From reading the new logs it seems adding the “Shadow” facilitated the installation of the mga driver which is what you told me and I was too slow to understand. Unfortunately still no improvement in display resolution.
I tried using cvt and xrandr as suggested earlier but couldn’t get 1920x1080 to be added. I may have made a mistake. It does seem that this option should be available.
Many thanks again.
Budge
Let’s see an Xorg.0.log from using it (without using nomodeset, and without the AMD GPU installed).
ISTR that the mga driver is compatible with nomodeset on the kernel command line. Try adding it.
Hi,
Here is the information having removed AMD card.
alastair@localhost:~> sudo inxi -I
[sudo] password for root:
Info:
Processes: 405 Uptime: 0h 2m Memory: 39.26 GiB used: 1.62 GiB (4.1%) Init: systemd
runlevel: 5 Shell: Bash inxi: 3.3.05
alastair@localhost:~> sudo inxi -SGay
System:
Host: localhost.localdomain Kernel: 5.3.18-59.10-default x86_64 bits: 64
compiler: gcc v: 7.5.0
parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.3.18-59.10-default
root=UUID=14ea0189-e29d-49ba-81c3-565fde86e1ba splash=silent
mitigations=auto quiet
Console: tty pts/1 DM: SDDM Distro: openSUSE Leap 15.3
Graphics:
Device-1: Matrox Systems MGA G200EV vendor: IBM driver: mgag200 v: kernel
bus-ID: 07:00.0 chip-ID: 102b:0530 class-ID: 0300
Display: server: X.org 1.20.3 compositor: kwin_x11 driver:
loaded: mga,modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa tty: 88x29
Message: Advanced graphics data unavailable in console for root.
alastair@localhost:~> cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log |susepaste -e 40320
Pasted as:
https://susepaste.org/32607251
https://paste.opensuse.org/32607251
Link is also in your clipboard.
alastair@localhost:~>
I confess I only remember using nomodeset a long time ago in the grub command. I shall need your instruction on using this.
It goes after “quiet” after you strike the E key at the Grub menu.
Please don’t bother running inxi -Ga in console (aka vtty). Graphics data is incomplete unless run from within X (e.g. Konsole), as noted by the command itself.
Well I tried but I put nomodeset on the kernel parameter box in yast which I thought I remembered from years ago. Clearly not quite right as I now have no graphics at all only a login prompt. I can use cli but what line do I edit to undo the damage please? (From laptop)
That’s where it goes only if you want it there on every boot, so it can automatically be put into each new instance of /boot/grub2/grub.cfg. Appending to linu line at the Grub menu is a per boot (one time) use. Now is the time for
cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | susepaste -e 40320
while booted using nomodeset.
Clearly not quite right as I now have no graphics at all only a login prompt. I can use cli but what line do I edit to undo the damage please? (From laptop)
I guess I need to boot something using Matrox to see what’s going on…instead of trusting memory.
OK, back up again. I should explain that the IBM servers have a stack of management systems which are quite slow and rebooting takes me about 5 mins each boot.
I am not sure if the cat command sent anything to paste site but it might be there on :-
https://susepaste.org/86546420
https://paste.opensuse.org/86546420
Please never paste a URL inside code a block. They cannot be clicked on to open in browser tab. Code blocks are primarily for retaining formatting of command input and output, nothing to do with URLs.
Instead of appending nomodeset at the Grub menu, append iomem=relaxed. If that doesn’t help, append both.
Getting late so will sign off for tonight now.
I read through the log. It seems that using nomodeset didn’t stop modesetting but then seemed to go pearshaped. I know this will mean much more to you and thanks for your patience. Looking forward to learning more tomorrow if you have time.
Regards,
Budge
https://bugzilla.opensuse.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1175754#c4
Ok. Now I remember. There have been added restrictions to current kernels, which no longer allows user space drivers like mga driver to map their framebuffer. So, no way. Use fbdev driver and minimal desktop environments like icewm. Wikipedia told me 1999.
Closing as WONTFIX.
Simply use your AMD/ATI card.
Another option, should use of the Matrox be necessary, along with acceptable display support:
# xrandr | egrep 'onnect|creen|\*' | grep -v disconn | sort -r
xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default
Screen 0: minimum 400 x 270, current 1680 x 1050, maximum 1680 x 1050
default connected 1680x1050+0+0 0mm x 0mm
1680x1050 60.00* 75.00 70.00
# inxi -SGay
System:
Host: a-865.ij.net Kernel: 5.10.0-7-686 i686 bits: 32 compiler: gcc v: 10.2.1
parameters: root=LABEL=SS25deb11 noresume mitigations=auto consoleblank=0
vga=794 **iomem=relaxed** drm.debug=0x06 log_buf_len=1M **nomodeset**
Desktop: Trinity R14.0.11 tk: Qt 3.5.0 info: kicker wm: Twin 3.0 vt: 7
dm: TDM Distro: Debian GNU/Linux 11 (bullseye)
Graphics:
Device-1: Matrox Systems Millennium G550 driver: N/A
alternate: matroxfb_base bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 102b:2527 class-ID: 0300
Display: x11 server: **X.Org** 1.20.11 **driver: loaded: mga**
unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa display-ID: :0 screens: 1
Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1680x1050 s-dpi: 90 s-size: 474x303mm (18.7x11.9")
s-diag: 563mm (22.1")
**Monitor-1**: default **res: 1680x1050** hz: 60
OpenGL: renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 11.0.1 128 bits) v: 4.5 Mesa 20.3.4
compat-v: 3.1 direct render: Yes
# inxi -I
Info: ...Shell: Bash inxi: 3.3.05
Bullseye hasn’t quite reached release status yet, so support for it should last at least until mid-2026, likely 2028 or later.
Please forgive my error. At least you did receive the log.
Will re-boot now and report.
With iomem=relaxed added at boot I get the normal display back but at same resolution. I checked and there is no way to improve the resolution using the settings gui.
What I am not sure is what to expect. I shall try adding both settings and try again.
I note the use of xrandr and I thought this would work because in theory there is plenty of resolution headroom but I just don’t know how to change it.
With **iomem=relaxed **and nomodeset in boot parameters I now have several more resolution options in the drop down settings menu but all lower than 1024 x 768.
What I don’t understand is why there is a ceiling on the resolution.
here is the log:-
alastair@localhost:~> sudo cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | susepaste -e 40320
[sudo] password for root:
Pasted as:
https://susepaste.org/9865374
https://paste.opensuse.org/9865374
Link is also in your clipboard.
Since you raised the above xrandr example, how can I get this to work and what should the kernel settings be for this to be possible?
Hi mrmazsda, as you are aware I was sidetracked by arrival of NVME adapter and memory but my graphics resolution problem is not yet solved. Should I add the iomem=relaxed and nomodeset parameters to the kernel in grub so they are included at every boot?
How do I then use xrandr to get a better resolution than I now enjoy?
I feel I have taken far too much of your time already and am reconciled to re-installing the AMD Caicos card if there is no quick fix going forward. I do wonder if the AMD will present new problems. Last time it was installed my monitor just told me the graphics was out of range and I had a black screen with a floating window telling me “Out of Range”
Many thanks again,
Regards,
Budge
Only if that’s the ticket to success.
How do I then use xrandr to get a better resolution than I now enjoy?
Did you read its man page?
I feel I have taken far too much of your time already and am reconciled to re-installing the AMD Caicos card if there is no quick fix going forward. I do wonder if the AMD will present new problems. Last time it was installed my monitor just told me the graphics was out of range and I had a black screen with a floating window telling me “Out of Range”
If the AMD can be made to work, there’s no reason to spend time on the Matrox. Unless the AMD is broken, it can be made to work. Yours has the exact same device ID as mine that works just fine. So boot with it and an empty kernel command line, xf86-video-ati not installed, no xrandr startup script, and no xorg.con*, then pastebin the Xorg.0.log it generates.
Hi and yes I read through the xrandr man pages. It would take me a little longer to understand it sufficiently to use!
I have re-booted with everything that you wanted off or not installed and here is the result:-
alastair@localhost:~> cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | susepaste -e 40320
Pasted as:
https://susepaste.org/28222709
https://paste.opensuse.org/28222709
Link is also in your clipboard.
alastair@localhost:~>
X didn’t even find the AMD device. Booted like this, does the AMD show up in lspci output?
Is there no way in the BIOS to disable the Matrox or give priority to the PCIe GPU? If yes and not already done, do it and repeat.
If not, then I think at this point, next is to uninstall xf86-video-mga, ensure no cable is connected to a Matrox output connection, remove the file in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ that shadows, and try again. If the AMD still fails to show up in the log, then next would be to lsmod | grep mga, blacklist the mga results, reboot, and if still no joy, rebuild initrds without any mga modules, and reboot again.
Is there a BIOS upgrade available?
I hope not because in an earlier post I think you told me to take the AMD out so only the on-board Matrox device is installed. I also removed everything as you suggested so you have a log from that boot. I fear I may have got out of sync but as you know I cannot reproduce anything at present while new installation proceeds.
Be in touch tomorrow.
Fingers crossed.
Regards,
Budge
Machine now back up. From your last post I am inclined to agree I should now forget the on-board graphics, disable it in BIOS and install AMD Caicos. If you confirm I shall proceed and then hopefully this can be sorted out.