# gentoo-sources 2.6.31 and intelfb

## disi

Hi, I was wondering if the intelfb got removed from 2.6.31?

Yesterday I tested the new 2.6.31 kernel and couldn't find the intel framebuffer device in menuconfig for 855GM etc.

I checked here: http://kernelnewbies.org/LinuxChanges and couldn't find anything about  removing it.

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## pdw_hu

It should be there, but do not use it. You should use KMS for intel devices (it's been stable for me since 2.6.30, with no issues whatsoever...), with no FB devices compiled in (Fb support is still needed tho).

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## disi

I meant this one here:

```

CONFIG_FB_INTEL=m

# CONFIG_FB_INTEL_DEBUG is not set

CONFIG_FB_INTEL_I2C=y

```

I didn't check the .config  :Sad:  only looked into menuconfig. Do you still have this option in 2.6.31?

//edit: just found this one: http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.31

 *Quote:*   

> commit ba0ab82358a12e7a7f2872d6b65c437157c6888f
> 
> Author: Jesse Barnes <jbarnes@virtuousgeek.org>
> 
> Date:   Fri Jul 3 11:24:46 2009 -0700
> ...

 

 *Quote:*   

> commit 78af08d90b8f745044b1274430bc4bc6b2b27aca
> 
> Merge: a1cc1ba ecca068
> 
> Author: Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org>
> ...

 

So the module is under some ebedded option now and not with the others   :Rolling Eyes: 

//edit: I still cannot find the module in the new kernel, any help appreciated...

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## disi

Anyone tried this one: http://code.google.com/p/intelfb2/  :Question: 

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## cach0rr0

regurgitating what ive heard from others - and advice ive followed - avoid KMS and intelfb like the plague 

especially KMS; tried it on my box using i915, glxgears dropped from ~70FPS to around 40, before causing X to crap itself and freeze the system

no difference in the kernel, only difference being "modeset=i915" in grub kernel line

vesafb has worked very nicely for me on intel GPU, no complaints whatsoever, solid performance.

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## dmpogo

 *cach0rr0 wrote:*   

> regurgitating what ive heard from others - and advice ive followed - avoid KMS and intelfb like the plague 
> 
> especially KMS; tried it on my box using i915, glxgears dropped from ~70FPS to around 40, before causing X to crap itself and freeze the system
> 
> no difference in the kernel, only difference being "modeset=i915" in grub kernel line
> ...

 

Same experience here

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## dmpogo

In order to get choices hidden under EMBEDDED you must enable the option

Configure standard kernel features (for small systems)

in 

General Setup 

section

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## disi

 *dmpogo wrote:*   

> In order to get choices hidden under EMBEDDED you must enable the option
> 
> Configure standard kernel features (for small systems)
> 
> in 
> ...

 

Thanks, I had this idea as well but wouldn't show up. I cannot check at the moment (work  :Sad:  ) but will double check later...

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## phoenixp

intelfb is deprecated in favour of KMS, which has it's own framebuffer driver.

It works well for me with 2.6.31. and the following in package.keywords:

```
x11-base/xorg-server ~amd64

app-admin/eselect-opengl ~amd64

app-admin/eselect ~amd64

x11-libs/libXfont ~amd64

x11-proto/randrproto ~amd64

x11-proto/dri2proto ~amd64

x11-base/xorg-drivers ~amd64

media-libs/mesa ~amd64

x11-libs/libdrm ~amd64

x11-drivers/xf86-video-intel    ~amd64
```

You should also make sure that you're a member of the video group otherwise you will get software only DRI, and if you require XvMC that needs to be setup as it is off by default.

The only thing I'm still struggling with is getting frame-buffer decorations to work. The penguins from in kernel work fine, but splash in early userspace is a no go (for now).

Good luck,

Phen.

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## disi

Thanks, phoenixp

What about the performance, e.g. rendering a Video and things like that? Since there is no hardware acceleration anymore?

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## mikegpitt

 *disi wrote:*   

> Thanks, phoenixp
> 
> What about the performance, e.g. rendering a Video and things like that? Since there is no hardware acceleration anymore?

 KMS doesn't get rid of hardware acceleration.  Basically what it does (if I understand correctly) is override the BIOS listed video modes and attempts to detect optimal settings though the kernel.  In general this is a really nice thing, since it will allow for more seemless display transitions and be more plug and play.  In practice things are extremely buggy thus far.  If you are running xorg-server-1.5 don't even bother trying KMS since it will lock up your display.  Xorg-server-1.6 I think has support for KMS.

The drop in performance is due to the switch from EXA to UXA for acceleration.  UXA is compliant with KMS and works with the new GEM stuff, which is suppose to boost performance.

Personally I'm still running xorg-server1.5 with EXA and waiting it out until things get more stable.  I'm also using uvesafb.

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## smlgbl

I'm having no problems with framebuffer decorations with KMS enabled, in fact they are much nicer with it, because i can't get my native resolution otherwise (but that's another thread).

Nevertheless, the only problem I have with KMS enabled atm is, that the backlight control of my Samsung N110 don't work with it anymore...

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## octavsly

[quote="mikegpitt"] *disi wrote:*   

> 
> 
> Personally I'm still running xorg-server1.5 with EXA and waiting it out until things get more stable.  I'm also using uvesafb.

 

I have been struggling with KMS/intel drivers since kernel 2.6.28. Not anymore: the combination of 2.6.31 and latest libdrm/mesa/xf86-video-intel should work for all chipsets (945GM/GMS). I still need to test it for older chipsets like 865, but the problem seems to be fixed.

See also:

http://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=23088

https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=265803

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## cach0rr0

hrmmm

am on xorg 1.5.3-r6 and 2.6.31 gentoo-sources 

was on same X when I tried KMS before, but that was on 2.6.30-r7 I believe. 

Been too skittish since to bother trying, that lockup is *really* nasty. I can't help but think it's nasty enough to hose the less than stable FS I'm experimenting with currently. 

So the magic combo is what, 1.6 && 2.6.31 ? 

Is 1.6 reasonably stable with intel GPU? 

oh well, not going to thread hijack, should probably shut myself up here

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## smlgbl

For the interested: I got my nice backlight brightness switching again, with KMS enabled!

Used this and this patch. Seems pretty nice and stable so far on my Samsung N110.

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## phoenixp

 *cach0rr0 wrote:*   

> So the magic combo is what, 1.6 && 2.6.31 ? 

 

While I can't say what the "most stable" ie smallest shift into ~arch is, I've got rock solid performance with:

```
sys-kernel/gentoo-sources 2.6.31

x11-base/xorg-server 1.6.3.901-r2

x11-libs/libXfont 1.4.0

x11-proto/randrproto 1.3.0

x11-proto/dri2proto 2.1

x11-base/xorg-drivers 1.6

media-libs/mesa 7.3

x11-libs/libdrm 2.4.14

x11-drivers/xf86-video-intel 2.8.1
```

With the current upheaval in the drivers, I'd suggest either:

1) Stay with the old drivers and a 2.6.27 kernel, or

2) Keep as current as possible so you get all the bug fixes and performance improvements as they happen.

There has been a reported drop of ~20% in synthetic benchmarks with the KMS stuff, but I haven't noticed anything significant. However, I don't game on this system, so ymmv.  :Wink: 

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## phoenixp

Caution: Minor threadjacking  :Wink: 

 *smlgbl wrote:*   

> I'm having no problems with framebuffer decorations with KMS enabled, in fact they are much nicer with it, because i can't get my native resolution otherwise (but that's another thread).

 

Yeah, mine is working too, except for early userspace (ie straight from grub2). I haven't really played around with it too much yet. Any tips or links appreciated.

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