Intel Atom D2500 display problems

Hi

I don't have any solution yet, but I have found one thing.

Running insmod gma500_gfx in any form, from just the name to a fully qualified path, fails the same as your xorg log.

Running modprobe gma500_gfx loads it fine.

So one thing I would try. Boot with the amended xorg.conf and it will presumable fail and drop to a shell.
Run sudo modprobe gma500_gfx and then run sudo service gdm restart or maybe just sudo startx and see what happens trying to start when the driver is definitely loaded.

There is not much info out there and it is confusing and contradictory.
It looks like you might need to use modesetting-dev driver instead of the standard fbdev, but this is only built for a few distros.

I am trying to locate the source for it and see if it can be built against this kernel.

regards

Renamed the xorg file again and re booted, it droped into a shell as expected.

Run sudo modprobe gma500_gfx

This gave:

WARNING: All config files need .conf: /etc/modprobe.d/emc2, it will be ignored in a future release.

Run sudo service gdm restart

restart was not recognised so I changed it to

$ sudo service gdm start

The screen flashed about 5 or 6 times, but then went back to the shell.

or maybe just sudo startx

This gave a load of text as follows:

(II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions/libdri2.so
(II) Module dri2: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
compiled for 1.7.6, module version = 1.1.0
ABI class: X.Org Server Extension, version 2.0
(II) Loading extension DRI2
(II) LoadModule: "gma500gfx"
(WW) Warning, couldn't open module gma500gfx
(II) UnloadModule: "gma500gfx"
(EE) Failed to load module "gma500gfx" (module does not exist, 0)
(EE) No drivers available.

Fatal server error:
no screens found

Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support
at wiki.x.org
for help.
Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional information.

ddxSigGiveUp: Closing log


Renamed xorg.conf to xorg.conf.bak

I received a replacement motherboard from Sherline this morning, it is a CDC-I/D2550, but I am not going to fit it until we get to a point where we think that we can get no further display performance out of this D2500 board.

Renamed the xorg file again and re booted, it droped into a shell as expected.
Run sudo modprobe gma500_gfx

This gave:

WARNING: All config files need .conf: /etc/modprobe.d/emc2, it will be ignored in a future release.

At that warning, it is good to repeat the command and see what happens, similar warnings allow the action 2nd time around
The module was not loaded so the results are as expected, try repeating to see if different when it is loaded.

received a replacement motherboard from Sherline this morning, it is a CDC-I/D2550, but I am not going to fit it until we get to a point where we think that we can get no further display performance out of this D2500 board.

Depends if you have a monitor with HDMI
If you have, the monitor capabilities are liable to be picked up correctly so the available modes would be too.
The trouble is that we don't know if the gma500_gfx driver will work and vesa will not probably go much beyond 1024x768 whatever

You haven't tried the nouveau driver yet I think, I have seen that it will return 1920x1080.

I would try substituting vesa with nouveau in the xorg.conf, ensuring that the package xserver-xorg-video-nouveau is installed, and try with the stock 2.6.32-122-rtai kernel

If you don't get an improvement, try with the HDMI ported 2550 MBoard, where the monitor capabilities should be picked up properly

Sorry if this is all a bit vague, without the boards here to experiment on, I am shining a torch into the abyss and hoping for enlightenment

regards

At that warning, it is good to repeat the command and see what happens, similar warnings allow the action 2nd time around

Tried 3 times in succession:

linuxcnc@linuxcnc-desktop:~$ sudo modprobe gma500_gfx
WARNING: All config files need .conf: /etc/modprobe.d/emc2, it will be ignored in a future release.
linuxcnc@linuxcnc-desktop:~$ sudo modprobe gma500_gfx
WARNING: All config files need .conf: /etc/modprobe.d/emc2, it will be ignored in a future release.
linuxcnc@linuxcnc-desktop:~$ sudo modprobe gma500_gfx
WARNING: All config files need .conf: /etc/modprobe.d/emc2, it will be ignored in a future release.

You haven't tried the nouveau driver yet I think

I think we did, so I checked the xserver-xorg-video-nouveau and it is installed, then modified xorg.conf.

Started it with the 2.6.32-122-rtai kernel - it produced a window with about four options, one of which was to start in a low res mode, this gave only 640x480 and 800x600 (I got this before). I also tried with the new 3.8.0-rtai kernel and it booted into a shell.

Depends if you have a monitor with HDMI
If you have, the monitor capabilities are liable to be picked up correctly so the available modes would be too.

The monitor has VGA, HDMI and DVI as available inputs.

If you don't get an improvement, try with the HDMI ported 2550 MBoard, where the monitor capabilities should be picked up properly

I'll get my screwdriver out then! Just one small problem - I see that the MBoard only has a VGA output available! (I guess you cannot trust some of the build standards advertised).

In Summary:

On initial build, 640x480 and 800x600 are the only video modes available.

With the 2.6.32-122-rtai kernel - xorg.conf "vesa" plus the monitor HorizSync and VertRefresh set to the monitors specified values then 640x480, 800x600 and 1024x768 are available (this last resolution can only be set when the monitor values have been specified). With the later kernel it fails to shell.

With the 2.6.32-122-rtai kernel - xorg.conf "nouveau" always reverts to a low res mode 640x480 and 800x600 and this is via a window which says that there has been a display problem. Fails to shell with the later kernel.

With 3.8.0-rtai kernel - No xorg.conf file, starts in 1024x768 and no other formats are available. If xorg.conf is set then it will only start if the driver is specified as "fbdev" and only 1024x768 is available.

All attempts to install "gma500_gfx" have failed.


Thanks for all your help, we have at least managed to determine how to lift this board one notch up!

Shame, but at least workable.

I'll have another look at the modesetting-dev driver in place of fbdev, if I can find sources that will compile in 3.8

regards

Hi again

I have looked at the modesetting driver that appears necessary to use the gma500_gfx driver

It appears to rely upon libraries which are never going to be available for Ubuntu 10.04, which is part of the reason, plus the kernel version required for the kernel module options, why it only became available in later 12.04 versions.

However Debian has the modesetting driver available in a binary package for 7.1 (wheezy) which is what I use all the time now anyway
I have installed it, but because I don't have your chipsets I cannot test anything.

If you feel like installing Debian Wheezy, I can provide a 3.8.0-rtai kernel, modules, realtime and linuxcnc which will run on it.

Then you will be able to try specifying modesetting as the driver for your device instead of fbdev and see if you can get the gma500_gfx module to work.

The worst you could do is still have 1024x768, up to you if you have the time and inclination to try it.
You would at least end up with an up to date distro that is miles better than Ubuntu.

regards

Hi,

Just to bring you up to date, I have installed the replacement D2550 board into the machine and then went back to a barebones install to see what I got. It went back to just the two low resolution modes (no real surprise there). I need to update Sherline on this and I will ask them if they can post their xorg log file on this thread.

I have looked at the modesetting driver that appears necessary to use the gma500_gfx driver

It appears to rely upon libraries which are never going to be available for Ubuntu 10.04, which is part of the reason, plus the kernel version required for the kernel module options, why it only became available in later 12.04 versions.

This makes sense, I can see on the boot-up that this build is definitely detecting a much higher resolution as the Ubuntu start-up screen is displayed in a high resolution that it subsequently defaults to, the problem is as it picks up the driver which sets the display to a much lower resolution and restricts the monitor to 1024x768.

If you feel like installing Debian Wheezy, I can provide a 3.8.0-rtai kernel, modules, realtime and linuxcnc which will run on it.

This sounds like a real positive move and I should be able to fit it in around paying work!

Regards

Good

I will package the kernel and modules tomorrow hopefully and post a link.

Just found a good article from someone who has got the gma500_gfx driver to work on a Sony Viao, running Wheezy.

Apparantly the 0.3.1 version of the modesetting driver which Debian packaged, does not work
However the > 0.5 versions do and I have just downloaded the code for 0.8 and managed to compile it, so it is looking hopeful.

If you have not installed Debian before and have a good broadband connection, they do a minimal CD iso which I always use.
cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/7.1.0/i386/...1.0-i386-netinst.iso

This installs a very basic system and then downloads everything else it requires from their servers
The initial iso download and CD write is shortened and whilst the install takes longer, it is done with the latest package versions, so saves time later updating the packages which
now have newer versions since the CD iso was compiled.

Take a bit of time browsing the install options, you can have different display managers, albeit you may be wiser to stick with the default until all settled in, for support sake if nothing else.

regards

If you have not installed Debian before and have a good broadband connection, they do a minimal CD iso which I always use.

Downloaded and iso CD created, I am just installing it on the system now. As you say it does take some time. I am keeping to the basic install.

You will probably have some problems with the root account being locked and not being able to use sudo
Seems to do it every time.

There is a way around! Just done it myself.
I am testing the debs for 3.8.0-rtai debian build at present, will have something for you to download tomorrow

regards