Bug 146518

Summary:	Install fails to set up Xorg for PCI nVidia card on computer with Intel Extreme Graphics 2
Product:	[openSUSE] SUSE Linux 10.1	Reporter:	Sean Patrick Hogan <sean>
Component:	SaX2	Assignee:	Stefan Dirsch <sndirsch>
Status:	RESOLVED WONTFIX	QA Contact:	E-mail List <qa-bugs>
Severity:	Normal
Priority:	P5 - None
Version:	Beta 2
Target Milestone:	---
Hardware:	i686
OS:	Other
Whiteboard:
Found By:	Other	Services Priority:
Business Priority:		Blocker:	---
Marketing QA Status:	---	IT Deployment:	---
Attachments:	Xorg.conf that was auto-generated (/etx/X11/xorg.conf) The SaX Log from running sax2 -r -a Xorg.conf after running sax2 -r -a New SaX log (sax2 -c 0)

Description Sean Patrick Hogan 2006-01-29 18:40:01 UTC

When I install openSUSE 10.1 beta 2, the install goes well in the normal graphical mode (I assume using a VESA driver), but the install fails to set up Xorg properly.  This is likely due to the fact that my computer (an eMachines T3990) has Intel Extreme Graphics 2 built-in, but I've installed an nVidia GeForce FX 5500 in one of the PCI slots.  Ubuntu Linux sets up an xorg.conf that is correct in all respects EXCEPT that it tries to set up the nVidia card using the i810 driver (which the integrated graphics would use) - so this isn't a problem unique to SUSE.  Fedora 5 test 2 does seem to set it up correctly.

During the install process when it's setting up the graphics card, it does give an error dialogue box that states that an error occured, but the message is very non-descript and it doesn't tell you that it's a graphics problem until you get placed at a command prompt login and you realize it.

SUSE 10 had this problem as well (I didn't have the nVidia card until recently, but I tested it to see if this was just a problem with 10.1 beta 2 or if it had occured before).

I'm going to reinstall 10.1 beta 2 to get the xorg.conf to attach for you.  Are there any other debugging pieces you'd like/need?

Comment 1 Sean Patrick Hogan 2006-01-29 19:44:33 UTC

Created attachment 65565 [details]
Xorg.conf that was auto-generated (/etx/X11/xorg.conf)

It looks like SaX never configured the graphical interface during the hardware configuration portion of the install.  I'm going to try running sax from the command line and see if I can get it working that way.

Comment 2 Sean Patrick Hogan 2006-01-29 19:53:27 UTC

I ran sax2 from the command line after logging in.  It recognized that there was no X server running and started its own, but it terminated without getting through its process with the message:

"ups lost card during probing...abort at /usr/share/sax/init.pl line 618."

I hope that helps.

Comment 3 Marcus Schaefer 2006-01-30 09:43:47 UTC

I assume you have multiple cards installed which couldn't be used
together. The xorg.conf is completely broken. If you don't mind
call

  sax2 -r -a

and send me the files

  /var/log/SaX.log
  /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Thanks

Comment 4 Sean Patrick Hogan 2006-01-30 14:08:47 UTC

Created attachment 65646 [details]
The SaX Log from running sax2 -r -a

One thing I noticed looking at the SaX log is that it's seeing the nVidia card as AGP - it's PCI.  Also, I don't know if this is true, but I thought that Intel Extreme Graphics integrated graphics chipsets were AGP even though they were on the board.

Comment 5 Sean Patrick Hogan 2006-01-30 14:09:55 UTC

Created attachment 65647 [details]
Xorg.conf after running sax2 -r -a

It doesn't look like running sax changed the file.

Comment 6 Marcus Schaefer 2006-01-30 17:37:09 UTC

NVidia in combination with Intel seems to be a bad match :-)
Try to select one device only:


   sax2 -c 0

Stefan do you know about problems with these devices ?

Comment 7 Stefan Dirsch 2006-01-30 18:49:25 UTC

Not really. Maybe the Intel Device can be disabled in the BIOS setup ...

Comment 8 Sean Patrick Hogan 2006-01-30 23:19:13 UTC

Created attachment 65784 [details]
New SaX log (sax2 -c 0)

The Intel Extreme Graphics 2 is disabled in the BIOS (as much as the BIOS allows).  The BIOS has an option to use the built-in graphics or a PCI card installed and so I set it to PCI but both Windows and Linux can still see/use the integrated graphics.

This SaX log (created using sax -c 0) might be a little more telling.  It seems to indicate that a xorg.conf file was created, but it tried to use the i810 driver rather than the nv driver - similar to what Ubuntu does.  Of course, I might be misreading the log file.

Comment 9 Marcus Schaefer 2006-01-31 08:43:05 UTC

yes it does what it should. With -c 0 you told sax2 to use the chip 0
which is the i865G but the driver isn't able to setup X because it couldn't
read the BIOS:

   (II) I810(0): initializing int10
   (EE) I810(0): Cannot read V_BIOS
   (EE) I810(0): VBE initialization failed.

BIOS or driver Problem, Stefan Dirsch may know more

If you want to use the Nvidia board simply type

  sax2 -c 1

Will reassign this one because of the intel problem

Comment 10 Stefan Dirsch 2006-01-31 21:58:31 UTC

> BIOS or driver Problem
Both in my eyes. Why can't this internal gfx chipset be disabled completely? Works fine here on my Intel 945G machine. I remember we run into a similar/identical problem with a Intel i815 integrated/<whatever gfx board> combination and were never able to resolve the problem. :-(
> Fedora 5 test 2 does seem to set it up correctly.
xorg.conf from this installation still available? This might help, although I'm afraid it won't.

Comment 11 Sean Patrick Hogan 2006-02-01 03:45:47 UTC

The sax2 -c 1 worked.  I think it's more a matter of getting SaX to only set up one interface and for that interface to be the nVidia card.

I feel like Fedora either read something from the BIOS that said that the PCI card was the one indicated to use there or just decided that if I had an nVidia card and integrated graphics I probably wanted to use the nVidia card ;)  I don't think the xorg.conf would help since SaX can generate a working xorg.conf as long as it configures the right things.

As for disabling the Intel Extreme Graphics 2, I get the option of using the on-board graphics or PCI in the BIOS menu.  This is my second eMachine and they both worked this way (both with Intel's integrated graphics, but I think the other was Intel's original while this is their second version).

Comment 12 Stefan Dirsch 2006-02-01 05:18:50 UTC

Sorry, I didn't know that sax2 can create a working configuration.

Comment 13 Stefan Dirsch 2006-03-18 21:54:10 UTC

Ok. I hope you can live with this workaround, since this is something we cannot fix.