X fails to start with proprietary nvidia driver

[Paul Lorenz]

Binary package hint: nvidia-177-kernel-source

Version:
Description: Ubuntu intrepid (development branch)
Release: 8.10

Source: nvidia-graphics-drivers-177
Version: 177.80-0ubuntu2

uname -a
Linux ------- 2.6.27-7-generic #1 SMP Tue Oct 14 18:38:59 UTC 2008 x86_64 GNU/Linux

from lspci
05:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation G71 [GeForce 7900 GT/GTO] (rev a1)

When starting X the following message appears in /var/log/messages

Oct 16 20:24:00 kernel: [ 18.172387] NVRM: loading NVIDIA UNIX x86_64 Kernel Module 177.80 Wed Oct 1 14:43:46 PDT 2008
Oct 16 20:24:14 kernel: [ 38.965935] NVRM: failed to copy vbios to system memory.
Oct 16 20:24:14 kernel: [ 38.966669] NVRM: RmInitAdapter failed! (0x30:0xffffffff:894)
Oct 16 20:24:14 kernel: [ 38.966683] NVRM: rm_init_adapter(0) failed

[Alberto Milone (albertomilone)]

can you attach the following files?
/var/log/Xorg.0.log
/var/log/Xorg.0.log.old
/etc/X11/xorg.conf

[Paul Lorenz (plorenz)]

I used jockey to select the 177 driver, then rebooted. On boot I got the low-res X with warning saying it failed to start up. I went to a console and copied over the files, then restored the default xorg.conf.

Let me know if there is anything else I can tell you or try. Thank you.

[Alberto Milone (albertomilone)]

Let me quote NVIDIA's "Common Problems" page:

"This can be caused by a variety of problems, such as PCI IRQ routing errors, I/O APIC problems or conflicts with other devices sharing the IRQ (or their drivers).

If possible, configure your system such that your graphics card does not share its IRQ with other devices (try moving the graphics card to another slot if applicable, unload/disable the driver(s) for the device(s) sharing the card's IRQ, or remove/disable the device(s)).

Depending on the nature of the problem, one of (or a combination of) these kernel parameters might also help:
Parameter Behavior
pci=noacpi don't use ACPI for PCI IRQ routing
pci=biosirq use PCI BIOS calls to retrieve the IRQ routing table
noapic don't use I/O APICs present in the system
acpi=off disable ACPI"

In other words I suggest you to follow these steps:
1) turn on your computer
2) after you see the BIOS you will see the GRUB menu which contains a list of kernels that you can use to boot into Ubuntu. Select the 1st entry with your keyboard (do not press Enter) and press "e".
You will see 3 or 4 lines and you will have to select the 2nd line (i.e. the longest line) with your keyboard and press "e".
Get to the end of the line and add one of the recommended parameters (e.g. pci=noacpi)

so that the line will look similar to the following:
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=UUID=756f974e-86b9-4ba1-b5b7-33dd59f616ce ro quiet splash pci=noacpi

Then press Enter and you will get back to the previous screen. Select the 2nd line again but this time press "b" and let Ubuntu boot.
3) If the problem persists you will have to repeat the same procedure with a different parameter. Once you've found a parameter that works for you I will give you further instructions on how you can make that parameter permanent.

Let me know how it goes.

[Joshua V. Dillon (jvdillon)]

I am also having this problem ("failed to copy vbios to system memory"), and I tried all four kernel options recommended above. It is worth mention that I have a hybrid graphics system on my Sony Vaio Z series.

[code]
$ lspci|grep -i vga
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 07)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 06e5 (rev a1)
[/code]

Note, in my xorg.conf, when I want to test the nvidia, I switch identifiers. The intel card seems to work fine.
[code]
Section "Device"
    #Identifier "Mobile Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500M HD"
    Identifier "Configured Video Device"
    Driver "intel"
    BusID "PCI:0:2:0"
    #Option "XAANoOffscreenPixmaps"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier "NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS"
    #Identifier "Configured Video Device"
    Driver "nvidia"
    BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection
[/code]

[Paul Lorenz (plorenz)]

pci=noacpi don't use ACPI for PCI IRQ routing
    Machine failed to boot. Could not find root drive.

pci=biosirq use PCI BIOS calls to retrieve the IRQ routing table
   Message on start up, PCI: biosirq is unknown parameter (not verbatim)

noapic don't use I/O APICs present in the system
  System booted, nvidia driver did not work. sound stopped working as well.

acpi=off disable ACPI"
  Machine failed to boot, same as pci=noacpi

I'm not surprised none of these work. The card works fine under windows, and ubuntu 8.04. I'm guessing it's a regression in the kernel, X.org or the nvidia driver.

Should I report the bug to nvidia directly?

[Susan Cragin (susancragin)]

My nvidia card also does not work at all.
I use intrepid studio on an ASUS laptop. I have all upgrades as of 19-Oct and I tried it today.
My workaround is to use the vesa driver.

[Susan Cragin (susancragin)]

This is the xorg.conf file that is generated by the nvidia-xconf command.

[Alberto Milone (albertomilone)]

Paul:
try with either of these options:
pci=routeirq

noapic irqpoll pci=routeirq

Susan:
you're experiencing a different problem, due to (at least) misconfiguration of the xorg.conf (e.g. the DefaultDepth is not set to 24 bits). I suggest you to install the driver with either Jockey (Hardware Drivers) or EnvyNG (envyng-core or envyng-qt) so as to make sure that it's all configured for you.

[Susan Cragin (susancragin)]

Alberto:
Thank you for the tips. I have tried jockey and envyng, and neither configures properly. I am attaching the xorg.conf file that envyng-qt produced.

[Alberto Milone (albertomilone)]

Susan: that xorg.conf looks good now. Maybe try removing this line:
Option "UseFBDev" "true"

Furthermore I would be glad if you could attach the nvidia-bug-report.log that the following command will create (in the same directory in which you type the command):
sudo nvidia-bug-report.sh

[Susan Cragin (susancragin)]

I did try removing the option as you said. That did not work.

I restored my system to a default nvidia config using envyng, and ran the bug report generator. The report came in two sections. Here is the first.

[Susan Cragin (susancragin)]

Here is the second.

[Susan Cragin (susancragin)]

Whoops. Wrong bug reports.
(They are from WINE running Dragon Naturally Speaking. You don't want those.)
Here is the correct one.

[Alberto Milone (albertomilone)]

Susan:
it depends on the BIOS. Can you try upgrading the BIOS?

here's the evidence:
Oct 19 08:42:22 ubuntu kernel: [ 104.565413] NVRM: The system BIOS may have misconfigured your graphics card.
Oct 19 08:42:22 ubuntu kernel: [ 104.565461] NVRM: The NVIDIA probe routine failed for 1 device(s).
Oct 19 08:42:22 ubuntu kernel: [ 104.565465] NVRM: None of the NVIDIA graphics adapters were initialized!
Oct 19 08:42:25 ubuntu kernel: [ 107.991253] NVRM: This PCI I/O region assigned to your NVIDIA device is invalid:
Oct 19 08:42:25 ubuntu kernel: [ 107.991256] NVRM: BAR1 is 0M @ 0x00000000 (PCI:0001:00.0)

[Paul Lorenz (plorenz)]

pci=routeirq
noapic irqpoll pci=routeirq

I tried these two options. They both booted (unlike plain noapic), but X still failed to start.

[Alberto Milone (albertomilone)]

Paul: try asking here:
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=14

maybe you will find someone who has the same motherboard and managed to solve the problem.

I'm closing this bug report since these problems depend on the BIOS and therefore can't be fixed without a BIOS upgrade/fix.