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Slack64-current: X questions, Ext4 question

This Thread is where I *was* going to post but I decided my post was getting too broad and didn't want to throw that thread out of whack..

While I haven't had *exactly* the same problems as the above posters, I do have an 'issue' or two with X that may warrant a report: There's no transparency available on the desktop, (and RANDR does not work.). Compositing *seems* to work, but I really don't know if it is (how would I know without using eye-candy?)

I am using multiple monitors with Xinerama, so take that into account when considering this, as it is 99% likely that the Xinerama is inhibiting the RANDR though I am not certain, but as for transparency (and composite?), I have always had transparency on the desktop; I use it for Xterm windows.

Till 64-current came out, I've always used Slackware 11 (still am actually much of the time) with the nVidia driver (binary) and KDE and/or XFCE desktop.

Current setup: 64-current, nvidia-185.18.14_x86-64, MSI nVidia motherboard, dual PCI-E cards, dual LCD monitors.

Also note-- I haven't been using Slackpkg to keep this current; instead I am just rsync'ing the latest changes every day or two and manually updating. I haven't noted any problems with leftover files or similar issues with upgrading packages, but then I haven't been closely watching for that either.

So

1 -- should I have/need/want composite if I don't use any Compiz stuff? How to tell if it's working?
2 -- I'd like RANDR to work if possible; can it be done with Xinerama?
(The xorg log tells me that both the RANDR and Composite extensions are loaded)
3 - it
P.S. - I am still using an xorg.conf file with the server-layout, device, screen sections in it for the multiple monitors to work; without xorg.conf, my mouse/keyboard worked, but the 2 monitors did not. I added a couple lines to xorg.conf to prevent HAL from grabbing my input devices.
3) Ext4 Filesystem: are you using it? Are you finding it slow as hell? Or is it just me/something else making it look slow? Moving files/large blocks of data, and deleting files, seems really slow. I have been toying with the idea of a reinstall onto Ext2 for a comparison. What do you think?

Thanks
Keep up the good work!

Sasha

PS - also note, I have not yet rsynced today, so if something has changed that nay affect my post, please let me know. I'll re-sync today.

One question ... did you reinstall the Nvidia driver after upgrading X.Org?

If not, amongst other things, you lose acceleration.

xdpyinfo will let you know if the extensions are loaded

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrapefruiTgirl (Post 3615050)

3) Ext4 Filesystem: are you using it? Are you finding it slow as hell? Or is it just me/something else making it look slow? Moving files/large blocks of data, and deleting files, seems really slow. I have been toying with the idea of a reinstall onto Ext2 for a comparison. What do you think?

Hi Sasha,

I bought a new laptop a few days ago (Lenovo ThinkPad T61 with a 5400 RPM SATA HDD) and installed slackware64-current onto an ext4 file system. I can't see real difference for now with my old laptop (7200 RPM HDD with Reiserfs file system).

Anyhow to make a comparison I would format a small partition using ext2 (for instance) instead of reinstalling.

Did you try to tune your HDD with hdparm ?

I haven't noticed any speed difference between ext3 and ext4.

Hi, thanks to all who have replied so quick!

Bruce - yes, I reinstall the nvidia driver whenever there's any question, i.e. any upgrade, downgrade, kernel change etc.

Kodon - thank you, I didn't know of that command. I will check and post the output soon.

Didier, Merci -- thanks for your comparison/estimate of your situation. I have HDPARM running for error checking etc., but have not for quite a while actually set anything on any of my drives. I determined a while back that anything I was setting was getting set already automatically by the drive/BIOS/kernel already.
As for formatting a small part of the drive, I find it hard to believe but I am running out of 'spare' room on the drive :P so I was figuring since it's more a 'testing' install anyhow, I may just wipe it and reinstall; this way I don't need another partition (there are already like 12 partitions on this drive).

Brian - thanks to you too for your comparison there.

I just rsynced the latest changes so I will go check/reinstall the nvidia driver and check the output from 'xdpyinfo'

Sasha

I too am using ext4, and it's working fine. It feels a bit faster but this may be due to the fact that I was using a totally encrypted disk layout before, whereas now I'm encrypting only the /home, swap and /tmp partitions.

OK, below is the output from my current running setup. I added the following to xorg.conf:

(tried) In the server flags section:

Option "xrandr" "true"

and (tried) at the end of the file:

Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "Enable"
Option "Xrandr" "Enable"
EndSection

But nothing changed. Xdpyinfo shows the exact same thing.

I have another issue too but will start another thread on it.

Sasha

Code:

bash-3.1$ xdpyinfo

name of display:    :0.0

version number:    11.0 

vendor string:    The X.Org Foundation

vendor release number:    10602000    

X.Org version: 1.6.2                  

maximum request size:  16777212 bytes 

motion buffer size:  256              

bitmap unit, bit order, padding:    32, LSBFirst, 32

image byte order:    LSBFirst                      

number of supported pixmap formats:    7            

supported pixmap formats:                          

    depth 1, bits_per_pixel 1, scanline_pad 32      

    depth 4, bits_per_pixel 8, scanline_pad 32      

    depth 8, bits_per_pixel 8, scanline_pad 32      

    depth 15, bits_per_pixel 16, scanline_pad 32    

    depth 16, bits_per_pixel 16, scanline_pad 32    

    depth 24, bits_per_pixel 32, scanline_pad 32    

    depth 32, bits_per_pixel 32, scanline_pad 32    

keycode range:    minimum 8, maximum 255            

focus:  window 0x1e004ba, revert to PointerRoot    

number of extensions:    23                        

    BIG-REQUESTS                                    

    DAMAGE                                          

    DPMS                                            

    DRI2                                            

    GLX                                            

    Generic Event Extension                        

    MIT-SCREEN-SAVER                                

    MIT-SHM                                        

    NV-CONTROL                                      

    NV-GLX                                          

    RENDER                                          

    SHAPE                                          

    SYNC                                            

    X-Resource                                      

    XC-MISC                                        

    XFIXES                                          

    XFree86-VidModeExtension                        

    XINERAMA                                        

    XInputExtension                                                                    

    XKEYBOARD                                                                          

    XTEST                                                                              

    XVideo                                                                              

    XVideo-MotionCompensation                                                          

default screen number:    0                                                            

number of screens:    1                                                                

                                                                                        

screen #0:                                                                              

  print screen:    no                                                                  

  dimensions:    3280x1200 pixels (868x346 millimeters)                                

  resolution:    96x88 dots per inch                                                    

  depths (7):    24, 1, 4, 8, 15, 16, 32                                                

  root window id:    0x329                                                              

  depth of root window:    24 planes                                                    

  number of colormaps:    minimum 1, maximum 1

I just noticed that when I try the 'xrandr' option in the 'Extensions' section at the bottom of the file, the X server hangs and won't start :/