Bug#398258: linux-image-2.6.18-2-686: loading nvidiafb module freezes system

[pgarland@gmail.com]

Package: linux-image-2.6.18-2-686
Version: 2.6.18-5
Severity: normal

Hello,

I have a Sony Vaio S-380 laptop with an nvidia GeForce Go 6200
graphics card. I have been using the nvidiafb module with the
2.6.16-2-686 kernel, but when I tried to upgrade to 2.6.17-2,
2.6.18-1, and now 2.6.18-2 kernels, the system freezes when the module
is loaded. The freeze occurs after the display changes to use the full
screen, and the message "nvidiafb: Flat panel dithering disabled" is
printed.

Thanks,
~Phillip

-- System Information:
Debian Release: 4.0
  APT prefers unstable
  APT policy: (500, 'unstable')
Architecture: i386 (i686)
Shell:  /bin/sh linked to /bin/bash
Kernel: Linux 2.6.16-2-686
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)

Versions of packages linux-image-2.6.18-2-686 depends on:
ii  module-init-tools             3.2.2-3    tools for managing Linux kernel mo
ii  yaird [linux-initramfs-tool]  0.0.12-18  Yet Another mkInitRD

Versions of packages linux-image-2.6.18-2-686 recommends:
pn  libc6-i686                    <none>     (no description available)

-- debconf information:
  shared/kernel-image/really-run-bootloader: true
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/postinst/bootloader-test-error-2.6.18-2-686:
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/prerm/removing-running-kernel-2.6.18-2-686: true
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/postinst/old-dir-initrd-link-2.6.18-2-686: true
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/preinst/lilo-initrd-2.6.18-2-686: true
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/postinst/kimage-is-a-directory:
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/preinst/initrd-2.6.18-2-686:
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/postinst/old-initrd-link-2.6.18-2-686: true
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/preinst/already-running-this-2.6.18-2-686:
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/preinst/lilo-has-ramdisk:
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/preinst/overwriting-modules-2.6.18-2-686: true
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/postinst/depmod-error-2.6.18-2-686: false
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/preinst/failed-to-move-modules-2.6.18-2-686:
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/preinst/bootloader-initrd-2.6.18-2-686: true
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/postinst/depmod-error-initrd-2.6.18-2-686: false
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/preinst/abort-overwrite-2.6.18-2-686:
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/postinst/create-kimage-link-2.6.18-2-686: true
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/preinst/elilo-initrd-2.6.18-2-686: true
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/prerm/would-invalidate-boot-loader-2.6.18-2-686: true
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/postinst/bootloader-error-2.6.18-2-686:
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/preinst/abort-install-2.6.18-2-686:
  linux-image-2.6.18-2-686/postinst/old-system-map-link-2.6.18-2-686: true