Re: [SLE] Black screen after NVidia update - 2nd posting

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To: suse-linux-e@suse.com
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 00:07:03 -0500

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On Thursday 11 September 2003 15:16, Jan Elders wrote:
> On Wednesday 10 September 2003 19:56, Curtis Rey wrote:
> // CUT
>
> > Ok, what type of monitor do you have. I have had this with sort of
> > things happen with a monitor - mod line or v and h sync problems. So
> > sometimes you have to tweak the X settings.
>
> I have a laptop with a 1024x768 LCD screen.
>
> > Though the problem does seem to stem around
> > the GLX drivers. You might try reinstalling the drivers again. Did you
> > use the nvidia installer? Or did you use the source code.
>
> Yes, I have used the nvidia installer, and just did it again for the 3rd
> time. I followed the instructions in
> www.suse.de/de/private/download/xfree86/index.html section “SuSE Linux 8.2
> with update kernel or self-compiled kernel”.
> - went to runlevel 3 (by restart in Safe Mode)
> - did the following :
> cd /usr/src/linux
> make cloneconfig
> make dep
> cd /windows/e/Linuxdata/Downloads/nvidia/ (= my download directory)
> export IGNORE_CC_MISMATCH=yes
> sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-4496-pkg2.run
> Thus ran the NVIDIA Installer.
> During the process the installer tried to contact the nvidia ftp-site (I
> had an Internet connection available - and working) and it told me :
> "No matching precompiled kernel interface was found on the NVidia ftp site,
> this means the installer will need to compile a kernel interface for your
> kernel."
>
> After this, I hit OK.
> After some processing it told me :
> "Installation of the NVidia Accelerated Graphics Driver for Linux-x86
> (version
>
> : 1.0-4496) is now complete. On SuSE Linux/United Linux please use SAX2 now
>
> to enable the NVidia driver."
> After this, I hit OK again and the installer exits.
> So far this looks good to me.
>
> Then I give the command : sax2
> and ................ I have a black screen !
>
> CTRL-ALT-DEL has no effect, so I have to cut power ! ;-(
>
> Next, I reboot to runlevel 3.
> I restore my "old" XF86Config file (which I had saved before).
> Then I go to runlevel 5 -> all is OK (using the "old" nv driver).
> In Shell Konsole, I go to sax2.
> In Desktop I have :
> - Monitor = VESA 1024x768@60Hz
> - Graphics card = NVidia GeForce4 488 Go
> after "finish" it shows "nvidia" at the end of the information-bar
> about the configured graphics card.
> - Color & Resolution = Desktop 1024x768 with 16 bit
> - 3D accelleration is off, but I activate it.
> Then I do "finalize" --> "test"
> and ................ I have a black screen again !
>
> This time CTRL-ALT-DEL does work (it shuts down and reboots).
> I boot to runlevel 3 and restore my "old" XF86Config file again.
> Then I go to runlevel 5 and all is OK again (but using the "old" nv
> driver).
>
> > If You still
> > have troubles then try to download the drivers using the installer and
> > then make the source package. It's covered in the nvidia README as far
> > as options are concerned. Also there's the flag for the installer
> > "--help" that list a set of commands, one of these is also an advanced
> > set of commands "--adv" IIRC.
> >
> > If you download the source binaries move them to
> > /usr/src/package/SOURCES and then untar them and do a make install for
> > the GLX drivers.
>
> Ehh, all of the above is something I never did before. It is not totally
> clear to me what -exactly- I must do (e.g. how do I do a "make install for
> the GLX drivers ?)
>
> > If they
> >
> > fail it might provide some useful output. If not then it should work and
> > if that fails then we have some deeper digging to do. I have had a
> > couple of instances where this happens. Sometimes you have to uninstall
> > and reinstall the drivers.
>
> Haven't done this yet. Do you recommed this ?
>
> > ........... Just be hang in
> > there, I know all too well how frustrating this can be.
>
> You are so very right. I am starting to get fed-up by all this.
> Black screens, cutting power, unclean filesystems.
>
> > Oh and last but not by anymeans least, do an "lsmod" and see if the
> > kernel drivers are actually loaded - I have had this happen before as
> > well.
> >
> > it should be something like:
> >
> > # lsmod
> > Module Size Used by Tainted: P
> > snd-pcm-oss 50144 1 (autoclean)
> > snd-mixer-oss 15704 0 (autoclean) [snd-pcm-oss]
> > videodev 6176 0 (autoclean)
> > agpgart 38656 3 (autoclean) *************
> > nvidia 1628576 11 (autoclean) *************
> >
> > The ones marked "****" are often needed in conjunction with each other.
>
> Well, if I do this then - of course - it does not show "agpgart" and
> "nvidia" because I am running with the "old" configuration which gives me a
> visible screen.
> I would love to do the lsmod in the black screen situation and see what is
> listed. Wouldn't that be a miracle ? ;-)

Ok, this sounds like the ever popular monitor fun with sax2. I unfortunately
don't have as much experience with LCDs. I might suggest that you could try
the command

SaX2 -r

This will reinit the database.

sax2 --help

...[ -r | --reinit ]
  remove detection database and re-init the
  hardware database...

I strongly suspect that this is all about the monitor/video card/drivers not
being set up in the correct fashion (through no fault of yours). I
situations like this I have had to hand modify the XF86Config file in the
v-sync/h-sync do lower levels, and also at time tinker with the modelines. I
am downloading some ISOs right now but should be done before too long (if the
SuSE server doesn't drop the bandwidth to a lower throughput).

As far as the modelines, there are a couple of ways to try to see if they're
reconfiged. One is to use

sax2 -x

[ -x | --xmode ]
  use server build in Modelines

The other methods is from the XF86.org site and tells how to manually probe
the modeline timings for each resolution. They also have sections that
explains setup and troubleshooting LCDs. LCDs can be a specific pain in the
ass (nvidia readme also has a section for LCDs).

You should be able to put back in the NVIDIA specific XF86Config file and at
boot up in the command section (in lilo/grub) issue the command "init 3".
Then you boot to a non-X mode but if the nvidia kernel driver is installed it
should load the modules. You can issue the "lsmod" and see if nvidia and
agpgart modules are loaded. Then you can copy the XF86config file back
again.

You should have two files. One with "nv" as the driver and another as "nvidia"
as the driver, i.e. XF86Config-nv and XF86Config-nvidia. Then issue the
command in the /etc directory "cp XF86Config-nvidia XF86Config" to replace
the nv file, and "cp XF86Config-nv XF86Config" to put it back to a working
config file. So you actually have 3 XF86Config files. One that is labelled
XF86Config, one labelled XF86Config-nv, and a 3rd named XF86Config-nvidia.
When you cp (copy) the *-nv or *-nvidia to the working XF86Config file you
keep the nv/nvidia config files and just make the working file with either
the nv or nvidia driver. This way you can have the nvidia driver in the X
file, reboot to init 3, issue the lsmod to see if the driver is loaded, then
cp the *-nv file to the working X file, issue init 5 and go to a non-3D
driver and X will start without a black screen.

Also you need to look in /etc/module.conf file and see if the line "alias
char-major-195 nvidia". If it's not then this explains why you get a black
screen.

I will look on the XF86.org pages for LCD stuff when I get a chance after
dl'ing my ISOs (I have access now and don't want to stop since I might have
to wait another 1/2 day or more before I get another chance), and you can try
the same by looking at both the NVIDIA README and on the XF86.org site to see
if you can't find a fix.

I really think that this is all about the LCD and something specific to the
monitor. If you have the specs for the monitor (i.e. the notebook manual)
with the v-sync/h-sync/refresh rates then you might be able to check this
against the XF86Config file.

Keep trying, we'll nail this yet. :)

Curtis.

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• Previous message: James Ogley: "Re: [SLE] Ymessenger."
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