Probably pretty stupid video card question

[superdeez]

I'm installing Gentoo onto a Dell laptop. Running lspci -nnk gets me this:

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04:00.0 3D controller [0302]: NVIDIA Corporation GM108M [GeForce 830M] [10de:1340] (rev a2)
        Subsystem: Dell GM108M [GeForce 830M] [1028:0632]
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation HD Graphics 5500 [8086:1616] (rev 09)
        DeviceName:  Onboard IGD
        Subsystem: Dell HD Graphics 5500 [1028:0632]
        Kernel driver in use: i915
        Kernel modules: i915

Since I had initially seen Intel onboard graphics available, I used that, but should I really be using the Nouveau module?

Is this a case of Intel graphics are available but there is also an Nvidia chipset?

[mike155]

Looks like a notebook with Nvidia Optimus technology. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nvidia_Optimus

[fedeliallalinea]

It seems a laptop with optimus

[NeddySeagoon]

superdeez,

There are no stupid questions, except the one you never ask.
Be on your guard for stupid answers though.

[superdeez]

Thanks for the information.

[superdeez]

One further question:

I have X now and whenever I run X it works briefly before the local console locks up and I have to reboot via ssh.

dmesg can be found here: http://dpaste.com/DRNDN7N4R

I'm guessing GPU hang is it trying to switch between the HD graphics and nvidia or them not playing nice with each other? This is my first time working with this particular setup.

[mike155]

Those messages are highly unusual:

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[   76.577739] ACPI Warning: \_SB.PCI0.RP05.PEGP._DSM: Argument #4 type mismatch - Found [Buffer], ACPI requires [Package] (20210730/nsarguments-61)
[   77.320980] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] Reducing the compressed framebuffer size. This may lead to less power savings than a non-reduced-size. Try to increase stolen memory size if available in BIOS.
[   78.002904] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] Resetting rcs0 for CS error
[   78.008953] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] GPU HANG: ecode 8:1:00201f37, in X [5523]
[   92.778629] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] GPU HANG: ecode 8:1:85dffffb, in X [5523]
[   92.779636] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] Resetting rcs0 for stopped heartbeat on rcs0
[  150.359605] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] Resetting rcs0 for CS error
[  150.365583] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] GPU HANG: ecode 8:1:072612ff, in X [5523]
[  150.373287] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] Resetting rcs0 for CS error
[  150.379259] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] GPU HANG: ecode 8:1:072612ff, in X [5523]
[  150.386701] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] Resetting rcs0 for CS error

Please post

1. The output of

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   emerge --info

2. Your kernel config using wgetpaste.

[NeddySeagoon]

superdeez,

You have assorted firmware missing

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[    0.022227] [Firmware Bug]: TSC_DEADLINE disabled due to Errata; please update microcode to version: 0x25 (or later)

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[    0.458984] Loading firmware: regulatory.db
[    0.459098] platform regulatory.0: Direct firmware load for regulatory.db failed with error -2
[    0.459228] cfg80211: failed to load regulatory.db

none of which are related to your immediate Video problem.

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[   76.577739] ACPI Warning: \_SB.PCI0.RP05.PEGP._DSM: Argument #4 type mismatch - Found [Buffer], ACPI requires [Package] (20210730/nsarguments-61)
[   77.320980] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] Reducing the compressed framebuffer size. This may lead to less power savings than a non-reduced-size. Try to increase stolen memory size if available in BIOS.
[   78.002904] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] Resetting rcs0 for CS error
[   78.008953] i915 0000:00:02.0: [drm] GPU HANG: ecode 8:1:00201f37, in X [5523]

That looks like a verybadthing.

Can you post the Xorg.0.log file please, if there is one. What I'm looking for is the video driver in use for the Intel GPU.
It should be modesetting as you want to use Optimus.

[superdeez]

The xorg log rwith the nvidia module still installed is here: http://dpaste.com/8VJF7LXRM

The intel module I am using is i915. I was using the nvidia propriatery driver, but I removed that thinking that could have been causing the problem, but it has changed nothing.

What happens is X and xfce works for a time, but as I try to open menus or make it draw windows, it begins tearing and eventually just completely locks the console. "killall X" usually works, but sometimes it locks that vt.

It might be worth mentioning this laptop apparently used to be my father's. This is apparently the machine that made him go to Apple because he had some problem with it that he attributed to a windoze update and the windoze tech support guy eventually couldn't solve the problem. Hardware problem possibly?

I just tried it again with all nstances of the nvidia module removed and that xorg log is here: http://dpaste.com/2WYQ5TLVX

[superdeez]

Almost forgot: emerge --info is here: http://dpaste.com/HN2EEA9PG

[superdeez]

And the kernel config is here http://dpaste.com/CA6FZVRQG

Sorry to be so spastic. I've been banging my head against the wall with this machine much of yesterday afternoon and much of this morning. Probably need to go do something else for awhile...

[NeddySeagoon]

superdeez,

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[    33.374] (==) Matched intel as autoconfigured driver 0
[    33.374] (==) Matched nvidia as autoconfigured driver 1
[    33.374] (==) Matched nouveau as autoconfigured driver 2
[    33.374] (==) Matched nv as autoconfigured driver 3
[    33.374] (==) Matched modesetting as autoconfigured driver 4
[    33.374] (==) Matched fbdev as autoconfigured driver 5
[    33.374] (==) Matched vesa as autoconfigured driver 6

Tells that you have not configured your install for Optimus

You only haze one and a half graphics systems. You can use Intel only or both together.
The half that's missing is the nVidia GPU connection to the outside world.

See the Optimus page on the Wiki.

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VIDEO_CARDS="intel"

should be

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VIDEO_CARDS="nvidia"

for the binary blob, or

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VIDEO_CARDS="nouveau"

for the open source driver.
Xorg provides modesetting anyway.

[superdeez]

NeddySeagoon,

Thank you once again you have solved my problem. I had been trying with the Nvidia binary blob and it just wasn't working at all.

Enable i915 and nouveau in the kernel, VIDEO_CARDS="nouveau" and update @world for the new USE and it's all working.

[NeddySeagoon]

superdeez,

It may only be Intel that,s working. Optimus requires some Xorg configuration so that it can use both GPUs together.