With brand new releases of Linux Mint 17.x i still have to choose nomodeset with live cd as well as after installation. After i install the propitiatory drivers everything works OK.
ATI Radeon HD 6990 GPU
now recently upgraded to Radeon HD 7990.
Same with both Graphics cards, have to choose "nomodeset"
All other computers don’t need "nomodeset" only the one with the graphics cards above.
I have a few questions regarding this issue:
1. What is "nomodeset"
2. Why do i have to enter it?
3. Is my graphics driver installation process loosing anything since i'm booted with "nomodeset" to be able to install the drivers?
5. Right after i enter "nomodeset" and the system starts to boot I get a Error: UMS no kernel something something... it goes by 2 quick to read.. Does this matter to the Graphics card driver installation process?
6. Why do I need to use "nomodeset" with higher end GPU's and not lower end GPU's?
"nomodeset" what, why, effects?
Forum rules
Before you post read how to get help. Topics in this forum are automatically closed 6 months after creation.
Before you post read how to get help. Topics in this forum are automatically closed 6 months after creation.
"nomodeset" what, why, effects?
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
Re: "nomodeset" what, why, effects?
1. It disables KMS - kernel mode setting. The kernel comes with KMS drivers for many graphics cards. It allows the kernel to set your desired graphics resolution very early in the boot process using calls directly to your graphics card, so less flickering of the screen during boot. For some graphics cards it may not work right and with KMS disabled the kernel just uses BIOS graphics modes. Once X gets loaded and with your graphics card driver, that will change to the desired graphics resolution. Result is more flickering during boot.
2. See 1; not all graphics cards have good KMS support (though most do).
3. No, nomodeset is just a workaround till.
4. Where did 4 go?
5. UMS (user-land mode setting) is the alternative to KMS. You generally either have a) a graphics card & Linux kernel with open source drivers that support KMS on that graphics card or b) you don't have that, in which case you need to install the proprietary graphics cards drivers which will install a kernel module for the KMS support. So you can ignore the warnings and such; nomodeset is just a workaround for if a) isn't the case and you need to get to b).
6. Higher end has nothing to do with it. Both AMD and Nvidia, but especially Nvidia, have somewhat of a bad track record where it comes to supporting the (volunteer!) developers working on open source drivers for their graphics cards (not providing them with all, or even any, documentation for the graphics cards). While AMD has switched gears and has hired developers to work on its open source drivers, Nvidia has not switched gears yet. Consequently AMD does have the best open source driver on Linux, while Nvidia has overall the best drivers & performance on Linux. Still, there are too many AMD graphics cards for a few developers to support. You may find with a newer Linux kernel and graphics driver stack your graphics card gets better support in the open source driver. I think the developers focus most on newer cards (I can't keep track of AMD's naming scheme; no idea whether your card is newer or older).
2. See 1; not all graphics cards have good KMS support (though most do).
3. No, nomodeset is just a workaround till.
4. Where did 4 go?
5. UMS (user-land mode setting) is the alternative to KMS. You generally either have a) a graphics card & Linux kernel with open source drivers that support KMS on that graphics card or b) you don't have that, in which case you need to install the proprietary graphics cards drivers which will install a kernel module for the KMS support. So you can ignore the warnings and such; nomodeset is just a workaround for if a) isn't the case and you need to get to b).
6. Higher end has nothing to do with it. Both AMD and Nvidia, but especially Nvidia, have somewhat of a bad track record where it comes to supporting the (volunteer!) developers working on open source drivers for their graphics cards (not providing them with all, or even any, documentation for the graphics cards). While AMD has switched gears and has hired developers to work on its open source drivers, Nvidia has not switched gears yet. Consequently AMD does have the best open source driver on Linux, while Nvidia has overall the best drivers & performance on Linux. Still, there are too many AMD graphics cards for a few developers to support. You may find with a newer Linux kernel and graphics driver stack your graphics card gets better support in the open source driver. I think the developers focus most on newer cards (I can't keep track of AMD's naming scheme; no idea whether your card is newer or older).
-
mintybits
Re: "nomodeset" what, why, effects?
@xenopeek: any idea why the kernel uses kms for graphics cards it does not work properly with...why doesn't it default to using bios drivers unless it detects a card that it knows kms works with? Graphics card problems that require the nomodeset fix have been around for years! I have never seen any such issues with Windows so it cant be rocket science to avoid this problem.
Re: "nomodeset" what, why, effects?
Windows drivers are made by AMD and Nvidia, with full disclosure of all documentation to the developers. Linux open source drivers are guesswork. Some older cards may not support the technology for what is needed for KMS on Linux? Some bits here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mode_setting#Linux. IDK, you'll have to talk to a kernel developer that works on KMS. The above is my understanding. I don't think there is one driver per graphics card BTW, it's a big blob driver per brand.