GeForce9600 + Linux = Problems (Resolution issue) | Can't make it higher than 640X480

[frunobulax]

Hello there. I just registered, but I have for like 4 months a GeForce 9600GT - and I'm quite satisfied with it. Great job by nVidia...

Works like a charm with Windows 7 and Windows XP in my AOC 2230fh, a 22" monitor with a native resolution of 1680X1050. But on Linux, the situation is not good.

Well, here it is. I just did another fresh install of Ubuntu 9.04. So, the default video driver (VESA, i guess) is loaded and it detected my resolution as being 1680X1050. All OK. But I want to use nVidia drivers, for Compiz and other stuff. But, when I install them by any method - from the System > Admin > Hardware Drivers (don't know if it's the exact path in English, I'm using the portuguese version, but it's the menu where I can activate an official nVidia driver) or by manually downloading it from nVidia's website and then using nvidia-xconfig - the resolution becomes 640X480, and no configuration at xorg.conf seems to resolve it. I tried setting hsync and vsync accordingly to my monitor's specifications, tried only showing 1680X1050 as possible resolutions, nothing worked, 640X480 is the "best" nVidia can offer. Actually I can choose between it and 320X240.

A week ago, I got another monitor, a little AOC 1619Swa, 15,6" and native 1366X768 resolution. Ubuntu detected it and managed to deliver it's right resolution out-of-the-box! But the 2230 is still stopped at 640X480.

My actual Ubuntu is still using VESA, I'm ready to try and install nVidia again. But first I wanna check some feedback here, if someone heard about this issue.

I have this xorg.conf right now:

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier    "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier    "Default Screen"
    Monitor        "Configured Monitor"
    Device        "Configured Video Device"
    SubSection "Display"
        Virtual    3046 1117
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier    "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

So, anything I should do before activating the nVidia driver?

[udippel]

Originally Posted by frunobulax

Works like a charm with Windows 7 and Windows XP in my AOC 2230fh, a 22" monitor with a native resolution of 1680X1050. But on Linux, the situation is not good.

Well, here it is. I just did another fresh install of Ubuntu 9.04. So, the default video driver (VESA, i guess) is loaded and it detected my resolution as being 1680X1050. All OK. But I want to use nVidia drivers, for Compiz and other stuff. [...] the resolution becomes 640X480, and no configuration at xorg.conf seems to resolve it. I tried setting hsync and vsync accordingly to my monitor's specifications, tried only showing 1680X1050 as possible resolutions, nothing worked [...]

I have this xorg.conf right now:

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier    "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier    "Default Screen"
    Monitor        "Configured Monitor"
    Device        "Configured Video Device"
    SubSection "Display"
        Virtual    3046 1117
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier    "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

So, anything I should do before activating the nVidia driver?

Yes. Delete your xorg.conf. or, better:
sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.save
Then (re-)boot, with your desired display connected.
The "Virtual 3046 1117" shows, that there is a lot of cruft around in your system.
Then, if it doesn't work, let's see your /var/log/Xorg.0.log of this session without any /etc/X11/xorg.conf

[frunobulax]

The "Virtual 3046 1117" thing is because I'm using dual monitors at the moment, and the way they are positioned make this virtual desktop size.

Should I plug off the second monitor before trying to install the nVidia driver, since he works out-of-the-box afterwards?

[AaronP]

Please see the forum sticky posts about how to report a problem, including how to generate a bug report log file.

[frunobulax]

So, here it is.

All I did was install the driver and perform nvidia-xconfig --mode=1680x1050.

Right now, I'm at 640X480.

[udippel]

Originally Posted by frunobulax

So, here it is.

All I did was install the driver and perform nvidia-xconfig --mode=1680x1050.

Right now, I'm at 640X480.

Yes, but you didn't listen. You didn't move the xorg.conf out of the way.

Nevermind, here in your log the problem is obvious:

(--) NVIDIA(0): --- EDID for DFP-0 ---
(--) NVIDIA(0):
(--) NVIDIA(0): No EDID Available.
(--) NVIDIA(0):
(--) NVIDIA(0): --- End of EDID for DFP-0 ---
(--) NVIDIA(0):
(II) NVIDIA(0): Frequency information for DFP-0:
(II) NVIDIA(0): HorizSync : 28.000-33.000 kHz
(II) NVIDIA(0): VertRefresh : 43.000-72.000 Hz
(II) NVIDIA(0): (HorizSync from HorizSync in X Config Monitor section)
(II) NVIDIA(0): (VertRefresh from VertRefresh in X Config Monitor
(II) NVIDIA(0): section)
(II) NVIDIA(0):

Your DFP-0 seems to give out an invalid identifier, Nvidia falls back to standard monitor settings, and there is not much that 28-33 kHz can accommodate; so what you get further down is:

(II) NVIDIA(0): Validating Mode "1680x1050":
(II) NVIDIA(0): 1680 x 1050 @ 60 Hz
(II) NVIDIA(0): Mode Source: X Server
(II) NVIDIA(0): Pixel Clock : 119.00 MHz
(II) NVIDIA(0): HRes, HSyncStart : 1680, 1728
(II) NVIDIA(0): HSyncEnd, HTotal : 1760, 1840
(II) NVIDIA(0): VRes, VSyncStart : 1050, 1053
(II) NVIDIA(0): VSyncEnd, VTotal : 1059, 1080
(II) NVIDIA(0): H/V Polarity : +/-
(WW) NVIDIA(0): Mode is rejected: HorizSync (64.7 kHz) out of range
(WW) NVIDIA(0): (28.000-33.000 kHz).

This means, you need to tell Nvidia that your monitor is much better; by adding something like

Section "Monitor"
# HorizSync source: edid, VertRefresh source: edid
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "Unknown"
ModelName "my flat panel"
HorizSync 30.0 - 68.0
VertRefresh 50.0 - 70.0
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

and then also make it use a mode, like what you do already.

[AaronP]

Yes, as udippel mentioned, your monitor is returning invalid data to the graphics driver:

(WW) NVIDIA(GPU-0): The EDID read for display device DFP-0 is invalid: the
(WW) NVIDIA(GPU-0):     checksum for EDID version 1 extension is invalid.

You should contact your monitor vendor and report the problem to them.

[frunobulax]

Yeah, I tried both the configuration udippel gave me and the HorizSync and VertRefresh that are at my monitor specifications page at AOC website. The only difference now is that more resolution options appear in the nVidia options panel - but all of them below 640X480.

I don't quite understand why my screen looks fine while using the VESA driver, and it stucks in 640X480 only when I install nVidia...

I'll contact them and try searching new methods anyway, if I find new information I'll share it here.

Thank you guys for the help and patience so far!

[AaronP]

It's possible that the vesa driver ignores the invalid checksum and tries to use the EDID anyway. A future driver release is going to have an option to ignore invalid EDID checksums. It's possible for certain invalid EDIDs with certain monitors to cause the driver to display using a mode that could damage them, which is why the checksum check is currently so strict.

[udippel]

Originally Posted by AaronP

It's possible that the vesa driver ignores the invalid checksum and tries to use the EDID anyway. .

This MUST be the case, otherwise the furnished correct hor and vert frequencies override the bad ones.
I for one am quite sick and disappointed with the latter Xorg versions, since they like to be too clever; and disregard a number of config options available earlier.
Even key layout is overruled; but that's off-topic.
I for one would want to override the frequencies easily, disable EDID or fake it easily. My otherwise beautiful high-end IBM P260 has bugged me for the last 5 years with this: It has no EDID. Then, the default frequencies are sooo low, that one cannot get to any useful resolutions. And this falls back against FOSS.
Maybe someone can convince upstream to allow the - e.g. - Gnome Display settings to simply overrule the EDID and Xorg detection, and. after a strong warning, allow the user to set what she knows is the actual value?

[frunobulax]

I understood the problem, thanks...

Originally Posted by AaronP

A future driver release is going to have an option to ignore invalid EDID checksums.

That's official? Is there a release date estimative?


Would be great, since I still haven't got an answer from AOC - but I think they'll say it's a problem only in Linux/nVidia to jump off the trouble, advice me to use Windows, etc.
If they had proper configuration for my screen at first place...

[AaronP]

Originally Posted by frunobulax

That's official?

Yes

Originally Posted by frunobulax

Is there a release date estimative?

No, we never give release date estimates because people get very upset when we miss them, even if they are rough guesses. Sorry!