Broken X login screen after kernel security update (10/2011)

SRU Justification

Impact: A regression in the 2.6.32-34 kernel is causing graphics corruption on the Asus A7V-E with nvidia graphics.

Fix: Backport of upstream bug fix for range-restricted allocations in DRM.

Test case: Verified to fix corruption by reporter on LP #873130.

---

The X login screen breaks up in Xubuntu 10.04.3 LTS, after i have upgraded my kernel.

kernel 2.6.32-33-generic worked fine, 2.6.32-34-generic garbled the login screen: No buttons, only the login screen background and panel below, copies of the mouse cursor and some garbage. No text.

I *can* log in by guessing what happens in the screen (no text shown...) - the Xubuntu desktop opens, with background and the panels, but most of the panel widgets are "missing" and I must only guess what should be on screen: something should appear, but nothing can be seen. The terminals (Ctrl+F1...F6) works nicely though.

Possibly affected packages (my guess): linux, xorg, gdm, xfwm4

Temporary fix: By choosing kernel 2.6.32-33 in boot time

Can be reproductable: By choosing kernel 2.6.32-34 in boot time

What changed:
(here is a part of the diff against the new(<) and old(>) version):
(most suspectable diff parts, selected from /var/log: dmesg, messages, debug, daemon.log, syslog, kern.log):

< [TIMESTAMP] Linux version 2.6.32-34-generic (buildd@vernadsky)
 (gcc version 4.4.3 (Ubuntu 4.4.3-4ubuntu5) ) #77-Ubuntu SMP
 Tue Sep 13 19:40:53 UTC 2011 (Ubuntu 2.6.32-34.77-generic 2.6.32.44+drm33.19)
---
> [TIMESTAMP] Linux version 2.6.32-33-generic (buildd@zirconium)
 (gcc version 4.4.3 (Ubuntu 4.4.3-4ubuntu5) ) #72-Ubuntu SMP
 Fri Jul 29 21:08:37 UTC 2011 (Ubuntu 2.6.32-33.72-generic 2.6.32.41+drm33.18)

< [TIMESTAMP] Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-2.6.32-34-generic
 root=UUID=b68f5eec-3aa8-4780-a47e-c3bd1e26389c ro quiet splash
---
> [TIMESTAMP] Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-2.6.32-33-generic
 root=UUID=b68f5eec-3aa8-4780-a47e-c3bd1e26389c ro quiet splash

< [TIMESTAMP] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0:
 allocated 1280x1024 fb: 0x45000, bo dfbb9c00
---
> [TIMESTAMP] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0:
 allocated 1280x1024 fb: 0x45000, bo df015800

...
< [TIME] wader kernel: [TIMESTAMP] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: validate: -12
< [TIME] wader kernel: [TIMESTAMP] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: validate: -12
< [TIME] wader acpid: client 920[0:0] has disconnected
< [TIME] wader acpid: client connected from 920[0:0]
< [TIME] wader acpid: 1 client rule loaded
< [TIME] wader kernel: [TIMESTAMP] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: validate: -12
< [TIME] wader kernel: [TIMESTAMP] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: validate: -12
< [TIME] wader kernel: [TIMESTAMP] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: validate: -12
< [TIME] wader kernel: [TIMESTAMP] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: validate: -12
...

(...and continues with ~100 more validate messages...)

The differences in /var/log/Xorg.0.log (and /var/log/gdm/:0.log) between new and old kernel versions:

< Current Operating System: Linux wader 2.6.32-34-generic #77-Ubuntu SMP
 Tue Sep 13 19:40:53 UTC 2011 i686
> Current Operating System: Linux wader 2.6.32-33-generic #72-Ubuntu SMP
 Fri Jul 29 21:08:37 UTC 2011 i686

< Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-2.6.32-34-generic
 root=UUID=b68f5eec-3aa8-4780-a47e-c3bd1e26389c ro quiet splash
> Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-2.6.32-33-generic
 root=UUID=b68f5eec-3aa8-4780-a47e-c3bd1e26389c ro quiet splash

< (II) NOUVEAU(0): Opened GPU channel 1
< (II) NOUVEAU(0): [DRI2] Setup complete
< (II) NOUVEAU(0): GART: 32MiB available
< (II) NOUVEAU(0): GART: Allocated 16MiB as a scratch buffer

> (II) NOUVEAU(0): Opened GPU channel 1
> (II) NOUVEAU(0): [DRI2] Setup complete
> (II) NOUVEAU(0): GART: 32MiB available
> (EE) NOUVEAU(0): Unable to allocate GART memory

So it looks like, the (currently running) old kernel 2.6.32-33 didn't allocate GART. My best guess is that GART thing was somewhat enabled in new kernel update. It haven't been enabled before, with Xubuntu 10.4 installed, according to previous logs.

And yet, it could be something with my Nvidia RIVA TNT2 graphics card and nouveau kernel driver..?

I'm pretty sure it is the kernel package that causes this problem. I can try uploading /var/log/apt/history.log if needed for more suspects.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: linux-image-2.6.32-34-generic 2.6.32-34.77
Regression: Yes
Reproducible: Yes
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-33.72-generic 2.6.32.41+drm33.18
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-33-generic i686
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.21.
Architecture: i386
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: AudioPCI [Ensoniq AudioPCI], device 0: ES1371/1 [ES1371 DAC2/ADC]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: agemixer 1269 F.... xfce4-mixer-plu
                      agemixer 1276 F.... pulseaudio
                      agemixer 1304 F.... xfce4-volumed
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] Tiedostoa tai hakemistoa ei ole
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'AudioPCI'/'Ensoniq AudioPCI ENS1371 at 0xa000, irq 10'
   Mixer name : 'SigmaTel STAC9721,23'
   Components : 'AC97a:83847609'
   Controls : 36
   Simple ctrls : 23
CurrentDmesg:
 [ 24.276438] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Allocating FIFO number 1
 [ 24.278696] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: nouveau_channel_alloc: initialised FIFO 1
 [ 29.340108] eth0: no IPv6 routers present
Date: Thu Oct 13 02:09:17 2011
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=3fa1b2f0-2ad1-4f9d-83e7-5ec49ee84288
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 10.04 "Lucid Lynx" - Release i386 (20100429)
IwConfig:
 lo no wireless extensions.

 eth0 no wireless extensions.
Lsusb:
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
MachineType: System Manufacturer System Name
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-2.6.32-33-generic root=UUID=b68f5eec-3aa8-4780-a47e-c3bd1e26389c ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=fi_FI.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
RelatedPackageVersions: linux-firmware 1.34.7
RfKill:

SourcePackage: linux
dmi.bios.date: 03/08/2001
dmi.bios.vendor: Award Software, Inc.
dmi.bios.version: ASUS A7V-E ACPI BIOS Revision 1002D
dmi.board.name: <A7V-E>
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: REV 1.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 7
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAwardSoftware,Inc.:bvrASUSA7V-EACPIBIOSRevision1002D:bd03/08/2001:svnSystemManufacturer:pnSystemName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rn<A7V-E>:rvrREV1.xx:cvnChassisManufacture:ct7:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System Manufacturer