# Inspiron 700m i810 i855 framebuffer problems

## JSylvia007

I've seen this problem mentioned in a few posts, but it has gotten overlooked.  So I am posting here, and maybe someone has solved it.

I have a Dell Inspiron 700m, and use the Intel i810 driver in X.  I am also using the vesafb-tga framebuffer driver, because i can't get the intel 855 kernel driver to work (help would be appreciated... It could just be a grub line misconfigured...).  So because I am using vesafb-tng i can pick 1280x800@60 in the kernel during compile... All other framebuffer drivers have been deselected.

Now, the system boots perfectly fine, even at the proper resolution, 1280x800.  I can then run startx, and X loads and runs fine, drm, dri, etc...  

The problem comes when I try to QUIT out of X or switch to a console via CTRL+ALT+Fx.  What i am presented with on both occations (both quit and switch), is a plain black screen.  The terminal is still responsive, I.E., I can type "startx" again and bring X back, but the terminal is black, and nothing can be seen.

This ONLY happens when i use vesafb-tng.  If i disable framebuffer support, then all is well.  I can use X at 1280x800, with DRI, and DRM, and 3d acceleration, but my terminal is just a default 800x600 terminal.  I can exit X and switch consoles.

Is anyone aware of just what might be causing this terminal problem with vesafb-tng and the Intel i810 drivers?

Any suggestions are welcome, and I'm willing to try anything.

Thanks in advance!

~Jake

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## JSylvia007

Let me know if you need me to post any config information

~Jake

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## JSylvia007

**BUMP**

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## HecHacker1

Yeah I just got my 700m too. So far I got everything working except the 855 video. I can use the 810 driver for xorg, but not the correct 855.

I have not been sucessful getting the 1280x800 framebuffer working with vesafb-tng.. I can get 1024x768 at most, and after I come back from X the screen gets corrupted just like your system.

what kernel are you using? I was thinking that I need to try something new, because I am using the dated Nitro kernel. Unfortunately it seems that none of my favorite kernel mixes are being updated anymore (skunk, nitro, love).

i'd also appreciate if anybody else who has a similar config can tell us what video drivers/frame buffer drivers to use and what kernel.

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## JSylvia007

I'm using plain old Gentoo-Sources...  Can't remember the revision... think i might switch to 2.6.13 now that it's been released...  I will let you know.

~Jake

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## Hamstereyes

Did you get 1280x800 + dri / drm + glx all to run on your laptop ?

I can not ...

I cant get transperencies to work right with 1280  /800 (with utils like fbdesk and idesk).

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## fafhrd

 *Quote:*   

> Did you get 1280x800 + dri / drm + glx all to run on your laptop ? 

 

Yes.

The *only* sna-fu is that DRI seems to get into a weird state after awakening from sleep.  Somtimes sleeping again, awake again solves it, other times exit out of X is the only way.  Supposedly, from my attempts at researching the awakening/DRI issue, Ubuntu 5.10 has a kernel patch to solve this.  If I manage to find that, test it, and it works as expected, then my answer to you would be a firmer "Yes."

Exactly what isn't working with DRI for you on the 700m?

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## iphitus

 *HecHacker1 wrote:*   

> Yeah I just got my 700m too. So far I got everything working except the 855 video. I can use the 810 driver for xorg, but not the correct 855.
> 
> .

 

There is no 855 X driver, it is meant to use the i810 driver.

Suggestion for you both: Try the i915 DRI kernel driver instead. It works fine on an 855 here. I also get substantially better fps in the games that I play.

There's a relatively new intel framebuffer driver also available in the kernel give that a shot too and see how it goes.

iphitus

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## Hamstereyes

I always get this error when I have dri / drm + glx

Out of xorg.0.log:

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> drmOpenDevice: node name is /dev/dri/card0
> 
> drmOpenDevice: open result is -1, (No such device)
> ...

 

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## Hamstereyes

What snafu are you getting coming out of sleep ?

I dont know if I would experience your problem cuz my DRI is disabled but I can come out of hibernation fine even  at 1280x800.

From both hibernating to ram and to disk, both work fine for me, but I used to have a problem of it staying at a black screen or going down to 10x7..

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## JSylvia007

Ok...  I just can't seem to get this correct.  Basically the problem that I have been having all along is that my system doesnt work with the intelfb driver for framebuffer support.  I keep getting a weird error about the fact that i need to "Set mode before kernel boot"...  I can post more when i get back into linux...  but help would be greatly appreciated.  I've tried vesa-tng but upon starting X, my terminal is completely garbled.  Again, If you need more info let me know.

~Jake

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## Hamstereyes

This could be bad, but I will try to help you.. do you have frame buffer enable in your kernel configuration ?

Also in your grub.conf do you have a line to say what vga settings you want ? (like vga=791 or video=intelfb:mtrr,ywrap,1024x768-16@60 )

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## JSylvia007

Yes, now have ONLY intelfb as the frabebuffer and it is compiled in, not a module.  Also I have that exact same line in my grub.conf

~Jake

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## reydan

I've been having the same problems trying to get intelfb to work on my inspiron 1150...is there anyway to get it working properly, I've tried vga=791 and the other things mentioned in this thread but i've had no luck...

I need the framebuffer to work so that I can get gensplash running on this dell...If anyone has gotten gensplash working on the dell inspiron 1150 , or the intelfb to work let me know...the chipset also is an intel 855gm chipset (specifically a 852 GM)....

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## duhblow7

i was able to fix my garbled screen when using vesa-tng (after you startx and close X to get back to terminal).  edit  your /etc/X11/xorg.conf go to the device section and add this line:

```
Section "Device"

    Option      "VBERestore"    "true"

```

does this help?

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## Sm0q

hello,

i've got Gericom with intel 855GM and i experience notorious problems with intelfb - the only ver. of kernel which currently works 4 me without problem is 2.6.14-rc3 , framebuffer works correctly with intelfb and X.org

if u want i can post my kernel config, xorg.conf etc., but mostly i used the same methods as described below.

Anyway i believe that one day intelfb developer will make support for non-CRT devices (mode-changing)

 - sm0q

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## eschoeller

How are you guys able to get 1280x800 resolution working with the framebuffer?

Im only able to get 1024x768, in order to get 1280x800 i have to run the 855resolution and then load the vesafb-tng as a module. 

What framebuffer devices do you guys have compiled in / what are your grub config lines? What kernel sources are you running?

thanks...

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## beissemj

[Removed for saying something stupid]

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