nvidia driver very unstable on gtx260m

[mrn]

Problem:
After a while, regardless of desktop effects/other things going on X will crash. The system is stable with the "nv" driver.

// the instabilities seem random, I had it up for about 2 and a half hours once, but normally it goes down within 10-15 minutes. It does not seem related to system load/heat at all.

Tested:
I've tried gentoo (~amd64, unstable tree, kernel 2.6.33-rc1 and xorg 1.7.3) and ubuntu (+ kubuntu) stable.

I've tried multiple drivers, the stable ubuntu one, and from the vdpau ppa overlay (latest 190 and 195 including 195.30 recently released) and they all have the exact same problem.

Update : 173 driver seems to be stable, both with "UseEvents" on and off. I've used it for about a day now and it seems solid, slow, but solid. Attached working nvidia-bug-report as well.

Update 2: Testing 32bit+-PAE in post #14.
- Computer is "stable" with 32bit with or without a pae kernel, so this is 64bit related. I use "stable" because I get nvrm problems instead on 32bit. Could be the same problem that crashes in 64bit and causes nvrm in 32bit? Workaround in post #58 works on 64bit.


Fixed in 256.29, for AC power, still breaks on battery.

Hardware:
I've got a alienware m15x with a gtx260m display adapter.

Bugreports:
There's a apport automatic bug report here : https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...er/+bug/498708
And both kubuntu and gentoo nvidia-bug-report's attached.
//edit, adding 180.60 and 190.53 bugreports on gentoo, both drivers crash the same way as the newer drivers.

Workaround:
In post #58 : http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/show...6&postcount=58

This is the same problem as in http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=142695, but it contained information as I was testing and the topic is misleading.

[Molus]

ee!!!

Seems like we have a similar problem in a similar lap (m15x 260m).

I'm running in openSuse 11.2, and I noticed two things in your logs:
1.- In the gentoo log, the xorg.log says:
(EE) Failed to load module "dri2" (module does not exist, 0)
This message appears several times in the log (like +2 ). Long time ago I had this problem with other lap... but can't recall exactly what was going on. All I can say is that it should be something with the installation of the driver.
2.- The kubunto has +- the same error I've noticed in my log:
[ 333.102478] Xorg[2698] general protection ip:7f3680ccb10f sp:7fff5ad89dc0 error:0 in ld-2.10.1.so[7f3680cbd000+1f000]
My log says:
[ 95.152705] Xorg[2004] general protection ip:7f2559c81f6f sp:7fffd6f71540 error:0 in ld-2.10.1.so[7f2559c75000+1e000]
I've seen some stuff about ld-2.10.1.so....+1f000 but did not read it, since is not the memory I'm going after. But it could help you, may be you should give it a try.

I've spent the last two days reinstalling my system trying to guess whats going on. And I'm pretty sure that it has to do with the driver or some hardware damage; I've started with a clean installation of openSuse + driver and the problem persists.

The sad part is that some days ago everything was perfect... and I can't recall what changes I've done, neither which driver version I was using.

I'll start using Windows 7 to check if is a hardware problem. But I blame driver :P.

Hope someone could help us...

P.S.: Sorry for bad English.

[mrn]

Originally Posted by Molus

I've spent the last two days reinstalling my system trying to guess whats going on. And I'm pretty sure that it has to do with the driver or some hardware damage; I've started with a clean installation of openSuse + driver and the problem persists.

The sad part is that some days ago everything was perfect... and I can't recall what changes I've done, neither which driver version I was using.

I'll start using Windows 7 to check if is a hardware problem. But I blame driver :P.

Hope someone could help us...

P.S.: Sorry for bad English.

This is a brand new laptop, and I've tried installing windows and that is stable so it's not hardware. Glad I found someone else with the same problem though, was worried it was just me

[mrn]

updated first post.

[mrn]

bump

[mx_]

Hi all !
Sorry for bad English !

Not only a problem in the driver !
http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showth...ghlight=freeze
Problem in a sheaf - kernel => 2.6.31 ( on KMS ), xorg 1.7.x any driver NVIDIA
173-xx, 190-xx, 195-xx !

I reinstall my F12 + update now ! Freeze ! Freeze ! Freeze !

[mrn]

mx_ I doubt that's related to this bug.

Molus as a workaround for me I've been running the 173 driver, which is stable, however when I plug out the power it becomes EXTREMELY slow, and this isn't fixed by plugging the power back in. However suspend2ram/reboot solves it, so this works for me as a decent workaround (atleast I can watch movies now, running a month without having xv at all sucked..).

And I'd love a reply to this issue, I really have tested as much as I possibly could + sent all information (plus linking to this thread) on email as well as posting here.

[mrn]

and another bump

[mx_]

I freeze in frefox and drivers nouveau ( default in Fedora 12 )
My cpu core2duo-4600 ! I use no freeze fedora 8,9,10,11 (all 64 ) and Windows XP.

I change Fedora12(x86_64) on Fedora 12 ( i686 ) ! Super ! No freeze 3 day !
Play in doom3 and ETQW on nvidia 190-42 ( default rpmfusion )

Bug in only x86_64 ?
KMS no locate/unlocate video RAM ?
My nvidia 8600GT - 256 hardware ram and 256 turbo cache !
I unknown - no i686 NO PROBLEMS !

P.S. Sorry bad my engilsh

[mrn]

Originally Posted by mx_

I freeze in frefox and drivers nouveau ( default in Fedora 12 )
My cpu core2duo-4600 ! I use no freeze fedora 8,9,10,11 (all 64 ) and Windows XP.

I change Fedora12(x86_64) on Fedora 12 ( i686 ) ! Super ! No freeze 3 day !
Play in doom3 and ETQW on nvidia 190-42 ( default rpmfusion )

Bug in only x86_64 ?
KMS no locate/unlocate video RAM ?
My nvidia 8600GT - 256 hardware ram and 256 turbo cache !
I unknown - no i686 NO PROBLEMS !

P.S. Sorry bad my engilsh

Do you get the same crash as we get above? If so can you attach a nvidia-bug-report.

[mrn]

I've set up a 32bit clone of my 64bit enviroment and I'm in the process of testing stability now.

[mx_]

It is improbable !
I used Fedora 12 i686 and all was very stable! But after addition of one more local account on
the computer the system began to hang under this user as earlier!: (
It is improbable but it exists: (