Using 2.6.25 + Nvidia + VMware

[Hugo Vanwoerkom]

Hi,

In upgrading to 2.6.25 I ran into problems, as follows:

1. When I use linux-image-2.6.25-1-686 or 2-686 from binary or from
source I cannot use vga=791 or I get "undefined video mode number: 317".
When I compile from kernel.org's 2.6.25.3 I don't get that problem. I
filed a bug: http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=481063

2. the Nvidia closed source driver has to be modified (for all but the
latest driver) in order to run on 2.6.25 as detailed here:
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=110088
When you apply the patch and generate the custom executable the install
works as advertised.

3. the VMware server (only the latest 1.0.5) has to be modified as
detailed here:
http://communities.vmware.com/message/923969#923969
When you follow the directions and apply the patches as directed and
then install the server everything works as directed.

Remains the problem of messages:
FATAL: modprobe: Could not load /lib/modules/2.6.25.3/modules.dep
that's a separate topic.

Hugo


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[Hugo Vanwoerkom]

Hugo Vanwoerkom wrote:

> Hi,
>
> In upgrading to 2.6.25 I ran into problems, as follows:
>
> 1. When I use linux-image-2.6.25-1-686 or 2-686 from binary or from
> source I cannot use vga=791 or I get "undefined video mode number: 317".
> When I compile from kernel.org's 2.6.25.3 I don't get that problem. I
> filed a bug: http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=481063
>
> 2. the Nvidia closed source driver has to be modified (for all but the
> latest driver) in order to run on 2.6.25 as detailed here:
> http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=110088
> When you apply the patch and generate the custom executable the install
> works as advertised.
>
> 3. the VMware server (only the latest 1.0.5) has to be modified as
> detailed here:
> http://communities.vmware.com/message/923969#923969
> When you follow the directions and apply the patches as directed and
> then install the server everything works as directed.
>
> Remains the problem of messages:
> FATAL: modprobe: Could not load /lib/modules/2.6.25.3/modules.dep
> that's a separate topic.
>

I solved (1) by installing uvesafb in 2.6.25-2-686 detailed here:
http://wiki.debian.org/HowToUseUvesafbWithDebian

Added problem discovered in installing Nvidia with 2.6.25-2-686: it
complains of a Xen installation:
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=112102

Change .config + disable CONFIG_XEN.

Hugo


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[David Witbrodt]

> Hugo Vanwoerkom wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > In upgrading to 2.6.25 I ran into problems, as follows:
> >
> > 1. When I use linux-image-2.6.25-1-686 or 2-686 from binary or from
> > source I cannot use vga=791 or I get "undefined video mode number: 317".
> > When I compile from kernel.org's 2.6.25.3 I don't get that problem. I
> > filed a bug: http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=481063

  I ran into the same problem yesterday, installing Lenny on a new build with an integrated Radeon X1200 GPU.
  It turns out that the VESA framebuffer driver (vesafb) is not included in the stock kernel's initrd.  (You can check the contents of your own initrd with this sort of incantation:  'gunzip -c /boot/initrd.img-<version> | cpio -t | less'.)
  You can get VESA FB working again with some commands like the following:

    echo vesafb >> /etc/initramfs-tools/modules
    update-initramfs
    editor /boot/grub/menu.lst
    # edit your favorite "kernel" line to include parameters:
    #   "vga=<mode#> video=vesafb"

Be careful of the mode#!  On my main desktop system, with a GeForce 7950GT card, my preferred mode is 1280x1024 -- and the proper mode# is "795" or "0x31B".  On my new Radeon X1200 server, the corresponding mode# is "794" or "0x31A".  You can find out authoritative mode# values for your hardware by installing "hwinfo" and running

  hwinfo --framebuffer


> I solved (1) by installing uvesafb in 2.6.25-2-686 detailed here:
> http://wiki.debian.org/HowToUseUvesafbWithDebian

  I think this is overkill for most folks, but some people have fun playing around with unusual hacks.  (I personally use UVESA FB, but only because I want to control the vertical refresh rate on my virtual terminals.)
  I think Hugo's instructions have some errors.  For example, he instructs folks to install 'klibc', but later compiles the 'v86d' helper utility against "x86emu" instead of 'klibc':


  Install v86d

  Go to the directory that contains the v86d code and then:
    ./configure --with-x86emu
    make KDIR=<path of the kernel tree that was compiled above>
  make install


To build 'v86d' using 'klibc', the configure command should be

    ./configure --with-klibc

Also, when updating GRUB's 'menu.lst' file,

  Add to a kernel command line the following:

    video=uvesafb:1024x768-32,mtrr:3,ywrap

I'm not sure that "ywrap" actually does anything on an AMD64 system.  I can
report that on my system it gets ignored and "redraw" is used instead of "ywrap".

  Having said all that, I remember how much of a hassle it was to learn how to get
UVESA FB running on Debian.  For trying to get helpful information out to the world,
Hugo should be thanked!


Dave W.


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[Hugo Vanwoerkom]

David Witbrodt wrote:

>> Hugo Vanwoerkom wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> In upgrading to 2.6.25 I ran into problems, as follows:
>>>
>>> 1. When I use linux-image-2.6.25-1-686 or 2-686 from binary or from
>>> source I cannot use vga=791 or I get "undefined video mode number: 317".
>>> When I compile from kernel.org's 2.6.25.3 I don't get that problem. I
>>> filed a bug: http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=481063
>
>   I ran into the same problem yesterday, installing Lenny on a new build with an integrated Radeon X1200 GPU.
>   It turns out that the VESA framebuffer driver (vesafb) is not included in the stock kernel's initrd.  (You can check the contents of your own initrd with this sort of incantation:  'gunzip -c /boot/initrd.img-<version> | cpio -t | less'.)
>   You can get VESA FB working again with some commands like the following:
>
>     echo vesafb >> /etc/initramfs-tools/modules
>     update-initramfs
>     editor /boot/grub/menu.lst
>     # edit your favorite "kernel" line to include parameters:
>     #   "vga=<mode#> video=vesafb"
>
> Be careful of the mode#!  On my main desktop system, with a GeForce 7950GT card, my preferred mode is 1280x1024 -- and the proper mode# is "795" or "0x31B".  On my new Radeon X1200 server, the corresponding mode# is "794" or "0x31A".  You can find out authoritative mode# values for your hardware by installing "hwinfo" and running
>
>   hwinfo --framebuffer
>
>
>> I solved (1) by installing uvesafb in 2.6.25-2-686 detailed here:
>> http://wiki.debian.org/HowToUseUvesafbWithDebian
>
>   I think this is overkill for most folks, but some people have fun playing around with unusual hacks.  (I personally use UVESA FB, but only because I want to control the vertical refresh rate on my virtual terminals.)
>   I think Hugo's instructions have some errors.  For example, he instructs folks to install 'klibc', but later compiles the 'v86d' helper utility against "x86emu" instead of 'klibc':
>
>
>   Install v86d
>
>   Go to the directory that contains the v86d code and then:
>     ./configure --with-x86emu
>     make KDIR=<path of the kernel tree that was compiled above>
>   make install
>
>
> To build 'v86d' using 'klibc', the configure command should be
>
>     ./configure --with-klibc
>
> Also, when updating GRUB's 'menu.lst' file,
>
>   Add to a kernel command line the following:
>
>     video=uvesafb:1024x768-32,mtrr:3,ywrap
>
> I'm not sure that "ywrap" actually does anything on an AMD64 system.  I can
> report that on my system it gets ignored and "redraw" is used instead of "ywrap".
>
>   Having said all that, I remember how much of a hassle it was to learn how to get
> UVESA FB running on Debian.  For trying to get helpful information out to the world,
> Hugo should be thanked!
>

Dave, thanks for pointing out the v86d error in the wiki.
But AFAIK in Debian kernels vesafb has always been compiled into the
kernel, not as a module, making its inclusion in the initrd unnecessary.

Hugo








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[David Witbrodt]

> Dave, thanks for pointing out the v86d error in the wiki.
> But AFAIK in Debian kernels vesafb has always been compiled into the
> kernel, not as a module, making its inclusion in the initrd unnecessary.

  That's what I thought, as well.
 
When I checked the 'initrd.img-<version>' file, it wasn't there.
When I added 'vesafb' to /etc/initramfs-tools/modules, and ran
'update-initramfs', I was able to use VESA FB.

  When I get some time, I'll ask some maintainers about it.  This may actually be a bug... or it might not.


Dave W.


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