xf86-video-nouveau.tcz -> missing nouveau.ko module

[madmax]

Hello:

The kernel modules required by the Nouveau driver are:

1. drm.ko
2. drm_kms_helper.ko
3. ttm.ko
4. nouveau.ko.
See: https://nouveau.freedesktop.org/wiki/InstallNouveau/

For some reason, nouveau.ko is not loaded along with drm.ko, drm_kms_helper.ko, ttm.ko. when loading xf86-video-nouveau.tcz.

Code: [Select]

tc@box:~$ slocate drm.ko
/usr/local/lib/modules/4.19.10-tinycore/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/hisilicon/hibmc/hibmc-drm.ko.gz
/usr/local/lib/modules/4.19.10-tinycore/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/drm.ko.gz
/usr/local/lib/modules/4.19.10-tinycore/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/bochs/bochs-drm.ko.gz
tc@box:~$


Code: [Select]

tc@box:~$ slocate drm_kms_helper.ko
/usr/local/lib/modules/4.19.10-tinycore/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_kms_helper.ko.gz
tc@box:~$


Code: [Select]

tc@box:~$ slocate ttm.ko
/usr/local/lib/modules/4.19.10-tinycore/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/ttm/ttm.ko.gz


Code: [Select]

tc@box:~$ slocate nouveau.ko
tc@box:~$

Loading xf86-video-nouveau.tcz as suggested for Xorg 7.7 ie: without an xorg.conf file brings up this error in the Xor.0.log file:

Code: [Select]

[    24.326] (EE) [drm] Failed to open DRM device for pci:0000:02:00.0: -19
[    24.452] (EE) [drm] Failed to open DRM device for pci:0000:02:00.0: -19


It would seem that the errors are caused by the nouveau.ko not being loaded.
See https://nouveau.freedesktop.org/wiki/TroubleShooting/#index1h3.

I guess (?) xf86-video-nouveau.tcz needs an update to include nouveau.ko or maybe it is easier if nouveau.ko can be made into .tcz listed in the dep files to be installed along with xf86-video-nouveau.tcz.

Thanks in advance,

MM

[Rich]

Hi madmax
I wonder if this is causing you problems:

Code: [Select]

# CONFIG_DRM_NOUVEAU is not setfound here:
http://tinycorelinux.net/10.x/x86/release/src/kernel/config-4.19.10-tinycore

[madmax]

Hello Rich:

I wonder if this is causing you problems:

Code: [Select]

# CONFIG_DRM_NOUVEAU is not setfound here:
http://tinycorelinux.net/10.x/x86/release/src/kernel/config-4.19.10-tinycore

Well ...
Evaluating what that configuration entry actually does is really way (way) over my head so I really could not say.
I never got around to doing anyhing more than .bat files and opted for working in the hardware aspects of IT, where I was rather a 'natural' and thus, more proficient. ie: made more money.

By the time I wanted to learn about scripts and compiling, I was too busy making ends meet and had no time for it.

So I can only refer to what the freedesktop.org pages point out.
ie:

Is X using the right driver (DDX)?
Do not use nv driver in X. Use nouveau instead. Check your Xorg.0.log file and make sure you see lines like NOUVEAU(0). If you do not use such lines, check your xorg.conf.

and

Kernel
The kernel modules required by Nouveau (drm.ko, drm_kms_helper.ko, ttm.ko and nouveau.ko) are built from a Linux kernel tree.

Just to try out/check/compare, I booted up a Mint 17.x live DVD (which boots with Nouveau drivers) and two of my three screens came up with the correct resolution of 1280x1024. I do recall that some minor tweaking of the xorg.conf file was required to get all three running as a single desktop, but that was all.

All the files required by the troubleshooting page freedesktop.org were present in the Mint 17.x live system.

Thanks a lot for your input.

Cheers,

MM

[Rich]

Hi madmax

The configuration item CONFIG_DRM_NOUVEAU:

    prompt: Nouveau (NVIDIA) cards
    type: tristate
    depends on: CONFIG_DRM && CONFIG_PCI && CONFIG_MMU
    defined in drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/Kconfig
    found in Linux kernels: 3.17–3.19, 4.0–4.20, 5.0–5.3, 5.4-rc+HEAD
    modules built: nouveau

Found here:
https://cateee.net/lkddb/web-lkddb/DRM_NOUVEAU.html

Some more info in this thread:
http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php?topic=21484.0

[madmax]

Hello Rich:

Found here:
https://cateee.net/lkddb/web-lkddb/DRM_NOUVEAU.html
Some more info in this thread:
http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php?topic=21484.0

Thanks for the information but I must say that I don't really know exactly what to make of all this.
I could not make much out of of the info in the cateee.net link until I read the other forum link.

At first sight and even after reading it over, it all seems rather contradictory and must confess that I'm rather puzzled.

So, here's what I understand:
(please allow for my lack of programming/compiling know-how and correct me if I am wrong somewhere)

1.
According to https://nouveau.freedesktop.org/wiki/InstallNouveau/ the kernel modules required by the Nouveau driver are:
1. drm.ko
2. drm_kms_helper.ko
3. ttm.ko
4. nouveau.ko.
See: https://nouveau.freedesktop.org/wiki/InstallNouveau/

2.
According to https://nouveau.freedesktop.org/wiki/TroubleShooting the nv driver should not be used in X, the nouveau driver being the right one to use.

3.
The nouveau driver is available for downloading/installation from the Tinycore repositories (at least as far back as 7.1) but it does not work properly due to nouveau.ko not being loaded. The error messages in Xorg.0.log plus the information in the above troubleshooting page would indicate that is exactly the issue at hand.

4.
If I understood correctly, the nouveau.ko module not loading and the consequent malfunctioning of the nouveau driver are linked and the direct result of the kernel not being configured to load it.
ie:

Code: [Select]

# CONFIG_DRM_NOUVEAU is not set

5.
Reading the post from exactly two years ago that you've linked to, it would seem that this was done purposedly owing to the nouveau driver being considered at that time "still far too unstable" without any further explanation and recommending the use of the nv driver (which does not work properly with my card as I have found out) or the NVidia propietary driver, which is unavailable in 10.1 and has been unavailable at least from 7.2.

I don't know if the criteria used two years ago to deem the nouveau driver "still far too unstable" are still valid today, but said criteria was certainly not shared by Ubuntu and Ubuntu based distributions such as Mint where it works perfectly well on the same hardware.

Wouldn't it be much easier to enable CONFIG_DRM_NOUVEAU and post a big fat warning in the info section saying that it was "still far too unstable"?   

It would certainly be much more time effective. = ^/

You have generously been answering all my questions and helping me out in my attempts to get my NVidia card to work properly for a good while, only to arrive many posts later to the fact that the nouveau driver is available for download but crippled at kernel configuration level.

I propose to those responsible for compiling the kernel that CONFIG_DRM_NOUVEAU be set.
I volunteer to test the nouveau driver and see if it still shows any stability problems.

Thank you Rich for all your help.

Best,

MM

[Juanito]

Can your video hardware use the nvidia-390.116-4-KERNEL and nvidia-glx-390.116-KERNEL extensions?

[madmax]

Hello Juanito:

... use the nvidia-390.116-4-KERNEL and nvidia-glx-390.116-KERNEL extensions?

Unfortunately not.

I tried the 390.116 drivers at the very start but Xorg.0.log complained saying that the installed hardware needs the 340 legacy drivers.

At the moment I am attempting to use the Xvesa driver.
I get the 1280x1024 resolution but the tearing when I move a window (or scroll) makes it all but unusable, the same happens with the xfbdev driver.

Thanks,

MM

[Juanito]

Did you try Xorg-7.7 with the xf86-video-vesa driver - i.e. without loading the xf86-video-nouveau extension?

[madmax]

Hello:

... try Xorg-7.7 with the xf86-video-vesa driver - i.e. without loading the xf86-video-nouveau extension?

Yes, one of the first things I tried.

X would not start.

Cheers,

MM

PS: copied the log to the wrong place so it vanished. There's a int10 issue but let me know if you need to see it.

[Juanito]

nouveau-KERNEL extension posted - I don't have the hardware to test.

[madmax]

Hello Juanito:

nouveau-KERNEL extension posted - I don't have the hardware to test.

Thank you very much.  =-)

I'll load it and see how it works.

Do you want me to run any specific tests?
Let me know and I'll post or send you the results.

Cheers,

MM

[madmax]

Hello Juanito:

I'll load it and see how it works.

Unfortunately there has been no change.
Things are like when I posted here:
http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,23259.0.html

Specifically Reply #3.

Code: [Select]

[    24.326] (EE) [drm] Failed to open DRM device for pci:0000:02:00.0: -19
[    24.452] (EE) [drm] Failed to open DRM device for pci:0000:02:00.0: -19

I'm attaching Xorg.0.log for this session.
Note that even though Xfbdev is being loaded, Xorg.0.log says it cannot open the module. 

Also, the nouveau module is installed but not being loaded

Code: [Select]

tc@box:~$ slocate nouveau
/mnt/sda1/tce/optional/xf86-video-nouveau.tcz.md5.txt
/mnt/sda1/tce/optional/nouveau-4.19.10-tinycore.tcz.md5.txt
/mnt/sda1/tce/optional/nouveau-4.19.10-tinycore.tcz
/mnt/sda1/tce/optional/nouveau-4.19.10-tinycore.tcz.dep
/mnt/sda1/tce/optional/xf86-video-nouveau.tcz
/usr/local/lib/libdrm_nouveau.so.2.0.0
/usr/local/lib/libdrm_nouveau.so.2
/usr/local/lib/libdrm_nouveau.so
/usr/local/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/nouveau_drv.so
/usr/local/lib/modules/4.19.10-tinycore/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau
/usr/local/lib/modules/4.19.10-tinycore/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau.ko.gz
/usr/local/tce.installed/xf86-video-nouveau
/usr/local/tce.installed/nouveau-4.19.10-tinycore
tc@box:~$


Code: [Select]

tc@box:~$ lsmod | grep nouveau
tc@box:~$


Code: [Select]

tc@box:~$ sudo modprobe nouveau
modprobe: can't load module nouveau (kernel.tclocal/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau.ko.gz): unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter
tc@box:~$

Also found this in dmesg:

Code: [Select]

[   14.803025] nouveau: Unknown symbol drm_legacy_mmap (err -2)
[   14.876423] nouveau: Unknown symbol drm_legacy_mmap (err -2)

Thanks for the effort, specially on a saturday.

MM

[Juanito]

Look at the depends line in “modinfo nouveau” to see which module is missing.

[madmax]

Hello:

... depends line in “modinfo nouveau” to see which module is missing.

OK

Code: [Select]

tc@box:~$ modinfo nouveau
filename:       /lib/modules/4.19.10-tinycore/kernel.tclocal/drivers/gpu/drm/nouveau/nouveau.ko.gz
author:         Nouveau Project
description:    nVidia Riva/TNT/GeForce/Quadro/Tesla/Tegra K1+
license:        GPL and additional rights
---- snip ----
alias:          pci:v000012D2d*sv*sd*bc03sc*i*
alias:          pci:v000010DEd*sv*sd*bc03sc*i*
depends:    drm,drm_kms_helper,ttm,agpgart,mxm-wmi,wmi,video,i2c-algo-bit
---- snip ----
tc@box:~$   


Code: [Select]

tc@box:~$ lsmod | grep drm
drm_kms_helper         86016  0
fb_sys_fops            12288  1 drm_kms_helper
syscopyarea            12288  1 drm_kms_helper
sysfillrect            12288  1 drm_kms_helper
sysimgblt              12288  1 drm_kms_helper
drm                   212992  2 drm_kms_helper,ttm
agpgart                24576  2 ttm,drm
tc@box:~$


Code: [Select]

tc@box:~$ lsmod | grep wmi
mxm_wmi                12288  0
wmi                    16384  1 mxm_wmi
tc@box:~$


Code: [Select]

tc@box:~$ lsmod | grep video
video                  28672  0
backlight              12288  1 video
tc@box:~$


Code: [Select]

tc@box:~$ lsmod | grep algo
i2c_algo_bit           12288  0
tc@box:~$

It would seem that they are all there (?).

Thanks,

MM

[madmax]

Hello:

It would seem that they are all there (?).

Sorry, I neglected to add ttm and agpgart, but they are present:

Code: [Select]

tc@box:~$ lsmod | grep ttm
ttm                    53248  0
drm                   212992  2 drm_kms_helper,ttm
agpgart                24576  2 ttm,drm
tc@box:~$


Code: [Select]

tc@box:~$ lsmod | grep agpgart
agpgart                24576  2 ttm,drm
tc@box:~$

Do let me know if there's anything else I can do.

Thanks in advance,

MM