Random Video Memory Corruption?

English Hardware
1

I posted this yesterday on the tail end of a “closed” or “resolved” thread. I thought I’d start with a new thread. Let me know if I’m not doing the right thing.
Anyway, this is a puzzler. I don’t know if it is a hardware issue, driver problem, or some other gremlin…

My box has an nvidia GeForce 8300 GS. The OS is OpenSuSE 12.3 with all the latest updates, as far as I know. The problem seems as though it can start after just a few minutes from logging in, or hours later. The machine is always on. All I have to do is log out and log back in and the problem stops, for awhile. I can reproduce the problem by going to Google Images and doing a search for anything. After browsing down to the bottom of the page the problem will occur. Or one type of problem will occur. See attached pic:

http://webpages.charter.net/linux-as1l/firefox.jpg

On to the actual problem: What usually happens is the mouse pointer, or the “icons” on the task bar, or the “icons” on the tabs on firefox, or all the “graphical” elements on almost any or all programs become corrupted. By this I mean they may be totally or partially replaced with random pixels. Or, sometimes, they may be replaced with what are obviously portions of some random graphic - like a piece of a picture from a web page. Another common problem will occur in firefox, but then it seems to spread throughout the desktop, and that is all the graphical elements will be replaced with random parts of other graphics…

What it appears to me that is happening, is that video memory is somehow being corrupted. It looks like the desktop environment (kde4), or x.org is somehow getting a pointer stack hosed. When you log out and log back in all is good as new.

When I run ‘lspci -k’ this is the relevant info:
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation G86 [GeForce 8300 GS] (rev a1)
Subsystem: NVIDIA Corporation Device 0494
Kernel driver in use: nouveau

when I run: grep -i LoadModule /var/log/Xorg.0.log

mach:/home/someone# grep -i LoadModule /var/log/Xorg.0.log
91398.789] (II) LoadModule: “dri2”
91398.789] (II) LoadModule: “glamoregl”
91398.906] (II) LoadModule: “glx”
91398.922] (II) LoadModule: “nvidia”
91398.933] (II) UnloadModule: “nvidia”
91398.933] (II) LoadModule: “nouveau”
91398.934] (II) LoadModule: “nv”
91398.948] (II) LoadModule: “modesetting”
91398.956] (II) LoadModule: “fbdev”
91398.966] (II) LoadModule: “vesa”
91398.975] (II) LoadModule: “fbdevhw”
91398.994] (II) LoadModule: “dri”
91399.270] (II) LoadModule: “fb”
91399.307] (II) LoadModule: “exa”
91399.307] (II) LoadModule: “shadowfb”
91399.308] (II) UnloadModule: “nv”
91399.308] (II) UnloadModule: “modesetting”
91399.308] (II) UnloadModule: “fbdev”
91399.308] (II) UnloadModule: “vesa”
91400.053] (II) LoadModule: “evdev”

Does this help? Why is x.org trying to load nv and all those other modules after it loaded nouveau???
What other info would be helpful???

Again the specs:

kernal: 3.7.10-1.16-desktop
distro: OpenSuSE 12.3
kde: kde4
Driver: nouveau
Card: GeForce 8300 GS

Thanks for any brainstorming help in advance!
Terry.

2

Install the nvidia driver

Yast > Software Repositories
Add > Community List > Select Nvidia > OK

Go to Yast Software Management
Usually the driver will be waiting to install

when done reboot

3

no – you’d have to post your entire xorg log. however, it appears to be a nouveau problem, and I would agree with caf’s suggestion that installing the prop. nvidia driver is likely the quickest and easiest solution here.

Why is x.org trying to load nv and all those other modules after it loaded nouveau???
Its normal and is part of the X auto-configuration routine that occurs when X is started. Some of those are xorg drivers that can be matched to your device (X will only end up using the most appropriate and will unload the others) and some are xorg extentions and libraries. Nothing to worry about.

4

Did this about a month ago… maybe more. Had all kinds of problems. I will do it now, as I trust I can come back and maybe get more help? Forums procedural question: Did I do the right thing by starting a new thread? Was the image too large, as some people may be on slower connections?

Cheers,
Terry.

5

Where to start…

Did this:

Yast > Software Repositories
Add > Community List > Select Nvidia > OK

Go to Yast Software Management
Usually the driver will be waiting to install

when done reboot

When the pc came up, I logged in (KDE/Openbox, btw) and everything seemed great… for about 10 seconds. I went to start firefox to tell you how it worked like a charm, as soon as it started to launch, it froze the whole computer. No Ctrl+Alt+F1, no Caps-Lock, no Num Lock, nadda. So, I rebooted and chose the LXDE desktop and I’m in, and I’m obviously posting this. I don’t want to be in LXDE though. This is what was happening last time when I installed the nvidea driver. Maybe some tweeks? Anymore advice? After I post this message, I’m going to try and recreate the original problem, the video corruption. I’ll let ya know how that goes.

Thanks.

6

No, only one question per user per year, and you just wasted it with that question, so now back to the bottom of the mountain you golol!

Forums procedural question: Did I do the right thing by starting a new thread?
Sure

Was the image too large, as some people may be on slower connections?
Meh, it was fine.

When the pc came up, I logged in (KDE/Openbox, btw) and everything seemed great… for about 10 seconds. I went to start firefox to tell you how it worked like a charm, as soon as it started to launch, it froze the whole computer. No Ctrl+Alt+F1, no Caps-Lock, no Num Lock, nadda. So, I rebooted and chose the LXDE desktop and I’m in, and I’m obviously posting this. I don’t want to be in LXDE though. This is what was happening last time when I installed the nvidea driver. Maybe some tweeks? Anymore advice? After I post this message, I’m going to try and recreate the original problem, the video corruption. I’ll let ya know how that goes.
Hmmm, not sure. Does it only happen with the browser?

7

In KDE
Press Alt+SHIFT+F12 to turn Off desktop effects
Now try Using it

When you installed, did you install KDE or LXDE or other?

8

VERY UNHAPPY PENGUIN!

Now I remember what happened last time I used nvidia driver. Exactly what happened this time…

So I’m in LXDE Desktop and everything seems ok. Then after about three minutes - hard lock. Nothing. At All. Reboot.

Back to LXDE, try to go to yast, maybe a minute of use. Hard lock… Can’t get to console, nothing.

Reboot.

Back to the login screen. Hard lock. Nothing.

Reboot.

Get to GRUB menu, choose openSuSE, hard lock. Dosn’t even think about a login screen. can’t get to console.

Reboot. Grub menu. Lock.
Reboot. Grub menu. Lock.
Great.
Install Disc. Reboot. Rescue option.
mkdir /media/sda7
mount /dev/sda7 /media/sda7
cd /media/dsa7
…
…
…
hours go by trying NOT to have to reinstall
finally, rename dreaded /usr/lib/xorg/modules/update/nvidiia_satanic_driver_from_hell.so to something else…
reboot
Hey! VGA! whoohoo!!!
No lock up, right into KDE/Openbox.
Internet.
No problem.
Except VGA!!!

Let me say this: openSuSE’s “rescue” option is pathetic! Have you ever tried knoppix? You actually have access to man pages! And even info pages!! Can you imagine that? Access to the docs? wow!

This is entirely my fault. I knew my computer had a major problem with that nvidia driver. I just forgot the hours of re-install time it cost me last time.

I can’t imagine if I was a total newb to linux. I’d be totally hosed…

Well, I’ll do some searching on the Inet, find out how to get back to how I was running before I foolishly tried that %$#@&^%$ nvidia driver.

Hey, but I do thank you for the advice!

Cheers.
Terry.

9

You might want to check
https://forums.opensuse.org/content/146-using-livecd-take-over-repair-installed-system.html

https://forums.opensuse.org/content/128-re-install-grub2-dvd-rescue.html

Last install I did took 10 mins for install and about one hour for adding all updates and software I use.

Have you tried a stock kde install. Because from what I read you could be engaging elements that create this conflict.

Have you tried other distros?

10

Hey caf, other distros… really? Whats up with that? Golly, I’d didn’t mean to hurt your feelings or anything.lol! Yeah, I’ve tried a few other distros. Starting in 1995 with Slackware… then Red Hat, then Debian, then LFS, then Fedora, then mandriva, then knoppix, then pclinux, then… well, you get the picture. The last version of Slack I was using was 10.3. Excellent distro. So far 12.3 is pretty good. I’m stuck with an under powered pc. Crappy old video card… it is what it is.

I’m interested in a “stock kde install”, because you might be on to something there. I’ve got a dell e248wfp 24 inch lcd monitor and while slack seems to detect the native 1920x1200, it doesn’t seem to detect the monitor. Or should I say X doesn’t? I’ve turned off all the desktop effects…

An install means I’ve got to restore a lot of stuff. I wish it just ment put the disc in , hit a button, all good. Thats the very last option.

Well, I’m back where I was 24 hours ago. I turned off all the desktop effects. Tomorrow I’ll see if I can recreate the original problem - so far, so good. I kinda like openSuSE 12.3, so even if people in the forums suggest I use a different distro, I’ll probably stick with it.:\

Thanks for the help,
Terry.

11

What I was suggesting was install KDE (period).
No LXDE or other muck.

I wanted to know if you experience the problems with other distro installs.

12

Hey caf, I did a reinstall of openSuSE 12.3 from scratch with only KDE - same thing. No gnome, no lxde, no openbox… It’s alright, for now. Once the video corruption happens, I just log out/log in, and all is well… for a random period of time. It’s another rabbit hole and I’m staring down too many of those right now.

To answer your other question, does it happen with other distros: no, but that may not be what it seems. The only other distros I’ve tried this setup with are at least several years old and have much lighter(?) demands. Interestingly, I’ve been running Virtualbox with a winxp guest and even hours after my host system becomes corrupted, it doesn’t seem to have a problem(with video corruption). Again, that may be due to less demands - I’ve limited it to only 64MB of video memory.

Like I said though, I can live with this oddity for now.

Thanks,
Terry.

13

Make sure the graphics card isn’t overheating.

Also, random drive oddity happens now and then. I personally have never had any hard lock type issues with nvidia drivers, but I have with intel a lot. It depends on the xorg version and gpu model. Sometimes you just get unlucky, report bugs to the appropriate places or it will never get fixed.

14

Good advice. I only wish I knew where the appropriate place was. Mozzila? Nvidia? xorg? KDE? I really don’t know if its one of these players, or a weird combo. Plus, as I said earlier, this is an older machine and I’m surprised KDE4 even runs as smooth as it does on it. Gnome won’t boot at all.

Thanks all,
Terry.