Arch Linux

Kane

Member

Registered: 2006-10-08

Posts: 220

eee constant freezing

hi guys,
ive installed arch on an external hdd connected to my eepc (usb), everything is working fine (alot better than xandros) but there is one small problem
Every few minutes (pretty randomly) xfce freezes, the mouse still moves but i cannot click on anything or type anything.
I can ctrl+alt+f2 to another terminal, and if i do this then 'tab' (ctrl+alt+f7) back into xfce it has everything is fine again, until it happens again.

Does anyone know what might be causing this? is it something to do with arch being run from an external hdd, or is it something graphics related?

Thanks
Kane

Last edited by Kane (2009-05-05 08:31:30)

Kane

Member

Registered: 2006-10-08

Posts: 220

Re: eee constant freezing

hmmmm i think its must be something to do with xrandr

ive been using

xrandr --output LVDS --off  --output VGA --auto   # disable LCD, enable monitor

to use an external monitor and turn off the eee lcd. but if i dont use that command, and use the external monitor in 800x600 (with the eee lcd still on, but looking squashed ) everything seems to be fine.

id like to have the external monitor running at a higher resolution,

anyone have any ideas?

zguhijok

Member

Registered: 2009-05-05

Posts: 4

Re: eee constant freezing

Same here. But no ideas!

Kane

Member

Registered: 2006-10-08

Posts: 220

Re: eee constant freezing

Its as though the screen is just not updating, i can click on stuff but the screen doesnt update until i ctrl+alt+f1 - f7 or switch the screen back onto the eeepc using fn+f5

Last edited by Kane (2009-05-12 14:11:02)

Wilco

Member

Registered: 2008-11-09

Posts: 440

Re: eee constant freezing

KMS? Intel drivers?

madalu

Member

Registered: 2009-05-05

Posts: 217

Re: eee constant freezing

Hi, I have the same problem with an Eeepc 1000he using xrandr and vga output. For the time being, I've given up on using the external monitor altogether, because none of the Intel Driver combinations I've used has worked.

All of the following scenarios use intel-dri 7.4.1-1 and xorg-server 1.6.1-1. All occurred while running X both with and without an xorg.conf file. The only difference in each scenario is the version of the intel driver:

1. With xf86-video-intel-legacy, xrandr works as expected initially, but my external monitor flickers ever couple of minutes and periodically goes blank. Even after restarting X, I cannot restore video to the VGA. Only rebooting enables me to do that.

2. With the current xf86-video-intel 2.7.0-3 (no KMS), I experience the problem you describe above: the screen freezes (except for the cursor), though clicking on the mouse still causes events in X. Switching to a virtual console and then back to X revives the screen.

Note, with scenarios one and two, dmesg reports mutiple instances of the error: [drm:i915_get_vblank_counter] *ERROR* trying to get vblank count for disabled pipe 0]

3. With the current xf86-video-intel 2.7.0-3 and KMS, I experience more serious problems when using xrandr to switch monitors (turn off VGA and turn on LVDS or vice versa). Most of the time X freezes and it is impossible to switch to a virtual console and the only solution is recourse to the Magic SysRq key. The machine also freezes if I have the VGA monitor on, LVDS off, and I switch to a virtual console.

I would be most grateful for any advice. I've scoured the bug reports online and have read about similar problems occuring with the intel driver multiple times over the past year or so. My guess is that I'll have to hold off on the external monitor until the turbulence of changes in the kernel (i.e., kms) and xf86-video-intel settles down.

Last edited by madalu (2009-05-13 00:31:06)

Kane

Member

Registered: 2006-10-08

Posts: 220

Re: eee constant freezing

This doesnt occur in the default xandros os, so is it something to do with the new xorg, or the intel drivers, or a kernel problem.
Ive been using the default arch kernel but i wonder if any of the other kernels have any other effect

app4des

Member

Registered: 2009-02-18

Posts: 39

Re: eee constant freezing

I have the same problem, switching to xf86-video-intel-legacy is the only thing that solves it in my experience.

Kane

Member

Registered: 2006-10-08

Posts: 220

Re: eee constant freezing

this seems to have fixed it for me also

anyone know the difference between these 2 drivers?

edit:
this looks like the same bug
http://bugs.archlinux.org/task/14594

They claim it's fixed in 2.7.1 http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/x … 45585.html So far, with UXA and NO KMS I can't reproduce a freeze.

Last edited by Kane (2009-05-14 07:55:43)