Re: [Regression: 2.6.25-rc5: Blank Screen: Intel 945]

From: Justin Madru
Date: Fri Mar 14 2008 - 00:22:56 EST


Jesse Barnes wrote:
Well, the blank screen is probably due to a pipe programming timing problem. IGD devices have been getting less & less sensitive to it over time (830s would hang if you looked at them the wrong way) but it's still not that hard to mis-program them.

Can you narrow down the problem at all? Did it occur just after a kernel upgrade? Or did you also upgrade your X driver? There haven't been any real changes in intelfb since Oct. when Krzysztof added interlaced mode support, so it's weird that you're just seeing problems now...
Not that I can think of. Other than a custom kernel I use standard Ubuntu 7.10. I was testing out the kernel starting with 2.6.23-rc4 and I've tested each rc, recompiling when a new one came out (except for rc1 and rc2, they didn't compile). So, when 2.6.25-rc3 came out I recompiled and came across this error.

I've removed all fb devices and the blank screen _almost_ never happens (also, I _don't_ have to disable the splash screen). There is one _big_exception_ the problem still happens when I'm at my University (and _very_ consistently). There, I have to disable the splash screen, and that ~mostly~ fixes the problem.

I can't believe it could be related, but when I boot the computer at the Univ. I get a flood of kernel messages related to the wireless all the time, but still connect:

> kernel: wlan0_rename: RX too short data frame payload

_Could_ a wireless problem be related to a graphics's problem? I wouldn't think so? But, it would explain why I get the blank screen mostly when I get the wireless problem. But, then again it could be another problem altogether.
I think the only thing you'll lose is the boot splash screen.
I did disable fb correctly right? Because I still have a boot splash screen.
But you could also try using vesafb. It works with more hardware than intelfb (including laptops) and we've fixed some vesafb related bugs in the X driver recently, so it may work better for you.
Well, if the fb is not necessary, then I think I'll just leave it out. Unless you think using the vesafb would help. But, I thought that the X server doesn't interact with the fb driver.

Maybe it's not related to the fb but the other intel driver:

CONFIG_AGP=y
CONFIG_AGP_INTEL=y
CONFIG_DRM=y
CONFIG_DRM_I915=m


I've updated my config if you need to see the newest version:
http://jdserver.homelinux.org/linux/config-2.6.25-rc5

Justin

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