xorg.conf for hp pavilion dm4 switchable graphics

stevekamau87 · Apr 8, 2012

Hi guys,

I'll keep it simple. I have an HP Pavilion dm4 -1350en laptop with switchable graphics (intel and ati mobility radeon hd 6300). My objective is to get Gnome 2.32 working on FreeBSD 9. I've installed gnome but gdm won't start. I then installed Xorg but the startx command didn't work either.

The xorg.conf file generated when I run Xorg -configure causes a blank screen with unresponsive keyboard and mouse.

I believe I need to tweak the xorg.conf file for the graphics devices on my laptop. This is where I need your help.

bbzz · Apr 8, 2012

Have you read this first? The whole chapter.

stevekamau87 · Apr 8, 2012

Yes, I read the handbook chapter on installing and configuring X11.

I've followed all the steps but my X11 configuration just doesn't work. I'm suspecting the graphics drivers but I'm not sure.

bbzz · Apr 8, 2012

Sorry I had to ask, some people expect everything to be readily served to them.

Be specific about startx, how does is fail? Can you post what's in /var/log/Xorg.0.log?

Beastie · Apr 8, 2012

I guess something like Linux' VGA switcheroo would be needed...

adamk · Apr 8, 2012

vgaswitcheroo shouldn't be needed. The AMD GPU will just be unusable, and the intel GPU will currently only work with the vesa driver. The intel KMS patches would be needed for even basic 2D acceleration and modesetting. But it should work with the Xorg vesa driver.

Adam

stevekamau87 · Apr 10, 2012

Please tell me how can I edit my xorg.conf to get the Intel GPU to work with the Xorg vesa driver?

Here is my xorg.conf file:

Code:

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier     "X.org Configured"
	Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
	Screen      1  "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
	InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
	InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "Files"
	ModulePath   "/usr/local/lib/xorg/modules"
	FontPath     "/usr/local/lib/X11/fonts/misc/"
	FontPath     "/usr/local/lib/X11/fonts/TTF/"
	FontPath     "/usr/local/lib/X11/fonts/OTF"
	FontPath     "/usr/local/lib/X11/fonts/Type1/"
	FontPath     "/usr/local/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/"
	FontPath     "/usr/local/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/"
EndSection

Section "Module"
	Load  "extmod"
	Load  "record"
	Load  "dbe"
	Load  "glx"
	Load  "dri"
	Load  "dri2"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "Keyboard0"
	Driver      "kbd"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "Mouse0"
	Driver      "mouse"
	Option	    "Protocol" "auto"
	Option	    "Device" "/dev/sysmouse"
	Option	    "ZAxisMapping" "4 5 6 7"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "Monitor0"
	VendorName   "Monitor Vendor"
	ModelName    "Monitor Model"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "Monitor1"
	VendorName   "Monitor Vendor"
	ModelName    "Monitor Model"
EndSection

Section "Device"
        ### Available Driver options are:-
        ### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
        ### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz"
        ### [arg]: arg optional
        #Option     "NoAccel"            	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "SWcursor"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "Dac6Bit"            	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "Dac8Bit"            	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "BusType"            	# [<str>]
        #Option     "CPPIOMode"          	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "CPusecTimeout"      	# <i>
        #Option     "AGPMode"            	# <i>
        #Option     "AGPFastWrite"       	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "AGPSize"            	# <i>
        #Option     "GARTSize"           	# <i>
        #Option     "RingSize"           	# <i>
        #Option     "BufferSize"         	# <i>
        #Option     "EnableDepthMoves"   	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "EnablePageFlip"     	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "NoBackBuffer"       	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "DMAForXv"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "FBTexPercent"       	# <i>
        #Option     "DepthBits"          	# <i>
        #Option     "PCIAPERSize"        	# <i>
        #Option     "AccelDFS"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "IgnoreEDID"         	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "CustomEDID"         	# [<str>]
        #Option     "DisplayPriority"    	# [<str>]
        #Option     "PanelSize"          	# [<str>]
        #Option     "ForceMinDotClock"   	# <freq>
        #Option     "ColorTiling"        	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "VideoKey"           	# <i>
        #Option     "RageTheatreCrystal" 	# <i>
        #Option     "RageTheatreTunerPort" 	# <i>
        #Option     "RageTheatreCompositePort" 	# <i>
        #Option     "RageTheatreSVideoPort" 	# <i>
        #Option     "TunerType"          	# <i>
        #Option     "RageTheatreMicrocPath" 	# <str>
        #Option     "RageTheatreMicrocType" 	# <str>
        #Option     "ScalerWidth"        	# <i>
        #Option     "RenderAccel"        	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "SubPixelOrder"      	# [<str>]
        #Option     "ClockGating"        	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "VGAAccess"          	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "ReverseDDC"         	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "LVDSProbePLL"       	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "AccelMethod"        	# <str>
        #Option     "DRI"                	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "ConnectorTable"     	# <str>
        #Option     "DefaultConnectorTable" 	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "DefaultTMDSPLL"     	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "TVDACLoadDetect"    	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "ForceTVOut"         	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "TVStandard"         	# <str>
        #Option     "IgnoreLidStatus"    	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "DefaultTVDACAdj"    	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "Int10"              	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "EXAVSync"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "ATOMTVOut"          	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "R4xxATOM"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "ForceLowPowerMode"  	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "DynamicPM"          	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "NewPLL"             	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "ZaphodHeads"        	# <str>
	Identifier  "Card0"
	Driver      "radeon"
	VendorName  "Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI"
	BoardName   "Robson CE [AMD Radeon HD 6300 Series]"
	BusID       "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
        ### Available Driver options are:-
        ### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
        ### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz"
        ### [arg]: arg optional
        #Option     "ShadowFB"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "Rotate"             	# <str>
        #Option     "fbdev"              	# <str>
        #Option     "debug"              	# [<bool>]
	Identifier  "Card1"
	Driver      "fbdev"
	VendorName  "Intel Corporation"
	BoardName   "Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller"
	BusID       "PCI:0:2:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen0"
	Device     "Card0"
	Monitor    "Monitor0"
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     1
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     4
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     8
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     15
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     16
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     24
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen1"
	Device     "Card1"
	Monitor    "Monitor1"
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     1
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     4
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     8
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     15
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     16
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     24
	EndSubSection
EndSection

And here is my /var/log/Xorg.0.log file:

http://pastebin.com/pXQMyp4i

adamk · Apr 10, 2012

You need just one Screen section, specifying the vesa driver. Something along these lines:

Code:

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier     "X.org Configured"
	Screen         "Screen1"
	InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
	InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "Files"
	ModulePath   "/usr/local/lib/xorg/modules"
	FontPath     "/usr/local/lib/X11/fonts/misc/"
	FontPath     "/usr/local/lib/X11/fonts/TTF/"
	FontPath     "/usr/local/lib/X11/fonts/OTF"
	FontPath     "/usr/local/lib/X11/fonts/Type1/"
	FontPath     "/usr/local/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/"
	FontPath     "/usr/local/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/"
EndSection

Section "Module"
	Load  "extmod"
	Load  "record"
	Load  "dbe"
	Load  "glx"
	Load  "dri"
	Load  "dri2"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "Keyboard0"
	Driver      "kbd"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "Mouse0"
	Driver      "mouse"
	Option	    "Protocol" "auto"
	Option	    "Device" "/dev/sysmouse"
	Option	    "ZAxisMapping" "4 5 6 7"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "Monitor1"
	VendorName   "Monitor Vendor"
	ModelName    "Monitor Model"
EndSection

Section "Device"
        ### Available Driver options are:-
        ### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
        ### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz"
        ### [arg]: arg optional
        #Option     "ShadowFB"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "Rotate"             	# <str>
        #Option     "fbdev"              	# <str>
        #Option     "debug"              	# [<bool>]
	Identifier  "Card1"
	Driver      "vesa"
	VendorName  "Intel Corporation"
	BoardName   "Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller"
	BusID       "PCI:0:2:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen1"
	Device     "Card1"
	Monitor    "Monitor1"
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     1
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     4
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     8
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     15
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     16
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     24
	EndSubSection
EndSection

stevekamau87 · Apr 10, 2012

I've tried the xorg.conf you provided using the vesa driver for the Intel GPU. It still gives me the same result.

When I run the following command [CMD=""]Xorg -config xorg.conf.new -retro[/CMD]
I get a blank screen with no response whatsoever from the keyboard or mouse.
At this point I'm forced to shutdown with the power button.

The result is the same when I copy the xorg.conf to /etc/X11/xorg.conf and run startx

What do you think could be the issue?

adamk · Apr 10, 2012

No idea, really. You could try remotely logging into the machine via ssh before running startx and then checking the Xorg log file when the screen goes blank.

stevekamau87 · Apr 10, 2012

Thanks a lot for the help.

If I can't figure this out and get Gnome to work, I shall be humbled into settling for PC-BSD.
Now that would be a shame for me considering how much learning FreeBSD makes me do.

P.S. It's interesting how hardware manufacturers readily support Windows (my laptop came pre-installed with windows) but limit hardware support for UNIX-like O.Ss

stevekamau87 · Oct 13, 2012

I never managed to figure this thing out.

I think it causes a total system lockup because I can't even ssh into the machine.

If anyone comes up with anything else, please let me know.

darcsis · Oct 15, 2012

intel gpu (sb and ib) should work. my intel hd4000 work well, but with some issues. e.g. cant do vt switch.

stevekamau87 · Oct 16, 2012

Are you using intel GPU with the KMS patches?
I'm asking because the default intel driver (without KMS) causes Xorg to complain that "No Devices were detected."

stevekamau87 · Nov 4, 2012

Vesa never worked for me.

I finally sorted this out by installing FreeBSD 9.1 RC2 which has Intel KMS support included.

I then built the new Xorg with KMS.

The intel driver works perfectly.

Thank you all for the help.