# NVidia 9746 64-bit and Gentoo-sources 2.6.19-r4 [SOLVED]

## davidmp

Has anyone been able to get X running with an AMD64 system and the latest kernel 2.6.19-r4 and nVidia's 9746 driver? I tried switching to it and it runs fine until I try to start a plain old empty X session and then the graphics card locks up.

I'm trying to run the new kernel to use the k8temp driver (temperature monitor) and the current 2.6.18.r6 doesn't include that driver.

Just curious if it's a known issue or there is something not configured right in the new kernel.Last edited by davidmp on Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:28 pm; edited 1 time in total

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## AaronPPC

X had been running fine for me with the nVidia 9746 drivers on kernel 2.6.19-mm1 and 2.6.19-vanilla.

I suggest giving the vanilla kernel a try.

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## Kashyyk

I'm using the nvidia 9746 drivers with the 2.6.19-gentoo-r4 sources on amd64 without a problem.

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## davidmp

Thanks for the info!  After hearing that it does work, I did some more digging and found that it was a combo of the nVidia driver not getting along with the generic console framebuffer and the input event device changing somehow.

So it wasn't locking up but when X failed and dropped back to the console, all I got was a garbage display.  Once I switched to booting with a regular text mode screen I could see X fail.

So the real error was X couldn't find my mouse, and after spending time figuring out how to get my mouse and all the new X 7.x button mapping stuff working again 2.6.19 is running nicely with Beryl.

So, do you think I should use the existing nVidia ATA drivers or switch to the new ATA drivers now in the SATA section of the kernel config? Advantages, disadvantages?  Too experimental?

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## AaronPPC

 *davidmp wrote:*   

> So, do you think I should use the existing nVidia ATA drivers or switch to the new ATA drivers now in the SATA section of the kernel config? Advantages, disadvantages?  Too experimental?

 

I've been using the nVidia SATA drivers on my nForce 590 MSI motherboard without any problems.  Although for some reason, I had to enable multi-device support (even though I have only one hard drive) in order for the kernel to see my hard disk at boot.

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## HeXiLeD

i am using  nvidia 9746 drivers with the 2.6.19-gentoo-r5 sources on amd64 without a problem too.

however with nvidia drivers 1.0.9755 it will lock the video system. 

The lock happens with X and without X.

I also had the same issue with vanilla sources 2.6.16.19 and 2.6.20.1

AaronPPC

 *Quote:*   

> I did some more digging and found that it was a combo of the nVidia driver not getting along with the generic console framebuffer

 

can you be more specific please?

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## jonnevers

 *Blue-Steel wrote:*   

> can you be more specific please?

 

```
user host ~ $ uname -a

Linux blue 2.6.19-gentoo-r5 #2 SMP Sun Mar 11 15:54:20 EDT 2007 x86_64 AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3700+ AuthenticAMD GNU/Linux

user host ~ $ dmesg | grep -i NVRM  

NVRM: loading NVIDIA UNIX x86_64 Kernel Module  1.0-9755  Mon Feb 26 23:16:31 PST 2007
```

To get 2.6.19+ kernels to work, I need to remove the "if embedded" part from the IOMMU line in /usr/src/linux/arch/x86_64/Kconfig, then deselect IOMMU and AGPGART in menuconfig. In my case, compiling the AGPGART into the kernel overrides the one used by the nvidia drivers, causing the drivers to hang. IOMMU by default requires AGPGART is compiled into the kernel... nasty little change in 2.6.19 sources.

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## Bloodsurfer

Did your problem look kind of like that?

I did disable IOMMU and AGPGART too, it didn't help.

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## HeXiLeD

I have also noticed one thing. the video system locks when  i boot the box with this video settings.

kernel /kernel-2.6.19-gentoo-r5 root=/dev/sda3 video=vesa:ywrap,mtrr:0 vga=0x31B

Removing  video=vesa:ywrap,mtrr:0 vga=0x31B

 solves the problem. 

currently nvidia 9746 drivers with the 2.6.19-gentoo-r5 sources on amd64

any ideas related to this ?

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## jonnevers

 *Blue-Steel wrote:*   

> I have also noticed one thing. the video system locks when  i boot the box with this video settings.
> 
> kernel /kernel-2.6.19-gentoo-r5 root=/dev/sda3 video=vesa:ywrap,mtrr:0 vga=0x31B
> 
> Removing  video=vesa:ywrap,mtrr:0 vga=0x31B
> ...

 

I don't know if it helps but this is my boot line:

```
kernel /boot/bzImage-2.6.19-gentoo-r5 root=/dev/sda3 video=vesafb:ywrap,mtrr,1280x1024-32@85 vga=0x31B
```

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## HeXiLeD

both nvidia 9746 and 9755 cause lockups if i add video=vesafb:ywrap,mtrr,1280x1024-32@85 vga=0x31B

or any other kind of screen resolution.

I do have the vesa support enabled in the kernel but now i wonder where the problem is. from nvidia's side or the kernel sources...

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## swimmer

It works for me with only "vga=0x31B" ...

This is the relevant line in grub.conf: 

```
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.20-gentoo root=/dev/sda3 vga=0x31B splash=silent,theme:mine fbcon=scrollback:512K quiet CONSOLE=/dev/tty1
```

This works for 2.6.19 as well ...

The nvidia drivers are 1.0.9746 and 1.0.9755 ...

HTH

swimmer

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## HeXiLeD

i just tried 8*** driver series and got the same problem. 

so i guess that this is caused by the kernel sources side.

note: nvidia 1.0.9755-r1 is out

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## swimmer

Hmm - I did not have any problems with all gentoo-sources 2.6.{19,20} . Strange ...

Greetz

swimmer

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## HeXiLeD

SOLVED for me 

x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers

      Latest version available: 1.0.9755-r1

      Latest version installed: 1.0.9755-r1

      Size of files: 30,007 kB

gentoo kernel  2.6.19-gentoo-r5

and i added framebuffer console support in the kernel  :Smile:  . i think that was what i was missing there.

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## HeXiLeD

ok.. i have to re-open this issue at least to provide some info that might help others.

after my last try to fix it, i still got  a few problems. 

The video was still freezing. I thought  i had it solved but i guess not.

So i spent  a bunch hours and endless reboots trying to figure out what was causing it.

Until now i am not 100% sure what was the main cause of the problem but here is what i did to solve it.

I was able to replicate the freezing on demand. If i opened 5 videos with vlc or tried to run bb (http://aa-project.sourceforge.net/bb ) the system eventually would freeze completely (not even allowing ssh access)

I tried a few different kernels ( gentoo and vanilla ) from 2.6.16 to 2.6.19 and tested  them with stable nvidia drivers from 8*** series.

I also tried and changed  the console grub.conf resolution and  the framebuffer  support in the kernel.

After all of this the sytem was still freezing. I recompiled xorg-server and nvidia drivers and after that i did emerge -e system

After -e system  the freezing was gone. 

I tried to replicate it and it didnt happen. I also had a problem playing BB that seemed to be gone.

I also tested a few kernels with different settings for the console framebuffer and grub console booting resolution.

The problem seems to be gone. 

Current kernels :

gentoo-sources 2.6.19-r5 & gentoo-sources 2.6.20-r3 . and i am using console framebuffer in the kernel and 1280x1024 resolution for the console

with nvidia  1.0.9755-r1

The system seems to be stable.

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