

I installed a fresh system again. I run "yum update" as root.
I installed 169.12 driver from nvidia's web site I did not work. The problem is same as above.

*Here is my guess:

Two version of Fedora's kernel module and drivers from Nvidia's web site crash my system exactly same way.
So, I think I have a specific situation about hardware.
Please say "You are wrong"

Is there any way to get worked this graphic card under fedora8?

Is there anybody who can report that that notebook (and it's graphic card) works properly with another GNU/Linux distro?

Anybody has same problem?

Please help.

My laptop is "ACER ASPIRE AS5520G"
Here is my laptop's hardware: http://dpaste.com/41502/
Here my "lspci" output: http://dpaste.com/41497/
Here my "lspci -v" output http://dpaste.com/41498/
Here my xorg.conf http://dpaste.com/41500/

regards...
(Is my English confused ??)
 
Old 03-27-2008, 01:10 AM   #2
cyberfishee
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Registered: Mar 2005
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I am not sure how similar my video card is to yours, but my 8600M GT in my Aspire 5920 works flawlessly on my Ubuntu 7.10 (nvidia driver version 100.14.19). I even have a dual-monitor setup.

As for testing to see if it's a hardware problem, the easiest way I guess would be to install a windows and try to play some games? =).

As a temporary fix, you can probably change your driver to the generic vesa one (by editting xorg.conf). You probably won't be able to run anything 3D, though.

As for your English, it's pretty good, assuming it's not your native language.
 
Old 04-03-2008, 05:46 PM   #3
almora99
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Registered: Mar 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cyberfishee View Post
I am not sure how similar my video card is to yours, but my 8600M GT in my Aspire 5920 works flawlessly on my Ubuntu 7.10 (nvidia driver version 100.14.19). I even have a dual-monitor setup.

As for testing to see if it's a hardware problem, the easiest way I guess would be to install a windows and try to play some games? =).

As a temporary fix, you can probably change your driver to the generic vesa one (by editting xorg.conf). You probably won't be able to run anything 3D, though.

As for your English, it's pretty good, assuming it's not your native language.
My Acer came with Vista and there was no problem on Vista.
Also on Linux 3D applications, no problem.
On Linux without moving a window on 2D desktop or opening a divx, no problem...

Vesa driver worked. Thanks for suggestion.
But with vesa driver graphic card does not work energy-effective, fan spins at full speed...

A new kernel released for fedora 8. I installed it and now my laptop works better. It doesn't freeze when system booting.
It only freezes if I move a window or open a divx :P

I found a way to get worked my nvidia with kmod-nvidia driver:

my nvidia card works at 3 performance level.

performance level 0: 169MHz GPU / 100MHz Memory
performance level 1: 275MHz GPU / 200MHz Memory
performance level 2: 400MHz GPU / 400MHz Memory

When graphic acceleration unneeded nvidia card slows down to level 0...
When graphic acceleration needed card goes full power (level 2)...

My problem appears only when nvidia operates on performance level 0.
So, when I logged-in gnome Desktop, immediately I open a foobillard (a 3D Billiard game). This game keeps nvidia at performance level 1 (275MHz/200MHz). This way, no any problem.

I think (or I guess) at level 0 (169MHz/100MHz) some low level system tasks can not be successed.

Should I mail to fedora kernel patchers?
 
Old 04-03-2008, 06:21 PM   #4
cyberfishee
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169MHz/100MHz sounds very low on modern video cards. It could be that your video card cannot operate at that low of clocks. There is an "underclocking" limit of video cards below which the card becomes unstable (artifacts and crashes, just like what happens when you overclock too much). However, if it comes stock with the card, there shouldn't be any problem with it. If you have Vista still installed, you may want to install rivatuner to monitor the clocks, and see if it drops to that clock (performance level 0) when idle on Windows. If it does (and there is no problem), it should be unrelated to the low clocks. If the clocks are the problem, I would RMA the laptop. Or, if you don't mind a bit of a risk, you can modify the card's BIOS to change the performance level clocks.

Quote:
Should I mail to fedora kernel patchers?
As far as I know, the kernel module for the nvidia driver is maintained by NVidia, not the kernel people. Unless Fedora is making some modifications to it of course (the kernel module part is open source, just not the actual driver).

Last edited by cyberfishee; 04-03-2008 at 06:24 PM.
 
Old 04-05-2008, 07:00 PM   #5
almora99
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Registered: Mar 2008
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I don't know if these performance levels and frequencies are true.
Just "Nvidia X display settings" utility shows these values.

These performance levels and frequency values came stock with card. So there shouldn't be any problem, I think so too. But ...

After this time I do not have chance to try my card on a MS system. I wiped MS from machine in 1 hour as I got laptop.
I have no Vista CD/DVD, only XP.
There is no XP drivers on acer's web site for chipset and graphic card...

(If I could install Vista, I think this card can't slow down to performance level 0 because of Vista has 3D desktop. So I can't monitor my card at level 0 with Vista.)

I (still) guess I have specific hardware situation or fedora didn't like my laptop.

I will look for people who has an "acer 5520g" and who uses a GNU/Linux.
Maybe they have some knowledge.
 
Old 04-08-2008, 08:37 AM   #6
almora99
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Registered: Mar 2008
Posts: 15

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Quote:
Originally Posted by cyberfishee View Post
169MHz/100MHz sounds very low on modern video cards. It could be that your video card cannot operate at that low of clocks. There is an "underclocking" limit of video cards below which the card becomes unstable (artifacts and crashes, just like what happens when you overclock too much).
cyberfishee, problem solved. As you told me, Perf level 0 too slow.
I set a parameter for nvidia kernel module as (in modprobe.conf):

options nvidia NVreg_RegistryDwords="PerfLevelSrc=0x2222"

This causes nvidia card to work at max power.

Quote:
Originally Posted by cyberfishee View Post
However, if it comes stock with the card, there shouldn't be any problem with it.
I think nvidia kernel module comes with extra stock Performance levels
"Nvidia X setting" utility shows three levels (including 169MHz/100MHz).
But "nvclock" command line utility shows that about card's BIOS:

-- VideoBios information --
Version: 60.86.51.00.21
Signon message: G86 P419 SKU 0001 VGA BIOS
Performance level 0: gpu 275MHz/shader 550MHz/memory 200MHz/1.15V/100%
Performance level 1: gpu 400MHz/shader 800MHz/memory 400MHz/1.15V/100%
VID mask: 3
Voltage level 0: 1.15V, VID: 0
Voltage level 1: 1.20V, VID: 1

There is no 169MHz/100Mhz level in nvclock's BIOS info output.
So problem comes with nvidia driver I think...

Anyway my card works good now but with side effect: Heat.

If I can find logic of "PerfLevelSrc" parameter, I think I can set my card to work with only

275MHz GPU / 200MHz Memory
400MHz GPU / 400MHz Memory

Performance levels. So I can handle heat problem.

If you interests about this topic see these links:

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/show...76#post1620376
http://nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=80888
 
  


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