Bug#543802: xserver-xorg-video-ati bugs when blender rendering

[Brice Goglin]

On Wed, Aug 26, 2009 at 10:56:42PM -0500, Stéphane Martin wrote:
> Package: xserver-xorg-video-ati
> Version: 1:6.6.3-2 (etch) to 1:6-12.2-3 (lenny/unstable)
> 
> Following blender tutorial "Manual - Blender 2.43 Part I" (http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:Manual/Your_First_Animation/1.A_static_Gingerbread_Man),
> in chapter "Lets's see what Guss looks like (rendering)", making
> both layers 1 and 10 visible, and so moving a bit the drawing:
> server X freezes...
> Mouse pointer can move but clicks and keyboard do nothing
> (impossible to change screen, to stop the server or halt the system:
> no input).
> System seems to be alive yet because an "at" job like "halt"
> launched before the "freeze" will stop the system.
> 
> I tested in stable and apt-pinning, all with xfce4 desktop manager:
>    - Debian Lenny with the 2.46 blender version
>    - Debian Lenny with 2.48 blender version (testing)
>    - Debian Lenny with 2.48 blender version + xserver-xorg-video-ati
> 1.6.12.2.2-3 (unstable)
>    all with both my costumized and generic 2.6.26 kernel
>    - Debian etch with  blender and xserver-xorg-video-ati stable
> version with generic 2.6.18 kernel
> In all the above cases the same problem.
> 
> I installed the ATI proprietary fglrx driver and module in the same
> etch configuration and all works fine without problems.
> That is the reason why i think it's driver bug, not a blender or mesa bug.

fglrx does not use Mesa, so it could very well be a Mesa bug.
Please try with xserver-xorg-video-radeon and mesa packages
from unstable or experimental.

Brice