Re: Re: RE: Debian 8 on Late 2005 G5, Graphics Issues

[Darren Sutton <dba.sutton@gmail.com>]

Hello Peter,

First, thank you for all of the work you've put into getting these G5's 
to run linux. I would not have gotten so far without your work.

I have tried to use your 3.18.16 and 4.5.0-rc2 kernel but I have a 
problem in both cases: my screen is covered in wiggly, dancing 
distortion. I am using MATE and can see the desktop behind all the 
distortion.  When I boot up, the display is fine until about 12 seconds 
after the yaboot prompt. I believe nouveau cannot read my card's vbios 
(fx5200) and this is causing the display distortion. Once nouveau loads, 
the monitor flickers, then the distortion starts. Using the stock jessie 
kernel results in the same distortion, but I cannot see the desktop 
behind it. The distortion is repeatable.

When checking PCIROM, nouveau reports 'Invalid ROM contents' and then 
later reports 'unknown input clock frequency'. I suppose that nouveau 
cannot read the DCB, so it does not know how to use my graphics card? I 
believe others have had this problem in the past, but I cannot find a 
work around. If you have any advice, I would be glad to hear it!

Thanks again,

Darren

iMac G5 1.8 Ghz
2g ram
fx 5200