Dell Inspiron 6000

[dschaus]

@RBJ: Have you created the /dev/input/event interfaces ?

see the mknod-part here:
http://wiki.splitbrain.org/lifebook-2.6

Also: I would suggest you throw out the whole mx510-specific-part (especially dev name, dev phys, protocol evdev) and try it with "normal" mouse-settings... To make it the easiest, try starting with my file first, as this one is working here absolutely fine, no matter if the mouse is connected at boot-time or later... And I'm using the standard Dell-Mouse (which is a Logitech Optical Scroll-Mouse I'd say).

Also (not sure if this applies): Have you installed (and rc-update add 'ed) hotplug + coldplug... not sure if they affect this situation, but hotplug is a hot candidate for hotplugging devices I'd say

[VinzC]

I've got another one also. Currently, I only have 512MB RAM in the I6000, I have 1GB on delivery for tomorrow. I keep having system lockups. When I sync portage it will lockup, when I run updatedb it will lockup. I was emerging openoffice-bin, and my screensaver came on and locked up the thing. I don't know what to check for to see what is causing this, but hopefully someone out there can point me in a direction. Thanks.

Have you enabled the 4GB memory limit in your kernel? I had to do that on a 1 Gig machine as the kernel always reported some missing memory until I enabled the 4G RAM space. Have you also increased your swap partition accordingly?

[dschaus]

@blueshark: (Sorry overlooked your posting first): Please tell us, if you have patched your kernel to include ATAPI for SATA or if you still use the default-settings. If you have patched the kernel, you must change /dev/hdc to /dev/sr0, but I cannot tell you how to do this as I'm a kde, not gnome user...

@RBJ (the lockups): I would guess that the lockups are the same as we are having after having patched the kernel, and is not really a memory problem. This still has to be confirmed...

@VinzC: Are you sure about the 4GB-Option ? In my desktop machine I used to have 1GB of Ram and I never set that Value... Couldn't it be that the graphics-card was using some part of the memory (dell says up to 128 MB), as you have a shared-memory card and not a standalone-version...

[RBJ1128]

I've got another one also. Currently, I only have 512MB RAM in the I6000, I have 1GB on delivery for tomorrow. I keep having system lockups. When I sync portage it will lockup, when I run updatedb it will lockup. I was emerging openoffice-bin, and my screensaver came on and locked up the thing. I don't know what to check for to see what is causing this, but hopefully someone out there can point me in a direction. Thanks.

Have you enabled the 4GB memory limit in your kernel? I had to do that on a 1 Gig machine as the kernel always reported some missing memory until I enabled the 4G RAM space. Have you also increased your swap partition accordingly?

My swap is 1GB, where is it in the kernel config for the 4G memory allocation? I have searched through my config, but I did not find it.

[RBJ1128]

@RBJ: Have you created the /dev/input/event interfaces ?

see the mknod-part here:
http://wiki.splitbrain.org/lifebook-2.6

Also: I would suggest you throw out the whole mx510-specific-part (especially dev name, dev phys, protocol evdev) and try it with "normal" mouse-settings... To make it the easiest, try starting with my file first, as this one is working here absolutely fine, no matter if the mouse is connected at boot-time or later... And I'm using the standard Dell-Mouse (which is a Logitech Optical Scroll-Mouse I'd say).

Also (not sure if this applies): Have you installed (and rc-update add 'ed) hotplug + coldplug... not sure if they affect this situation, but hotplug is a hot candidate for hotplugging devices I'd say

I do have hotplug and coldplug installed and set to start at the default runlevel. I have changed my xorg.conf per your suggestions, but I had to make the protocol "ExplorerPS/2" for the external mouse and I had to comment out the "CorePointer" option for the touchpad . Right now it is working without yelling at me. I will keep testing it and see if it gives me any problems. I'll have to wait until I get off of work to test it on my external mouse at home.


I tested it at home and it works perfectly. Thanks a lot.

[VinzC]

@VinzC: Are you sure about the 4GB-Option ? In my desktop machine I used to have 1GB of Ram and I never set that Value... Couldn't it be that the graphics-card was using some part of the memory (dell says up to 128 MB), as you have a shared-memory card and not a standalone-version...

Absolutely. It was on a dual PIII motherboard with an nVidia card. Things might be different if the motherboard and graphic card share memory - I'm not sure.

If you see on top of dmesg output something like "detected xxx MB unused memory [...] check high memory support" (sorry, I don't recall the message exactly) then turn on high memory to 4GB.

My swap is 1GB

If you have 1GB RAM you should increase your swap to twice the RAM size HENCE 2GB.

where is it in the kernel config for the 4G memory allocation? I have searched through my config, but I did not find it.

It resides in Processor type and features.

Code: Select all

< > Dell laptop support
< > /dev/cpu/microcode - Intel IA32 CPU microcode support
< > /dev/cpu/*/msr - Model-specific register support
< > /dev/cpu/*/cpuid - CPU information support
    Firmware Drivers  --->
    High Memory Support (4GB)  --->
[ ] Allocate 3rd-level pagetables from highmem
[ ] Math emulation
[*] MTRR (Memory Type Range Register) support
[ ] Boot from EFI support (EXPERIMENTAL)

[RBJ1128]

...

It resides in Processor type and features.

Code: Select all

< > Dell laptop support
< > /dev/cpu/microcode - Intel IA32 CPU microcode support
< > /dev/cpu/*/msr - Model-specific register support
< > /dev/cpu/*/cpuid - CPU information support
    Firmware Drivers  --->
    High Memory Support (4GB)  --->
[ ] Allocate 3rd-level pagetables from highmem
[ ] Math emulation
[*] MTRR (Memory Type Range Register) support
[ ] Boot from EFI support (EXPERIMENTAL)

Thanks. I can't change the size of the swap partition without re-installing everything can I? Also, I have a feeling that this may be a very stupid question, but when I get the new RAM and change from 512MB to 1GB do I need to do anything to my Gentoo install, or will it automagically adjust for the increase in RAM? I have added RAM to many computers running Winbloze, but not a Gentoo box yet.

[Sadako]

My swap is 1GB

If you have 1GB RAM you should increase your swap to twice the RAM size HENCE 2GB.

Okay, I don't have an Inspiron 6000 (at least not yet, I want that WUXGA screen {drooling all over my keyboard}), but isn't that rule of thumb very outdated?
I mean, wasn't it originally for when systems only had around 32 Mb of memory?

I only have a meagre 384 Mb of memory, the same amount of swap, and the swap is rarely even touched. With 1 Gb ram, you'd probably get away with 10 Mb of swap, just to have a little.
2 Gb is definitely excessive, and a waste of space. 512 Mb should be more than enough.

(Then again, I am incredibly jealous of all of you, so I'm probably not to be trusted)

[VinzC]

...
I only have a meagre 384 Mb of memory, the same amount of swap, and the swap is rarely even touched. With 1 Gb ram, you'd probably get away with 10 Mb of swap, just to have a little.
2 Gb is definitely excessive, and a waste of space. 512 Mb should be more than enough.
...

Unless you want software suspend then your swap space has to be at least 30% larger than the amount of RAM. Well it's true, swap space might not be the cause of the problem. I was just blindly saying back what's in most Linux install manuals...

[BlueShark]

Hi,

well, I can read CDs and DVDs but still not burn them. I did not installed a kernel patch.

I tested tu burn CDs again, but from the console. Here is the output:

$ cdrecord-ProDVD --dev=ATAPI:0,0,0 /stuff/tmp/image.iso
cdrecord-ProDVD: No write mode specified.
cdrecord-ProDVD: Asuming -tao mode.
cdrecord-ProDVD: Future versions of cdrecord may have different drive dependent defaults.
cdrecord-ProDVD: Continuing in 5 seconds...
Cdrecord-ProDVD-Clone 2.01.01a01 (i686-pc-linux-gnu) Copyright (C) 1995-2004 Jörg Schilling
Unlocked features:
Limited features:
cdrecord-ProDVD: Warning: Running on Linux-2.6.11-gentoo-r6
cdrecord-ProDVD: There are unsettled issues with Linux-2.5 and newer.
cdrecord-ProDVD: If you have unexpected problems, please try Linux-2.4 or Solaris.
cdrecord-ProDVD: Cannot allocate memory. WARNING: Cannot do mlockall(2).
cdrecord-ProDVD: WARNING: This causes a high risk for buffer underruns.
cdrecord-ProDVD: Operation not permitted. WARNING: Cannot set RR-scheduler
cdrecord-ProDVD: Permission denied. WARNING: Cannot set priority using setpriority().
cdrecord-ProDVD: WARNING: This causes a high risk for buffer underruns.
scsidev: 'ATAPI:0,0,0'
devname: 'ATAPI'
scsibus: 0 target: 0 lun: 0
Warning: Using ATA Packet interface.
Warning: The related Linux kernel interface code seems to be unmaintained.
Warning: There is absolutely NO DMA, operations thus are slow.
Using libscg version 'schily-0.8'.
Device type : Removable CD-ROM
Version : 0
Response Format: 2
Capabilities :
Vendor_info : '_NEC '
Identifikation : 'DVD+-RW ND-6500A'
Revision : '202C'
Device seems to be: Generic mmc2 DVD-R/DVD-RW.
cdrecord-ProDVD: This version of cdrecord limits DVD-R/DVD-RW support to -dummy or 1 GB real.
cdrecord-ProDVD: If you need full DVD-R/DVD-RW support, ask the Author for cdrecord-ProDVD.
cdrecord-ProDVD: Free test versions and free keys for personal use are at ftp://ftp.berlios.de/pub/cdrecord/ProDVD/
Using generic SCSI-3/mmc CD-R/CD-RW driver (mmc_cdr).
Driver flags : MMC-3 SWABAUDIO BURNFREE
Supported modes:
cdrecord-ProDVD: Drive does not support TAO recording.
cdrecord-ProDVD: Illegal write mode for this drive.

And here the output as root:

# cdrecord-ProDVD -V --dev=ATAPI:0,0,0 driveropts=burnfree /stuff/tmp/image.iso
cdrecord-ProDVD: No write mode specified.
cdrecord-ProDVD: Asuming -tao mode.
cdrecord-ProDVD: Future versions of cdrecord may have different drive dependent defaults.
cdrecord-ProDVD: Continuing in 5 seconds...
Cdrecord-ProDVD-Clone 2.01.01a01 (i686-pc-linux-gnu) Copyright (C) 1995-2004 Jörg Schilling
Unlocked features:
Limited features:
cdrecord-ProDVD: Warning: Running on Linux-2.6.11-gentoo-r6
cdrecord-ProDVD: There are unsettled issues with Linux-2.5 and newer.
cdrecord-ProDVD: If you have unexpected problems, please try Linux-2.4 or Solaris.
scsidev: 'ATAPI:0,0,0'
devname: 'ATAPI'
scsibus: 0 target: 0 lun: 0
Warning: Using ATA Packet interface.
Warning: The related Linux kernel interface code seems to be unmaintained.
Warning: There is absolutely NO DMA, operations thus are slow.
Using libscg version 'schily-0.8'.
Device type : Removable CD-ROM
Version : 0
Response Format: 2
Capabilities :
Vendor_info : '_NEC '
Identifikation : 'DVD+-RW ND-6500A'
Revision : '202C'
Device seems to be: Generic mmc2 DVD-R/DVD-RW.
cdrecord-ProDVD: This version of cdrecord limits DVD-R/DVD-RW support to -dummy or 1 GB real.
cdrecord-ProDVD: If you need full DVD-R/DVD-RW support, ask the Author for cdrecord-ProDVD.
cdrecord-ProDVD: Free test versions and free keys for personal use are at ftp://ftp.berlios.de/pub/cdrecord/ProDVD/
Using generic SCSI-3/mmc CD-R/CD-RW driver (mmc_cdr).
Driver flags : MMC-3 SWABAUDIO BURNFREE
Supported modes: TAO PACKET SAO SAO/R96R RAW/R96R
Starting to write CD/DVD at speed 24 in real TAO mode for single session.
Last chance to quit, starting real write 0 seconds. Operation starts.
cdrecord-ProDVD: Input/output error. send opc: scsi sendcmd: no error
CDB: 54 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
status: 0x2 (CHECK CONDITION)
Sense Bytes: 70 00 03 00 00 00 00 0A 00 00 00 00 73 02 00 00 00 00
Sense Key: 0x3 Medium Error, Segment 0
Sense Code: 0x73 Qual 0x02 (power calibration area is full) Fru 0x0
Sense flags: Blk 0 (not valid)
cmd finished after 0.004s timeout 60s
cdrecord-ProDVD: OPC failed.

At least, what can I do that root and non root users get the same error message? The user is in cdrw group.
It is possible that something is wrong configured in the kernel?

Here is my .config: http://steffen.warteschlange.de/config-2.6.11-gentoo-r6

Well, it is a problem that I have no swap space? I have 1 GB ram and so I think swap space is not needed.

[VinzC]

Thanks. I can't change the size of the swap partition without re-installing everything can I?

Yes, you would [have to reinstall]. But to quote Hopeless, this might not be quite usefull as you (will) already have plenty of RAM. So strictly sticking to the manual in this case would bring more hassle, IMHO. I'm not sure after reading Hopeless' post you should increase your swap space. True Linux gurus would probably help you here.

It must probably be the same as under Windoze: having 1GB RAM doesn't require the swap file to be as big as the system wants it to. A minimal swap file is just enough when you have lots of RAM in respect to what services run on the machine. For a desktop or laptop this is not as critical as a server.

In cases you want to change your swap space and reorganize your partitions, I recommend Partimage. It's in portage and on Knoppix CD. I've already used that tool (locally and through the network) to save and restore Linux partitions. It rocks. And it's light and simple. All you have to do is boot with Knoppix (you can't backup a partition when its FS is mounted) and backup your partitions. Partimage compresses at will too. It supports GZ and BZ2. It also supports many Linux filesystem types.

Also, I have a feeling that this may be a very stupid question, but when I get the new RAM and change from 512MB to 1GB do I need to do anything to my Gentoo install, or will it automagically adjust for the increase in RAM? I have added RAM to many computers running Winbloze, but not a Gentoo box yet.

Automagically. Apart from maybe enabling high memory support in your kernel, you won't have to do anything. It would be a pitty to have a system that can do [hot]plug and play but can't take profit of newly added RAM without human intervention .

[dschaus]

@blueshark: Again: Have you patched the kernel for Atapi-SATA Support ?

Also: This here:

Sense Key: 0x3 Medium Error, Segment 0
Sense Code: 0x73 Qual 0x02 (power calibration area is full) Fru 0x0
Sense flags: Blk 0 (not valid)
cmd finished after 0.004s timeout 60s
cdrecord-ProDVD: OPC failed.

Looks not good to me. Could it be that you used the disc quite many times ? Have you tried another disc ? Power Calibration Area is full means that the Recorder tried quite often to calibrate it's laser power and now has no more space to test. That's why the last line follows, OPC = Optimum Power Calibration... Currently this does not look like a linux/kernel/gnome problem to me

[VinzC]

@blueshark: Again: Have you patched the kernel for Atapi-SATA Support ?

Also: This here:

Sense Key: 0x3 Medium Error, Segment 0
Sense Code: 0x73 Qual 0x02 (power calibration area is full) Fru 0x0
Sense flags: Blk 0 (not valid)
cmd finished after 0.004s timeout 60s
cdrecord-ProDVD: OPC failed.

Looks not good to me. Could it be that you used the disc quite many times ? Have you tried another disc ? Power Calibration Area is full means that the Recorder tried quite often to calibrate it's laser power and now has no more space to test. That's why the last line follows, OPC = Optimum Power Calibration... Currently this does not look like a linux/kernel/gnome problem to me

Wow ! I'm impressed! I don't want to start the polemic again but logged information that deep changes from Windoze where the event log doesn't bring anything useful. Shouldn't you in fact have any event log at all things wouldn't be any different.

I must say thanks to developers. That *is* professional. I just wasn't used to it .

[BlueShark]

Hi,

I already said that I have not patched the kernel

Well, dschaus, you are right. It is embarrassing that all works fine but the blank cd was damaged.

When I tried another blank cd I got no error message.

Thank you. I think without your help, I would still tomorrow try to burn something to the damaged blank cd.

[Sadako]

Unless you want software suspend then your swap space has to be at least 30% larger than the amount of RAM. Well it's true, swap space might not be the cause of the problem. I was just blindly saying back what's in most Linux install manuals...

Forgot about software suspend.

[RBJ1128]

This Gentoo install is finally starting to come together. I only have 2 issues left.

The first, and most important one, is the freezing issue. I cannot figure out why this thing keeps freezing on me. It does it whenever there is a lot of strain on the CPU. I have my swap partition listed in my fstab, per the instructions in the manual, so I am 99% sure that it is set up correctly. Could the freezing problem be an issue with the video driver? I can't emerge openoffice unless I drop to text mode, nor can I update any currently installed packages as the compiling puts strain on the CPU and causes it to freeze. The only thing I can do is hold down the power button until it shuts off.

The 2nd one, which I can deal with but would rather be able to find a solution to, is my ACPI stuff. I want to have the LCD shut off when I close the lid, and turn back on when I open the lid. I have tried everything that I can find to get this to work, but to no avail. Does anyone know if the I6k BIOS supports APM as well as ACPI? I could try that route to see if I can get it to work as I want it to.

[VinzC]

The first, and most important one, is the freezing issue. I cannot figure out why this thing keeps freezing on me. It does it whenever there is a lot of strain on the CPU. I have my swap partition listed in my fstab, per the instructions in the manual, so I am 99% sure that it is set up correctly. Could the freezing problem be an issue with the video driver? I can't emerge openoffice unless I drop to text mode, nor can I update any currently installed packages as the compiling puts strain on the CPU and causes it to freeze. The only thing I can do is hold down the power button until it shuts off.
...

I'm seriously thinking you might have an issue with the temp sensors on your laptop. Just a check: does your PC freeze when you put the stress on the CPU after booting with Gentoo LiveCD or Knoppix? I'm thinking of a problem with ACPI or the BIOS if the problem persists.

[RBJ1128]

I'm seriously thinking you might have an issue with the temp sensors on your laptop. Just a check: does your PC freeze when you put the stress on the CPU after booting with Gentoo LiveCD or Knoppix? I'm thinking of a problem with ACPI or the BIOS if the problem persists.

I'll have to wait to check that when I get off of work. Is there anything that I can use to check the status of said sensors?

[VinzC]

I'm seriously thinking you might have an issue with the temp sensors on your laptop. Just a check: does your PC freeze when you put the stress on the CPU after booting with Gentoo LiveCD or Knoppix? I'm thinking of a problem with ACPI or the BIOS if the problem persists.

I'll have to wait to check that when I get off of work. Is there anything that I can use to check the status of said sensors?

I don't know. It might involve fixing the DSDT, I presume but I'm not an expert. First check if your laptop does freeze or not with another distro. If you're lucky then your kernel will be the only responsible .

[RBJ1128]

I don't know. It might involve fixing the DSDT, I presume but I'm not an expert. First check if your laptop does freeze or not with another distro. If you're lucky then your kernel will be the only responsible .

Well, I can almost asure you that it would not freeze when booting from a LiveCD, as that runs in text-mode. Right now I am emerging openoffice, but I have to do it in text-mode. When I am running Gnome (obviously on top of X) it freezes during the emerge process of openoffice.

[VinzC]

Well, I can almost asure you that it would not freeze when booting from a LiveCD, as that runs in text-mode. Right now I am emerging openoffice, but I have to do it in text-mode. When I am running Gnome (obviously on top of X) it freezes during the emerge process of openoffice.

You have two options and test batches:

1. Boot with Gentoo LiveCD, do the chroot and run X (depends on what's inside the kernel)
2. Boot with Knoppix, open Xterm and chroot.

The former will tell you if your CFLAGS settings have an influence or if there is a temp problem. The latter will tell you almost the same but excluding most of the binaries on your hard drive. Sure, if the problem is due to the kernel, using either or both method will always succeed.

[RBJ1128]

You have two options and test batches:

1. Boot with Gentoo LiveCD, do the chroot and run X (depends on what's inside the kernel)
2. Boot with Knoppix, open Xterm and chroot.

The former will tell you if your CFLAGS settings have an influence or if there is a temp problem. The latter will tell you almost the same but excluding most of the binaries on your hard drive. Sure, if the problem is due to the kernel, using either or both method will always succeed.

Does it matter if it is a minimal install CD or a Universal CD?

[VinzC]

Does it matter if it is a minimal install CD or a Universal CD?

No it doesn't as the only difference is the packages that are on the CD. The Universal CD contains snapshots and stages, which the minimal version doesn't.

[RBJ1128]

No it doesn't as the only difference is the packages that are on the CD. The Universal CD contains snapshots and stages, which the minimal version doesn't.

I tried booting with the Gentoo LiveCD.

At the prompt I did these steps:
-mounted my root at /mnt/gentoo/
-mounted my boot at /mnt/gentoo/boot/
-chroot /mnt/gentoo /bin/bash
-env-update && source /etc/profile

Then I ran "startx" and it complained about not finding a screen, so I tried "X" and it gave the same problem. How can I fix this?

[VinzC]

Parabola you genius! The following code in /etc/acpi/actions/lm_lid.sh works for me:

Code: Select all

grep -r open /proc/acpi/button/lid/LID/state
if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
        /usr/bin/chvt 12 && /usr/bin/chvt 7
fi

NB: I have laptop-mode-tools installed.

This probably means there is a way to reinitialize the screen (or display chip) since switching between text and graphics modes does the same. I'm almost sure laptop-mode-tools provide such a thing...

I think I've found something interresting, which comes from Software Suspend 2 configuration file. There is a utility, vbetool, that can perform a POST after resuming. I think this is exactly what needs to run after opening the lid instead of switching to X back and forth. I'll test it when I'm ready with Software Suspend 2 but if anyone wants to test it before me, I don't mind . The command to run should be vbetool -post. This package is currently keyword-masked.