XFree86 4.3.0 and nvidia GLX-3123?

jobeus · n00b Joined: 17 Mar 2003 Posts: 52

Hey guys,

Lately I'd been having trouble with the 4191 drivers on my Toshiba Laptop (GeForce 2 Go)... The 2D performance leaves something to be desired... So I went back to the 3123 drivers, and everything's been running great. Unfortunately though, after updating to Xfree 4.3.0, the drivers don't really work very well (3123), and I had to upgrade again to 4191. Does anyone know how to fix the 3123 drivers so they work well in 4.3.0? Or can you?

The problems I had with them, is that when I start X, it's not in 1024x768, like it should be, but instead in 640x480. I can't change the resolution out of this mode by using the ctrl-alt-+ keys either, and that doesn't seem to be the problem anyways.

However, if I take the 800x600 and 640x480 modes out of my XF86Config file, 1024x768 will display, which I thought would be 'good enough', until today.

The other problem is a bit more inhibiting... When I went to run a GL app, it gives me an error saying that glx is not running... There must be an incompatibility introduced in 4.3.0 that's keeping it from running, I presume. This really sucks for me, as the performance in just moving windows around in Gnome is kinda crappy with 4191, and none of the fixes I've read have helped. Indeed, the same XF86Config file in 3123 provides me with great speed... Why can't 4191?

Anyways, has anyone else ran into this problem? And found a fix?

Thanks,
Scott

jobeus · n00b Joined: 17 Mar 2003 Posts: 52

Ok, 'opengl-update nvidia' fixed GLX, but the resolution thing is still there.

squareroot · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2003 11:31 pm Post subject: known bug causing slowdown?

Several things sound wrong. I have seen the 2-D slowdown on several machines now. When other apparently unrelated problems were fixed it seemed to clear up.

I don't have exactly the same kind of machine to reproduce your problem.

There are options in XFree86 4.30 for fixed resolution displays, like laptop screens. These might get you the right resolution to begin with.

One known problem is a memory leak. Since you don't leave a laptop on all the time you might never notice.

Here is a link to the reported bug https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=15935

Unfortunately, the test described uses GL.

Because the GLX module is not kept in the same library as the kernel driver module a common error is to get a different version which is incompatible. Check this and check that you changed the names for the nvidia modules in your XFconfig.

The 4191 module is called "nvidia" (no capitals). The name with NV capitalized is the 3123 module. ( I don't have my old configuration handy to check exact spelling. )

The open source XFree driver is called "nv". It can use XAA for 2D, but doesn't do much with 3D hardware.

Another cause of slowdowns is the option for NvAGP.
You'll have to try different ones. I don't have a ready answer for this machine.

One last idea has to do with accidentally compiling the kernel without MTRR support. This causes speed to take a big hit.

jobeus · n00b Joined: 17 Mar 2003 Posts: 52

Can anyone confirm a problem when using the nvidia 3123 out of portage?

I've done a little testing and it looks like the problem might be with opengl-update itself, as it seems X 'forgets' about my GLX after a while, or after a few times being run. Running 'opengl-update nvidia' again fixes the problem, but it won't stabilize.

I just tried installing the 3123 GLX from source, without using portage... I'll see if that 'stays'.