[ltp] Thinkpad T21 Accelerated video problem

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 07:48:39 -0500

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On Wed, 2006-03-08 at 00:35 -0500, Alex Deucher wrote:

> On 3/7/06, harry wert <hwert@earthlink.net> wrote:
> >  Hello, I have a Thinkpad T21 running Ubuntu Dapper Drake. Everything is
> > working extremely well except I cannot find a repeatable combination of
> > video driver settings which will survive a reboot or cold start.  When
> > working, performance is an acceptable increase from 70fps to 355fps.  The
> > internal video card is a Savage /IX-MV, with a chip ID of 8c12 which
> > contains 8192kb of video memory. The accelerated video will not run in the
> > 24 depth mode because it needs more than 8092kb of memory.  I am able to
> > coax it tho run in the 16 depth mode with a lot of experimentation but all
> > is lost on reboot or a cold start.  When it fails to start I experience a
> > hard freeze which will require a power off shutdown to free up. On the next
> > boot the screen appears to be attempting to find a workable video mode but
> > will ultimately lock into a dark screen and a hard freeze. It is then
> > necessary to boot up in the recovery mode and change the video depth from 16
> > back to 24 to restore normal (no video acceleration) video operation.  I
> > have been searching with Google and reading whatever I can locate on this
> > subject but seem to have struck out!
> >
> >  The only video tool I can find to use is xvidtune which is not easy to use.
> >  Two questions:
> >
> >  1. Are there better tools out there for video tuning and adjustment such as
> > SAX on SuSE?
> >
> >  2. Does anyone have a working xorg with acceleration on a T21 and Ubuntu?
> >
> >  This is not a crisis - just a curiosity as I don't usually run many
> > programs which require video acceleration.
> >
> >  Thanks in advance for any comments and/or guidance in this matter.
> >
> 
> Try setting:
> Option "BusType" "PCI"
> AGP hasn't worked reliably on thinkpads with savages in a while.
> 
> Alex
> 
> >  Harry Wert
> >  Physicist
> >
> >

Thanks Alex.  I incorporated your suggestion and major progress has been
achieved.  Now xorg reliably boots into the 16 depth mode and no errors
are reported in the xorg.0.0 log.  Unfortunately when I attempt to use
3D using glxgears the program attempt to start but cannot apparently
find the correct mode for several seconds, then stops and freezes the
system into a hard lock.  Reboot restores the screen for normal 16 depth
again.  Another program I use for testing "TORCS" goes to a full-scale
dark screen but does not freeze the system. Consequently I can go to
another console and kill the process to restore normal operation.  I'll
continue to investigate as I have time and report back if I find a
solution.

Thanks for your help.

Harry Wert
Physicist

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On Wed, 2006-03-08 at 00:35 -0500, Alex Deucher wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>
<PRE>
On 3/7/06, harry wert &lt;<A HREF="mailto:hwert@earthlink.net">hwert@earthlink.net</A>&gt; wrote:
&gt; Hello, I have a Thinkpad T21 running Ubuntu Dapper Drake. Everything is
&gt; working extremely well except I cannot find a repeatable combination of
&gt; video driver settings which will survive a reboot or cold start. When
&gt; working, performance is an acceptable increase from 70fps to 355fps. The
&gt; internal video card is a Savage /IX-MV, with a chip ID of 8c12 which
&gt; contains 8192kb of video memory. The accelerated video will not run in the
&gt; 24 depth mode because it needs more than 8092kb of memory. I am able to
&gt; coax it tho run in the 16 depth mode with a lot of experimentation but all
&gt; is lost on reboot or a cold start. When it fails to start I experience a
&gt; hard freeze which will require a power off shutdown to free up. On the next
&gt; boot the screen appears to be attempting to find a workable video mode but
&gt; will ultimately lock into a dark screen and a hard freeze. It is then
&gt; necessary to boot up in the recovery mode and change the video depth from 16
&gt; back to 24 to restore normal (no video acceleration) video operation. I
&gt; have been searching with Google and reading whatever I can locate on this
&gt; subject but seem to have struck out!
&gt;
&gt; The only video tool I can find to use is xvidtune which is not easy to use.
&gt; Two questions:
&gt;
&gt; 1. Are there better tools out there for video tuning and adjustment such as
&gt; SAX on SuSE?
&gt;
&gt; 2. Does anyone have a working xorg with acceleration on a T21 and Ubuntu?
&gt;
&gt; This is not a crisis - just a curiosity as I don't usually run many
&gt; programs which require video acceleration.
&gt;
&gt; Thanks in advance for any comments and/or guidance in this matter.
&gt;

<FONT COLOR="#000000">Try setting:</FONT>
<FONT COLOR="#000000">Option &quot;BusType&quot; &quot;PCI&quot;</FONT>
<FONT COLOR="#000000">AGP hasn't worked reliably on thinkpads with savages in a while.</FONT>

<FONT COLOR="#000000">Alex</FONT>

&gt; Harry Wert
&gt; Physicist
&gt;
&gt;
</PRE>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Thanks Alex.&nbsp; I incorporated your suggestion and major progress has been achieved.&nbsp; Now xorg reliably boots into the 16 depth mode and no errors are reported in the xorg.0.0 log.&nbsp; Unfortunately when I attempt to use 3D using glxgears the program attempt to start but cannot apparently find the correct mode for several seconds, then stops and freezes the system into a hard lock.&nbsp; Reboot restores the screen for normal 16 depth again.&nbsp; Another program I use for testing &quot;TORCS&quot; goes to a full-scale dark screen but does not freeze the system. Consequently I can go to another console and kill the process to restore normal operation.&nbsp; I'll continue to investigate as I have time and report back if I find a solution. 
 
Thanks for your help. 
 
Harry Wert 
Physicist 
 
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