KDE Live CD 11.4 X86-64 graphics performance

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

I have an 11.2 laptop and thought it was time to upgrade to 11.4. I downloaded the 11.4 X86-64 live cd and thought that I would check how it ran on my 11.3 desktop. This is a core i5 760 with an Nvidia GT240 graphics card and 4GB of DDR3 ram. The 11.4 live system shows the nouveau driver. The graphics performance is terrible. In particular windows are very very slow to resize and often don’t resize properly. There are also some artifacts in some graphics. I eventually downloaded Flash which did seem to work moderately well, especially in full screen mode. The screen resolution is 1920x1080. I have never seen a windowing system work so slowly

While I always use the Nvidia proprietary driver, I don’t know how I can test it via a live CD. The Nvidia driver in the repository is the 270 version and I think that I have seen reports of severe problems with the 270 version so that needs to be tested too. I always install the nvidia driver the really easy way via yast

Has anyone any idea why the KDE Live graphics are so slow? I will not go anywhere near 11.4 unless the graphics system is very much faster. Is there any way to test the nvidia proprietary graphics driver without installing 11.4?

#2

Can you confirm you do not have hybrid graphics ? ie what is output of:


/sbin/lspci -nnk | grep VGA -A3

Note wrt openSUSE-11.4, when you boot the liveCD with nVida graphic hardware (not with Intel) it will attempt to boot with kernel modesetting enabled and the ‘nouveau’ driver.

If instead, at the liveCD’s grub boot menu, you enter the boot code ‘nomodeset’ then the liveCD will attempt to boot with kernel modesetting disabled and the ‘nv’ graphic driver.

I have a desktop with a core i7 920 CPU and a nVidia GTX-260 graphic card, and it works well with the proprietary nVidia graphic driver (currently I’m using the 270.41.06 version).

Reference KDE graphics being slow, there is also KDE is slow for dummies (don’t shoot the messenger) : KDE is slow – for dummies … but I have not had to use that.

It may be difficult as it is necessary to black list the nouveau driver and also ensure modesetting is disabled.

You could try.

Do this by booting the liveCD with ‘nomodeset’ in the grub menu . Then in the KDE GUI, blacklist the ‘nouveau’ driver by typing ‘su’ (to get root permissions and use < enter > as the passord) and then backlist nouveau in the /etc/modprobe.d/50-blacklist.conf file with:


echo "blacklist nouveau" >> /etc/modprobe.d/50-blacklist.conf

Then go to yast > System > /etc/sysconfig Editor > System > Kernel > NO_KMS_IN_INITRD and change it to “yes”. This takes a minute or two to save once changed is submitted. And it may be wasted effort since the kernel is already booted and running.

Then download the priorietary nVidia driver to your /home/your username directory. I think the 270.41.19 may be the latest version today (it is in the process of changing as I type this). I will use the “NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-270.41.06.run” for my example.

Then type ‘su’ (use < enter > as the password) and install kernel-source, kernel-syms, gcc and make with:

zypper in kernel-source kernel-syms gcc make

Don’t !!! install via YaST for this.

Then while you still have root permissions type:

 init 3

and login to this full screen mode as user “linux” and use < enter > as the password.

Then type ‘su’ to get root permissions (use < enter > as the password) and then build the proprietary driver with :

sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-270.41.06.run -q

and after that is complete, type ‘exit’ to get rid of root permissions, and then try to start X with

init 5

…
It may not work because you did not boot with nomodesetting in the /etc/sysconfig nor with nouveau blacklisted, but its worth a shot.

Your laptop needs LOTS of memory for the above. Likely a minimum of 4GB of RAM.

#3

I never tried this with a live cd, but it should be possible to install the
nvidia driver into the live system. Another way would be if you create with
suse studio your own live cd which has the nvidia driver.

–
PC: oS 11.3 64 bit | Intel Core2 Quad Q8300@2.50GHz | KDE 4.6.3 | GeForce
9600 GT | 4GB Ram
Eee PC 1201n: oS 11.4 64 bit | Intel Atom 330@1.60GHz | KDE 4.6.0 | nVidia
ION | 3GB Ram

#4

Another option, if you have the unused space on a hard disk, and are reasonably comfortable with partitioning, is to resize one partition to give perhaps 10GB free space and install 11.4 there creating only a ‘/’ partition for it, a separate ‘/home’ is not needed as this is only for testing. Later you can either delete the partition and resize, or use it as a data partition until you want to test another version.

You would need to back up your date first. This is a precaution that should always be taken.

This allows for a direct comparison between the two installs, means that you should have at least one openSUSE usable while you make the changes, and allows you to sort out any problems at your leisure.

#5

Requested output


linux@linux:~> /sbin/lspci -nnk | grep VGA -A3
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: nVidia Corporation GT215 [GeForce GT 240] [10de:0ca3] (rev a2)
01:00.1 Audio device [0403]: nVidia Corporation High Definition Audio Controller [10de:0be4] (rev a1)
        Kernel driver in use: HDA Intel
02:00.0 USB Controller [0c03]: NEC Corporation uPD720200 USB 3.0 Host Controller [1033:0194] (rev 03)
linux@linux:~>

There was one thing that I forgot as I do it automatically with 11.3 & Nvidia, I booted with nomodeset. If I did not use nomodeset on the 11.3 live cd , the screen would periodically freeze. I tried 11.4 without nomodeset and the slowness goes away. The above output is from the machine booted with nomodeset.

I thought that nomodeset brought in nv, I may be wrong, but this does not seem to have happened here as the system information screen says nouveau & swrast. There is a log message about NVIDIA not being found

I am happy not to use nomodeset when I boot from the CD but should it work? Resizing windows is virtually unusable when booted with nomodeset.

I think that I shall try to build my own live cd with the nvidia driver included as well as dar. I have been intending to build a recovery CD or DVD that includes dar to avoid keeping dar on a usb stick.

I shall now go and pick a few more Kg of cherries.

#6

I recommend you double check that.

We have 3 PCs in our apartment with different nVidia hardware and at least one openSUSE-11.4 install in a partition on each of those PCs (with this nVidia hardware) on these 3 different pcs:

  • GeForce FX5200
  • GeForce GTX 260
  • GeForce G210

and in EACH case when booting from an openSUSE-11.4 liveCD, using the boot code ‘nv’ brings up the ‘nv’ and NOT the ‘nouveau’ video driver.

Ergo, I am suspicious of an inaccuracy here. Maybe you typed ‘nomodeset’ wrong ?

#7

I hope that I did not mis-key nomodeset. Here is more info


<5>    0.000000] Linux version 2.6.37.1-1.2-desktop (geeko@buildhost) (gcc version 4.5.1 20101208 [gcc-4_5-branch revision 167585] (SUSE Linux) ) #1 SMP PREEMPT 2011-02-21 10:34:10 +0100
<6>    0.000000] Command line: initrd=initrd,12801024.spl ramdisk_size=512000 ramdisk_blocksize=4096 splash=silent quiet preloadlog=/dev/null vga=0x31a lang=en_GB nomodeset

Above from boot.msg, below from Xorg.0.log


    60.726] (==) Matched nvidia as autoconfigured driver 0
    60.726] (==) Matched nouveau as autoconfigured driver 1
    60.726] (==) Matched nv as autoconfigured driver 2
    60.726] (==) Matched fbdev as autoconfigured driver 3
    60.726] (==) Matched vesa as autoconfigured driver 4
    60.726] (==) Assigned the driver to the xf86ConfigLayout
    60.726] (II) LoadModule: "nvidia"
    60.727] (WW) Warning, couldn't open module nvidia
    60.727] (II) UnloadModule: "nvidia"
    60.727] (EE) Failed to load module "nvidia" (module does not exist, 0)
    60.727] (II) LoadModule: "nouveau"
    60.727] (II) Loading /usr/lib64/xorg/modules/drivers/nouveau_drv.so
    61.161] (II) Module nouveau: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
    61.161] 	compiled for 1.9.3, module version = 0.0.16
    61.161] 	Module class: X.Org Video Driver
    61.161] 	ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 8.0
    61.161] (II) LoadModule: "nv"
    61.162] (II) Loading /usr/lib64/xorg/modules/drivers/nv_drv.so
    61.319] (II) Module nv: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
    61.319] 	compiled for 1.9.3, module version = 2.1.18
    61.319] 	Module class: X.Org Video Driver
    61.319] 	ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 8.0
    61.319] (II) LoadModule: "fbdev"
    61.319] (II) Loading /usr/lib64/xorg/modules/drivers/fbdev_drv.so
    61.319] (II) Module fbdev: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
    61.319] 	compiled for 1.9.3, module version = 0.4.2
    61.319] 	ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 8.0
    61.320] (II) LoadModule: "vesa"
    61.320] (II) Loading /usr/lib64/xorg/modules/drivers/vesa_drv.so
    61.320] (II) Module vesa: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
    61.320] 	compiled for 1.9.3, module version = 2.3.0
    61.320] 	Module class: X.Org Video Driver
    61.320] 	ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 8.0
    61.320] (II) NOUVEAU driver 
    61.320] (II) NOUVEAU driver for NVIDIA chipset families :
    61.320] 	RIVA TNT    (NV04)
    61.320] 	RIVA TNT2   (NV05)
    61.320] 	GeForce 256 (NV10)
    61.320] 	GeForce 2   (NV11, NV15)
    61.320] 	GeForce 4MX (NV17, NV18)
    61.320] 	GeForce 3   (NV20)
    61.320] 	GeForce 4Ti (NV25, NV28)
    61.320] 	GeForce FX  (NV3x)
    61.320] 	GeForce 6   (NV4x)
    61.320] 	GeForce 7   (G7x)
    61.320] 	GeForce 8   (G8x)
    61.320] (II) NV: driver for NVIDIA chipsets: RIVA 128, RIVA TNT, RIVA TNT2,
	Unknown TNT2, Vanta, RIVA TNT2 Ultra, RIVA TNT2 Model 64,
	Aladdin TNT2, GeForce 256, GeForce DDR, Quadro, GeForce2 MX/MX 400,
	GeForce2 MX 100/200, GeForce2 Go, Quadro2 MXR/EX/Go,
	GeForce2 Integrated GPU, GeForce2 GTS, GeForce2 Ti, GeForce2 Ultra,
	Quadro2 Pro, GeForce4 MX 460, GeForce4 MX 440, GeForce4 MX 420,
	GeForce4 MX 440-SE, GeForce4 440 Go, GeForce4 420 Go,
	GeForce4 420 Go 32M, GeForce4 460 Go, Quadro4 550 XGL,
	GeForce4 440 Go 64M, Quadro NVS, Quadro4 500 GoGL,
	GeForce4 410 Go 16M, GeForce4 MX 440 with AGP8X,
	GeForce4 MX 440SE with AGP8X, GeForce4 MX 420 with AGP8X,
	GeForce4 MX 4000, GeForce4 448 Go, GeForce4 488 Go, Quadro4 580 XGL,
	Quadro4 NVS 280 SD, Quadro4 380 XGL, Quadro NVS 50 PCI,
	GeForce4 448 Go, GeForce4 MX Integrated GPU, GeForce3,
	GeForce3 Ti 200, GeForce3 Ti 500, Quadro DCC, GeForce4 Ti 4600,
	GeForce4 Ti 4400, GeForce4 Ti 4200, Quadro4 900 XGL, Quadro4 750 XGL,
	Quadro4 700 XGL, GeForce4 Ti 4800, GeForce4 Ti 4200 with AGP8X,
	GeForce4 Ti 4800 SE, GeForce4 4200 Go, Quadro4 700 GoGL,
	Quadro4 980 XGL, Quadro4 780 XGL, GeForce FX 5800 Ultra,
	GeForce FX 5800, Quadro FX 2000, Quadro FX 1000,
	GeForce FX 5600 Ultra, GeForce FX 5600, GeForce FX 5600XT,
	GeForce FX Go5600, GeForce FX Go5650, Quadro FX Go700,
	GeForce FX 5200, GeForce FX 5200 Ultra, GeForce FX 5200,
	GeForce FX 5200LE, GeForce FX Go5200, GeForce FX Go5250,
	GeForce FX 5500, GeForce FX 5100, GeForce FX Go5200 32M/64M,
	Quadro NVS 55/280 PCI, Quadro FX 500/600 PCI,
	GeForce FX Go53xx Series, GeForce FX Go5100, GeForce FX 5900 Ultra,
	GeForce FX 5900, GeForce FX 5900XT, GeForce FX 5950 Ultra,
	GeForce FX 5900ZT, Quadro FX 3000, Quadro FX 700,
	GeForce FX 5700 Ultra, GeForce FX 5700, GeForce FX 5700LE,
	GeForce FX 5700VE, GeForce FX Go5700, GeForce FX Go5700,
	Quadro FX Go1000, Quadro FX 1100, GeForce 6800 Ultra, GeForce 6800,
	GeForce 6800 LE, GeForce 6800 XE, GeForce 6800 XT, GeForce 6800 GT,
	GeForce 6800 GT, GeForce 6800 GS, GeForce 6800 XT, Quadro FX 4000,
	GeForce 6800 GS, GeForce 6800, GeForce 6800 LE, GeForce 6800 XT,
	GeForce Go 6800, GeForce Go 6800 Ultra, Quadro FX Go1400,
	Quadro FX 3450/4000 SDI, Quadro FX 1400, GeForce 6600 GT,
	GeForce 6600, GeForce 6600 LE, GeForce 6600 VE, GeForce Go 6600,
	GeForce 6610 XL, GeForce Go 6600 TE/6200 TE, GeForce 6700 XL,
	GeForce Go 6600, GeForce Go 6600 GT, Quadro NVS 440, Quadro FX 550,
	Quadro FX 550, Quadro FX 540, GeForce 6200, GeForce 6500,
	GeForce 6200 TurboCache(TM), GeForce 6200SE TurboCache(TM),
	GeForce 6200 LE, GeForce Go 6200, Quadro NVS 285, GeForce Go 6400,
	GeForce Go 6200, GeForce Go 6400, GeForce 6250, GeForce 7100 GS,
	GeForce 6800, GeForce 6800 LE, GeForce 6800 GT, GeForce 6800 XT,
	GeForce 6200, GeForce 6200 A-LE, GeForce 7800 GTX, GeForce 7800 GTX,
	GeForce 7800 GT, GeForce 7800 GS, GeForce 7800 SLI, GeForce Go 7800,
	GeForce Go 7800 GTX, Quadro FX 4500, GeForce 7350 LE,
	GeForce 7300 LE, GeForce 7300 SE, GeForce Go 7200, GeForce Go 7300,
	GeForce Go 7400, GeForce Go 7400 GS, Quadro NVS 110M,
	Quadro NVS 120M, Quadro FX 350M, GeForce 7500 LE, Quadro FX 350,
	GeForce 7300 GS, GeForce 7650 GS, GeForce 7600 GT, GeForce 7600 GS,
	GeForce 7300 GT, GeForce 7600 LE, GeForce 7300 GT, GeForce Go 7700,
	GeForce Go 7600, GeForce Go 7600 GT, Quadro NVS 300M,
	GeForce Go 7900 SE, Quadro FX 550M, Quadro FX 560, GeForce 7900 GTX,
	GeForce 7900 GT, GeForce 7900 GS, GeForce 7950 GX2, GeForce 7950 GX2,
	GeForce 7950 GT, GeForce Go 7950 GTX, GeForce Go 7900 GS,
	GeForce Go 7900 GTX, Quadro FX 2500M, Quadro FX 1500M,
	Quadro FX 5500, Quadro FX 3500, Quadro FX 1500, Quadro FX 4500 X2,
	GeForce 6150, GeForce 6150 LE, GeForce 6100, GeForce Go 6150,
	Quadro NVS 210S / NVIDIA GeForce 6150LE, GeForce Go 6100,
	GeForce 6150SE, GeForce 6100 nForce 405, GeForce 6100 nForce 400,
	GeForce 6100 nForce 420, GeForce 7150M / nForce 630M,
	GeForce 7000M / nForce 610M, GeForce 7050 PV / nForce 630a,
	GeForce 7050 PV / nForce 630a, GeForce 7025 / nForce 630a,
	GeForce 8800 GTX, GeForce 8800 GTS, GeForce 8800 Ultra,
	Quadro FX 5600, Quadro FX 4600, GeForce 8600 GTS, GeForce 8600 GT,
	GeForce 8600 GT, GeForce 8600 GS, GeForce 8400 GS, GeForce 9500M GS,
	GeForce 8300 GS, GeForce 8600M GT, GeForce 9650M GS,
	GeForce 8700M GT, Quadro FX 370, Quadro NVS 320M, Quadro FX 570M,
	Quadro FX 1600M, Quadro FX 570, Quadro FX 1700, GeForce GT 330,
	GeForce 8400 SE, GeForce 8500 GT, GeForce 8400 GS, GeForce 8300 GS,
	GeForce 8400 GS, GeForce 8600M GS, GeForce 8400M GT,
	GeForce 8400M GS, GeForce 8400M G, Quadro NVS 140M, Quadro NVS 130M,
	Quadro NVS 135M, GeForce 9400 GT, Quadro FX 360M, GeForce 9300M G,
	Quadro NVS 290, GeForce GTX 295, GeForce GTX 280, GeForce GTX 260,
	GeForce GTX 285, GeForce GTX 275, GeForce GTX 260, GeForce GTX 295,
	Quadroplex 2200 D2, Quadroplex 2200 S4, Quadro CX, Quadro FX 5800,
	Quadro FX 4800, Quadro FX 3800, GeForce 8800 GTS 512,
	GeForce 9800 GT, GeForce 8800 GT, GeForce GT 230, GeForce 9800 GX2,
	GeForce 9800 GT, GeForce 8800 GS, GeForce GTS 240, GeForce 9800M GTX,
	GeForce 8800M GTS, GeForce GTX 280M, GeForce 9800M GT,
	GeForce 8800M GTX, GeForce 8800 GS, GeForce GTX 285M,
	GeForce 9600 GSO, GeForce 8800 GT, GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+,
	GeForce 9800 GTX+, GeForce 9800 GT, GeForce GTS 250,
	GeForce 9800M GTX, GeForce GTX 260M, Quadro FX 4700 X2,
	Quadro FX 3700, Quadro VX 200, Quadro FX 3600M, Quadro FX 2800M,
	Quadro FX 3700M, Quadro FX 3800M, GeForce 9600 GT, GeForce 9600 GS,
	GeForce 9600 GSO 512, GeForce GT 130, GeForce GT 140,
	GeForce 9800M GTS, GeForce 9700M GTS, GeForce 9800M GS,
	GeForce 9800M GTS, GeForce 9600 GT, GeForce 9600 GT,
	GeForce GTS 160M, GeForce GTS 150M, GeForce 9600 GSO,
	GeForce 9600 GT, Quadro FX 1800, Quadro FX 2700M, GeForce 9500 GT,
	GeForce 9400 GT, GeForce 9500 GT, GeForce 9500 GS, GeForce 9500 GS,
	GeForce GT 120, GeForce 9600M GT, GeForce 9600M GS, GeForce 9600M GT,
	GeForce 9700M GT, GeForce 9500M G, GeForce 9650M GT, GeForce G 110M,
	GeForce GT 130M, GeForce GT 120M, GeForce GT 220M, GeForce 9650 S,
	Quadro FX 380, Quadro FX 580, Quadro FX 1700M, GeForce 9400 GT,
	Quadro FX 770M, GeForce 9300 GE, GeForce 9300 GS, GeForce 8400,
	GeForce 8400 SE, GeForce 8400 GS, GeForce 9300M GS, GeForce G100,
	GeForce 9300 SE, GeForce 9200M GS, GeForce 9300M GS, Quadro NVS 150M,
	Quadro NVS 160M, GeForce G 105M, GeForce G 103M, GeForce G105M,
	Quadro NVS 420, Quadro FX 370 LP, Quadro NVS 450, Quadro FX 370M,
	Quadro NVS 295, GeForce 9100M G, GeForce 8200M G, GeForce 9200,
	GeForce 9100, GeForce 8300, GeForce 8200, nForce 730a, GeForce 9200,
	nForce 980a/780a SLI, nForce 750a SLI, GeForce 8100 / nForce 720a,
	GeForce 9400, GeForce 9400, GeForce 9400M G, GeForce 9400M,
	GeForce 9300, ION, GeForce 9400M G, GeForce 9400, nForce 760i SLI,
	GeForce 9400, GeForce 9300 / nForce 730i, GeForce 9200,
	GeForce 9100M G, GeForce 8200M G, GeForce 9400M, GeForce 9200,
	GeForce G102M, GeForce G102M, ION, ION, GeForce 9400, ION, ION LE,
	ION LE, GeForce GT 220, GeForce 315, GeForce 210, GeForce GT 230M,
	GeForce GT 330M, GeForce GT 230M, GeForce GT 330M, NVS 5100M,
	GeForce GT 320M, GeForce GT 240M, GeForce GT 325M, Quadro FX 880M,
	GeForce G210, GeForce 205, GeForce 310, ION, GeForce 210,
	GeForce 310, GeForce 315, GeForce G105M, GeForce G105M, NVS 2100M,
	NVS 3100M, GeForce 305M, ION, GeForce 310M, GeForce 305M,
	GeForce 310M, GeForce 305M, GeForce G210M, GeForce 310M,
	Quadro FX 380 LP, Quadro FX 380M, GeForce GT 330, GeForce GT 320,
	GeForce GT 240, GeForce GT 340, GeForce GT 330, GeForce GTS 260M,
	GeForce GTS 250M, GeForce 315, GeForce GT 335M, GeForce GTS 350M,
	GeForce GTS 360M, Quadro FX 1800M
    61.322] (II) FBDEV: driver for framebuffer: fbdev
    61.322] (II) VESA: driver for VESA chipsets: vesa
    61.322] (++) using VT number 7

The following copied from the system information window


Vendor:  nVidia Corporation
  Model:
  2D driver:  nouveau
  3D driver:  swrast (No 3D Acceleration) (7.10))

Have I got it wrong and if so how does putting in an invalid option make resizing the windows so slow? I would have thought that a miskeyed nomodeset would be the same as no nomodeset at all i.e. nouveau. No nomodeset works

Time to freeze some cherries