Bug#628420: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: X freezes with GeForce FX5500

[Sven Joachim <svenjoac@gmx.de>]

On 2011-05-28 21:59 +0200, Flo wrote:

> I have a 7 year old computer which is working fine so far and sufficient
> fast for my 'office' needs. I am running Debian testing. I bought a new
> monitor (HD) and a video card:
>
> 256 MB GeForce FX5500, Inno3D, AGP 8x/4x
>
> Working fine, unfortunately it produces a crash:
>
> .) Sometimes after 30 min, sometimes after a day
> .) Can happen anytime, even when screen saver is on. Happens more
> frequently if 'complicated' websites at browser windows are opened.
> .) Mouse is still moving most of the times but everything else on the display is frozen.
> .) I cannot switch to a console but I can login via network (i.e. to
> reboot).

In other words, the GPU is hung.

> Kernel: Linux 2.6.38-2-686 (SMP w/1 CPU core)

Please upgrade to 2.6.39 (note that the -686 flavor is gone; if you see
"pae" among the flags in /proc/cpuinfo, you can use the -686-pae flavor,
else use the -486 kernel).  If the problem persists, file a bug upstream
at freedesktop.org, see http://nouveau.freedesktop.org/wiki/Bugs for
instructions.

Disabling acceleration, e.g. by booting with nouveau.noaccel=1 kernel
parameter, should work around the hangs at the cost of lousy
performance.

Regards,
        Sven