# Video card on the way out? Yes! [SOLVED]

## binro

In the past few days I have suddenly been experiencing strange artifacts appearing on my screen, followed by the X server going into a 100% CPU loop, requiring a reboot to clear the problem. In the syslog I see messages:

Feb  7 14:59:20 opal NVRM: Xid (0004:00): 13, 0000 80019700 00004497 00001808 00000000 00400000

Feb  7 14:59:20 opal NVRM: Xid (0004:00): 13, 0000 80019700 00004497 00001900 02c4008f 00400000

Feb  7 14:59:20 opal NVRM: Xid (0004:00): 6, PE0000 031c 00000018 00000000 ffffffff 00000000

Feb  7 14:59:20 opal NVRM: Xid (0004:00): 6, PE0000 031c 00000018 00000000 ffffffff 00000000

Feb  7 14:59:20 opal NVRM: Xid (0004:00): 6, PE0000 031c 00000018 00000000 ffffffff 00000000

Feb  7 14:59:20 opal NVRM: Xid (0004:00): 6, PE0000 031c 00000018 00000000 ffffffff 00000000

Feb  7 14:59:20 opal NVRM: Xid (0004:00): 6, PE0000 031c 00000018 00000000 ffffffff 00000000

Feb  7 14:59:20 opal NVRM: Xid (0004:00): 6, PE0000 031c 00000018 00000000 ffffffff 00000000

The card has an Nvidia chip and has previously been extremely reliable. The software hasn't changed so I assume the card is packing up. Anybody got any insight into this, before I go and shell-out for a new card?

TIA

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## bunder

i've seen these NVRM messages before...  what card are you using?  what's the card's setup in xorg.conf?  if i remember correctly though, this was either a PSU issue, or an agpgart issue.

cheers

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## binro

 *bunder wrote:*   

> i've seen these NVRM messages before...  what card are you using?  what's the card's setup in xorg.conf?  if i remember correctly though, this was either a PSU issue, or an agpgart issue.
> 
> cheers

 

GeForce 6200. The device section is

```

Section "Device"

   Identifier  "Videocard0"

   Driver      "nvidia"

   VendorName  "Videocard vendor"

   BoardName   "NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200"

   VideoRAM    131072

   Option       "NoLogo" "yes"

   Option      "RenderAccel" "yes"

    Option       "AllowGLXWithComposite" "1"

   Option       "AllowDDCCI" "yes"

   Option       "Coolbits" "1"

EndSection

```

The card is two years old and has worked flawlessly until now. The PSU was replaced less than a year ago.

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## bunder

i see coolbits in there...  are you overclocking the card at all?  overheating can also sometimes cause xid errors.

cheers

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## binro

 *bunder wrote:*   

> i see coolbits in there...  are you overclocking the card at all?  overheating can also sometimes cause xid errors.
> 
> cheers 

 

Not any more! I live in the tropics and it does get very hot here but, as I said, the card was fine for two years.

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## binro

I just tried setting NvAGP = 0 to see if that helped and the X server started looping almost immediately. I think the card is falling apart!

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## bunder

 *binro wrote:*   

> I just tried setting NvAGP = 0 to see if that helped and the X server started looping almost immediately. I think the card is falling apart!

 

looping as repeated exit and start?  that's happens when xorg can't start up for some particular reason, normally video-card based.  "1" is the recommended setting.   :Wink: 

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## binro

No, the X server starts OK and I get a KDE desktop displayed but after a short time it locks up because X is looping at 100%. It makes no difference what the NvAGP setting is.

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## tld

 *binro wrote:*   

> In the past few days I have suddenly been experiencing strange artifacts appearing on my screen, followed by the X server going into a 100% CPU loop, requiring a reboot to clear the problem. In the syslog I see messages:
> 
> Feb  7 14:59:20 opal NVRM: Xid (0004:00): 13, 0000 80019700 00004497 00001808 00000000 00400000
> 
> Feb  7 14:59:20 opal NVRM: Xid (0004:00): 13, 0000 80019700 00004497 00001900 02c4008f 00400000
> ...

 

There are like 18 pages on (what sounds like) the exact same issue here:

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=123912

Although it would be hard to explain why it would start happening if in fact you've changed nothing, it sounds like it's an extremely illusive problem.  Even with the 177.xx drivers I had to disable opengl vsync on my myth frontend, as it would regularly cause opengl screensavers to lock up the system and peg the CPU:

https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-726413-highlight-.html

I for one have less and less confidence in the stability of nVidia drivers all the time.  I'm beginning to think that, with all the focus on VDPAU, they're simply dropping the ball when it comes to that.

Tom

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## binro

Well, for about $55 I just bought a Geforce 9400 GT and all is well now, running the 180.27 drivers. I think it is just too damned hot here and components tend to fail more quickly.

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