Starting game reboots session

[spyder79]

I recently installed Kubuntu Feisty on my daughter's computer. She had previously been using Ubuntu Dapper on the same machine with no issues. It is an older HP machine, about 1.2 MHz, 256M RAM. The problem is that when I start a game (have tried several) the screen blips to a black screen, then back to the xserver login.

I suspect this is a video driver thing? I've never had to do anything with video cards and drivers so this is new stuff for me. Everything else about the installation seems fine and was installed from the same CD I used on my computer.

[arochester]

Re: Starting game reboots session

It is an older HP machine, about 1.2 MHz, 256M RAM

25kMb of RAM is about the MINIMUM Kubuntu will satisfactorily run on.

Either
1) Put in more RAM if you can
OR
2) Install a desktop which uses less RAM e.g. Xubuntu will run satisfactorily on 128Mb ( Or Fluxbox, or something.) (But it is no good trying to run Xubuntu AND compiz...)
OR
3) Don't run those games!

[spyder79]

Re: Starting game reboots session

Thanks. I've done a bit more research and have some more information and questions. The computer is a HP 1.3 GHz, with 384MB RAM, running the original i380 video card.

This same computer used to run very well on Ubuntu 6.06, and my daughter played just about any game available from the repositories without any problem. She liked the Kubuntu desktop, so I did a fresh install of Feisty and now it struggles with even simple games. I ran glxgears and got a frame rate of about 115fps.

I have another HP computer, 2.5 GHz 768MB RAM with the same video card that is also running Feisty. It handles Openarena and other games without a problem, and shows nearly 600fps with glxgears.

So what I'm wondering is: is Kubuntu really that much more memory intensive, or is there an issue with the video driver configuration? If it is a Kubuntu issue, I'll reload her previous OS. If it's an issue with the 3D acceleration or some other configuration problem, I'll need some help with that. I'm lost here...HELP PLEASE.

[Snowhog]

Re: Starting game reboots session

Are you sure about the 'i380' video card (Intel)? Is it maybe an 'i830' card

[spyder79]

Re: Starting game reboots session

Of course you are correct: i830.

[spyder79]

Re: Starting game reboots session

Okay, I never pass up a chance to look dumb... it is i810. Guess I've been reading too much of this stuff this morning.

[Snowhog]

Re: Starting game reboots session

Open Adept Manger and search for:
xserver-xorg-video-i810

If it isn't installed, install it.

[spyder79]

Re: Starting game reboots session

It is installed already.

[dibl]

Re: Starting game reboots session

I think the "xserver-xorg-video-intel" driver works for that chip too.

[spyder79]

Re: Starting game reboots session

I read that somewhere, and it brought success to someone with a 3D acceleration issue. But no explanation of how to enable 3D or check current settings or make any other mods. I messed with the configuration tool in gparted, but was unable to find anything that worked, and in fact I screwed up the display badly and finally managed to return everything to original.

So how do I check the driver settings and make modifications? I installed something called displayconfig-gtk that is supposed to be a "simple tool to change xserver settings" but have been unable to figure out how to launch it.

[Snowhog]

Re: Starting game reboots session

Well, at least you have the video driver designed for you card/chip installed. The fact that the frame rate (glxgears) isn't very high is simply the result of the cards capabilities. Nothing you can do about that except (if you have a desktop PC) replacing the card with a newer, more capable one (and, that is supported well in *ubuntu). My Intel i810 video chip (laptop) only generates 900+ frames per second.

[spyder79]

Re: Starting game reboots session

Well, at least you have the video driver designed for you card/chip installed. The fact that the frame rate (glxgears) isn't very high is simply the result of the cards capabilities. Nothing you can do about that except (if you have a desktop PC) replacing the card with a newer, more capable one (and, that is supported well in *ubuntu). My Intel i810 video chip (laptop) only generates 900+ frames per second.

Yes, but I'm getting only about 115fps here. As I mentioned, I get nearly 600fps from my other PC, which also has the i810 card and it runs 3D games just fine. Also, the PC in question used to run most 3D games like Tuxcart and others before switching to Kubuntu. Seems like something must be amiss

[Snowhog]

Re: Starting game reboots session

Let's take a look at your xorg.conf file:

cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf

[spyder79]

Re: Starting game reboots session

galena@galena-desktop:~$ cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf
# /etc/X11/xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf(5) manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Files"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi"
# path to defoma fonts
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "bitmap"
Load "dbe"
Load "ddc"
Load "dri"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "record"
Load "v4l"
Load "vbe"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc104"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "wacom"
Identifier "stylus"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "stylus"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4" # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "wacom"
Identifier "eraser"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "eraser"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4" # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "wacom"
Identifier "cursor"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "cursor"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4" # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Generic Video Card"
Driver "i810"
BusID "PCI:0:1:0"
Option "UseFBDev" "true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
Option "DPMS"
HorizSync 28-49
VertRefresh 43-72
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Generic Video Card"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1024x768" "800x600"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1024x768" "800x600"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1024x768" "800x600"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1024x768" "800x600"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1024x768" "800x600"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768" "800x600"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
InputDevice "stylus" "SendCoreEvents"
InputDevice "cursor" "SendCoreEvents"
InputDevice "eraser" "SendCoreEvents"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection

[Snowhog]

Re: Starting game reboots session

Well, nothing out of the ordinary here. It isn't a fair comparison to view the performance for the card 'between two different PCs.' The fact that this card works 'better' in the other PC could be due to any number of factors, not the least of which could be RAM and/or CPU capability.

Was the move to Feisty on your daughters machine an upgrade or fresh install? Can you upgrade her PCs RAM to 512M at least?