Quad Monitor nVidia on Etch -- UNSTABLE

James Wiggs wiggs at wiggs.org
Thu Jun 1 10:50:45 PDT 2006



 Folks,

   I am trying to get a quad-monitor system running using the PNY
Quadro NVS 440 PCI Express x16 video card.  Here are the system
specs:

Motherboard: ASUS A8N-SLI
P/S: Aspire ATX-AS520W Blue 520 Watt
CPU: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 3800+
RAM: 4 x 1GB DDR 400 Unbuffered
Card: nVidia Quadro NVS 440 PCI Express x16 (manufacturer: PNY)
OS: Debian Etch, i386 install (NOT x64_64)
X.org: 6.9.0
Kernel: 2.6.15-8-686-smp
nVidia driver: Latest as of 5/30/06 (1.0-8762)
Monitors: 4 x Benq FP93G

   After doing the initial installation of Debian, I downloaded
the binary driver installer directly from the nVidia website, and
ran it without any errors.  X however, is horrifically unstable
when running all four monitors as a contiguous desktop.  After
only a few minutes, it freezes up.  Most times, the mouse will
still move but windows are unresponsive and the keyboard does
not work; sometimes, not even the mouse responds.  I have to log
in via SSH, where I find Xorg taking 100% of one core on the CPU
and I have to do a kill -9 to stop it.

   I generated 2 different xorg.conf files, using the installed
nvidia-xconfig utility with these commands:

Xinerama Command: nvidia-xconfig --enable-all-gpus --separate-x-screens --xinerama

TwinView Command: nvidia-xconfig --enable-all-gpus --separate-x-screens --twinview

   The configuration files are included below.  When researching
the problem, I found a lot of postings on message boards and on
mailing lists mentioning that turning off the RenderAccel option
had produced a stable system.  So each of these configurations
was tested in two modes; once with the default (RenderAccel On),
and once with Option "RenderAccel" "Off" in each of the Device
sections.  None of the 4 configurations was found to be stable,
though there seemed to be a minor increase in stability for the
last configuration we tried, which was using TwinView with the
RenderAccel option turned off.  That one ran for about 1.5 hours
before it froze.  Most of the others froze in a matter of just a
few minutes.

   I realize that not a lot of people are using quad-head nVidia
cards under Linux, but I refuse to believe we are the only ones
on the planet.  I need some sort of feedback from the experts on
this.  Does anyone see anything in the configuration files that
raises a red flag?  The Xinerama-based configuration was not
changed in any way from what was produced by the nvidia-xconfig
utility (other than the RenderAccel Off test).  The TwinView
configuration had one edit made: the configuration produced by
nvidia-xconfig included a MetaModes "1024x768, 1024x768" line in
each Device section, which was hand-modified to replace all the
1024x768 strings with 1280x1024.

   I don't get any significant log output at the time of the
lockup; it's like X doesn't even recognize that there is any
error occuring.  I tried a kill -11 to see if I could get a
backtrace, but this was all that ended up being produced:

----------begin text----------
   *** If unresolved symbols were reported above, they might not
   *** be the reason for the server aborting.

Backtrace:
0: /usr/X11R6/bin/X(xf86SigHandler+0x88) [0x8089898]
1: [0xffffe420]

Fatal server error:
Caught signal 11.  Server aborting


Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support
       at http://wiki.X.Org
 for help.
Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional information.

(II) Screen 0 shares mem & io resources
(II) Screen 1 shares mem & io resources
(WW) NVIDIA(0): WAIT (2, 6, 0x8000, 0x000093ac, 0x000089ac, 0)
(WW) NVIDIA(0): WAIT (1, 6, 0x8000, 0x000093ac, 0x000089ac, 0)
(WW) NVIDIA(0): WAIT (2, 6, 0x8000, 0x000093ac, 0x000089e4, 0)
(WW) NVIDIA(0): WAIT (1, 6, 0x8000, 0x000093ac, 0x000089e4, 0)
(WW) NVIDIA(0): WAIT (2, 6, 0x8000, 0x000093ac, 0x000089f4, 0)
(WW) NVIDIA(0): WAIT (1, 6, 0x8000, 0x000093ac, 0x000089f4, 0)
(WW) NVIDIA(0): WAIT (2, 7, 0x8000, 0x000093ac, 0x00008a20, 0)
(WW) NVIDIA(0): WAIT (1, 7, 0x8000, 0x000093ac, 0x00008a20, 0)
(WW) NVIDIA(0): WAIT (2, 6, 0x8000, 0x000093ac, 0x00008a30, 0)
(WW) NVIDIA(0): WAIT (1, 6, 0x8000, 0x000093ac, 0x00008a30, 0)
(WW) NVIDIA(0): WAIT (2, 7, 0x8000, 0x000093ac, 0x00008a54, 0)
-----------end text-----------

   Note, NO unresolved symbols are mentioned in the X startup log,
which I have not included with this posting to keep the length down
to some sort of reasonable length.


   HERE IS THE Xinerama xorg.conf:

----------begin text----------
# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig:  version 1.0  (buildmeister at builder3)  Mon May 15 13:23:42 PDT 2006

# xorg.conf (Xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following commands as root:
#
#   cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.custom
#   md5sum /etc/X11/xorg.conf >/var/lib/xfree86/xorg.conf.md5sum
#   dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Default Layout"
    Screen      0  "Screen0"
    Screen      1  "Screen0 (2nd)" RightOf "Screen0"
    Screen      2  "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0 (2nd)"
    Screen      3  "Screen1 (2nd)" RightOf "Screen1"
    InputDevice    "Generic Keyboard"
    InputDevice    "Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "Files"

			# local font server
	# if the local font server has problems, we can fall back on these
    FontPath        "unix/:7100"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/CID"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load           "bitmap"
    Load           "dbe"
    Load           "ddc"
    Load           "evdev"
    Load           "extmod"
    Load           "freetype"
    Load           "glx"
    Load           "int10"
    Load           "record"
    Load           "type1"
    Load           "vbe"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
    Option         "Xinerama" "1"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Generic Keyboard"
    Driver         "keyboard"
    Option         "CoreKeyboard"
    Option         "XkbRules" "xorg"
    Option         "XkbModel" "pc104"
    Option         "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Configured Mouse"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "CorePointer"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
    Option         "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Unknown"
    HorizSync       30.0 - 110.0
    VertRefresh     50.0 - 150.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor1"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Unknown"
    HorizSync       30.0 - 110.0
    VertRefresh     50.0 - 150.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "Quadro NVS 440"
    BusID          "PCI:3:0:0"
#    Option         "RenderAccel"    "false"
    Screen          0
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0 (2nd)"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "Quadro NVS 440"
    BusID          "PCI:3:0:0"
#    Option         "RenderAccel"    "false"
    Screen          1
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device1"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "Quadro NVS 440"
    BusID          "PCI:4:0:0"
#    Option         "RenderAccel"    "false"
    Screen          0
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device1 (2nd)"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "Quadro NVS 440"
    BusID          "PCI:4:0:0"
#    Option         "RenderAccel"    "false"
    Screen          1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0 (2nd)"
    Device         "Device0 (2nd)"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen1"
    Device         "Device1"
    Monitor        "Monitor1"
    DefaultDepth    24
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen1 (2nd)"
    Device         "Device1 (2nd)"
    Monitor        "Monitor1"
    DefaultDepth    24
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

-----------end text-----------



   HERE IS THE TwinView xorg.conf:

----------begin text----------
# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig:  version 1.0  (buildmeister at builder3)  Mon May 15 13:23:42 PDT 2006

# xorg.conf (Xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following commands as root:
#
#   cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.custom
#   md5sum /etc/X11/xorg.conf >/var/lib/xfree86/xorg.conf.md5sum
#   dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Default Layout"
    Screen      0  "Screen0"
    Screen      1  "Screen0 (2nd)" RightOf "Screen0"
    Screen      2  "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0 (2nd)"
    Screen      3  "Screen1 (2nd)" RightOf "Screen1"
    InputDevice    "Generic Keyboard"
    InputDevice    "Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "Files"

			# local font server
	# if the local font server has problems, we can fall back on these
    FontPath        "unix/:7100"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/CID"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load           "bitmap"
    Load           "dbe"
    Load           "ddc"
    Load           "evdev"
    Load           "extmod"
    Load           "freetype"
    Load           "glx"
    Load           "int10"
    Load           "record"
    Load           "type1"
    Load           "vbe"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
    Option         "Xinerama" "1"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Generic Keyboard"
    Driver         "keyboard"
    Option         "CoreKeyboard"
    Option         "XkbRules" "xorg"
    Option         "XkbModel" "pc104"
    Option         "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Configured Mouse"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "CorePointer"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
    Option         "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Unknown"
    HorizSync       30.0 - 110.0
    VertRefresh     50.0 - 150.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor1"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Unknown"
    HorizSync       30.0 - 110.0
    VertRefresh     50.0 - 150.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "Quadro NVS 440"
#    Option         "RenderAccel"  "false"
    BusID          "PCI:3:0:0"
    Screen          0
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0 (2nd)"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "Quadro NVS 440"
#    Option         "RenderAccel"  "false"
    BusID          "PCI:3:0:0"
    Screen          1
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device1"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
#    Option         "RenderAccel"  "false"
    BoardName      "Quadro NVS 440"
    BusID          "PCI:4:0:0"
    Screen          0
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device1 (2nd)"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "Quadro NVS 440"
#    Option         "RenderAccel"  "false"
    BusID          "PCI:4:0:0"
    Screen          1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "True"
    Option         "TwinViewOrientation" "RightOf"
    Option         "UseEdidFreqs" "True"
#    Option         "MetaModes" "1024x768, 1024x768"
    Option         "MetaModes" "1280x1024, 1280x1024"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0 (2nd)"
    Device         "Device0 (2nd)"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "True"
    Option         "TwinViewOrientation" "RightOf"
    Option         "UseEdidFreqs" "True"
#    Option         "MetaModes" "1024x768, 1024x768"
    Option         "MetaModes" "1280x1024, 1280x1024"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen1"
    Device         "Device1"
    Monitor        "Monitor1"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "True"
    Option         "TwinViewOrientation" "RightOf"
    Option         "UseEdidFreqs" "True"
#    Option         "MetaModes" "1024x768, 1024x768"
    Option         "MetaModes" "1280x1024, 1280x1024"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen1 (2nd)"
    Device         "Device1 (2nd)"
    Monitor        "Monitor1"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "True"
    Option         "TwinViewOrientation" "RightOf"
    Option         "UseEdidFreqs" "True"
#    Option         "MetaModes" "1024x768, 1024x768"
    Option         "MetaModes" "1280x1024, 1280x1024"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

-----------end text-----------




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