IMMEDIATE LOCKUP - 4349+Quadro4+smp kernel w/ BIGMEM+DVI

[D. Michaud]

We are seeing a major problem with the released 4349 drivers that is 100% repeatable on multiple systems and multiple cards.

Here's the system information:

Dell P550 workstation w/
Dual 2.0Ghz Xeon CPUs
NVidia Quadro4-700 and Quadro4-950
Redhat 7.2 and Redhat 8.0 Linux kernel 2.4.18-27bigmem
Dell 17" DFP w/ DVI interface

Here's the problem:

Whenever we start X when the DFP is connected to the NVidia's DVI input, the system locks up hard. THe monitor goes into powersaving mode, the keyboard is unresponsible, the OS hangs, and a hard reboot is necessary.

This does not happen if we use the VGA analog interface with the same monitor.

This also does not happen if we use a single-CPU kernel without BIGMEM. Both the sock redhat 7.2 2.4.18-27bigmem kernel and our custom kernels with bigmem enabled cause the hang to happen.

When the hang happens there is no useful output in the XFree86.0.log file.. It looks just like X started normally, with no errors.

This problem does not occur with the older 4131 drivers on the same exact system hardware. Those drivers work just fine, except for the bad initial 2D performance.

This leads us to believe that the problem lies somewhere in the new NVidia drivers.

[nutball]

See also this thread:

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9472

[D. Michaud]

I saw that thread earlier, which seems to confirm this bug. However, no solution was posted.

We already discovered that using the VGA analog output on the cards works around the problem, but this isn't an option for us.. We have many of these systems installed at remote locations and it is impractical to reconfigure them all, even if the users signed off on the quality degradation going from digital to analog.

[nutball]

OK, I just wanted the two threads to tie together, so we all get to see the answers if and when they are forthcoming!

[gthomas]

I am having this same problem with the 4349 driver.

System is

Redhat 9
2.4.20-8smp kernel
Dell 530 Workstation
Dual Pentium 2 Xeon
1 gig Ram
Quadro 4 Card
Dual Dell 2000FP Monitors connected with DVI.

When using the new nvidia driver the monitors go blank and the system hangs.

[bwkaz]

Hang on, is it highmem, or is it SMP? I see both of you also are using SMP kernels...

Oh, wait, no, I just read the other thread. It does appear to be highmem, not SMP. OK.

Hmm...

[Andy Mecham]

I'm looking into this here, and i'll let you know what I find. If you like, you can also send a detailed report to linux-bugs@nvidia.com.

Thanks!

--andy

[iwasbiggs]

I am experiencing the EXACT same problems as the first poster. However, I believe that the actual DFP interface is the problem, not the SMP or ram.

1! - 1800 athlon xp
Geforce 4200 ti (dvi, vga, tv in/out)
vanilla sources 2.4.20
connected monitor via dvi only.
1 gig ram (4 gigs enabled)

No matter the flags I pass to the new drivers, XFree will start up and just hang. I haven't waited any more than 6 minutes at a time though. I have also tried using the various options, (as sugguested to reduce load times) but to no avail.

Upon downgrading to glx/kernel-3123, and using the EXACT same options (nothing fancy), with a DVI monitor, I have no problems at all.

However, using just the vga port, I am able to use the new 4349 driver just peachy (even with the same settings and various options tested).

I haven't tested with the 41xx drivers.

[Andy Mecham]

It's a known bug - SMP+DVI will cause a hang. Moving to UP, or connecting via an analog cable will avoid the hang.

--andy

[iwasbiggs]

*wipes brow nervously*
seems there was smp compiled in and I don't need it! :rolleyes: trying a recompile right now.

[iwasbiggs]

Yep, no smp = goodness.