nv is chosen even if it doesn't support the card

Could you try the xserver-xorg-core from my PPA to see if it works any better. The package is for intrepid. So either add this to your /etc/apt/sources.list:

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/tjaalton/ubuntu intrepid main

or manually fetch the package from there.

sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg
startx
(WW) NV: Ignoring unsupported device 0x10de0531 (GeForce 7150M) at 00@00:12:0

wget http://ppa.launchpad.net/tjaalton/ubuntu/pool/main/x/xorg-server/xserver-xorg-core_1.4.99.906-2ubuntu3.2_i386.deb
sudo dpkg -i xserver-xorg-core_1.4.99.906-2ubuntu3.2_i386.deb

(==) Matched nouveau for the autoconfigured driver
(==) Assigned the driver to the xf86ConfigLayout
(II) LoadModule: "nouveau"
(WW) Warning, couldn't open module nouveau
(II) UnloadModule: "nouveau"
(EE) Failed to load module "nouveau" (module does not exist, 0)
(EE) No drivers available.

Thanks for trying.. One more thing; could you try running without xorg.conf, ie. move it away. It appears that the patch makes the xserver to build an internal conffile that has all the drivers listed on it, and tries them one at a time. It apparently should work without an xorg.conf...

carl@dv67:~$ cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf
cat: /etc/X11/xorg.conf: No such file or directory

(==) Using default built-in configuration (48 lines)

X used the binary nvidia 177.70 beta, 1280x800 (native res of laptop) - pretty cool.

could you please still test without nvidia, move it aside for instance :) Then we'd be sure that it would fall back to vesa if nv refuses to work.

Anyway, this is encouraging. Many thanks for testing this!

also, try with a xorg.conf that does not have any Device-sections..

scratch that, I already tried it myself. Doesn't work if you have xorg.conf in place.. bummer.

Timo Aaltonen wrote:
> scratch that, I already tried it myself. Doesn't work if you have
> xorg.conf in place.. bummer.

Scratch all requests, or just the last one?

aka: want me to try anything?

Carl K

When I did an update, 1:7.4~1ubuntu1.1 caused problems:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xorg/+bug/266959

Setting up x11-common (1:7.4~1ubuntu1.1) ...
usage error: remove_conffile_commit() called with wrong number of arguments;
   expected 1, got 2
Please report a bug in the postinst script of the x11-common package,
   version 1:7.4~1ubuntu1.1 to the Debian Bug Tracking System.
   Include all messages above that mention the x11-common package.
   Visit <http://www.debian.org/Bugs/Reporting> on the World Wide Web for
   instructions, read the file /usr/share/doc/debian/bug-reporting.txt from
   the doc-debian package, or install the reportbug package and use the
   command of the same name to file a report.
dpkg: error processing x11-common (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 99

you only need to install xserver-xorg-core from there, don't mind the other packages.

also, please downgrade the other packages that were updated, they might cause other problems

er, wait. I confused myself. The only package I got from your repo:

http://ppa.launchpad.net/tjaalton/ubuntu/pool/main/x/xorg-server/xserver-xorg-core_1.4.99.906-2ubuntu3.2_i386.deb

So I guess I don't know where I got x11-common.

how do I tell what packages I should downgrade?

you added the apt-repo to your sources.list and that's why you got the package. You don't have to downgrade anything if things work, those packages will be updated soon anyway on the official repository.

but I'd still like to know what happens if you don't have nvidia-glx-177 (?) installed, does it fall back to vesa or what?

Timo Aaltonen wrote:
> you added the apt-repo to your sources.list and that's why you got the
> package. You don't have to downgrade anything if things work, those
> packages will be updated soon anyway on the official repository.

oh hell, you're right - I will swear I took that out.

>
> but I'd still like to know what happens if you don't have nvidia-glx-177
> (?) installed, does it fall back to vesa or what?

well, things don't work right now:

(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf.failsafe"

I am a little confused on what needs downgrading - any advice?

Ok, dropping to failsafe is hiding the real problem. Does X work for you at all now?

If yes, you might edit /etc/gdm/gdm.conf and comment out FailsafeXServer, and then the real problem should be shown, at least in /var/log/gdm/:0.log or /var/log/Xorg.0.log.

Timo Aaltonen wrote:
> Ok, dropping to failsafe is hiding the real problem. Does X work for you
> at all now?

The Failsafe gives me 800x600 - I guess that is works.

>
> If yes, you might edit /etc/gdm/gdm.conf and comment out
> FailsafeXServer, and then the real problem should be shown, at least in
> /var/log/gdm/:0.log or /var/log/Xorg.0.log.

sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg
sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart

no X, full /var/log/Xorg.0.log:

(WW) Failed to open protocol names file /etc/X11/xserver/protocol.txt
This is a pre-release version of the X server from The X.Org Foundation.
It is not supported in any way.
Bugs may be filed in the bugzilla at http://bugs.freedesktop.org/.
Select the "xorg" product for bugs you find in this release.
Before reporting bugs in pre-release versions please check the
latest version in the X.Org Foundation git repository.
See http://wiki.x.org/wiki/GitPage for git access instructions.
X.Org X Server 1.4.99.906 (1.5.0 RC 6)
Release Date:
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: Linux 2.6.24-15-server i686 Ubuntu
Current Operating System: Linux dv67 2.6.27-2-generic #1 SMP Thu Aug 28 17:20:02
UTC 2008 i686
Build Date: 03 September 2008 01:24:30PM
xorg-server 2:1.4.99.906-2ubuntu5 (<email address hidden>)
         Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
         to make sure that you have the latest version.
Module Loader present
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: Sun Sep 7 22:20:17 2008
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
Data incomplete in file /etc/X11/xorg.conf
         Undefined InputDevice "Generic Keyboard" referenced by ServerLayout
"Default Layout".
(EE) Problem parsing the config file
(EE) Error parsing the config file
Fatal server error:
no screens found
(WW) xf86CloseConsole: KDSETMODE failed: Bad file descriptor
(WW) xf86CloseConsole: VT_GETMODE failed: Bad file descriptor
(WW) xf86OpenConsole: VT_GETSTATE failed: Bad file descriptor
/var/log/Xorg.0.log (END)

sudo rm /etc/X11/xorg.conf
sudo /etc/init.d/gdm
no X, interesting lines from log (full is attached)

(EE) Unable to locate/open config file
(II) Loader magic: 0x81d8a40
(==) Matched nv for the autoconfigured driver
(WW) NV: Ignoring unsupported device 0x10de0531 (GeForce 7150M) at 00@00:12:0
(WW) Falling back to old probe method for fbdev
(EE) open /dev/fb0: No such file or directory
(WW) Falling back to old probe method for vesa
(EE) No devices detected.
Fatal server error:
no screens found

Ok, so there seems to be a problem with the logic I think. The fallback doesn't seem to work, since the vesa driver can't use the device if nv has poked it.

one more thing to try would be to uninstall xserver-xorg-video-nv, and see if it then falls back to vesa properly..

I'll let you figure out what is/isn't working :)

(WW) Failed to open protocol names file /etc/X11/xserver/protocol.txt
This is a pre-release version of the X server from The X.Org Foundation.
It is not supported in any way.
Bugs may be filed in the bugzilla at http://bugs.freedesktop.org/.
Select the "xorg" product for bugs you find in this release.
Before reporting bugs in pre-release versions please check the
latest version in the X.Org Foundation git repository.
See http://wiki.x.org/wiki/GitPage for git access instructions.

X.Org X Server 1.4.99.906 (1.5.0 RC 6)
Release Date:
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: Linux 2.6.16.51 i686 Ubuntu
Current Operating System: Linux dv67 2.6.27-3-generic #1 SMP Mon Sep 8 14:08:15 UTC 2008 i686
Build Date: 02 September 2008 09:30:12AM
xorg-server 2:1.4.99.906-2ubuntu3.2 (<email address hidden>)
 Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
 to make sure that you have the latest version.
Module Loader present
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: Tue Sep 9 22:03:26 2008
(EE) Unable to locate/open config file
(II) Loader magic: 0x81d8a40
(II) Module ABI versions:
 X.Org ANSI C Emulation: 0.4
 X.Org Video Driver: 4.1
 X.Org XInput driver : 2.1
 X.Org Server Extension : 1.1
 X.Org Font Renderer : 0.6
(II) Loader running on linux
(--) using VT number 7

(--) PCI: (0@0:1:3) nVidia Corporation MCP67 Co-processor rev 162, Mem @ 0xf6200000/0
(--) PCI:*(0@0:18:0) nVidia Corporation GeForce 7150M rev 162, Mem @ 0xf5000000/0, 0xd0000000/0, 0xf4000000/0, BIOS @ 0x????????/131072
(==) Using default built-in configuration (48 lines)
(==) --- Start of built-in configuration ---
 Section "Device"
  Identifier "Builtin Default nouveau Device 0"
  Driver "nouveau"
 EndSection
 Section "Screen"
  Identifier "Builtin Default nouveau Screen 0"
  Device "Builtin Default nouveau Device 0"
 EndSection
 Section "Device"
  Identifier "Builtin Default nvidia Device 0"
  Driver "nvidia"
 EndSection
 Section "Screen"
  Identifier "Builtin Default nvidia Screen 0"
  Device "Builtin Default nvidia Device 0"
 EndSection
 Section "Device"
  Identifier "Builtin Default nv Device 0"
  Driver "nv"
 EndSection
 Section "Screen"
  Identifier "Builtin Default nv Screen 0"
  Device "Builtin Default nv Device 0"
 EndSection
 Section "Device"
  Identifier "Builtin Default vesa Device 0"
  Driver "vesa"
 EndSection
 Section "Screen"
  Identifier "Builtin Default vesa Screen 0"
  Device "Builtin Default vesa Device 0"
 EndSection
 Section "Device"
  Identifier "Builtin Default fbdev Device 0"
  Driver "fbdev"
 EndSection
 Section "Screen"
  Identifier "Builtin Default fbdev Screen 0"
  Device "Builtin Default fbdev Device 0"
 EndSection
 Section "ServerLayout"
  Identifier "Builtin Default Layout"
  Screen "Builtin Default nouveau Screen 0"
  Screen "Builtin Default nvidia Screen 0"
  Screen "Builtin Default nv Screen 0"
  Screen "Builtin Default vesa Screen 0"
  Screen "Builtin Default fbdev Screen 0"
 EndSection
(==) --- ...

Now you have nvidia-glx-XXX installed :) You'd need to uninstall both nvidia-glx-* and x-x-v-nv for the fallback to work.

I think it is working - is 800x600 expected?

Yeah, that's expected. So, when nv is installed it claims the device so that vesa can't use it.. That's too bad, don't know if it's a driver bug or what. Thanks.

This morning's update seems different. I am not tuned into what matters, so here is the log.

I still plan on "uninstall both nvidia-glx-* and x-x-v-nv" but need to get some work done first.

Right, so you didn't have the xorg.conf there, and it falls back to vesa. You should now copy the xorg.conf back that had "nvidia" on it. The current xserver does not include the patch to use nvidia by default, since the fallback mechanism isn't fully functional as you've noticed.

"uninstall both nvidia-glx-* and x-x-v-nv"

little fuzzy on if I got them all - hows it look?

(EE) Unable to locate/open config file
(==) Automatically adding devices
(==) Automatically enabling devices

(EE) Failed to load module "nv" (module does not exist, 0)
(II) LoadModule: "vesa"

(--) VESA(0): Virtual size is 800x600 (pitch 800)
(**) VESA(0): *Built-in mode "800x600"
(II) VESA(0): Attempting to use 60Hz refresh for mode "800x600" (115)

sudo apt-get install nvidia-glx-177
sudo reboot

Should the auto magic find nvidia? it didn't seem to.

(no xorg.conf)
carl@dv67:~$ grep -i nvidia /var/log/Xorg.0.log
(--) PCI: (0@0:1:3) nVidia Corporation MCP67 Co-processor rev 162, Mem @ 0xf6200000/0
(--) PCI:*(0@0:18:0) nVidia Corporation GeForce 7150M rev 162, Mem @ 0xf5000000/0, 0xd0000000/0, 0xf4000000/0, BIOS @ 0x????????/131072
(II) Module glx: vendor="NVIDIA Corporation"
(II) NVIDIA GLX Module 177.70 Wed Aug 27 13:16:51 PDT 2008
(II) VESA(0): VESA VBE OEM: NVIDIA
(II) VESA(0): VESA VBE OEM: NVIDIA
(EE) Failed to initialize GLX extension (Compatible NVIDIA X driver not found)

er above should be "use" not "find"... it did find it, just didn't use it (i think...)

moving on - good news: nvidia on ibex just-works using xorg.conf with driver "nvidia"

carl@dv67:~$ grep -i nvidia /var/log/Xorg.0.log
(--) PCI: (0@0:1:3) nVidia Corporation MCP67 Co-processor rev 162, Mem @ 0xf6200000/0
(--) PCI:*(0@0:18:0) nVidia Corporation GeForce 7150M rev 162, Mem @ 0xf5000000/0, 0xd0000000/0, 0xf4000000/0, BIOS @ 0x????????/131072
(II) Module glx: vendor="NVIDIA Corporation"
(II) NVIDIA GLX Module 177.70 Wed Aug 27 13:16:51 PDT 2008
(II) LoadModule: "nvidia"
(II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers//nvidia_drv.so
(II) Module nvidia: vendor="NVIDIA Corporation"
(II) NVIDIA dlloader X Driver 177.70 Wed Aug 27 12:55:53 PDT 2008
(II) NVIDIA Unified Driver for all Supported NVIDIA GPUs
(II) NVIDIA(0): Creating default Display subsection in Screen section
...
(==) NVIDIA(0): No modes were requested; the default mode "nvidia-auto-select"
(==) NVIDIA(0): will be used as the requested mode.
(==) NVIDIA(0):
(II) NVIDIA(0): Validated modes:
(II) NVIDIA(0): "nvidia-auto-select"
(II) NVIDIA(0): Virtual screen size determined to be 1280 x 800

Carl: the nvidia driver is loaded only if you set the driver to "nvidia" in the Device section of your xorg.conf

Alberto Milone wrote:
> Carl: the nvidia driver is loaded only if you set the driver to "nvidia"
> in the Device section of your xorg.conf

you mean used, right?

log shows it being loaded:

(II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions//libglx.so
(II) Module glx: vendor="NVIDIA Corporation"
 compiled for 4.0.2, module version = 1.0.0
 Module class: X.Org Server Extension
(II) NVIDIA GLX Module 177.70 Wed Aug 27 13:16:51 PDT 2008

nvidia not being used is the observed behavior. Is it expected / desired?

Carl K

I encountered this too with some hardware that is unsupported by nv yet. I'm unable to boot the live cd because it always drops to safe graphics mode. Here's the failsafe logs.

back to the original bug; the server should not choose a driver which doesn't support the card. This is fixed now in Debian, and will be merged for 8.10-beta. It's a regression from Hardy, and something that was simply overlooked until now..

hmm, I didn't change the status of this apparently.. it's just waiting for upload, and should have made it in beta if I would've pushed it hard enough.

I have a question: On the top of this page it says, that a fix was commited for Ubuntu intrepid beta. But I reported #278477, which was set as a duplicate of this bug. Will this bug be fixed in intrepid final?

'Fix Committed' means that a fix has been committed to the package but it has yet to be uploaded to the archives. Once it has been uploaded, it will change to 'Fix Released'. So yes, this will be fixed before Intrepid final.

Chris Coulson: Thanks a lot!

This bug was fixed in the package xorg-server - 2:1.5.1-1ubuntu2

---------------
xorg-server (2:1.5.1-1ubuntu2) intrepid; urgency=low

  * Merge with Debian experimental:
    - debian/rules: define PCI_TXT_IDS_DIR to unbreak the pci id matching
      using plain text files provided by drivers. (LP: #261977)

 -- Timo Aaltonen <email address hidden> Fri, 26 Sep 2008 12:05:12 +0300

This is *not* fixed in that latest upload. See the following attachments:

From lspci:

03:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: nVidia Corporation Device [10de:0866] (rev b1)

So, hw/xfree86/common/xf86AutoConfig.c still tries to match the driver using videoPtrToDriverName() even though matchDriverFromFiles() has failed. That's a bug.

Actually, the correct fix would be to append the fallback drivers to the list of drivers to try. Currently the fallback drivers are used only if there is no xorg.conf.

I have the same problem except that I'm using the Geforce 7000m!
I hope this will be fixed in the final release.

greetings
Ray

@Timo, is there something I could assist with to help get this bug closed for Intrepid? What's the next action for it? I'd be happy to hack on the code if that's needed.

Bryce: that would be nice, I've been busy with work the past few days and haven't been able to tackle it yet, so if you like to hack on it that would be fine :)

The solution we could use is to modify matchDriverFromFiles() from hw/xfree86/common/xf86AutoConfig.c to use vesa if matches[0] is not set after the while loop. Shouldn't that work? Then videoPtrToDriverName() would place the autoconfigured driver to matches[1] and the server would still use vesa. Case closed, for now. The real solution, however, would be to modify xf86Init.c to use autoconfig() even if CONFIG_NOFILE is false, and add the logic to handle the existing Device-sections. I think this is what jcristau has on his (long) todo-list.

It took me a while to figure it out, but i got X working after installing the nvidia drivers while using the livecd, then copying my old xorg.conf over. for those using a Nvidia 7000M, attached is a xorg.conf that should make X work in 1280x800, just delete the other stuff you dont need. hope this helps someone :)

I've verified that the patch works like designed (on intel, but anyway):

-with no xorg.conf, the videoPtrToDriverList() is used
-with a normal xorg.conf with no Driver set, the one that matches the .ids-file is used
-with a normal xorg.conf and no pci-id in the driver.ids file, vesa is used

so, this should be a safe patch for RC!

Uploaded:

  718899 | S- | xorg | 1:7.4~5ubuntu3 | 28 minutes
  | * xorg/1:7.4~5ubuntu3 Component: main Section: x11
  718896 | S- | xorg-server | 2:1.5.2-2ubuntu2 | 33 minutes
  | * xorg-server/2:1.5.2-2ubuntu2 Component: main Section: x11

are bug #s 284492 and 276180 related to this bug? Thanks...

I don't know.....

This bug was fixed in the package xorg-server - 2:1.5.2-2ubuntu2

---------------
xorg-server (2:1.5.2-2ubuntu2) intrepid; urgency=low

   * 143_default_to_vesa.patch: If no matching driver is found in the
     .ids files, set "vesa" as a fallback default, otherwise a driver
     may be selected regardless of whether it actually provides support
     for the chipset by videoPtrToDriverList() based on its vendor id.
     (LP: #261977)

 -- Bryce Harrington <email address hidden> Thu, 23 Oct 2008 06:21:18 -0700

great... is this bug fix in the ubuntu-8.10-rc-* images that are now available?

I still can't start the Ubuntu 8.10rc livecd! It starts in the console! I can't understand why it's not working. Hardy worked great.

Raybuntu,

Give a try on daily image. It is likely that the patch is not included in the RC image.

Howard Teng,
Thanks! I tried the daily build and it works great!

greetings
Ray

The bug task for the somerville project has been removed by an automated script. This bug has been cloned on that project and is available here: https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1305579