KDE4 on Hardy Heron running on Sony Vaio with Intel i810 driver crashes

[pjc007]

Hi guys,

I did a quick search here, and have found nothing.

I've been running KDE3 within Hardy Heron Ubuntu for some time. I had initial problems getting it to correctly detect that my laptop (an old Sony Vaio PCG-R505JSP) had 1024x768 at 24bpp capability, but with some searching found a solution to that.

Just today, I decided to switch to KDE4.1, having read some of the rave reviews. Unfortunately, KDE4.1 crashes on login, an returns to the login kdm prompt. KDE3 is still running just fine (I'm posting this from KDE3, 1024x768 with no problem).

The syslog from the time of the crash contains:

25/08/08 13:01:33 ubuntu kernel [41854.741359] Xorg[5505]: segfault at 000001a4 eip 0818faaa esp bfb2d5d0 error 4
25/08/08 13:01:34 ubuntu console-kit-daemon[5165] WARNING: Unable to activate console: No such device or address
25/08/08 13:01:34 ubuntu kdm[5463] X server for display :0 terminated unexpectedly
25/08/08 13:01:43 ubuntu kdm_greet[5801] Cannot open default user face
25/08/08 13:02:17 ubuntu console-kit-daemon[5165] WARNING: Unable to activate console: No such device or address
25/08/08 13:02:17 ubuntu kdm[5463] X server for display :0 terminated unexpectedly
25/08/08 13:02:22 ubuntu kdm_greet[5999] Cannot open default user face
25/08/08 13:03:21 ubuntu NetworkManager <info> Updating allowed wireless network lists.

The Xorg log from the same time contains:

9: /usr/bin/X(compPaintWindowBackground+0x6d) [0x810530d]
10: /usr/bin/X(miWindowExposures+0xf2) [0x8121282]
11: /usr/bin/X [0x80db995]
12: /usr/bin/X(miHandleValidateExposures+0x78) [0x81373b8]
13: /usr/bin/X(MapWindow+0x3e7) [0x80790d7]
14: /usr/bin/X(ProcMapWindow+0x66) [0x808d0d6]
15: /usr/bin/X [0x815076e]
16: /usr/bin/X(Dispatch+0x2cf) [0x808d8df]
17: /usr/bin/X(main+0x48b) [0x807471b]
18: /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6(__libc_start_main+0xe0) [0xb7c9d450]
19: /usr/bin/X(FontFileCompleteXLFD+0x201) [0x8073a91]

Fatal server error:
Caught signal 11. Server aborting

(II) I810(0): xf86UnbindGARTMemory: unbind key 0
(II) I810(0): xf86UnbindGARTMemory: unbind key 1
(II) I810(0): xf86UnbindGARTMemory: unbind key 2
(II) I810(0): xf86UnbindGARTMemory: unbind key 3

The relevant portion of the kdm log appears to be:

X.Org X Server 1.4.0.90
Release Date: 5 September 2007
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: Linux Ubuntu (xorg-server 2:1.4.1~git20080131-1ubuntu9.2)
Current Operating System: Linux ubuntu 2.6.24-19-generic #1 SMP Fri Jul 11 23:41:49 UTC 2008 i686
Build Date: 13 June 2008 01:08:21AM

Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
to make sure that you have the latest version.
Module Loader present
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Sun Aug 24 23:44:18 2008
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
(II) Module "ddc" already built-in
(II) Module "ramdac" already built-in
expected keysym, got XF86KbdLightOnOff: line 70 of pc
expected keysym, got XF86KbdBrightnessDown: line 71 of pc
expected keysym, got XF86KbdBrightnessUp: line 72 of pc
Atom 4, CARD32 4, unsigned long 4
expected keysym, got XF86KbdLightOnOff: line 70 of pc
expected keysym, got XF86KbdBrightnessDown: line 71 of pc
expected keysym, got XF86KbdBrightnessUp: line 72 of pc
kdmgreet(5598) KLocalePrivate::initEncoding: Cannot resolve system encoding, defaulting to ISO 8859-1.
Link points to "/tmp/kde-root"

Backtrace:
0: /usr/bin/X(xf86SigHandler+0x7e) [0x80c780e]
1: [0xb7f64420]
2: /usr/bin/X(Xfree+0x21) [0x81b89b1]
3: /usr/lib/xorg/modules//libxaa.so [0xb7a9f2ed]
4: /usr/bin/X [0x816fe7f]
5: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions//libextmod.so [0xb7b64e6a]
6: /usr/bin/X [0x814572a]
7: /usr/bin/X(dixChangeGC+0xaad) [0x809cb8d]
8: /usr/lib/xorg/modules//libxaa.so [0xb7ae397a]
9: /usr/lib/xorg/modules//libxaa.so [0xb7ae3dbf]
10: /usr/bin/X [0x81708af]
11: /usr/bin/X(compPaintWindowBackground+0x6d) [0x810530d]
12: /usr/bin/X(miWindowExposures+0xf2) [0x8121282]
13: /usr/bin/X [0x80db995]
14: /usr/bin/X(miHandleValidateExposures+0x78) [0x81373b8]
15: /usr/bin/X(miSlideAndSizeWindow+0xd74) [0x8138d44]
16: /usr/bin/X(compResizeWindow+0xac) [0x810611c]
17: /usr/bin/X(ConfigureWindow+0xbcb) [0x807a43b]
18: /usr/bin/X(ProcConfigureWindow+0x9d) [0x808ceed]
19: /usr/bin/X [0x815076e]
20: /usr/bin/X(Dispatch+0x2cf) [0x808d8df]
21: /usr/bin/X(main+0x48b) [0x807471b]
22: /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6(__libc_start_main+0xe0) [0xb7cfc450]
23: /usr/bin/X(FontFileCompleteXLFD+0x201) [0x8073a91]

Fatal server error:
Caught signal 11. Server aborting


Can anybody offer any advice here?

Is this looking like a kde4.1 problem or an Xorg problem?

Is there a newer Xorg driver for i810 that I can try?

Any and all help gratefully accepted. For the moment, I guess I'm stuck with KDE3

Thanks in advance,
Paul.

[Snowhog]

Re: KDE4 on Hardy Heron running on Sony Vaio with Intel i810 driver crashes

First, welcome to the Kubuntu Forums.

Have you attempted to boot the new OS with the acpi=off kernel option? This option is added to the end of the kernel line in the /boot/grub/menu.lst file. You can, of course, try it be editing the selected kernel from the Grub menu while the menu is displayed.

[pjc007]

Re: KDE4 on Hardy Heron running on Sony Vaio with Intel i810 driver crashes

Hi,

thanks for the welcome and suggestion.

I haven't actually changed the OS at all, just used apt-get to add the KDE4.1 packages to what was a working (and fully updated) KDE3.x environment.

The login screen comes up just fine with the new KDE4.1 environment, and it offers me the choice of KDE or KDE4.1. The problem is after logging into a KDE4.1 session, usually at some point after everything starts coming up (the panel is there, the Desktop plasmoid is there, etc) the screen blanks, X fails, and I get thrown back to the login prompt. If I select KDE (ie KDE3.x) all remains just fine.

That all said, I'll give the acpi=off switch a try! Can't hurt to try it.

Thanks again,
Paul.

[Snowhog]

Re: KDE4 on Hardy Heron running on Sony Vaio with Intel i810 driver crashes

I'm going to guess that the acpi=off option won't fix your problem. It's likely that it's going to by your Intel i810 video card not being sufficient to run the new kwin desktop effects engine. That leaves you with the choice of uninstalling KDE4.1 (be careful there) or just selecting KDE (KDE 3.5.9) at login.

[pjc007]

Re: KDE4 on Hardy Heron running on Sony Vaio with Intel i810 driver crashes

I'm totally confused now, because I've been chasing this up here and on the kde forum, without much luck.

Today, I decided to try something and performed a recovery boot and reset X11 to the original xorg.conf. This is attached (xorg.conf-800x600.txt), and you can see it's generic, with no specific drivers,etc.

The strange part is - this works perfectly in KDE 3.x and KDE 4.1, BUT only in 800x600, it won't let me switch resolution to 1024x768.

The other xorg.conf (also attached as xorg.conf-1024x768.txt) works correctly at 1024x768 for KDE 3.x, but crashes in KDE 4.1. Anybody got any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

paul.

[dibl]

Re: KDE4 on Hardy Heron running on Sony Vaio with Intel i810 driver crashes

Is there some reason you're not using the xserver-xorg-intel-video driver? I think it is designed to supersede and replace the "i810" driver, and you may get better results with it.

I'll attach an xorg.conf file that is presently working very well on an E-Machines desktop with an Intel 82945 chip (Hardy / KDE 3.5.x). I don't know how much of it would be appropriate for your chip and display, but maybe it will give you some help.

[The Liquidator]

Re: KDE4 on Hardy Heron running on Sony Vaio with Intel i810 driver crashes

I have a dell laptop with an Intel 915, part of the i810 family.

As Dibl has said, the plain xserver-xorg-intel-video will probably be the right one for you. For my machine to work properly with the old package, I also needed to use the package 915 resolution. I know that generally it will pay to use drivers that specifically name your hardware but this one is an exception.

I did also get, some time back, the very same problem you describe. I could not get kde4 to get past the splash screen. Then one day, it "just worked" and I'm wondering whether that was more to do with a video driver upgrade than anything else.

Try it, might just solve the issue.

[pjc007]

Re: KDE4 on Hardy Heron running on Sony Vaio with Intel i810 driver crashes

Thanks guys, I've done some experimentation with the xorg.conf that dibl sent, as well as my working KDE 3.5 xorg.conf, and made *some* progress.

Basically, I now have a working system with KDE 4.1 at 1024x768, BUT only at 16bpp.

I can only assume that KDE 4.1 requires DRI, because having done some research, I find the Intel driver doesn't support DRI on the i815 at 24bpp, only 16bpp and below. An excerpt from the man page isn't altogether helpful, and just says:

For the i810/i815 other depths support the True‐
Color and DirectColor visuals. For the i830M and later, only the True‐
Color visual is supported for depths greater than 8. The driver sup‐
ports hardware accelerated 3D via the Direct Rendering Infrastructure
(DRI), but only in depth 16 for the i810/i815

Does anybody know if there's a solution to this that will let me run at 24bpp?

I've attached my working (16bpp) xorg.conf - the only changes I've tried so far are to switch the depth 16 to be depth 24, and to explicitly set Option "DRI" "Disable", but both of these have the same issue, in that the logon splashscreen is fine, but logging in causes the X-server to crash with the errors as shown in Post #1.

Thanks again,
Paul.