Two graphics cards, X cannot handle one. [Solved]

mghis · 2010-12-14 16:58:59

My pc has two nVidia graphics cards connected by the SLI. I use the nvidia driver, not "noveau".

% lspci | grep VGA
03:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation G94 [GeForce 9600 GT] (rev a1)
04:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation G94 [GeForce 9600 GT] (rev a1)

I created the xorg.conf with the nvidia-xconfig tool, but it doesn't handle the video card on the pci bus 04:00.0.
I modified the xorg.conf. I hosted the file here ==>http://pastebin.com/Y1wq9wU4

But it doesn't work.

WARNING: could not open the device file /dev/nvidia1 (Input/output error)
(EE) NVIDIA(GPU-1): Failed to initialize the NVIDIA GPU at PCI:4:0:0.  Please
(EE) NVIDIA(GPU-1):     check your system's kernel log for additional error
(EE) NVIDIA(GPU-1):     messages and refer to Chapter 8: Common Problems in the
(EE) NVIDIA(GPU-1):     README for additional information.
(EE) NVIDIA(GPU-1): Failed to initialize the NVIDIA graphics device!

the X server starts but it uses only the first graphic card.

Can anyone help me? Thanks!

Last edited by mghis (2010-12-16 13:12:58)

thestinger · 2010-12-14 17:10:12

It wants you to check the kernel log (dmesg in a terminal or check /var/log/kernel.log), so there might be something useful to be found there.

Try "nvidia-xconfig --advanced-help" and see if there's still an option for enabling SLI, I seem to remember there was (it likely just adds an option line with "SLI" "1" or something along those lines).

Once you get it working, you should make sure you're actually getting more performance with SLI, it's not that great in linux and you might end up with tearing, stuttering and lower FPS.

Last edited by thestinger (2010-12-14 17:14:04)

mghis · 2010-12-14 17:31:35

thestinger wrote:

It wants you to check the kernel log (dmesg in a terminal or check /var/log/kernel.log), so there might be something useful to be found there.
Try "nvidia-xconfig --advanced-help" and see if there's still an option for enabling SLI, I seem to remember there was (it likely just adds an option line with "SLI" "1" or something along those lines).

Once you get it working, you should make sure you're actually getting more performance with SLI, it's not that great in linux and you might end up with tearing, stuttering and lower FPS.

Thanks! I added the sli option, but it doesn't work. The logs displays the error twice.

here are some infos from the kernel log

% dmesg | grep -i vga
Console: colour VGA+ 80x25
vgaarb: device added: PCI:0000:03:00.0,decodes=io+mem,owns=io+mem,locks=none
vgaarb: device added: PCI:0000:04:00.0,decodes=io+mem,owns=none,locks=none
vgaarb: loaded
vgaarb: device changed decodes: PCI:0000:03:00.0,olddecodes=io+mem,decodes=none:owns=io+mem
vgaarb: transferring owner from PCI:0000:03:00.0 to PCI:0000:04:00.0
vgaarb: device changed decodes: PCI:0000:04:00.0,olddecodes=io+mem,decodes=none:owns=none

% dmesg | grep -i nvidia
hda_intel: Disable MSI for Nvidia chipset
nvidia: module license 'NVIDIA' taints kernel.
nvidia 0000:03:00.0: PCI INT A -> Link[AXV5] -> GSI 16 (level, low) -> IRQ 16
nvidia 0000:03:00.0: setting latency timer to 64
nvidia 0000:04:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0003)
nvidia 0000:04:00.0: PCI INT A -> Link[AXV7] -> GSI 16 (level, low) -> IRQ 16
nvidia 0000:04:00.0: setting latency timer to 64
NVRM: loading NVIDIA UNIX x86 Kernel Module  260.19.21  Thu Nov  4 20:24:24 PDT 2010

Thanks for any help!

mghis · 2010-12-15 18:10:08

With Ubuntu 10.4 both graphics card works fine. Have I to copy some configuration file? The xorg.conf is really small and there is not any xorg.conf.d directory.

If I have to give some information let me know.

Can anyone help?

okplayer02 · 2010-12-15 19:30:16

take a look at this thread and follow the instructions how this person got it working

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=65343

also if you read man page for nvidia-xconfig you can see more options for SLI and what to do

http://linux.die.net/man/1/nvidia-xconfig

hope it helps you

Last edited by okplayer02 (2010-12-15 19:35:17)

mghis · 2010-12-16 13:11:20

I solved.

Thanks a lot for all kind replies. I'm such an idiot! I just had to edit the kernel command line, appending:

vmalloc=256M

Before of that,

dmesg | grep alloc

returned a bunch of errors.

Thanks again!

Arch Linux

#1 2010-12-14 16:58:59

Two graphics cards, X cannot handle one. [Solved]

#2 2010-12-14 17:10:12

Re: Two graphics cards, X cannot handle one. [Solved]

#3 2010-12-14 17:31:35

Re: Two graphics cards, X cannot handle one. [Solved]

#4 2010-12-15 18:10:08

Re: Two graphics cards, X cannot handle one. [Solved]

#5 2010-12-15 19:30:16

Re: Two graphics cards, X cannot handle one. [Solved]

#6 2010-12-16 13:11:20

Re: Two graphics cards, X cannot handle one. [Solved]

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