Information sought

Information sought

[Ian Bruntlett]

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Hi,

I've got a couple of third hand computers using Intel graphics (Dell
Optiplex GX50, HP Compaq dc 7600) with graphics problems - Dell becomes
unusable, screen is all white with black squiggles after running updates on
Ubuntu 14.04LTS- freedesktop bug 93173, dc 7600 screen works most of the
time but occasionally is corrupted with random horizontal lines of junk
pixels).

Whilst I have been a programmer in the past (80x86 assembler, Watcom C,
Borland C++ Builder), I'm still getting to grips with Linux.

So I was wondering what I should read to get up to speed with chasing down
bugs or knowing a bit more about Intel graphics. I've written a bash script
which automates some of it. Ideally I need to know which files to make a
note of so I can provide information about the Dell before the graphics
fail and after the graphics fail. Once I have some useful data I will
report a bug on freedesktop.org

BW,


Ian

-- 
-- ACCU - Professionalism in programming - http://www.accu.org
-- My writing - https://sites.google.com/site/ianbruntlett/
-- Free Software page -
https://sites.google.com/site/ianbruntlett/home/free-software

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Re: Information sought

[Ian Bruntlett]

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Hi All,

On 12 December 2015 at 12:54, Ian Bruntlett <ian.bruntlett@gmail.com> wrote:

> I've got a couple of third hand computers using Intel graphics (Dell
> Optiplex GX50, HP Compaq dc 7600) with graphics problems - Dell becomes
> unusable, screen is all white with black squiggles after running updates on
> Ubuntu 14.04LTS- freedesktop bug 93173, dc 7600 screen works most of the
> time but occasionally is corrupted with random horizontal lines of junk
> pixels).
>

Well this is disappointing. No one has responded to my request for
information. For roughly 10 years now I have been refurbishing PCs to give
to people with mental health problems, their carers or families.I am an
I.T. volunteer at Contact (http://contactmorpeth.org.uk/) - and Contact won
an award from the Queen for the project I am continuing. These days Lubuntu
Linux gets put on the PCs. Many people have been given PCs with Intel
graphics so having the graphics stack broken is going to affect a lot of
vulnerable people.

Surely someone can help?

BW,


Ian

-- 
-- ACCU - Professionalism in programming - http://www.accu.org
-- My writing - https://sites.google.com/site/ianbruntlett/
-- Free Software page -
https://sites.google.com/site/ianbruntlett/home/free-software

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Re: Information sought

[Ville Syrjälä]

On Mon, Dec 14, 2015 at 01:23:34PM +0000, Ian Bruntlett wrote:
> Hi All,
> 
> On 12 December 2015 at 12:54, Ian Bruntlett <ian.bruntlett@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > I've got a couple of third hand computers using Intel graphics (Dell
> > Optiplex GX50, HP Compaq dc 7600) with graphics problems - Dell becomes
> > unusable, screen is all white with black squiggles after running updates on
> > Ubuntu 14.04LTS- freedesktop bug 93173, dc 7600 screen works most of the
> > time but occasionally is corrupted with random horizontal lines of junk
> > pixels).
> >
> 
> Well this is disappointing. No one has responded to my request for
> information. For roughly 10 years now I have been refurbishing PCs to give
> to people with mental health problems, their carers or families.I am an
> I.T. volunteer at Contact (http://contactmorpeth.org.uk/) - and Contact won
> an award from the Queen for the project I am continuing. These days Lubuntu
> Linux gets put on the PCs. Many people have been given PCs with Intel
> graphics so having the graphics stack broken is going to affect a lot of
> vulnerable people.
> 
> Surely someone can help?

As the fdo bugzilla would instruct you, a good place to start is
https://01.org/linuxgraphics/documentation/how-report-bugs

-- 
Ville Syrjälä
Intel OTC
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Re: Information sought

[Felix Miata]

Ian Bruntlett composed on 2015-12-14 13:23 (UTC):

> Ian Bruntlett wrote:

>> I've got a couple of third hand computers using Intel graphics (Dell
>> Optiplex GX50, HP Compaq dc 7600) with graphics problems - Dell becomes
>> unusable, screen is all white with black squiggles after running updates on
>> Ubuntu 14.04LTS- freedesktop bug 93173, dc 7600 screen works most of the
>> time but occasionally is corrupted with random horizontal lines of junk
>> pixels).

> Well this is disappointing. No one has responded to my request for
> information. For roughly 10 years now I have been refurbishing PCs to give
> to people with mental health problems, their carers or families.I am an
> I.T. volunteer at Contact (http://contactmorpeth.org.uk/) - and Contact won
> an award from the Queen for the project I am continuing. These days Lubuntu
> Linux gets put on the PCs. Many people have been given PCs with Intel
> graphics so having the graphics stack broken is going to affect a lot of
> vulnerable people.

I've run across many Optiplex models over the years, but the GX50 predates
them all. Looking up in Google it appears to be a Pentium III. Most PCs using
those predate Intel onboard graphics, among which my GX200 (but not my GX150
or GX110). If your GX50 has the 810E chipset, the Intel driver has in recent
years had limited functionality and marginal performance in Linux. My GX110
has 810E. I haven't powered it up in over 7 months. It's painfully slow. I
don't remember if X even works in it any more. If you really think a machine
nearly 2 decades old with maximum RAM population of 0.5GB warrants refurb, I
suggest you find and install in it an ATI or NVidia PCI gfxcard. The OS and X
need the shared RAM the 810E video is now using.

The 7600 has 945G video. I have various recent distro installations (among
which Kubuntu 14.04 and above) scattered among various machines using 945G
experiencing none of the trouble your bugs describe, so maybe its problem is
RAM or memory controller. Have you inspected its innards for exploding or
leaky electrolytic capacitors? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague
If it has any large uF (680 or higher) OST brand caps that appear normal they
may nevertheless be bad and are worth checking or replacing if you believe
the machine otherwise worth salvaging.

Nomodeset is a workaround that blocks use of Intel driver which causes use of
a low perfomance, limited function fallback driver that will use only modes
provided by the machine's video BIOS.
-- 
"The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant
words are persuasive." Proverbs 16:21 (New Living Translation)

 Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409 ** a11y rocks!

Felix Miata  ***  http://fm.no-ip.com/
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Re: Information sought

[Ian Bruntlett]

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Hi Felix,

Like I've emailed Daniel Vetter and Jani Nikula, as well as getting help, I
hope to one day be able to provide help. I used to be a C programmer and
I've discovered https://01.org/linuxgraphics/documentation

On 14 December 2015 at 18:17, Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> wrote:

> I've run across many Optiplex models over the years, but the GX50 predates
> them all. Looking up in Google it appears to be a Pentium III. Most PCs
> using
> those predate Intel onboard graphics, among which my GX200 (but not my
> GX150
> or GX110). If your GX50 has the 810E chipset, the Intel driver has in
> recent
> years had limited functionality and marginal performance in Linux. My GX110
> has 810E. I haven't powered it up in over 7 months. It's painfully slow. I
> don't remember if X even works in it any more. If you really think a
> machine
> nearly 2 decades old with maximum RAM population of 0.5GB warrants refurb,
> I
> suggest you find and install in it an ATI or NVidia PCI gfxcard. The OS
> and X
> need the shared RAM the 810E video is now using.
>
I'll recycle the GX50s.


> The 7600 has 945G video. I have various recent distro installations (among
> which Kubuntu 14.04 and above) scattered among various machines using 945G
> experiencing none of the trouble your bugs describe, so maybe its problem
> is
> RAM or memory controller. Have you inspected its innards for exploding or
> leaky electrolytic capacitors?
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague
> If it has any large uF (680 or higher) OST brand caps that appear normal
> they
> may nevertheless be bad and are worth checking or replacing if you believe
> the machine otherwise worth salvaging.
>
I'll put the dc7600 to one side.


> Nomodeset is a workaround that blocks use of Intel driver which causes use
> of
> a low perfomance, limited function fallback driver that will use only modes
> provided by the machine's video BIOS.
>
OK.

Thanks to everyone for their help.


Ian

-- 
-- ACCU - Professionalism in programming - http://www.accu.org
-- My writing - https://sites.google.com/site/ianbruntlett/
-- Free Software page -
https://sites.google.com/site/ianbruntlett/home/free-software

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