mint 16 cinnamon no video hardware

[farbullet]

Hi,
Just installed linux mint and i get this message that cinnamon is running without video hardware. The whole desktop runs really slowly.

OS - Linux Mint 16 Cinnamon 32 bit
Cinnamon version - 2.0.14
Linux Kernel - 3.11.0-12-generic
Processor - Intel Atom CPU D2700 @ 2.13Ghz x 2
Memory - 2.0 GiB
Hard Drive - 959.3 GB
Graphics Card - Intel Corporation Atom Processor D2xxx/N2xxx Integrated Graphics

I have tried Ctrl-Alt-F2 at login to kill xorg but it causes a reboot

Any ideas ?

Thanks

[farbullet]

result of inxi -F

System: Host: NB-mint Kernel: 3.11.0-12-generic i686 (32 bit) Desktop: Gnome Distro: Linux Mint 16 Petra
Machine: Mobo: Intel model: D2700MUD version: AAG32419-602
Bios: Intel version: MUCDT10N.86A.0069.2012.0323.1358 date: 03/23/2012
CPU: Dual core Intel Atom CPU D2700 (-HT-MCP-) cache: 512 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 ssse3)
Clock Speeds: 1: 2133.306 MHz 2: 2133.306 MHz 3: 2133.306 MHz 4: 2133.306 MHz
Graphics: Card: Intel Atom Processor D2xxx/N2xxx Integrated Graphics Controller
X.Org: 1.14.3 drivers: (unloaded: fbdev) FAILED: vesa Resolution: 1024x768@60.0hz, 1024x768@60.0hz
GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on llvmpipe (LLVM 3.3, 128 bits) GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 9.2.1
Audio: Card: Intel NM10/ICH7 Family High Definition Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ver: k3.11.0-12-generic
Network: Card-1: Intel 82574L Gigabit Network Connection driver: e1000e
IF: eth0 state: down mac: 00:22:4d:80:9b:88
Card-2: Netgear WG111T driver: ar5523
IF: wlan0 state: up speed: N/A duplex: N/A mac: 00:18:4d:da:26:40
Drives: HDD Total Size: 1000.2GB (0.4% used) 1: id: /dev/sda model: ST1000LM024_HN size: 1000.2GB
Partition: ID: / size: 915G used: 3.8G (1%) fs: ext4 ID: swap-1 size: 2.13GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap
RAID: No RAID devices detected - /proc/mdstat and md_mod kernel raid module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 53.0C mobo: N/A
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 150 Uptime: 45 min Memory: 435.7/1999.4MB Client: Shell inxi: 1.8.4

[Hoser Rob]

Well, it's obviously running with video because you do seem to have a desktop. But you aren't going to like the answer.

Your machine has the infamous intel cedarview/cedartrail architecture just like the netbook I'm typing on now. This include the atom 2600-2800 cpu's. Intel is the safest choice for linux compatibility but there are exceptions. LIke here. They outsourced the GPU and the company (powerVR) won't provide the source code.

The kernel actually does have linux support but it's very poor. I suspect it was reverse engineered. You do have 3D accel but it's not done very well and it's quite slow.

Cinnamon, like unity in ubuntu or AFAIK other gnome 3 based desktops, requires 3D accel. You do not want a desktop that requires it in older/less powerful hardware. I wouldn't dream of using cinnamon on this machine here. It's running mint 16 Mate.

Actually, I wouldn't use cinnamon on anything with less than 4Gb RAM anyway. I installed ubuntu with unity on my 4Gb i3 laptop and yanked it because it was too slow. Just because linux runs well on old/slow hardware doesn't mean the desktop installed with many distros does.

I'd definitely suggest trying another desktop. XFCE or Mate or KDE. You can just install the desktop from synaptic or terminal but then you'd want to purge the old one. You can find lots of forum entries by people claiming that they run multiple desktops with no problems. They don't know what the frak they're talking about. It's not reliable to install multiple desktops.

Personally I'd just reinstall.

[farbullet]

Not good news !

anyway, I installed Ubuntu 12.04 and while a faster desktop it choked on the driver install. In fact it has crashed a few times now when shutting down and restarting so now looking to try another distro before giving up entirely and using windows XP.

Do you recommend mint 16 mate ?

[Tejas_0]

Actually, I wouldn't use cinnamon on anything with less than 4Gb RAM anyway.

Code: Select all

mint@mint ~ $ inxi -F	
System:    Host: mint Kernel: 3.11.0-12-generic i686 (32 bit) Desktop: Gnome Distro: Linux Mint 16 Petra
Machine:   Mobo: TAR model: N61PC-M2S Bios: Phoenix version: 6.00 PG date: 07/31/2009
CPU:       Single core AMD Sempron 140 (-UP-) cache: 1024 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4a svm) clocked at 800.00 MHz
,,,
Info:      Processes: 137 Uptime: 1 min Memory: 163.7/874.3MB Client: Shell inxi: 1.8.4 

[Hoser Rob]

Actually, I wouldn't use cinnamon on anything with less than 4Gb RAM anyway.

Code: Select all

mint@mint ~ $ inxi -F	
System:    Host: mint Kernel: 3.11.0-12-generic i686 (32 bit) Desktop: Gnome Distro: Linux Mint 16 Petra
Machine:   Mobo: TAR model: N61PC-M2S Bios: Phoenix version: 6.00 PG date: 07/31/2009
CPU:       Single core AMD Sempron 140 (-UP-) cache: 1024 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4a svm) clocked at 800.00 MHz
,,,
Info:      Processes: 137 Uptime: 1 min Memory: 163.7/874.3MB Client: Shell inxi: 1.8.4 

I assume you're running cinnamon on that machine. Great. it's your computer. I'd never install cinnamon on a single core machine in a million years myself.

[Hoser Rob]

Not good news !

anyway, I installed Ubuntu 12.04 and while a faster desktop it choked on the driver install. In fact it has crashed a few times now when shutting down and restarting so now looking to try another distro before giving up entirely and using windows XP.

Do you recommend mint 16 mate ?

You didn't say which ubuntu desktop you installed, but I'd suggest kubuntu or xubuntu instead of the unity version.

Crashing when you shutdown/boot sounds like another issue. When you download the install iso you should use the bittorrent option (it's more reliable) and always do an md5sum check on the .iso file.

You don't need to to a video driver install for cedarview gpu machines. You didn't say how you did it, but if you use "additional drivers" it does choke. I tried that once. Not a good idea.

I never use additional drivers anymore in ubuntu or ubuntu based mint. Unfortunately it looks easier for beginners but it's not always reliable. It doesn't resolve dependencies properly. I find out the package name of the driver and install in the terminal or synaptic.

There is a ton of info on cedarview drivers in ubuntu 12.04 but unfortunately if you do a search almost all of them are out of date. The right way is much easier.

The cedarview drivers were moved into the kernel in later versions of 12.04. Just install and keep doing system updates until there's nothing left. Then reboot and it should work.

You'll probably find in 12.04 that the screen brightness controls don't work but that can be fixed easily. Just search for cedarview ubuntu brightness control and edit the grub config file. Remember to update grub after.

That's for 12.04 (or mint 13 on ubuntu based desktops in mint). I actually wouldn't recommend 12.04 for cedarview/cedartrail machines. The kernel drivers for the gpu work much better in later versions and you don't have to update the grub config file. I'm using mint 16 mate.

Mate works fine. It doesn't use 3D accel. Xfce doesn't either but I don't like it. I find it clunky and I just don't see the point with 2Gb ram.

KDE will run fine in 2 GB as well. I've used it on this cedarview netbook with 1Gb but there's more latency than with mate. I run it on my other laptop with more power. If you install kde go into the settings and turn off all visual effects if you don't have good 3D accel support.

[Tejas_0]

Actually, I wouldn't use cinnamon on anything with less than 4Gb RAM anyway.

Code: Select all

mint@mint ~ $ inxi -F	
System:    Host: mint Kernel: 3.11.0-12-generic i686 (32 bit) Desktop: Gnome Distro: Linux Mint 16 Petra
Machine:   Mobo: TAR model: N61PC-M2S Bios: Phoenix version: 6.00 PG date: 07/31/2009
CPU:       Single core AMD Sempron 140 (-UP-) cache: 1024 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4a svm) clocked at 800.00 MHz
,,,
Info:      Processes: 137 Uptime: 1 min Memory: 163.7/874.3MB Client: Shell inxi: 1.8.4 

I assume you're running cinnamon on that machine. Great. it's your computer.

Exactly

I'd never install cinnamon on a single core machine in a million years myself.

It would be somewhat disheartening, should cinnamon developers be left with impression of having leeway of 4 GB ram and multicore processors, when those of us on tight budgets need tight coding in order to enjoy the cinnamon experience.