Mint 9 and Intel Graphics

Forum rules
Before you post read how to get help. Topics in this forum are automatically closed 6 months after creation.
Locked
damnager

Mint 9 and Intel Graphics

Post by damnager »

Hi All,
Mint 9 both the RC and final release have the same problem as Ubuntu 10.04. Some Intel Graphics cards in the 8xx series (mine is an 855GM) fail to work. Intel mobile 4 and 910 graphics work a treat but if you load on a machine with 855 it fails to start the GUI and then turns the fan on full because it overheats (cpu I presume).

Machine that fails is Dell Inspiron 1150 32 bit 1.5gb and a round whirly thing.
Working are Lenovo 3000 c100 with 910 intel graphics and Acer 5332 with Mobile 4 graphics.

It would be nice to get a fix for this as I am sure there are a lot of Intel 8xx powered Dell notebooks out there that would love to run Mint (I have 3 friends who I told to wait until Mint 9 came out as it was going to be the dogs dodas).

Any response or fixes greatly appreciated and they need to be simple (no patching as this will totally destroy the build up I have given Mint to the people around here) Or do I just revert to Mint 7/8 until Ubuntu fix the problem?

Keith
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.
Timbot2000

Re: Mint 9 and Intel Graphics

Post by Timbot2000 »

My problem is different: I'm an i845, and my machine intermittently crashes, and goes into an on/of flashing mode. The default driver used is the i915. Anyway, is there a way to blacklist the i915 driver or switch the card to the i830 driver?
User avatar
darethehair
Level 4
Level 4
Posts: 239
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2009 2:22 pm
Location: Morden Manitoba Canada
Contact:

Re: Mint 9 and Intel Graphics

Post by darethehair »

Ah! This thread is the hint that I was looking for! I had previously issued the following problem:

http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.p ... 40#p273791

After seeing this thread, Google led me to here:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1471605

...which led to here:

http://ubuntu-virginia.ubuntuforums.org ... ?p=9240296

...which led to here:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Bugs/Lucidi8xxFreezes

...which suggested the following workaround that worked for me to at least boot the Mint 9 ISO on my Dell Inspiron 1150 laptop:

Add "i915.modeset=1" after "quiet splash"

(i.e. edit the grub boot line before booting)

Now, I have a chance to install Mint 9 on my Inspiron! :) Maybe these links will help you guys as well?
There is nothing more dangerous than a bored cat.
damnager

Re: Mint 9 and Intel Graphics

Post by damnager »

@darethehair; sorry I should have included that in my post, it did work for me and to make it persistent just do the following from terminal it is a known bug with the new intel drivers;

echo options i915 modeset=1 | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/i915-kms.conf
sudo update-initramfs -u

Hope that helps someone else :D

Keith
axels

Re: Mint 9 and Intel Graphics

Post by axels »

I have an interesting problem. Installed and booted Mint9 just fine. Then realized that it doesn't see external monitor (worked well on Mint8); found that it used vesa driver. Then, used workaround mentioned in release notes to Ubuntu 10.04 (and posted here before) - after that my ibm x40 (with i855) cannot suspend any more.
Anybody knows what's the problem?
Timbot2000

Re: Mint 9 and Intel Graphics

Post by Timbot2000 »

Implemented modeset=1 for i915, which improved the bootsplash screen, but crash occurred again, this time on the CartoonNetwork website. This time however, we simply got the initialization screen and then the monitor went dark instead of flashing, REISUB also did not work for rebooting. So the problem is definitely a driver issue. However, I later performed the startup settings to improve the bootsplash as well and currently have the kids torture testing the device to see if it goes down. If it does, I'd like to try switching the video driver from i915 to i830. Could anyone tell me how to do that?
Timbot2000

Re: Mint 9 and Intel Graphics

Post by Timbot2000 »

Well, after pursuing every possible fix, from kernel upgrades to driver upgrades, I'm, throwing in the towel. Back to Gloria which was stable on i845. I did post a bug report at the free-intel bugzilla, so hopefully 845 will be supported in the future. On thing is strange to me, why is Intel trying to support so many chips on one driver? This "one driver to rule them all" approach always seems to leave one of the covered chips at a disadvantage with every release. Wouldn't it be better to have a dedicated driver based in i915 for each of the respective chips, from 815 to 915? Seems like it would be less work, and testing would be easier too.
rups

Re: Mint 9 and Intel Graphics

Post by rups »

I am using Dell 700m Laptop, Display is Intel 855GM Chipset

I tried with the above mentioned settings, ie using "i915.modeset=1" after "quiet splash", but it didn't work.

Seems I will have to continue working with Mint8 and wont be able to upgrade to Mint9.
Alex Steiner

Re: Mint 9 and Intel Graphics

Post by Alex Steiner »

rups wrote:I am using Dell 700m Laptop, Display is Intel 855GM Chipset

I tried with the above mentioned settings, ie using "i915.modeset=1" after "quiet splash", but it didn't work.

Seems I will have to continue working with Mint8 and wont be able to upgrade to Mint9.
Exactly this (with a Toshiba Portégé), except I haven't got Mint 8 to fall back to. It's functional (I don't use an external monitor, and I'm not interested in pretty stuff), so I'll stick with Isadora.
Timbot2000

Re: Mint 9 and Intel Graphics

Post by Timbot2000 »

Progress Report:

Managed to greatly improve i845 GPU stability and performance by installing the libraries, 855-kernel-patch, and intel driver compiled by Stephan Glasenhart (ppa:glasen/intel-driver and ppa:glasen/855-fix). I also installed the Mesa fix by Brian Rogers. Only occasional crashes due to GL screensavers (which I have removed), but no more flash crashes, and Google Earth works great (as a torture test).
Attempted to also install the patched kernel 2.6.43-v9 by Brian Rogers, which seemed to put OpenGL problems to bed once and for all, but my wireless connection was lost and no amount of blacklisting helped (rt2870 driver not well integrated yet in 2.6.34, opened a bug report on it just to get it out there. And no, I do not want to download the driver off Ralink and recompile it. I read the directions, and for a newbie like me with limited time it is too much of a PiTA)
Locked

Return to “Graphics Cards & Monitors”