Nvidia Freezes X after 1-10 minutes
 

Hi,
X works fine with the kernel 2.6.5 supplied driver "nv".
But I want to use 3D modelling programs and play games.

So I installed:
NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-5336-pkg1

and changed my /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 accordingly (it is listed below).

When I write "startx" everything is fine, the Nvidia logo is displayed and X starts.
After some time though, the screen freezes/locks - but music continues in the background.

Has anybody got a clue on what to do ??

Thanks a bunch!

Config File:
# XF86Config-4 (XFree86 X server configuration file) generated by dexconf, the
# Debian X Configuration tool, using values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the XF86Config-4 manual page.
# (Type "man XF86Config-4" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xfree86 package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xfree86
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following commands as root:
#
# cp /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 /etc/X11/XF86Config-4.custom
# md5sum /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 > /var/lib/xfree86/XF86Config-4.md5sum
# dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86

Section "Files"
FontPath "unix/:7100" # local font server
# if the local font server has problems, we can fall back on these
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/CID"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/TrueType"
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/CID"
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "bitmap"
Load "dbe"
Load "ddc"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "int10"
Load "record"
Load "speedo"
Load "type1"
Load "vbe"
Load "glx"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "keyboard"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "dk"
Option "AutoRepeat" "1500 130"
Option "XkbVariant" "nodeadkeys"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option "Protocol" "PS/2"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
Option "Resolution" "200"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
Option "Resolution" "200"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "WinFast 4200 GF4"
Driver "nvidia"
# OPTION "NoLogo"
OPTION "CursorShadow"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Philips 201b"
HorizSync 30-107
VertRefresh 50-85
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "WinFast 4200 GF4"
Monitor "Philips 201b"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768"
EndSubSection
EndSection

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

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection


THANKS!

try #ing out the stuff about DRI

-Joey

Try doing "Ctrl+Alt+F2/3/4/5/6". Does it switch over to new terminal sessions?

No contactt can be made with the computer it completely freezes, this include terminal switching :-(

Will try the #dri thing in 2 sec ...

THANKS for the good idea though !

Nope - the #DRI idea didn't work either.
Thanks for the heads up though :-)

Potential Solution
 

I am running X.org or Xfree on gentoo with a similar problem, my X would consume 95-99% of system
(from top) shortly after starting X. nv did NOT lock it up.
nv however does not support dual head cards, only multiple single cards ( or so I read on another forum)

Anyhow, here is the config change that I believe solved the problem:

Section "Device"
Option "SecondMonitorHorizSync" "31.0-80.0"
Option "SecondMonitorVertRefresh" "51.0-76.0"
Option "TwinViewOrientation" "RightOf"
Option "MetaModes" "1600x1200,1600x1200"
Identifier "Card0"
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "NVIDIA"
BoardName "5900SE AGP"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
Screen 0
Option "NvAGP" "0" #*** Here seems to be the magic, turning off AGP***
EndSection

I also did the following which I believe was unnecessary:
Turned off ACPI and APIC support from kernel command line. Moved from XFree to
X.org, switched from gnome to kde, re-emerged glib ( stderr reported a critical error in glib, which apparently was unrelated), upgraded my kernel from 2.4 to 2.6.7, with minimal config options. Added agpart to kernel, removed all modules from XF86config except glx, removed complaining font paths, changed my mouse config.

You get the idea, I tried everything I could think of, so I hope that you can afford to turn off the AGP. You could also play with the level of option, see README that you get when you download driver from nvidia. I personally have no
interest in games or the like on this system only large spreadsheets.

Hope this helps. Please update thread with your results.

Cheers,
Wilmo

Possible Solution
 

Since I did the following I have had no crashes:

In my bios I loaded the "optimal values".

Best Regards.

What section of the BIOS did "optimal values" apply to? I'd like to try this in my BIOS if I have a similar feature.
I'm running on an old ASUS MB with a 900MHz Thunderbird, so I doubt my BIOS has the exact same setting, but if directed maybe I can find my BIOS's equivalent.

Thanks,
Wilmo

Many BIOS have this feature - check it out.