HOW TO: Compiling and Installing the OpenChrome Graphical VIA Driver

[TuxCrafter]

I got it working on Amilo Pro V2055 with:

• script
• dpkg-reconfigure server-xorg //i had to try this twice, first time didn't work, don't know why
• Option "EnableAGPDMA" "false"
• Option "VBEModes" "true" // Not sure if this one is important

But my main problem still exists. My gutsy freezes if i use openchrome driver when i start wine or Wolfram mathematica 6.0. It worked fine on feisty, so i think that is kernel bug. That's way i'm still on vesa drivers.

Hmm if this is the freezing problem that i have been debugging for 1 year now and recently solved it. It has nothing to do with the openchrome driver you will also have lockups with vesa only less regularly. If i see more reports abouts lockups and freezes I will create a separate topic for it how to solve it.

[Deividson]

desktop effects should work after installing this, right? the script ran like a charm, both the grep openchrome and the glxinfo tests says its loaded and running, but when i try to enable desktop effects i get the message "Desktop Effects Could Not be Enabled".

im on Ubuntu 7.10, and really wanted to check how the desktop effects looks like :X

[evilspy]

I got it working on Amilo Pro V2055 with:

• Option "EnableAGPDMA" "false"
• Option "VBEModes" "true" // Not sure if this one is important

.

I got mine work with these too.

(edit), using 3d causes crash, gdm restarts and shows login screen but when I try to access terminals (alt-f1) screen corrupts (I can return to login screen).

[TuxCrafter]

I got mine work with these too.

(edit), using 3d causes crash, gdm restarts and shows login screen but when I try to access terminals (alt-f1) screen corrupts (I can return to login screen).

Ok that last one sounds like a xorg issue indeed.

[Stimy]

Hmm if this is the freezing problem that i have been debugging for 1 year now and recently solved it. It has nothing to do with the openchrome driver you will also have lockups with vesa only less regularly. If i see more reports abouts lockups and freezes I will create a separate topic for it how to solve it.

Well a lot of people has the same issue. There is also a bug report : https://bugs.launchpad.net/xorg-server/+bug/43154 ,and some others.
I know that here isn't the right place for discussing this, but only for information.

[TuxCrafter]

Hello everybody, I got a lot of messages about freezing and lock-ups on via systems, i solved this by doing the following, please report if this worked:

# step 1: Installation of 368 kernel as a solution for system lockups on system with the VIA CN700 chipset and VIA C7 cpu

sudo apt-get remove libc6-i686
sudo apt-get install linux-image-386

# note 1: Check libc6

sudo dpkg -S libc6-i686
sudo dpkg -l libc6

# step 3: reboot system

sudo reboot

# note 2: Check the kernel version

uname -a

# step 4: Recompile the openchrome driver with the following script and provide some feedback to on the topic:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=3679548

[linfun]

# TuxCrafter,

Excellent work you have done.

I run Debian Lenny, because all newer Ubuntu distros are too slow on my passive cooled box.

I downloaded and executed your script and everything seems to work; my slow box is now faster


However, I have a problem with DVD playback:

My passive cooled CPU is a 1,2GHz VIA C7 and the graphic chipset is CN700.

When I try to playback a DVD too many frames are dropped.
In the xorg.conf openchrome is the driver.
Xine is using the xv video driver.

I believe it is because the mpeg2 hardware decoder of CN700 is not in use.

Any suggestions how to enable the mpeg2 hardware decodere of CN700?

All the best,
LinFun

[TuxCrafter]

# TuxCrafter,

Excellent work you have done.

I run Debian Lenny, because all newer Ubuntu distros are too slow on my passive cooled box.

I downloaded and executed your script and everything seems to work; my slow box is now faster

However, I have a problem with DVD playback:

My passive cooled CPU is a 1,2GHz VIA C7 and the graphic chipset is CN700.

When I try to playback a DVD too many frames are dropped.
In the xorg.conf openchrome is the driver.
Xine is using the xv video driver.

I believe it is because the mpeg2 hardware decoder of CN700 is not in use.

Any suggestions how to enable the mpeg2 hardware decodere of CN700?

All the best,
LinFun

Hi, it seems you have the same hardware as me, I have an EN12000E 1,2GHz VIA C7 + CN700.

The mpeg2 decoder should work perfect out of the box. at leased it does by me. I advice you to install totem-xine and run my multimedia script (see signature) also install xubuntu and with a bit of fine tuning you got a great system.

[linfun]

Hi TuxCrafter,

I don't know yet what I need to get DVD playback working smooth.

We have the same hardware, but when I try to playback a DVD the picture is stutting, i.e. loosing frames.

A few minutes ago I read that mpeg2 hardware acceleration requires a patch to Mplayer: http://wiki.openchrome.org/tikiwiki/...e=XvMC#Mplayer

I normally use a player based on the xine engine. I have noticed that the xvmc video driver should be used. I have also tried xv.


I stay with Debian, it works really good and is much faster than xubuntu, since only a few things are loaded during boot. With Debian I know what is on the disk, and therefore this decision can't be changed


Also, my DVI adapter card for EN12000 is still not working, only VGA is working.


Here is what I get when I type glxinfo:

name of display: :0.0
display: :0 screen: 0
direct rendering: Yes
server glx vendor string: SGI
server glx version string: 1.2
server glx extensions:
GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_import_context, GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap,
GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_OML_swap_method,
GLX_SGI_make_current_read, GLX_SGI_swap_control, GLX_SGIS_multisample,
GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, GLX_SGIX_visual_select_group
client glx vendor string: SGI
client glx version string: 1.4
client glx extensions:
GLX_ARB_get_proc_address, GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_import_context,
GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_MESA_allocate_memory,
GLX_MESA_copy_sub_buffer, GLX_MESA_swap_control,
GLX_MESA_swap_frame_usage, GLX_OML_swap_method, GLX_OML_sync_control,
GLX_SGI_make_current_read, GLX_SGI_swap_control, GLX_SGI_video_sync,
GLX_SGIS_multisample, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, GLX_SGIX_pbuffer,
GLX_SGIX_visual_select_group, GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap
GLX version: 1.2
GLX extensions:
GLX_ARB_get_proc_address, GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_import_context,
GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_MESA_swap_control,
GLX_MESA_swap_frame_usage, GLX_OML_swap_method, GLX_SGI_make_current_read,
GLX_SGI_swap_control, GLX_SGI_video_sync, GLX_SGIS_multisample,
GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, GLX_SGIX_visual_select_group
OpenGL vendor string: VIA Technology
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa DRI UniChrome 20060710 x86/MMX/SSE2
OpenGL version string: 1.2 Mesa 7.0.1
OpenGL extensions:
GL_ARB_imaging, GL_ARB_multisample, GL_ARB_multitexture,
GL_ARB_point_parameters, GL_ARB_texture_env_add,
GL_ARB_texture_env_combine, GL_ARB_texture_mirrored_repeat,
GL_ARB_transpose_matrix, GL_ARB_vertex_buffer_object, GL_ARB_window_pos,
GL_EXT_abgr, GL_EXT_bgra, GL_EXT_blend_color, GL_EXT_blend_minmax,
GL_EXT_blend_subtract, GL_EXT_clip_volume_hint,
GL_EXT_compiled_vertex_array, GL_EXT_convolution, GL_EXT_copy_texture,
GL_EXT_draw_range_elements, GL_EXT_fog_coord, GL_EXT_histogram,
GL_EXT_packed_pixels, GL_EXT_point_parameters, GL_EXT_polygon_offset,
GL_EXT_rescale_normal, GL_EXT_secondary_color,
GL_EXT_separate_specular_color, GL_EXT_stencil_wrap, GL_EXT_subtexture,
GL_EXT_texture, GL_EXT_texture3D, GL_EXT_texture_edge_clamp,
GL_EXT_texture_env_add, GL_EXT_texture_env_combine,
GL_EXT_texture_lod_bias, GL_EXT_texture_object, GL_EXT_vertex_array,
GL_APPLE_packed_pixels, GL_IBM_rasterpos_clip,
GL_IBM_texture_mirrored_repeat, GL_MESA_window_pos, GL_NV_blend_square,
GL_NV_light_max_exponent, GL_NV_texgen_reflection, GL_OES_read_format,
GL_SGI_color_matrix, GL_SGI_color_table, GL_SGIS_texture_edge_clamp,
GL_SGIS_texture_lod
Segmentation fault

You can see there is a "segmentation fault".
I don't know what that is, is it because of an error in xorg.conf or ?


Here is my xorg.conf:

# xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg



Section "Module"
# Load "extmod"
# Load "xie"
# Load "pex5"
# Load "GLcore"
# Load "dbe"
# Load "record"
# Load "type1"
# Load "freetype"
Load "glx" # This loads the DRI module Load "dri"
EndSection


Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "dk"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Generic Video Card"
Driver "openchrome"
Option "EnableAGPDMA" "false"
Option "VBEModes" "true"
VideoRam 65536
Option "XVideo" "On"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
Option "DPMS"
HorizSync 28-64
VertRefresh 43-60
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Generic Video Card"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Modes "1280x1024" "1280x768" "1024x768" "800x600"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection

I still need to find the secret for smooth DVD-playback.

Best regards,
LinFun

[TuxCrafter]

Hi TuxCrafter,

I don't know yet what I need to get DVD playback working smooth.

We have the same hardware, but when I try to playback a DVD the picture is stutting, i.e. loosing frames.

A few minutes ago I read that mpeg2 hardware acceleration requires a patch to Mplayer: http://wiki.openchrome.org/tikiwiki/...e=XvMC#Mplayer

I normally use a player based on the xine engine. I have noticed that the xvmc video driver should be used. I have also tried xv.

I stay with Debian, it works really good and is much faster than xubuntu, since only a few things are loaded during boot. With Debian I know what is on the disk, and therefore this decision can't be changed

Also, my DVI adapter card for EN12000 is still not working, only VGA is working.

Here is what I get when I type glxinfo:

You can see there is a "segmentation fault".
I don't know what that is, is it because of an error in xorg.conf or ?

Here is my xorg.conf:

I still need to find the secret for smooth DVD-playback.

Best regards,
LinFun

I used debian before and my mpeg decoder always worked out of the box with gxine and totem-xine after using my openchrome and multimedia scripts. I know of the mplayer paches but never used them.

Debian is nice, xubuntu indeed loads much stuff by default, but after some fine tuning my system starts up in 25 seconds and use 78MB when my desktop is fully loaded.

I only remember that somewhere there is an option in the totem-xine config file to use the correct decoder.

Sadly I can't help further with your mpeg problem here it always worked...