Can I have modesetting in Debian?

lucmove · 11-03-2023, 11:24 AM

When I run lsmod, I can confirm that the i915 video driver is loaded.

I am trying this:

https://askubuntu.com/questions/9121...untu-16-04-lts

I did exactly the same, rebooted and i915 still loads. Can I use modesetting without completely removing i915?

mrmazda · 11-03-2023, 01:21 PM

i915 is a KMS module, aka kernel mode setting device driver, shipped in each kernel package for that specific kernel. The modesetting driver in that forum page is the upstream default X display driver. Normally the modesetting display driver is dependent on the i915 module having first been loaded. This explains in more detail. It turns out I have seen the modesetting display driver used without any kernel device driver having been loaded, but only in a recent kernel in a recent distro using a recent Xorg version. While functional, it was a weak performer. Best graphics performance from AMD and Intel GPUs depends on KMS use.

lucmove · 11-03-2023, 02:13 PM

Well, the i915 driver in full screen mode freezes my screen completely sometimes. Occasionally with mpv and every single time with the foobillardplus game. I have tried setting a timer to killall foobillardplus after a few seconds, but that doesn't give me the screen back. The mouse pointer still works, but nothing else works. I can't even change tty. I have to hard reset. Note that I use an old distro version though. It's an old and long story.

mrmazda · 11-03-2023, 03:08 PM

What makes you certain it's the kernel module and not the display driver at fault? Do you have the same problem with both modesetting and intel display drivers? How old is old? Which GPU do you have? Which DRI is in use? Intel GPUs share system RAM. Have you checked with memtest86 or memtest86+ so see if you have bad old RAM?

Code:

inxi -GSaz

lucmove · 11-03-2023, 03:31 PM

I don't think it's the RAM because I have a slightly newer kernel that I can load sometimes, but I usually don't because some things don't work with it. Most notably, claws-mail.

Code:

System:    Host: Kernel 4.9.0-3-amd64 x86_64 (64 bit) Desktop: LXDE
           Distro: Debian GNU/Linux 9 (stretch)
Graphics:  Card: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v2/3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller
           Display Server: X.org 1.19.2 drivers: intel (unloaded: modesetting)

mrmazda · 11-03-2023, 03:56 PM

The ancient inxi in Stretch can't provide what I asked for. You can upgrade it by editing /etc/inxi.conf to remove the Debian prohibition of its -U switch (change B_ALLOW_UPDATE= from false to true), then running inxi -U to upgrade, then running what I asked for.

I've been converting the few Stretches I have left to the 4.19.0-0.bpo.19 kernel. WFM.

Does the same problem present when you use the modesetting instead of the intel display driver?

I have at least one Xeon E3-1200 here running 3 displays, and can't remember any freezing, but its oldest Debian is Bullseye. There's been a lot of display driver improvement for Intel GPU users since Stretch.

syg00 · 11-03-2023, 04:33 PM

I can't speak to Debian, but claws runs fine here on Fedora 37 - 6.5 kernel.

lucmove · 11-03-2023, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmazda

I've been converting the few Stretches I have left to the 4.19.0-0.bpo.19 kernel. WFM.

Yes, I have that kernel, but some things won't work with it. Claws-mail, pidgin, vmware. Maybe others.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmazda

Does the same problem present when you use the modesetting instead of the intel display driver?

I can't use the modesetting. That's why I started this thread. But the 4.19 kernel can run foobillardplus in full screen mode.

Updated inxi:

Code:

Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v2/3rd Gen Core processor Graphics
    vendor: ASUSTeK driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-7 process: Intel 22nm
    built: 2012-13 ports: active: HDMI-A-2 empty: DP-1, DP-2, HDMI-A-1, VGA-1
    bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:0152 class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.19.2 driver: X: loaded: intel
    unloaded: modesetting dri: i965 gpu: i915 display-ID: :0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 508x285mm (20.00x11.22")
    s-diag: 582mm (22.93")
  Monitor-1: HDMI-A-2 mapped: HDMI2 model: Samsung <filter>
    built: 2015 res: 1920x1080 hz: 60 dpi: 80 gamma: 1.2
    size: 610x350mm (24.02x13.78") diag: 699mm (27.5") ratio: 16:9 modes:
    max: 1920x1080 min: 720x400
  API: OpenGL v: 3.3 compat-v: 3.0 vendor: intel mesa v: 13.0.6 glx-v: 1.4
    es-v: 3.0 direct-render: yes renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Ivybridge Desktop
    device-ID: 8086:0152 memory: 1.46 GiB unified: yes

mrmazda · 11-03-2023, 04:53 PM

Newer Xeon E3-1200 GPUs can use the replacement for i965 DRI, Crocus, at least as far back as Haswell. Whether it also works in Ivybridge I don't know, but seriously doubt it has been backported to Stretch anyway, so yet another reason to consider leaving Stretch to history.

lucmove · 11-03-2023, 05:28 PM

Not yet.

We're not ready.