X memory problem
Hello,
I've got some weird problem, I don't seem to find a solution for. I'll try
to situate it and explain the things I've done to try and find out what
the problem might have been.
A couple weeks ago, I changed from SuSE (which I liked btw) to Debian. I
especially wanted to do this to familiarise myself better with the
distribution I'm putting on a couple of server and the ease of
maintenance.
In retrospect, I did (unfortunately) many changes at the same time, which
makes it hard for my to identify the exact cause of my problem. The
changes to my system are:
1. Change from SuSE 7.0 to Debian 2.2r2
2. Change from 128 Mb to 512 Mb (2x 128 Mb pc100 and 1x 256 Mb pc133)
The problem: When I am starting my X server with the nvidia module (not
nv, there I have no problem), I get a green rectangle on my screen. It
covers everything at that place except my mouse cursor. I log in (KDE
2.1.1) and start aviplay (0.53.5) with some movie. The window swallows the
rectangle and when I stop the player, the rectangle is gone. To my
experience, I have l lower FPS rate in Quake3 and I am no longer able to
play avi (DiVX ;-) ) movies anymore using aviplay (I get enormous frame
losses). This is possible though with the nv module (but no Quake3 of
course).
The rectangle seems to be the size of the last avi I played (no matter if
it was in Winblows or in Linux).
The things I have tried to solve/identify the problem:
1. I changed the gfx card (Diamond Viper 770) to a simular one (ASUS
3800). The first time I booted, I didn't get the green rectangle, the
second time I booted with the new gfx card, I got it again. So I switched
back to the original card (Diamond Viper 770, TNT2 Ultra).
2. I removed the new memory (1x 128 Mb pc100 and 1x 256 Mb pc133),
reducing it back to the original 128 Mb. The rectangle never disappeared.
I started switching the DIMMs, with no result.
3. I recompiled the kernel and the NVidia modules; no result.
4. I reinstalled Debian 2.2r2 from scratch. The first time I started my X,
there it was again, ...
5. I downloaded the X 4.0.2 and the X 4.0.3 from ftp.xfree.org and used
these two instead of the debian packages. no result, still the rectangle.
The conclusions I can draw from this is:
1. It cannot be some obvious software problem. Even if I leave my pc down
for a couple of days, I get the rectangle on booting.
2. It's not related to the GFX card: changing the gfx card didn't do
anythgin.
3. It's apparently nothing with memory, I switched the DIMMs
The only constant I see here, is the switch from SuSE to Debian (which I
don't see as the problem of course(!!!)). However, I don't like to
reinstall SuSE, just to eliminate the last factor in this equation.
I've been posting on a couple of ng's (perhaps you've seen them), but
no-one seems to have a clue what might be going on there. I for one don't
seem to find anything either.
I think it must have something to do with the nvidia driver. This is in
two parts actually: either there is a bug in the software that only
happens in a very limited number of cases (distribution/hardware), I and
just happened to have this, OR the nvidia module uses hardware features
the nv module doesn't use (hence no problem there).
The weird thing is that the size of the windows seems to be saved
somewhere in HW, since I get it after a long power down AND if I start an
avi in Windoos, it has it's effects in Linux. I also get the rectangle in
consele if I logout of X!!!
I really hope that someone has any idea or even a suggestion what's going
on here. I read the mailing lists (digest version), but I would like a cc
to my address.
some info:
P III 550
Diamond Viper 770 Ultra
512 Mb RAM (2x 128 Mb pc100 and 1x 256 Mb pc133)
XFree86 4.0.3 (not debian)
SDL 1.2.0
avifile 0.53.5
KDE 2.1.1 (but I also have it in the XDM login screen or with startx, so
this is not a problem).
Marc.
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