Bug 280402 – Kernel 2.6.30-gentoo-r4 breaks composite on nvidia-driver

• Product: Gentoo Linux
• Status: RESOLVED TEST-REQUEST

[Description Simon Gao 2009-08-05 04:54:51 UTC]

After upgrading from kernel-2.6.29-gentoo-r5 to kernel-2.6.30-gentoo-r4, composite effect with KDE 4.3 stopped working. Kernel config is exactly same.

An error is logged:
Aug  4 21:38:57 machine NVRM: CPU does not support the PAT, falling back to MTRRs.


Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Install kernel-2.6.29-gentoo-r5 with 
# CONFIG_X86_PAT is not set

2. Install KDE 4.3. Enable desktop effect (composite), cube emulation. 
3. Install x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers-180.60
4. Upgrade to kernel-2.6.30-gentoo-r4

Actual Results:  
Desktop effect (composite) with Kwin stops working.

Expected Results:  
It should work. 

This thread provides a patch that works with NVIDIA-driver-185.18. But not with 180.60.

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=133112&page=2

[Comment 1 David Flogeras 2009-08-05 08:39:57 UTC]

This bug hit me on my dell d820 laptop (Quadro NVS 110M/GeForce Go 7300 as reported by lspci)

Two desktops with newer nvidia cards (one a 8800, one a GTS250) were unaffected.

[Comment 2 David Flogeras 2009-08-06 20:46:02 UTC]

The patch indicated in that forum does not apply to 180.60, but its quite simple (they just disabled a hunk of code with an #if 0/#endif)

I made a similar patch on the 180.60 driver.  You can do this:

1. ebuild /usr/portage/x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers/nvidia-drivers-180.60.ebuild unpack

2. mv 180.60.patch /var/tmp/portage/x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers-180.60/work/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-180.60-pkg0/usr/src/nv

3. cd /var/tmp/portage/x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers-180.60/work/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-180.60-pkg0/usr/src/nv

4. patch -p0 < 180.60.patch

5. ebuild /usr/portage/x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers/nvidia-drivers-180.60.ebuild install

6. ebuild /usr/portage/x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers/nvidia-drivers-180.60.ebuild merge

7. ebuild /usr/portage/x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers/nvidia-drivers-180.60.ebuild clean

PLEASE NOTE: I don't believe this is a fix, rather than a side step, but if you simply must run the 2.6.30 kernel with this problem, this will get around it.

[Comment 3 David Flogeras 2009-08-06 20:47:32 UTC]

Created attachment 200427 [details, diff]
NVidia's hack-around patch adapted for the 180.60 driver

I don't believe this is a true fix, its just what Nvidia suggested someone try to get around the bug .  A proper fix will likely be a combination of the next driver release or kernel release

[Comment 4 Simon Gao 2009-08-07 16:44:26 UTC]

Confirm this workaround patch fixed the issue.

[Comment 5 David Flogeras 2009-10-22 23:29:21 UTC]

It seems that this patch is no longer needed w the 190.42 release candidate driver.  See post #59 in the nvnews forum originally linked for more info if you like.

[Comment 6 J.O. Aho 2009-12-16 16:12:17 UTC]

with the 190.42 nvidia driver and Xorg 7.4, kernel 2.6.31, I have to disable composite in KDE4.3.4 as I get X to lock (have to ssh to the machine and "kill -9 <X-pid>" and then restart xdm.

Using kernel 2.6.32 it will instead of lock X, crash the whole system. 

Have to say I haven't tried a similar hack. Would also like to test the new beta driver 195.22, but didn't manage to build it when I made a new ebuild by renameing the latest one.

[Comment 7 Doug Goldstein (RETIRED) 2012-07-14 20:37:25 UTC]

Unfortunately this bug has gotten stale due to slipping between the cracks. Please retest with the latest KDE, latest X and latest nvidia-drivers and all should be well.