# Kernel Mode Setting on Intel GMAs

## weedy

Has anyone got it working? I've updated to 2.6.29 and the Xorg stack but it always hard-locks once X starts. Without KMS 3D is slow as a turtle.

```
[I] x11-base/xorg-server (1.6.0[1]@25/03/09): X.Org X servers

[I] media-libs/mesa (7.4_rc1[1]@25/03/09): OpenGL-like graphic library for Linux

[I] x11-libs/libdrm (2.4.5@25/03/09): X.Org libdrm library

[I] x11-drivers/xf86-input-evdev (2.2.0-r1@25/03/09): Generic Linux input driver

[I] x11-drivers/xf86-input-synaptics (1.0.0@25/03/09): Driver for Synaptics touchpads

[I] x11-drivers/xf86-video-intel (2.6.3-r1@25/03/09): X.Org driver for Intel cards

Section "Device"

    Identifier   "intel"

    Driver       "intel"

    VendorName   "Intel Corporation"

    BoardName    "Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME Express

Integrated Graphics Controller"

#   # Acceleration options

    Option      "FramebufferCompression" "true"

    Option      "Tiling"                "true"

    Option      "DRI"                   "true"

    Option      "XVideo"                "true"

#    Option     "Legacy3D"              "false"

    Option      "TripleBuffer"          "false"

    Option      "AccelMethod"           "UXA" # XAA, EXA, UXA

    Option      "XvMC"                  "true"

    # Other options

    Option    "BackingStore"           "true"

    Option    "PageFlip"               "true"

EndSection

#

# Graphics support

#

CONFIG_AGP=m

CONFIG_AGP_INTEL=m

CONFIG_DRM=m

CONFIG_DRM_I915=m

CONFIG_VGASTATE=m

CONFIG_VIDEO_OUTPUT_CONTROL=m

CONFIG_FB=y

CONFIG_FB_BOOT_VESA_SUPPORT=y

CONFIG_FB_CFB_FILLRECT=y

CONFIG_FB_CFB_COPYAREA=y

CONFIG_FB_CFB_IMAGEBLIT=y

CONFIG_FB_MODE_HELPERS=y

CONFIG_FB_TILEBLITTING=y

#

# Frame buffer hardware drivers

#

CONFIG_FB_VGA16=m

CONFIG_FB_VESA=y

CONFIG_BACKLIGHT_LCD_SUPPORT=y

CONFIG_LCD_CLASS_DEVICE=m

CONFIG_LCD_PLATFORM=m

CONFIG_BACKLIGHT_CLASS_DEVICE=m

CONFIG_BACKLIGHT_PROGEAR=m

#

# Console display driver support

#

CONFIG_VGA_CONSOLE=y

CONFIG_VGACON_SOFT_SCROLLBACK=y

CONFIG_VGACON_SOFT_SCROLLBACK_SIZE=256

CONFIG_DUMMY_CONSOLE=y

CONFIG_LOGO=y

CONFIG_LOGO_LINUX_CLUT224=y
```

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## gringo

i think you are missing :

CONFIG_FRAMEBUFFER_CONSOLE=y (i'm not 100% sure this one is needed )

CONFIG_DRM_I915_KMS=y 

you probably have to disable the framebuffer devices to actually get the KMS Option in the kernel configuration.

But don´t be suprised if it doesn´t work at all  :Wink: 

cheers

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## ld50

When I boot, X freezes at startup, keyboard is dead, but the mouse works.

Is this what happens to you?

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## ichbinsisyphos

hmm, here, I only get the wallpaper, no mouse, no keyboard, pypanel and conky don't load.

I can't tell if X freezes or if just the input devices are dead.

Is this similar to your problem?

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## szczerb

Also you should/must get rid of vga16 and vesa fb drivers. KMS means NO FB DRIVER. And always start with 'X -configure' after upgrade of X - not the old xorg.conf.

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## dlaor

Here xdm loads fine, with mouse and keyboard support. Starting a fluxbox-session afterwards, together with pypanel and conky, also works.

However starting *any* application then results in a crash, see Xorg backtrace below.

Using 2.6.29 kernel with KMS, no other fb drivers.

Are your errors similar?

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> Backtrace:
> 
> 0: /usr/bin/X(xorg_backtrace+0x26) [0x4e9e56]
> ...

 

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## El_Presidente_Pufferfish

Try xorg-server-1.6.0 from the x11 overlay.  Didn't work for me until I did that.

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## dlaor

 *El_Presidente_Pufferfish wrote:*   

> Try xorg-server-1.6.0 from the x11 overlay.  Didn't work for me until I did that.

 

Thanks, I'll wait for xorg-1.6.0.

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## szczerb

Why wait?

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## minor_prophets

@Weedy,

Can you define slower than a turtle?  Faster than a slug?  Perhaps you can throw out some glxgears numbers?  I'm interested.

@dlaor,

Seriously, though.  Why wait?  If your ~x86 on your xorg, what's the difference?    :Wink: 

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## dlaor

Yeah now you've got me thinking about it...

Well

- my computer (~amd64 nomultilib) is working very smoothly now, I am very happy with that and I don't want that to change.

- I don't desperately need 2.6.29, the only thing that makes it interesting for me is that it might speed up my 2D graphics a bit

(Intel 945GM): for example whenever I scroll a webpage in full screen firefox with a small console window on top, the redrawing of the

firefox screen lags quite a bit. But ofcourse this is a very minor issue.

- also the last post in

http://dberkholz.wordpress.com/2009/02/26/xorg-server-16-preview-in-x11-overlay/

seems to indicate that moving xorg-server-1.6 into ~arch isn't that far away. (edit: in the sense that they only need one more release... on the other hand they've been waiting on this for a long time now, so it could also mean there is a serious problem that will take some more time   :Confused:  )

This makes it a no for me I guess... But we'll see maybe i've got some spare time in the weekend  :Wink: .

Cheers!

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## twam

I've got it running with x11-overlay on my macbook

I only need to activate in kernel config and "AccelMethod" to "UXA" in xorg.conf.

If you don't enable KMS by default in your kernel, try i915.modeset=1 as boot parameter

I can look at my blog for further details: http://www.twam.info/gentoo/kernel-mode-setting-with-intel-gm965

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## albright

 *Quote:*   

> I only need to activate in kernel config and "AccelMethod" to "UXA" in xorg.conf.

 

thanks for the tip - I'm using zen sources, 2.6.29r1, xorg-server 1.6.0 (from overlay),

intel driver 2.6.3-r1.

With UXA I can run glxgears without video corruption or X lockup.

Alas, xine with xv video freezes X completely (I can ssh in and reboot ...).

Also, hibernation fails - when it tries to resume I get a black screen with

blinking cursor and soon thereafter hard lockup requiring power button

reset.

I think we should face the fact that at the moment KMS is just buggy crap!

----------

