ubuntu-x-swat team mailing list archive

[Mike Ferreira <781445@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Public bug reported:

Binary package hint: xorg

Refered by:
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/rhythmbox/+question/157114

Reference: 
Since implementation of KMS technologies at Ubuntu version 10.04, transitions have occurred where the graphics is first set and how, via:
"Kernel mode-setting (KMS) shifts responsibility for selecting and setting up the graphics mode from X.org to the kernel. When X.org is started, it then detects and uses the mode without any further mode changes. This promises to make booting faster, more graphical, and less flickery. "

>From what I can figure out, most of this started with 10.04 when they started implementing KMS technology:
(Simplistic explanation of graphical changes)
- 9.10 graphics modes were dealt with in xorg and the video drivers. Grub2 introduced.
- 10.04 introduces KMS, (kernel mode switching) where graphics modes were set in the kernel and passed to xorg.
- 10.10 has some more changes with this... Trying to find and set the graphics modes and pass it to Xorg.
- Natty and Grub 1.99 have ingrained changes tied to KMS. Grub tries to find and set the graphics using HAL from Xorg, which it then passes to the kernel, which then passes in it to Xorg. That's why we now have the graphics changes happening as soon as the Grub Menu...

Most of the people that I've helped (Ubuntu Support Forum- Installations
and Updates) correct their blank screen problems with Natty have been by
Bypassing the GFXMODE=auto default setting, a process that starts and
uses data returned by HAL. The main fix explicitely sets the
GFXMODE=WIDTHxHEIGHTxDEPTH parameters of a mode that "their" graphics
hardware supports. This fix bypasses "HAL" and it's query/mode set
functions. Other fixes are via setting the scan rate of a monitor, which
is also sopposed to be a a function of HAL. (ETC.)

That first fix applies setting the "3" common parameters of GFXMODE.
That third parameter is buried in the documentation I did find from GNU
and Xorg...

There have been a few other "instances" where there was some other
things going on or the "current" kernel "did not support or lost"
graphics support for... (The kernel in proposed fixes a lot of those)
But the majority was just setting an initial mode.

I have asked around and no-one wants to really point fingers, but this
is a problem.  No one wants talk about this "new" relationships between
grub, the kernel and xorg to supply needed info that may come up with
other work-arounds.  I've asked in many places at Ubuntu and Conical
(where I thought I could get some answers) about any kind of
documentations... but all have been ignored.

I know that kernel boot parameters are a part of it. I know that Grub
1.99's GFXMODE and GFXTERM are a part of it. I know thiat HAL and
subsequently Xorg is a part of this.

What I put together so far is in this sticky, which is still evolving:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1743535

I know that the default of GFXMODE=auto is causing a lot of blank
screens as it tries modes until it lands on one that deos not return an
error code... even though that instance may be invalid or out-of-range.

On some people I've helped with this, rolling back the kerenl to
2.6.37.x makes their problems disappear. You say rolling the Grub
version back to 1.98 works. I'm thinking that "maybe" those 2 items
might be doing the same thing by not passing an invalid mode or
parameter. Could it?

Along those line, the same fixes "happen" if they install the propose
kernel 2.6.38.9 in the proposed repo or the 2.6.39.0 in the mainline.
Which those might have fixed ported in for the bugs that have been filed
on this(?)

In Natty Norwhahl 11.04, HAL affects Xorg and the xorg.conf:
"# commented out by update-manager, HAL is now used and auto-detects devices"

Querying video hardware usinf xrandr:
"hal.1: read hal dataprocess 2951: arguments to dbus_move_error() were incorrect, assertion "(dest) == NULL || !dbus_error_is_set ((dest))" failed in file dbus-errors.c line 280.
This is normally a bug in some application using the D-Bus library.
libhal.c 3483 : Error unsubscribing to signals, error=The name org.freedesktop.Hal was not provided by any .service files"

HAL problems now seem to affect GNU Grub 1.99, Linux kernel and Xorg.
This really affect this new distribution of Ubuntu (11.04) which heavily
relies on this and is cauaing many problems. It no only affects the
Xsession startup, but also it's shutdown.

Summary:
Normal users should not have to be highly skilled "techies" to manually bypass a broken part of a system to make a released distribution work during an install or distribution upgrade!

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: xorg 1:7.6+4ubuntu3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-8-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
.proc.driver.nvidia.gpus.0: Error: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/proc/driver/nvidia/gpus/0'
.proc.driver.nvidia.registry: Binary: ""
.proc.driver.nvidia.version:
 NVRM version: NVIDIA UNIX x86_64 Kernel Module  270.41.06  Mon Apr 18 14:53:56 PDT 2011
 GCC version:  gcc version 4.5.2 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.5.2-8ubuntu4)
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: compiz
Date: Wed May 11 17:45:59 2011
DistUpgraded: Log time: 2011-04-28 22:09:55.370859
DistroCodename: natty
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
 virtualbox-ose, 4.0.4, 2.6.38-8-generic, x86_64: installed 
 virtualbox-ose, 4.0.4, 2.6.35-28-generic, x86_64: installed 
 nvidia-current, 270.41.06, 2.6.38-8-generic, x86_64: installed 
 nvidia-current, 270.41.06, 2.6.35-28-generic, x86_64: installed
GraphicsCard:
 nVidia Corporation NV45 [GeForce 6800 GTO] [10de:00f9] (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: XFX Pine Group Inc. GEFORCE 6800 GT PCI-E [1682:2120]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release amd64 (20100429)
JockeyStatus:
 xorg:nvidia_173 - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
 xorg:nvidia_current - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Enabled, Not in use)
MachineType: System manufacturer System Product Name
ProcEnviron:
 SHELL=/bin/bash
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 LANGUAGE=en_US:en
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=32939def-1f4a-4134-9b56-bed2319a9216 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
Renderer: Unknown
SourcePackage: xorg
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to natty on 2011-04-29 (12 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 11/20/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 1409
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: A8N32-SLI-Deluxe
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev 1.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr1409:bd11/20/2008:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnA8N32-SLI-Deluxe:rvrRev1.xx:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Product Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.4+bzr20110415-0ubuntu2
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs 20090808ubuntu13
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.23-1ubuntu6
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.10.2-0ubuntu2
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.10.2-0ubuntu2
version.nvidia-graphics-drivers: nvidia-graphics-drivers N/A
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+4ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.0-0ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.14.0-4ubuntu7.1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110107+b795ca6e-0ubuntu7

** Affects: xorg (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug compiz-0.9 natty ubuntu

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which is subscribed to xorg in Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/781445

Title:
  Xorg's HAL causes Purple screen or Black Screen on GDM startup.