Bug 283069 – x11-drivers/xf86-video-intel-2.8.1 slow to redraw windows unworkable

• Status: RESOLVED INVALID
• Product: Gentoo Linux

[Description Laurence 2009-08-28 20:06:56 UTC]

I upgraded from xorg-server-1.6.1.902-r1 and x11-drivers/xf86-video-intel-2.7.1 to xorg-server-1.6.3.901 and xf86-video-intel-2.8.1.

After the upgrade redrawing windows was unbearably slow and closing windows timed out in openbox. I added the following mask which took me back a version and solved the problem, so I do not think its a config issue.
[~] $ cat /etc/portage/package.mask 
>x11-base/xorg-server-1.6.1.902-r1
>x11-drivers/xf86-video-intel-2.7.1
>x11-drivers/xf86-input-synaptics-1.1.2

Running on IBM Laptop with Integrated Graphics Chipset: Intel(R) 965GM.

[Comment 1 Rémi Cardona (RETIRED) 2009-08-29 10:08:27 UTC]

Could you just unmask xorg-server again and update just that one package?

Thanks

[Comment 2 Laurence 2009-08-29 11:43:37 UTC]

Created attachment 202594 [details]
Xorg log file from xf86-video-intel-2.8.1

[Comment 3 Laurence 2009-08-29 11:47:49 UTC]

(In reply to comment #1)
> Could you just unmask xorg-server again and update just that one package?
> 
> Thanks
> 

As suggested I removed the other masks
beta ~ # cat /etc/portage/package.mask 
>x11-drivers/xf86-video-intel-2.7.1
beta ~ # 
Did an emerge and everything works fine. 

To double check I unmasked xf86-video-intel and emerged xf86-video-intel-2.8.1 again. Once again the problem came back, so it looks like the problem is in xf86-video-intel-2.8.1. Have attached the Xorg.log and updated the topic. 

[Comment 4 Rémi Cardona (RETIRED) 2009-08-29 12:19:12 UTC]

From your Xorg.0.log :

[...]
drmOpenDevice: node name is /dev/dri/card0
drmOpenDevice: open result is -1, (No such device)
drmOpenDevice: open result is -1, (No such device)
drmOpenDevice: Open failed
[drm] failed to load kernel module "i915"
(EE) intel(0): [drm] Failed to open DRM device for : No such file or directory
(EE) intel(0): Failed to become DRM master.
[...]

Seems like you're missing the i915 kernel driver. Please build it and load it
before Xorg starts.

That should solve your issues.

Thanks

[Comment 5 Laurence 2009-08-29 13:14:48 UTC]

Thanks for the help Rémi, for some reason my kernel had the i830 module enabled and not the i915. Weird how it was working with older versions of the intel driver.

I recompiled the kernel with i915 support and unmasked xf86-video-intel. Then emerged xf86-video-intel-2.8.1. Problem solved. Thanks again Rémi.

In case anyone else needs to find it in the kernel config

Device Drivers ---> 
   Graphics Support --->
      Direct Rendering Manager -->
         Intel 830M, 845G... -->
   

(In reply to comment #4)
> From your Xorg.0.log :
> 
> [...]
> drmOpenDevice: node name is /dev/dri/card0
> drmOpenDevice: open result is -1, (No such device)
> drmOpenDevice: open result is -1, (No such device)
> drmOpenDevice: Open failed
> [drm] failed to load kernel module "i915"
> (EE) intel(0): [drm] Failed to open DRM device for : No such file or directory
> (EE) intel(0): Failed to become DRM master.
> [...]
> 
> Seems like you're missing the i915 kernel driver. Please build it and load it
> before Xorg starts.
> 
> That should solve your issues.
> 
> Thanks
> 

[Comment 6 Rémi Cardona (RETIRED) 2009-08-30 08:26:43 UTC]

reopening

[Comment 7 Rémi Cardona (RETIRED) 2009-08-30 08:28:24 UTC]

The 2.8 driver relies heavily on the kernel driver to render drawing commands. It's a known "issue", one that's easy to fix though.

Thanks for the follow up, it's greatly appreciated :)

Closing with the proper resolution