xorg problems - looking for help

hooplah · 19-03-2016 2:37pm #1

Hi folks,

I have a Dell XPS 15 L502x that I'm running Fedora 23 on. My machine comes with 2 video cards.

$ lspci | grep VGA
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 09)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GF108M [GeForce GT 525M] (rev ff)

Previously I ran the machine with bumblebee and the nouveau drivers. That worked ok for general use but the hdmi output is linked to the nvidia card and wasn't at all usable. I want to be able to hook my machine up to a hdmi monitor so that's not acceptable.

I've been running Fedora for a while and have updated from 18 to 23. Along the way I have played around with configurations and all my problems might be self-inflicted.

I have tried to install bumblebee-nvidia and now have two different problems.

The first is that from booting up the machine doesn't always reach gdm, and sometimes it falls back to a cli login.

The second is that from either login xorg won't work. Here's what happens, monitored by

$ journalctl -e _COMM=gdm-x-session

Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: catalogue:/etc/X11/fontpath.d,
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: built-ins
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (==) ModulePath set to "/usr/lib64/xorg/modules"
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (WW) Hotplugging is on, devices using drivers 'kbd', 'mouse' or 'vmmouse' will be disab
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (WW) Disabling Keyboard0
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (WW) Disabling Mouse0
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (II) Loader magic: 0x81de00
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (II) Module ABI versions:
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: X.Org ANSI C Emulation: 0.4
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: X.Org Video Driver: 20.0
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: X.Org XInput driver : 22.1
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: X.Org Server Extension : 9.0
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (++) using VT number 2
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (II) systemd-logind: took control of session /org/freedesktop/login1/session/_33
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (II) xfree86: Adding drm device (/dev/dri/card0)
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (II) systemd-logind: got fd for /dev/dri/card0 226:0 fd 9 paused 0
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (--) PCI:*(0:0:2:0) 8086:0126:1028:04b6 rev 9, Mem @ 0xf1400000/4194304, 0xe0000000/268
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (II) LoadModule: "glx"
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (II) Loading /usr/lib64/xorg/modules/extensions/libglx.so
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (II) Module glx: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: compiled for 1.18.1, module version = 1.0.0
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: ABI class: X.Org Server Extension, version 9.0
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (==) AIGLX enabled
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (II) LoadModule: "nvidia"
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (WW) Warning, couldn't open module nvidia
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (II) UnloadModule: "nvidia"
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (II) Unloading nvidia
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (EE) Failed to load module "nvidia" (module does not exist, 0)
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (EE) No drivers available.
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (EE)
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: Fatal server error:
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (EE) no screens found(EE)
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (EE)
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: Please consult the Fedora Project support
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: at http://wiki.x.org
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: for help.
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (EE) Please also check the log file at "/home/padraic/.local/share/xorg/Xorg.0.log" for
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (EE)
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: (EE) Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.
Mar 19 13:14:07 fedora /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[2548]: Unable to run X server

hooplah · 19-03-2016 2:44pm

So the line that jumps out there is that

(EE) Failed to load module "nvidia" (module does not exist, 0)

So, trying to check my bumblebee-nvidia I run the following

bumblebee-nvidia --check

Here's the output:

nvidia.ko compiled into in the kernel tree ok.
modinfo output for NVIDIA:

filename:       /lib/modules/4.4.5-300.fc23.x86_64/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia.ko
alias:          char-major-195-*
version:        352.63
supported:      external
license:        NVIDIA
alias:          pci:v000010DEd00000E00sv*sd*bc04sc80i00*
alias:          pci:v000010DEd*sv*sd*bc03sc02i00*
alias:          pci:v000010DEd*sv*sd*bc03sc00i00*
depends:        drm
vermagic:       4.4.5-300.fc23.x86_64 SMP mod_unload 
parm:           NVreg_Mobile:int
parm:           NVreg_ResmanDebugLevel:int
parm:           NVreg_RmLogonRC:int
parm:           NVreg_ModifyDeviceFiles:int
parm:           NVreg_DeviceFileUID:int
parm:           NVreg_DeviceFileGID:int
parm:           NVreg_DeviceFileMode:int
parm:           NVreg_UpdateMemoryTypes:int
parm:           NVreg_InitializeSystemMemoryAllocations:int
parm:           NVreg_UsePageAttributeTable:int
parm:           NVreg_MapRegistersEarly:int
parm:           NVreg_RegisterForACPIEvents:int
parm:           NVreg_CheckPCIConfigSpace:int
parm:           NVreg_EnablePCIeGen3:int
parm:           NVreg_EnableMSI:int
parm:           NVreg_MemoryPoolSize:int
parm:           NVreg_RegistryDwords:charp
parm:           NVreg_RmMsg:charp
parm:           NVreg_AssignGpus:charp

Check bbswitch kernel module...

bbswitch is loaded into the current kernel ok.

All checks completed successfully! NVIDIA driver appears to have compiled ok.

And I can run things with optirun :

$ glxgears -info | grep GL_VENDOR
GL_VENDOR     = Intel Open Source Technology Center

$ optirun glxgears -info | grep GL_VENDOR
GL_VENDOR     = NVIDIA Corporation

hooplah · 19-03-2016 2:45pm

So I'm fairly stumped. I'd appreciate any help people can offer.

deconduo · 19-03-2016 3:13pm

Try removing all the bumblebee/nvidia/nouveau packages and then reinstall just the bumblebee and nvidia ones.

syklops · 19-03-2016 7:34pm

deconduo wrote: »

Try removing all the bumblebee/nvidia/nouveau packages and then reinstall just the bumblebee and nvidia ones.

Agreed, that should be a purge, not just a removal so all config files get removed too. I can't remember what the dnf command for purge is.

hooplah · 20-03-2016 12:45pm

deconduo wrote: »

Try removing all the bumblebee/nvidia/nouveau packages and then reinstall just the bumblebee and nvidia ones.

I'm a little embarassed to say that I initially scoffed at this. Sure I've checked all the basics at this stage.

And then I checked and it turns out there was at least one nouveau driver still knocking around.

So I did the following steps:

$ sudo yum remove xorg-x11-drv-nouveau.x86_64

I removed blacklist-nvidia from /etc/modprobe.d

I added rd.driver.blacklist=nouveau to grub

With all of this startx/gnome-classic now boots up ok, presents me with the desktop icons and all. Crucially however the keyboard and mouse are unresponsive.

skylops wrote:

Agreed, that should be a purge, not just a removal so all config files get removed too. I can't remember what the dnf command for purge is.

Grand, good idea. I'll check this out now and post back later today.

hooplah · 20-03-2016 2:04pm

Ok, so I tried that. No visible change from last time. So the current situation is that from boot sometimes Fedora goes to graphical gdm, sometimes it drops to a cli login.

From what I've read 'dnf erase' seems to be the nearest thing to purge.

Either way trying gnome with x / startx logs in but with an unresponsive mouse and keyboard.

Here's what journalctl says is happening:

(--) Log file renamed from "/home/padraic/.local/share/xorg/Xorg.pid-2060.log" to "/home/padraic/.local/share/x
X.Org X Server 1.18.1
Release Date: 2016-02-08
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System:  4.3.5-300.fc23.x86_64
Current Operating System: Linux fedora 4.4.5-300.fc23.x86_64 #1 SMP Thu Mar 10 17:54:44 UTC 2016 x86_64
Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-4.4.5-300.fc23.x86_64 root=/dev/mapper/fedora-root ro rd.lvm.lv=fedora
Build Date: 09 March 2016  05:53:36AM
Build ID: xorg-x11-server 1.18.1-3.fc23
Current version of pixman: 0.34.0
Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
to make sure that you have the latest version.
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/home/padraic/.local/share/xorg/Xorg.0.log", Time: Sun Mar 20 12:50:10 2016
(==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
(==) No Layout section.  Using the first Screen section.
(==) No screen section available. Using defaults.
(**) |-->Screen "Default Screen Section" (0)
(**) |   |-->Monitor "<default monitor>"
(==) No monitor specified for screen "Default Screen Section".
Using a default monitor configuration.
(==) Automatically adding devices
(==) Automatically enabling devices
(==) Automatically adding GPU devices
(==) Max clients allowed: 256, resource mask: 0x1fffff
(==) FontPath set to:
catalogue:/etc/X11/fontpath.d,
built-ins
(==) ModulePath set to "/usr/lib64/xorg/modules"
(II) The server relies on udev to provide the list of input devices.
If no devices become available, reconfigure udev or disable AutoAddDevices.
(II) Loader magic: 0x81de00
(II) Module ABI versions:
X.Org ANSI C Emulation: 0.4
X.Org Video Driver: 20.0
X.Org XInput driver : 22.1
X.Org Server Extension : 9.0
(++) using VT number 2
(II) systemd-logind: took control of session /org/freedesktop/login1/session/_31
(II) xfree86: Adding drm device (/dev/dri/card0)
(II) systemd-logind: got fd for /dev/dri/card0 226:0 fd 9 paused 0
(--) PCI:*(0:0:2:0) 8086:0126:1028:04b6 rev 9, Mem @ 0xf1400000/4194304, 0xe0000000/268435456, I/O @ 0x00004000
(II) LoadModule: "glx"
(II) Loading /usr/lib64/xorg/modules/extensions/libglx.so
(II) Module glx: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
compiled for 1.18.1, module version = 1.0.0
ABI class: X.Org Server Extension, version 9.0
(==) AIGLX enabled
(==) Matched intel as autoconfigured driver 0
(==) Matched intel as autoconfigured driver 1
(==) Matched modesetting as autoconfigured driver 2
(==) Matched fbdev as autoconfigured driver 3
(==) Matched vesa as autoconfigured driver 4
(==) Assigned the driver to the xf86ConfigLayout
(II) LoadModule: "intel"
(II) Loading /usr/lib64/xorg/modules/drivers/intel_drv.so
(II) Module intel: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
compiled for 1.18.0, module version = 2.99.917
Module class: X.Org Video Driver
ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 20.0
(II) LoadModule: "modesetting"
(II) Loading /usr/lib64/xorg/modules/drivers/modesetting_drv.so
(II) Module modesetting: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
compiled for 1.18.1, module version = 1.18.1
Module class: X.Org Video Driver
ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 20.0
(II) LoadModule: "fbdev"
(WW) Warning, couldn't open module fbdev
(II) UnloadModule: "fbdev"
(II) Unloading fbdev
(EE) Failed to load module "fbdev" (module does not exist, 0)
(II) LoadModule: "vesa"
(II) Loading /usr/lib64/xorg/modules/drivers/vesa_drv.so
(II) Module vesa: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
compiled for 1.17.99.901, module version = 2.3.2
Module class: X.Org Video Driver
ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 20.0
(II) intel: Driver for Intel(R) Integrated Graphics Chipsets:
i810, i810-dc100, i810e, i815, i830M, 845G, 854, 852GM/855GM, 865G,
915G, E7221 (i915), 915GM, 945G, 945GM, 945GME, Pineview GM,
Pineview G, 965G, G35, 965Q, 946GZ, 965GM, 965GME/GLE, G33, Q35, Q33,
GM45, 4 Series, G45/G43, Q45/Q43, G41, B43
(II) intel: Driver for Intel(R) HD Graphics: 2000-6000
(II) intel: Driver for Intel(R) Iris(TM) Graphics: 5100, 6100
(II) intel: Driver for Intel(R) Iris(TM) Pro Graphics: 5200, 6200, P6300
(II) modesetting: Driver for Modesetting Kernel Drivers: kms
(II) VESA: driver for VESA chipsets: vesa
xf86EnableIOPorts: failed to set IOPL for I/O (Operation not permitted)
(II) intel(0): Using Kernel Mode Setting driver: i915, version 1.6.0 20151010
(WW) Falling back to old probe method for modesetting
(WW) Falling back to old probe method for vesa
(WW) VGA arbiter: cannot open kernel arbiter, no multi-card support
(--) intel(0): Integrated Graphics Chipset: Intel(R) HD Graphics 3000
(--) intel(0): CPU: x86-64, sse2, sse3, ssse3, sse4.1, sse4.2, avx; using a maximum of 2 threads
(II) intel(0): Creating default Display subsection in Screen section
"Default Screen Section" for depth/fbbpp 24/32
(==) intel(0): Depth 24, (--) framebuffer bpp 32
(==) intel(0): RGB weight 888
(==) intel(0): Default visual is TrueColor
(II) intel(0): Output LVDS1 has no monitor section
(--) intel(0): Found backlight control interface acpi_video0 (type 'firmware') for output LVDS1
(II) intel(0): Enabled output LVDS1
(II) intel(0): Output VGA1 has no monitor section
(II) intel(0): Enabled output VGA1
(II) intel(0): Output HDMI1 has no monitor section
(II) intel(0): Enabled output HDMI1
(II) intel(0): Output DP1 has no monitor section
(II) intel(0): Enabled output DP1
(--) intel(0): Using a maximum size of 256x256 for hardware cursors
(II) intel(0): Output VIRTUAL1 has no monitor section
(II) intel(0): Enabled output VIRTUAL1
(--) intel(0): Output LVDS1 using initial mode 1366x768 on pipe 0
(==) intel(0): TearFree disabled
(==) intel(0): DPI set to (96, 96)
(II) Loading sub module "dri3"
(II) LoadModule: "dri3"
(II) Module "dri3" already built-in
(II) Loading sub module "dri2"
(II) LoadModule: "dri2"
(II) Module "dri2" already built-in
(II) Loading sub module "present"
(II) LoadModule: "present"
(II) Module "present" already built-in
(II) UnloadModule: "modesetting"
(II) Unloading modesetting
(II) UnloadModule: "vesa"
(II) Unloading vesa
(==) Depth 24 pixmap format is 32 bpp
(II) intel(0): SNA initialized with Sandybridge (gen6, gt2) backend
(==) intel(0): Backing store enabled
(==) intel(0): Silken mouse enabled
(II) intel(0): HW Cursor enabled
(II) intel(0): RandR 1.2 enabled, ignore the following RandR disabled message.
(==) intel(0): DPMS enabled
(==) intel(0): Display hotplug detection enabled
(II) intel(0): [DRI2] Setup complete
(II) intel(0): [DRI2]   DRI driver: i965
(II) intel(0): [DRI2]   VDPAU driver: va_gl
(II) intel(0): direct rendering: DRI2 DRI3 enabled
(II) intel(0): hardware support for Present enabled
(--) RandR disabled
(II) SELinux: Disabled on system
(II) AIGLX: enabled GLX_MESA_copy_sub_buffer
(II) AIGLX: enabled GLX_ARB_create_context
(II) AIGLX: enabled GLX_ARB_create_context_profile
(II) AIGLX: enabled GLX_EXT_create_context_es{,2}_profile
(II) AIGLX: enabled GLX_INTEL_swap_event
(II) AIGLX: enabled GLX_SGI_swap_control and GLX_MESA_swap_control
(II) AIGLX: enabled GLX_EXT_framebuffer_sRGB
(II) AIGLX: enabled GLX_ARB_fbconfig_float
(II) AIGLX: GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap backed by buffer objects
(II) AIGLX: enabled GLX_ARB_create_context_robustness
(II) AIGLX: Loaded and initialized i965
(II) GLX: Initialized DRI2 GL provider for screen 0
(II) intel(0): switch to mode 1366x768@60.0 on LVDS1 using pipe 0, position (0, 0), rotation normal, reflection
(II) intel(0): Setting screen physical size to 361 x 203




(II) config/udev: Adding input device Power Button (/dev/input/event3)
(II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
(II) This device may have been added with another device file.
(II) config/udev: Adding input device Video Bus (/dev/input/event7)
(II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
(II) This device may have been added with another device file.
(II) config/udev: Adding input device Video Bus (/dev/input/event6)
(II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
(II) This device may have been added with another device file.
(II) config/udev: Adding input device Power Button (/dev/input/event0)
(II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
(II) This device may have been added with another device file.
(II) config/udev: Adding input device Lid Switch (/dev/input/event2)
(II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
(II) This device may have been added with another device file.
(II) config/udev: Adding input device Sleep Button (/dev/input/event1)
(II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
(II) This device may have been added with another device file.
(II) config/udev: Adding input device Laptop_Integrated_Webcam_2HDM (/dev/input/event13)
(II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
(II) This device may have been added with another device file.
(II) config/udev: Adding input device HDA Intel PCH Headphone (/dev/input/event9)
(II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
(II) This device may have been added with another device file.
(II) config/udev: Adding input device HDA Intel PCH Headphone (/dev/input/event10)
(II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
(II) This device may have been added with another device file.
(II) config/udev: Adding input device HDA Intel PCH HDMI/DP,pcm=3 (/dev/input/event11)
(II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
(II) This device may have been added with another device file.
(II) config/udev: Adding input device HDA Intel PCH Mic (/dev/input/event8)
(II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
(II) This device may have been added with another device file.
(II) config/udev: Adding input device AT Translated Set 2 keyboard (/dev/input/event4)
(II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
(II) This device may have been added with another device file.
(II) config/udev: Adding input device SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad (/dev/input/event5)
(II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
(II) This device may have been added with another device file.
(II) config/udev: Adding input device SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad (/dev/input/mouse0)
(II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
(II) This device may have been added with another device file.
(II) config/udev: Adding input device Dell WMI hotkeys (/dev/input/event12)
(II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
(II) This device may have been added with another device file.
Activating service name='org.a11y.Bus'
Successfully activated service 'org.a11y.Bus'
Activating service name='org.gtk.vfs.Daemon'
Successfully activated service 'org.gtk.vfs.Daemon'
(II) intel(0): EDID vendor "SEC", prod id 21569
(II) intel(0): Printing DDC gathered Modelines:
(II) intel(0): Modeline "1366x768"x0.0   71.56  1366 1414 1446 1510  768 770 775 789 +hsync -vsync (47.4 kHz eP





Activating service name='org.gnome.Shell.CalendarServer'
Activating service name='org.gnome.evolution.dataserver.Sources5'
Activating service name='org.gnome.OnlineAccounts'
Activating service name='org.gnome.Identity'
Activating service name='org.freedesktop.Telepathy.AccountManager'
Successfully activated service 'org.gnome.OnlineAccounts'
Successfully activated service 'org.gnome.Identity'
Activating service name='org.gtk.vfs.Metadata'
Successfully activated service 'org.gtk.vfs.Metadata'
Successfully activated service 'org.gnome.evolution.dataserver.Sources5'
Activating service name='ca.desrt.dconf'
Successfully activated service 'ca.desrt.dconf'
Successfully activated service 'org.gnome.Shell.CalendarServer'
Activating service name='org.gtk.GLib.PACRunner'
Successfully activated service 'org.gtk.GLib.PACRunner'
Successfully activated service 'org.freedesktop.Telepathy.AccountManager'
Activating service name='org.gtk.vfs.UDisks2VolumeMonitor'
Successfully activated service 'org.gtk.vfs.UDisks2VolumeMonitor'
Activating service name='org.gtk.vfs.GoaVolumeMonitor'
Successfully activated service 'org.gtk.vfs.GoaVolumeMonitor'
Activating service name='org.gtk.vfs.MTPVolumeMonitor'
Successfully activated service 'org.gtk.vfs.MTPVolumeMonitor'
Activating service name='org.gtk.vfs.AfcVolumeMonitor'
Successfully activated service 'org.gtk.vfs.AfcVolumeMonitor'
Activating service name='org.gtk.vfs.GPhoto2VolumeMonitor'
Successfully activated service 'org.gtk.vfs.GPhoto2VolumeMonitor'
Activating service name='org.freedesktop.Tracker1'
Successfully activated service 'org.freedesktop.Tracker1'
Activating service name='org.gnome.GConf'
Successfully activated service 'org.gnome.GConf'
Activating service name='org.gnome.evolution.dataserver.Calendar7'
Activating service name='cx.ring.Ring'
Successfully activated service 'cx.ring.Ring'
Successfully activated service 'org.gnome.evolution.dataserver.Calendar7'
Activating service name='org.gnome.evolution.dataserver.AddressBook9'
Successfully activated service 'org.gnome.evolution.dataserver.AddressBook9'

Johnboy1951 · 20-03-2016 2:48pm

You seemed to indicate you did not need the Intel graphics output, so what would happen if you did the following .....

disable the Intel graphics in BIOS/UEFI
install ONLY the Nvidia driver suited to the card

hooplah · 20-03-2016 5:01pm

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

You seemed to indicate you did not need the Intel graphics output, so what would happen if you did the following .....

disable the Intel graphics in BIOS/UEFI
install ONLY the Nvidia driver suited to the card

That's not possible on my machine. (though even if it was it wouldn't be desirable from a power and noise point of view).

syklops · 20-03-2016 5:47pm

hooplah wrote: »

That's not possible on my machine. (though even if it was it wouldn't be desirable from a power and noise point of view).

Johnny boy wasnt suggesting it as a permanent solution. It was for part of the troubleshooting process.

Why is it not possible on your machine?

hooplah · 20-03-2016 7:03pm

syklops wrote: »

Johnny boy wasnt suggesting it as a permanent solution. It was for part of the troubleshooting process.

Ok, I misunderstood.

Why is it not possible on your machine?

There just aren't any settings / menus in my bios to select or disable either card. I double checked just now and the good people at the Arch wiki say it can't be done.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Dell_XPS_15#Intel_with_Nvidia

My knowledge of xorg is very poor. Am I wrong in thinking that once it boots / progresses to the desktop my problem is now limited to some mouse / keyboard xorg configuration?

The output above refers to failures with fbdev and the keyboard and touchpad. Are these mines meaningful?

(II) Module modesetting: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
compiled for 1.18.1, module version = 1.18.1
Module class: X.Org Video Driver
ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 20.0
(II) LoadModule: "fbdev"
(WW) Warning, couldn't open module fbdev
(II) UnloadModule: "fbdev"
(II) Unloading fbdev
(EE) Failed to load module "fbdev" (module does not exist, 0)

[edited to add: reading around it seems that fbdev is maybe a fallback driver if the intel one doesn't work]

(II) config/udev: Adding input device AT Translated Set 2 keyboard (/dev/input/event4)
(II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
(II) This device may have been added with another device file.
(II) config/udev: Adding input device SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad (/dev/input/event5)
(II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.

croo · 21-03-2016 7:59pm

No idea if it is applicable to your laptop but struggling with optimus on a thinkpad W520 when it came out first I found that if I created a file (I called mine w520.conf) in /etc/modprobe.d and added the lines
blacklist fbdev
blacklist vesa
things worked as expected!
I think these drivers were controlling the intel IGP by removing them the intel drivers were selected. Worth a try.

To be honest the optimus is just a nightmare for linux - I always managed to get things working eventually but it was always a pain so these days I don't even enable the nvidia card... unless you need many screens (or games) the integrated graphics provide enough power for me and as you say the batteries last forever with no discrete card. Too late for the current laptop but one without a nvidia card is a lot cheaper too!

hooplah · 21-03-2016 10:51pm

croo wrote: »

To be honest the optimus is just a nightmare for linux - I always managed to get things working eventually but it was always a pain so these days I don't even enable the nvidia card... unless you need many screens (or games) the integrated graphics provide enough power for me and as you say the batteries last forever with no discrete card. Too late for the current laptop but one without a nvidia card is a lot cheaper too!

Yeah Optimus is a complete pain. I'm a couple of years [and the cost of a laptop] away from buying a new machine but between optimus and uefi I wonder how much of a pain getting something reasonably priced and linux friendly will be?

Anyway I have things more or less running now. I was reading about libinput today, it's a new thing to replace low level xorg drivers in wayland, and it's been introduced into Fedora since 22. libinput itself was installed but the libinput xorg drivers weren't. I installed them and can now use the mouse and keyboard after startx/gnome on xorg.

Thanks for all your help folks. I still have to figure out what to do to get the hdmi output working [plugging it in doesn't do anything] but that should be doable.

Thanks again.

croo · 22-03-2016 7:07am

hooplah wrote: »

Yeah Optimus is a complete pain. I'm a couple of years [and the cost of a laptop] away from buying a new machine but between optimus and uefi I wonder how much of a pain getting something reasonably priced and linux friendly will be?

Yeah, I think that might have been the plan. Interestingly Dell started (again) selling laptops with linux preinstalled the XPS 13 is their developer option.

hooplah wrote: »

I was reading about libinput today, it's a new thing to replace low level xorg drivers in wayland, and it's been introduced into Fedora since 22. libinput itself was installed but the libinput xorg drivers weren't. I installed them and can now use the mouse and keyboard after startx/gnome on xorg.

That's a new one for me too, I must remember for the next install I have to do. Perhaps I am looking back with rose tinted glasses, but I seem to think that I always managed fine when the X configuration was managed by hand, now that they're generated on the fly it's difficult to know what the hell is happening in the background.

hooplah · 23-03-2016 5:50pm

Yeah my work machine is a Dell with Ubuntu pre-installed [It's a latitude rather than the cool looking XPS]. It all works fine, but when I tried to dual boot a more up to date version of Ubuntu I ran into issues with UEFI.

I guess part of my problem, on my home machine is with running Fedora which tends to implement things before they are widely adopted - which means resources like the Arch wiki, which are usually really useful, don't always apply.

I'm running Linux as my main OS for just over 3 years now so I'm not sure I can speak about the 'good old days' but I guess things might settle down a bit in the next year or so once Wayland and Mir get implemented.

xorg problems - looking for help

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