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    Starting game reboots session

    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.

    #2
    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!
    "A problem well stated is a problem half solved." --Charles F. Kettering
    "Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple."--Dr. Seuss

    Comment


      #3
      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.

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Starting game reboots session

        Are you sure about the 'i380' video card (Intel)? Is it maybe an 'i830' card
        Windows no longer obstructs my view.
        Using Kubuntu Linux since March 23, 2007.
        "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data." - Sherlock Holmes

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Starting game reboots session

          Of course you are correct: i830.

          Comment


            #6
            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.

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Starting game reboots session

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

              If it isn't installed, install it.
              Windows no longer obstructs my view.
              Using Kubuntu Linux since March 23, 2007.
              "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data." - Sherlock Holmes

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Starting game reboots session

                It is installed already.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Starting game reboots session

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

                  Comment


                    #10
                    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.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      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.
                      Windows no longer obstructs my view.
                      Using Kubuntu Linux since March 23, 2007.
                      "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data." - Sherlock Holmes

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Starting game reboots session

                        Originally posted by Snowhog
                        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

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: Starting game reboots session

                          Let's take a look at your xorg.conf file:
                          Code:
                          cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf
                          Windows no longer obstructs my view.
                          Using Kubuntu Linux since March 23, 2007.
                          "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data." - Sherlock Holmes

                          Comment


                            #14
                            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

                            Comment


                              #15
                              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?
                              Windows no longer obstructs my view.
                              Using Kubuntu Linux since March 23, 2007.
                              "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data." - Sherlock Holmes

                              Comment

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