Arch Linux

MMKK

Member

From: Ypsilanti, MI

Registered: 2011-06-10

Posts: 8

Nouveau on an old laptop

Hello,

I am a n00b to Arch but I've been using Linux for at least 10 years now, mostly gentoo, some Ubuntu, a teeny bit of RH and Deb.

I recently got a new-to-me (but nonetheless really old) Dell Inspiron 2650 and am struggling with getting nouveau to work on it.  The video card is too old for the nVidia binary blob driver and the "nv" driver is so hideously slow.  I've read through the nouveau wiki page dozens of times and I can't get it to work.  I've talked to the folks in the IRC channel and they were extremely kind and helpful, but unable to solve my problem.  Here's the relevant info:

I'm trying to use the KMS "late start" method (as mentioned here); but I've also tried the "early start" method.

Video card:

lspci | grep VGA
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV11 [GeForce2 Go] (rev b2)

According to the Official Feature Matrix my card is supported

This is what happens when I try to modprobe nouveau:

sudo modprobe nouveau
WARNING: Error inserting video (/lib/modules/2.6.38-ARCH/kernel/drivers/acpi/video.ko.gz): No such device
WARNING: Error inserting i2c_core (/lib/modules/2.6.38-ARCH/kernel/drivers/i2c/i2c-core.ko.gz): No such device
WARNING: Error inserting i2c_algo_bit (/lib/modules/2.6.38-ARCH/kernel/drivers/i2c/algos/i2c-algo-bit.ko.gz): No such device
WARNING: Error inserting agpgart (/lib/modules/2.6.38-ARCH/kernel/drivers/char/agp/agpgart.ko.gz): No such device
WARNING: Error inserting drm (/lib/modules/2.6.38-ARCH/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/drm.ko.gz): No such device
WARNING: Error inserting drm_kms_helper (/lib/modules/2.6.38-ARCH/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_kms_helper.ko.gz): No such device
WARNING: Error inserting ttm (/lib/modules/2.6.38-ARCH/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/ttm/ttm.ko.gz): No such device
FATAL: Error inserting nouveau (/lib/modules/2.6.38-ARCH/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau.ko.gz): No such device

and when I run startx:

xauth: (stdin):2:  unknown command "c11fcdfcb6cf075e826b79ebb2cfc963"


X.Org X Server 1.10.2
Release Date: 2011-05-28
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: Linux 2.6.38-ARCH i686 
Current Operating System: Linux Inspie 2.6.38-ARCH #1 SMP PREEMPT Tue Jun 7 06:40:04 UTC 2011 i686
Kernel command line: root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/d110d7c0-5b00-4d88-85a0-df58b27a0d4e ro acpi=off nouveau.modeset=1
Build Date: 30 May 2011  08:16:10AM
 
Current version of pixman: 0.20.2
    Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
    to make sure that you have the latest version.
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
    (++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
    (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Fri Jun 10 15:20:36 2011
(==) Using config directory: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d"
(EE) Failed to load module "nvidia" (module does not exist, 0)
(EE) Failed to load module "vesa" (module does not exist, 0)
(EE) Failed to load module "fbdev" (module does not exist, 0)
WARNING: Error inserting video (/lib/modules/2.6.38-ARCH/kernel/drivers/acpi/video.ko.gz): No such device
WARNING: Error inserting i2c_core (/lib/modules/2.6.38-ARCH/kernel/drivers/i2c/i2c-core.ko.gz): No such device
WARNING: Error inserting i2c_algo_bit (/lib/modules/2.6.38-ARCH/kernel/drivers/i2c/algos/i2c-algo-bit.ko.gz): No such device
WARNING: Error inserting agpgart (/lib/modules/2.6.38-ARCH/kernel/drivers/char/agp/agpgart.ko.gz): No such device
WARNING: Error inserting drm (/lib/modules/2.6.38-ARCH/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/drm.ko.gz): No such device
WARNING: Error inserting drm_kms_helper (/lib/modules/2.6.38-ARCH/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_kms_helper.ko.gz): No such device
WARNING: Error inserting ttm (/lib/modules/2.6.38-ARCH/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/ttm/ttm.ko.gz): No such device
FATAL: Error inserting nouveau (/lib/modules/2.6.38-ARCH/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau.ko.gz): No such device
(EE) [drm] failed to open device
(EE) No devices detected.

Fatal server error:
no screens found

Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support 
     at http://wiki.x.org
 for help. 
Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional information.

xinit: giving up
xinit: unable to connect to X server: Connection refused
xinit: server error

It looks to me like it can't insert the kernel module.  Anyone have any clue?

skottish

Forum Fellow

From: Here

Registered: 2006-06-16

Posts: 7,942

Re: Nouveau on an old laptop

Welcome to the forums.

This post seems to indicate that your problem may be related to the ACPI module not being loaded:

http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/i … 05764.html

--EDIT--

By the way, I think that your modest line may be redundant too, but I'm not sure about that.

Last edited by skottish (2011-06-11 04:11:46)

MMKK

Member

From: Ypsilanti, MI

Registered: 2011-06-10

Posts: 8

Re: Nouveau on an old laptop

Thanks skottish.

Yeah, the modeset line is redundant, it's a remnant of trying the "Early Load" method for KMS.

Sadly, removing "acpi=off" from my kernel command arguments causes the laptop to hang on boot.

skottish

Forum Fellow

From: Here

Registered: 2006-06-16

Posts: 7,942

Re: Nouveau on an old laptop

Thanks skottish.

Yeah, the modeset line is redundant, it's a remnant of trying the "Early Load" method for KMS.

You said that in a different way. I don't know this stuff, so I don't always get the terminology.

Sadly, removing "acpi=off" from my kernel command arguments causes the laptop to hang on boot.

Search these forums for "acpi hang" and there are known workarounds. Hopefully one of them works for you.

MMKK

Member

From: Ypsilanti, MI

Registered: 2011-06-10

Posts: 8

Re: Nouveau on an old laptop

I just went a-googling for "kernel boot parameters" to see if I could find something besides "acpi=off" that would make it boot.  I found pci=noacpi (it was hanging up on the PCI subsystem) and that lets it boot and magically dropped me into a framebuffer!

Now I'm gonna' reinstall nouveau and see what I get... stand by...

I'm so excited!!

MMKK

Member

From: Ypsilanti, MI

Registered: 2011-06-10

Posts: 8

Re: Nouveau on an old laptop

Well, I'm SO close now....

Now I get this on startx:

xauth: (stdin):2:  unknown command "c11fcdfcb6cf075e826b79ebb2cfc963"


X.Org X Server 1.10.2
Release Date: 2011-05-28
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: Linux 2.6.38-ARCH i686
Current Operating System: Linux Inspie 2.6.38-ARCH #1 SMP PREEMPT Tue Jun 7 06:40:04 UTC 2011 i686
Kernel command line: root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/d110d7c0-5b00-4d88-85a0-df58b27a0d4e ro pci=noacpi
Build Date: 30 May 2011  08:16:10AM

Current version of pixman: 0.20.2
        Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
        to make sure that you have the latest version.
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
        (++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
        (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Sat Jun 11 01:02:21 2011
(==) Using config directory: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d"
(EE) Failed to load module "glx" (module does not exist, 0)
(EE) Failed to load module "nvidia" (module does not exist, 0)
(EE) Failed to load module "vesa" (module does not exist, 0)
(EE) Failed to load module "fbdev" (module does not exist, 0)
(EE) NOUVEAU(0): Error allocating scanout buffer: 0

Fatal server error:
AddScreen/ScreenInit failed for driver 0


Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support
         at http://wiki.x.org
 for help.
Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional information.

xinit: giving up
xinit: unable to connect to X server: Connection refused
xinit: server error

Looks like it's a known bug.

*sigh*

skottish

Forum Fellow

From: Here

Registered: 2006-06-16

Posts: 7,942

Re: Nouveau on an old laptop

I assume that this was after modprobe'ing the nouveau module? If so, there's certainly hope.

xauth: (stdin):2:  unknown command "c11fcdfcb6cf075e826b79ebb2cfc963"

That's a bit worrisome. I doubt that whatever is causing that is helping your cause.

By the way, if all else fails use uvesafb. It has respectable 2D performance for day-to-day usage and can be configured to all sorts of nonstandard resolutions (see the wiki). Things like Flash will suffer badly and there's no hardware acceleration or 3D capabilities at all though. It is very useful for older machines where practicality and usability are the most important things.

MMKK

Member

From: Ypsilanti, MI

Registered: 2011-06-10

Posts: 8

Re: Nouveau on an old laptop

It works if I force it to use 1024x768 via xorg.conf.... Unfortunately the screen should be 1400x1050 and looks awful at 1024x768.  I am one tiny step closer, though!

skottish

Forum Fellow

From: Here

Registered: 2006-06-16

Posts: 7,942

Re: Nouveau on an old laptop

It works if I force it to use 1024x768 via xorg.conf.... Unfortunately the screen should be 1400x1050 and looks awful at 1024x768.  I am one tiny step closer, though!

nouveau or uvesafb? If it's uvesafb, this is the solution:

http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=15486

*** CRAP! ***

I'm one of the contributors to that code and I forgot that it's for Intel chips only. Disregard that.

Last edited by skottish (2011-06-11 06:33:05)

karol

Archivist

Registered: 2009-05-06

Posts: 25,440

Re: Nouveau on an old laptop

I'm a bit confused, are you trying to use nvidia now?

(EE) Failed to load module "nvidia" (module does not exist, 0)

Try not using any xorg.conf at all, it should autodetect everything just fine.

There are nvidia legacy drivers, have you tired them already? (nvidia-173xx is in the repos, nvidia-96xx for even older cards unfortunately not, you would have to downgrade xorg-server and friends to use it)

MMKK

Member

From: Ypsilanti, MI

Registered: 2011-06-10

Posts: 8

Re: Nouveau on an old laptop

skottish: I am able to get 1024x768@16 with nouveau but no more.  The native resolution of the screen is 1400x1050 and the "nv" driver can give me that so I don't know why nouveau can't.  When I try to do anything more than 1024x768@16 that's when I'll get

(EE) NOUVEAU(0): Error allocating scanout buffer: 0

.

karol: I'm using the nouveau driver.  I would prefer to use the nvidia binary blob but my card is so old that I'd need to use the 96xx versions.  I already tried using the 96xx driver but it conflicts with so much stuff that I couldn't install it.  Anyway, I got the

Failed to load module "nvidia"

while NOT using an xorg.conf.  The only thing I can get to work is to force 1024x768@16 by using an xorg.conf.

karol

Archivist

Registered: 2009-05-06

Posts: 25,440

Re: Nouveau on an old laptop

You're talking about the resolution in X, right? Please post the output of 'xrandr'.
If you boot into the terminal with nouveau, what's the resolution there (I test it with fbset from [extra])?

MMKK

Member

From: Ypsilanti, MI

Registered: 2011-06-10

Posts: 8

Re: Nouveau on an old laptop

karol: fbset gives me

mode "1400x1050"
    geometry 1400 1050 1400 1050 32
    timings 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
    accel true
    rgba 8/16,8/8,8/0,0/0
endmode

The output from xrandr:

Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1024 x 768, maximum 4096 x 4096
VGA-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
LVDS-1 connected 1024x768+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 305mm x 228mm
   1024x768       59.9*+
   1400x1050      60.0 +   60.0  
   1280x1024      59.9  
   1280x960       59.9  
   1152x864       60.0  
   800x600        59.9  
   640x480        59.4  
   720x400        59.6  
   640x400        60.0  
   640x350        59.8

karol

Archivist

Registered: 2009-05-06

Posts: 25,440

Re: Nouveau on an old laptop

Try

xrandr --fb 1400x1050 

as it's marked as a preferred mode ('+') - it should work.

Last edited by karol (2011-06-11 15:15:52)

MMKK

Member

From: Ypsilanti, MI

Registered: 2011-06-10

Posts: 8

Re: Nouveau on an old laptop

xrandr --fb 1400x1050
X Error of failed request:  BadMatch (invalid parameter attributes)
  Major opcode of failed request:  150 (RANDR)
  Minor opcode of failed request:  7 (RRSetScreenSize)
  Serial number of failed request:  26
  Current serial number in output stream:  28

I tried adding "1400x1050" alongside "1024x768" in the xorg.conf as well, same results.