# Kernel >2.6.22 breaks xorg?

## dengel

I have an Acer Aspire AS5102WLMi. It has a 1200x800 resolution WXGA display. I have been using it fine for many months with Gentoo Linux.

However, every attempt to upgrade beyond the 2.6.22 kernel has resulted in the display not updating properly under xorg. Various components of windows will not update until I put the mouse over them. Other components may not update at all. Even in the initial display manager login (gdm), at least one of the buttons (not always the same one) has missing parts to its border.

I've tried re-emerging xorg-server while running under the new kernel. No dice.

Can anybody suggest some things for me to look for or try out, either in kernel options or in xorg options, or even in some other part of the system? Has anybody had to deal with this before?

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer.

What kinds of logs/configuration info would you want to see? Here is my xorg.conf:

<xorg.conf>

Section "ServerLayout"

	Identifier     "X.org Configured"

	Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0

	InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"

	InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"

EndSection

Section "Files"

	RgbPath      "/usr/share/X11/rgb"

	ModulePath   "/usr/lib64/xorg/modules"

	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/misc/"

	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/TTF/"

	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/OTF"

	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/Type1/"

	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/100dpi/"

	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/75dpi/"

EndSection

Section "Module"

	Load  "glx"

	Load  "extmod"

	Load  "xtrap"

	Load  "record"

	Load  "GLcore"

	Load  "dbe"

	Load  "dri"

	Load  "freetype"

	Load  "type1"

EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

	Identifier  "Keyboard0"

	Driver      "kbd"

EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

	Identifier  "Mouse0"

	Driver      "mouse"

	Option	    "Protocol" "auto"

	Option	    "Device" "/dev/input/mice"

	Option	    "ZAxisMapping" "4 5 6 7"

EndSection

Section "Monitor"

	#DisplaySize	  330   210	# mm

	Identifier   "Monitor0"

	VendorName   "AUO"

	ModelName    "2074"

EndSection

Section "Device"

        ### Available Driver options are:-

        ### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",

        ### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz"

        ### [arg]: arg optional

        #Option     "NoAccel"            	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "SWcursor"           	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "Dac6Bit"            	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "Dac8Bit"            	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "BusType"            	# [<str>]

        #Option     "CPPIOMode"          	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "CPusecTimeout"      	# <i>

        #Option     "AGPMode"            	# <i>

        #Option     "AGPFastWrite"       	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "AGPSize"            	# <i>

        #Option     "GARTSize"           	# <i>

        #Option     "RingSize"           	# <i>

        #Option     "BufferSize"         	# <i>

        #Option     "EnableDepthMoves"   	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "EnablePageFlip"     	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "NoBackBuffer"       	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "DMAForXv"           	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "FBTexPercent"       	# <i>

        #Option     "DepthBits"          	# <i>

        #Option     "AccelDFS"           	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "PanelOff"           	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "DDCMode"            	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "MonitorLayout"      	# [<str>]

        #Option     "IgnoreEDID"         	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "UseFBDev"           	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "MergedFB"           	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "CRT2HSync"          	# [<str>]

        #Option     "CRT2VRefresh"       	# [<str>]

        #Option     "CRT2Position"       	# [<str>]

        #Option     "MetaModes"          	# [<str>]

        #Option     "MergedDPI"          	# [<str>]

        #Option     "MergedXinerama"     	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "MergedXineramaCRT2IsScreen0" 	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "MergedNonRectangular" 	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "MergedMouseRestriction" 	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "DisplayPriority"    	# [<str>]

        #Option     "PanelSize"          	# [<str>]

        #Option     "ForceMinDotClock"   	# <freq>

        #Option     "ColorTiling"        	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "VideoKey"           	# <i>

        #Option     "RageTheatreCrystal" 	# <i>

        #Option     "RageTheatreTunerPort" 	# <i>

        #Option     "RageTheatreCompositePort" 	# <i>

        #Option     "RageTheatreSVideoPort" 	# <i>

        #Option     "TunerType"          	# <i>

        #Option     "RageTheatreMicrocPath" 	# <str>

        #Option     "RageTheatreMicrocType" 	# <str>

        #Option     "RenderAccel"        	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "SubPixelOrder"      	# [<str>]

        #Option     "ShowCache"          	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "DynamicClocks"      	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "BIOSHotkeys"        	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "VGAAccess"          	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "ReverseDDC"         	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "LVDSProbePLL"       	# [<bool>]

        #Option     "AccelMethod"        	# <str>

        #Option     "ConstantDPI"        	# [<bool>]

	Identifier  "Card0"

	Driver      "ati"

	VendorName  "ATI Technologies Inc"

	BoardName   "RS485 [Radeon Xpress 1100 IGP]"

	BusID       "PCI:1:5:0"

EndSection

Section "Screen"

	Identifier "Screen0"

	Device     "Card0"

	Monitor    "Monitor0"

	SubSection "Display"

		Viewport   0 0

		Depth     1

	EndSubSection

	SubSection "Display"

		Viewport   0 0

		Depth     4

	EndSubSection

	SubSection "Display"

		Viewport   0 0

		Depth     8

	EndSubSection

	SubSection "Display"

		Viewport   0 0

		Depth     15

	EndSubSection

	SubSection "Display"

		Viewport   0 0

		Depth     16

	EndSubSection

	SubSection "Display"

		Viewport   0 0

		Depth     24

	EndSubSection

EndSection

</xorg.conf>

-Dan Engel

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## BradN

If you're using a graphical framebuffer in the kernel, I'd suggest turning that off.  Other than that, if the AGP related things are still set the same, then it must be a bug/change in the kernel causing problems.

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## dengel

 *BradN wrote:*   

> If you're using a graphical framebuffer in the kernel, I'd suggest turning that off.  Other than that, if the AGP related things are still set the same, then it must be a bug/change in the kernel causing problems.

 

I'll give that a try. Does that mean I can't have the nice console with more than 25 lines?

Also, I keep wondering about AGP. lspci doesn't list any AGP devices (at least, the string "AGP" doesn't show up anywhere in the listing output.) Does that just mean there is no AGP on that laptop? Could that have implications related to what I'm seeing?

Thanks,

-Dan

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## BradN

AGP will usually be listed as bus 1 (eg, 01:xx.x) for devices, instead of 00:xx.x., at least in lspci.  I'm not sure how pci express will show up, as I don't have a machine with this.

Without the graphical framebuffer, you can still use, for example, 80x50 mode, but you have to shut off the consolefont service as it seems to reset it to 80x25 (if I remember).

If you turn on video mode selection support, you can boot the kernel with "vga=ask", and it will give you a short menu of available modes, and then you can change "ask" to the mode you want.

For full details, see /usr/src/linux/Documentation/svga.txt

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## pappy_mcfae

What kind of processor (type and speed) does the system have? How much memory is installed?

I have noted that 2.6.23 and .24 kernels tend to slow down my old Toshiba laptop, to the point where any compilation work results in very slow response from the machine, a seeming inability to stop screen savers, and strange video artifacts. None of these things affect the system when it's running a .22 kernel. I haven't tried on this system, because .23 and .24 kernels shut down the wireless, and the .24 messes with the sound card. 

I'm just hoping they keep the .22 line in development.

Blessed be!

Pappy

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## StarDragon

Have you tried redoing your whole xorg configuration? It should be documented on the X Server Guide.

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## dengel

OK, when I disable framebuffer console in the kernel, xorg works fine.

What changed? Why was I able to get those really nice-looking (not the crappy 80x60 VGA stuff) consoles before, but not not in the newer kernel? What is it in the newer kernel fb console that interferes with xorg?

Has anyone else had to deal with this conflict before (if it is a conflict?)

Thanks,

-Dan Engel

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## BradN

*shrug*  graphical framebuffers always caused me too many problems so I just gave up on it.  I mean, how often are you really working on a text console anyway?

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## pappy_mcfae

Mine work fine on all three systems, and they are all running a .22 version kernel. Did you run a make oldconfig before you compiled your new kernel?

Blessed be!

Pappy

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## dengel

Yes, I did 'make oldconfig'.

To answer BradN's question, more often than one might think--especially, for example, when debugging problems with xorg  :Smile: 

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## BradN

haha, fair enough  :Razz: 

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## widremann

Also, try using the VESA framebuffer instead of radeonfb.  That usually solves a lot of X related problems, if that is indeed the root of them.  The VESA framebuffer is slower than the radeonfb one, but not by much and it's really not a big deal for most text-based apps.

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## StarDragon

 *dengel wrote:*   

> OK, when I disable framebuffer console in the kernel, xorg works fine.

 

Meh, I hate framebuffer console. Most useless feature ever!

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## BradN

Well, the framebuffer console is good for one thing:  If you're dealing with a new device (say, some handheld thing, an ipod or phone or whatever), and you write a framebuffer driver, then in one fell swoop, you have a text console, a basic graphical display, and a valid driver to run x11 on if you need to.  On most systems though, it's just eye candy for system startup/shutdown.

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## dengel

OK, final answer: Getting rid of the Radeon driver in the kernel and using just the VesaFB for the console works like a charm! Nice console (yes, I *do* use it!) and no interference with xorg.

Thanks, all!

-Dan

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