[i855] laptop screen flickers

[Adam Gundy]

Binary package hint: xserver-xorg-video-intel

since upgrading from hardy to intrepid, the display on my Gateway MX6025 laptop now flickers. it is extremely noticeable in the login screens (GDM), and slightly noticeable (headache inducing...) once logged in, depending on the display brightness.

lowering the brightness makes it less obvious, but still present. killing compiz made no difference.

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation 82852/855GM Integrated Graphics Device [8086:3582] (rev 02)
 Subsystem: Gateway 2000 Device [107b:0360]

there are quite a lot of error reports in the Xorg log:

(EE) intel(0): tried to update DSPARB with both planes enabled!
(II) intel(0): EDID vendor "AUO", prod id 3853
(II) intel(0): Printing DDC gathered Modelines:
(II) intel(0): Modeline "1280x800"x0.0 68.90 1280 1301 1333 1408 800 804 808 816 -hsync -vsync (48.9 kHz)
(II) intel(0): EDID vendor "AUO", prod id 3853
(II) intel(0): EDID vendor "AUO", prod id 3853
(II) intel(0): Printing DDC gathered Modelines:
(II) intel(0): Modeline "1280x800"x0.0 68.90 1280 1301 1333 1408 800 804 808 816 -hsync -vsync (48.9 kHz)
(II) intel(0): EDID vendor "AUO", prod id 3853
(II) intel(0): EDID vendor "AUO", prod id 3853
(II) intel(0): Printing DDC gathered Modelines:
(II) intel(0): Modeline "1280x800"x0.0 68.90 1280 1301 1333 1408 800 804 808 816 -hsync -vsync (48.9 kHz)
(II) intel(0): EDID vendor "AUO", prod id 3853
(II) intel(0): EDID vendor "AUO", prod id 3853
(II) intel(0): Printing DDC gathered Modelines:
(II) intel(0): Modeline "1280x800"x0.0 68.90 1280 1301 1333 1408 800 804 808 816 -hsync -vsync (48.9 kHz)
(II) intel(0): EDID vendor "AUO", prod id 3853
(II) intel(0): using SSC reference clock of 100 MHz
(II) intel(0): Selecting standard 18 bit TMDS pixel format.
(EE) intel(0): underrun on pipe B!
(EE) intel(0): tried to update DSPARB with both planes enabled!
(II) intel(0): EDID vendor "AUO", prod id 3853
(II) intel(0): Printing DDC gathered Modelines:
(II) intel(0): Modeline "1280x800"x0.0 68.90 1280 1301 1333 1408 800 804 808 816 -hsync -vsync (48.9 kHz)
(II) intel(0): EDID vendor "AUO", prod id 3853
(EE) intel(0): underrun on pipe B!
(EE) intel(0): tried to update DSPARB with both planes enabled!

"underrun on pipe B"? also, "tried to update DSPARB with both planes enabled!"

also interesting, the only refresh rate available is 60Hz.. but isn't that modeline telling me 68.9Hz?

[Alexander Monakov (amonakov)]

Created an attachment (id=20021)
Xorg.0.log after the commit

I experience very low refresh rate on laptop LCD panel using driver from xf86-video-intel-2.4-branch (both ubuntu package and today's git) on Intel 852GM. I see the flickering with my eyes, which suggest that somehow refresh rate goes way below 60Hz.

Using xrandr -r or changing resolution does not improve it. Sometimes I also see random white dots in text console and banding on horizontal gradients (similar to "ghosting" artifact on TV). xorg.conf is non-existent.

This issue is also reported in Ubuntu bug tracker: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xserver-xorg-video-intel/+bug/292761

Doing git bisect on 2.4 branch identifies this commit: http://gitweb.freedesktop.org/?p=xorg/driver/xf86-video-intel.git;a=commit;h=86b10601e8798974240ae17539b413c1798d34e1
commit 86b10601e8798974240ae17539b413c1798d34e1
Reorganize VBIOS code

xrandr output before the commit:
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1024 x 768, maximum 1024 x 1024
VGA disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
LVDS connected 1024x768+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 0mm x 0mm
   1024x768 82.7 + 85.0* 75.0 70.1 60.0
   832x624 74.6
   800x600 85.1 72.2 75.0 60.3 56.2
   640x480 85.0 72.8 75.0 59.9
   720x400 85.0
   640x400 85.1
   640x350 85.1

xrandr output after the commit:
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1024 x 768, maximum 1024 x 1024
VGA disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
LVDS connected 1024x768+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 0mm x 0mm
   1024x768 60.0 + 85.0* 75.0 70.1 60.0
   832x624 74.6
   800x600 85.1 72.2 75.0 60.3 56.2
   640x480 85.0 72.8 75.0 59.9
   720x400 85.0
   640x400 85.1
   640x350 85.1

diff:
- 1024x768 82.7 + 85.0* 75.0 70.1 60.0
+ 1024x768 60.0 + 85.0* 75.0 70.1 60.0

ddcprobe:
vbe: VESA 3.0 detected.
oem: Intel(r)852GM/852GME/855GM/855GME Graphics Chip Accelerated VGA BIOS
vendor: Intel Corporation
product: Intel(r)852GM/852GME/855GM/855GME Graphics Controller Hardware Version 0.0
memory: 8000kb
mode: 1280x1024x256
mode: 1280x1024x64k
mode: 1280x1024x16m
mode: 1024x768x256
mode: 1024x768x64k
mode: 1024x768x16m
mode: 640x480x16m
mode: 800x600x64k
mode: 800x600x16m
mode: 640x480x256
mode: 800x600x256
mode: 640x480x64k
edid:
edidfail

diff of Xorg.0.log:
--- xorg.log.good 2008-11-03 19:47:25.000000000 +0300
+++ xorg.log.bad 2008-11-03 19:52:44.000000000 +0300
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
  (++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
  (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
-(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Mon Nov 3 19:30:21 2008
+(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Mon Nov 3 19:51:38 2008
 (EE) Unable to locate/open config file
 (II) Loader magic: 0x81d9a40
 (II) Module ABI versions:
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@
  ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 4.1
 (II) Unlo...

[Flemming Bjerke (flem)]

I have a similar problem on my Fujitsu-Siemens Lifebook just updated to Kubuntu intrepid, though the screen doesn't flicker. There are just the error messages.

But, I had severe problems with X till I ran
dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg
which made a minimalistic xorg.conf which utilised default intel configuration.

Section "Device"
        Identifier "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier "Default Screen"
        Monitor "Configured Monitor"
        Device "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

[Flemming Bjerke (flem)]

My current xorg.conf

[Adam Gundy (adam-starsilk)]

no effect from reconfiguring X.. my hardy config didn't have anything special in it either, though.

[Jesse Barnes (jbarnes-virtuousgeek)]

Can you attach your video rom to the bug?

# cd /sys/devices/pci0000\:00/0000\:00\:02.0/
# echo 1 > rom
# cat rom > /tmp/rom.bin
# echo 0 > rom

[Alexander Monakov (amonakov)]

Created an attachment (id=20064)
Video ROM

[robguthrie (rob-dudsbabyduds)]

Hi
I have this problem too.
I have intel 945 chipset on a sony vaio.
Screen flickers every 5 seconds with corruption. No crashes tho.

My hardy install was perfect and ive never had problems with the intel driver before on this machine.

[Adam Gundy (adam-starsilk)]

hmm. I'm not convinced the 'every 5 seconds' flicker is the same thing.

I saw other bug reports around when I was trying to see if others had my issue (persistent flickering, almost subliminal with the brightness turned down a couple of notches), and the 'every 5/7 seconds' thing was something to do with detecting plugged in monitors - people were fixing it by disabling a service I think. try googling for 'flicker every 7 seconds'.

[Alexander Monakov (amonakov)]

(In reply to comment #1)
> Can you attach your video rom to the bug?

Video ROM was attached. Is there anything else I can help with on this issue (e.g. verify anything in gdb, or whatever)?

Note that "bad" Xorg.log mentions
(WW) intel(0): Chosen PLL clock of 66.5 Mhz more than 2% away from desired 65.0 Mhz

[Jesse Barnes (jbarnes-virtuousgeek)]

I wonder if the mode detection ordering change is what bit you here. If so, this patch might help, can you give it a try? Also I think there might be a use after free bug in the code (now that I review it again), so the xf86DuplicateMode change might help with that.

diff --git a/src/i830_lvds.c b/src/i830_lvds.c
index 0d67d50..7f632f1 100644
--- a/src/i830_lvds.c
+++ b/src/i830_lvds.c
@@ -1281,12 +1281,14 @@ i830_lvds_init(ScrnInfoPtr pScrn)
            scan->prev = scan->next;
        if (scan->next != NULL)
            scan->next = scan->prev;
- lvds_ddc_mode = scan;
+ lvds_ddc_mode = xf86DuplicateMode(scan);
     }
     /* Delete the mode list */
     while (modes != NULL)
        xf86DeleteMode(&modes, modes);

+ pI830->lvds_fixed_mode = lvds_ddc_mode = NULL;
+
     if (lvds_ddc_mode) {
            pI830->lvds_fixed_mode = lvds_ddc_mode;
            goto found_mode;

[Alexander Monakov (amonakov)]

(In reply to comment #4)
> I wonder if the mode detection ordering change is what bit you here. If so,
> this patch might help, can you give it a try? Also I think there might be a
> use after free bug in the code (now that I review it again), so the
> xf86DuplicateMode change might help with that.

I have built current 2.4 branch with this patch and the described problem is gone for me (previously it was experienced with every X start). The (probably unrelated) only symptom left is random black&white dots in text console after VT switch, but I absolutely do not mind ).

xrandr output is back to normal, and the mentioned warning is gone from Xorg.log.

[Jesse Barnes (jbarnes-virtuousgeek)]

Does the problem come back if you remove the
  pI830->lvds_fixed_mode = lvds_ddc_mode = NULL;
line?

[Alexander Monakov (amonakov)]

(In reply to comment #6)
> Does the problem come back if you remove the
> pI830->lvds_fixed_mode = lvds_ddc_mode = NULL;
> line?
>

Yes it does.

[Alexander Monakov (amonakov)]

Adam,

Could you please show xrandr output in hardy and intrepid?

I have the same issue and have reported it upstream as http://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=18358
(there's a workaround patch posted).

[Adam Gundy (adam-starsilk)]

I raised the original Ubuntu bug report.. do you have a build I can test? my xrandr output is different between hardy and intrepid, but not as obviously different as your machine..

[Adam Gundy (adam-starsilk)]

looks like there's a difference - on hardy, there are two 60Hz versions of 1280x800 listed, on intrepid, only one.

hardy (working):

Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1280 x 800, maximum 1280 x 1280
VGA disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
LVDS connected 1280x800+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 331mm x 207mm
   1280x800 60.0*+ 60.0
   1280x768 60.0
   1024x768 60.0
   800x600 60.3
   640x480 59.9

intrepid (flickering):

Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1280 x 800, maximum 1280 x 1280
VGA disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
LVDS connected 1280x800+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 331mm x 207mm
   1280x800 60.0*+
   1024x768 60.0
   800x600 60.3
   640x480 59.9

[Jeremy Sanders (jeremysanders)]

My Fujitsu P7010 keeps pumping out these messages:

(EE) intel(0): tried to update DSPARB with both planes enabled!
(II) intel(0): I2C device "LVDSDDC_C:ddc2" registered at address 0xA0.
(II) intel(0): I2C device "LVDSDDC_C:ddc2" removed.
(EE) intel(0): tried to update DSPARB with both planes enabled!
(II) intel(0): I2C device "LVDSDDC_C:ddc2" registered at address 0xA0.
(II) intel(0): I2C device "LVDSDDC_C:ddc2" removed.
(EE) intel(0): tried to update DSPARB with both planes enabled!
(II) intel(0): I2C device "LVDSDDC_C:ddc2" registered at address 0xA0.
(II) intel(0): I2C device "LVDSDDC_C:ddc2" removed.
...

I keep getting random monitor connect/disconnect messages in KDE4 as well. No screen flickering though. This is an Intel 82852/855GM graphics chipset.

[Adam Gundy (adam-starsilk)]

(In reply to comment #4)
> I wonder if the mode detection ordering change is what bit you here. If so,
> this patch might help, can you give it a try? Also I think there might be a
> use after free bug in the code (now that I review it again), so the
> xf86DuplicateMode change might help with that.

sorry, tried this on my laptop and it still flickers.. xrandr output is unchanged, still only one frequency listed, which is not the same as when I run hardy (no flicker).

intrepid xrandr:

Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1280 x 800, maximum 1280 x 1280
VGA disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
LVDS connected 1280x800+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 331mm x 207mm
   1280x800 60.0*+
   1024x768 60.0
   800x600 60.3
   640x480 59.9

hardy xrandr:

Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1280 x 800, maximum 1280 x 1280
VGA disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
LVDS connected 1280x800+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 331mm x 207mm
   1280x800 60.0*+ 60.0
   1280x768 60.0
   1024x768 60.0
   800x600 60.3
   640x480 59.9

the other thing that is odd is the modeline being reported in the Xorg log:

(II) intel(0): Modeline "1280x800"x0.0 68.90 1280 1301 1333 1408 800 804 808 816 -hsync -vsync (48.9 kHz)

isn't that asking for a 68.9Hz refresh rate?

[Lambros Bezedes (kleidokrators)]

I have the same problem with Jeremy. After a clean install of Kubuntu 8.10 the problem remains. There is no flickering but i cannot watch media files. The video file begins normally and at some random time it turns blue but the sound continues.

Started a new bug report in https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/292788 for the false monitor detection (connection/disconnection)

[Butilw (butilw)]

I have build versions 2.4.1 (Ubuntu 8.10) and 2.5.0 (Fedora 10) with patch from comment #4, but flickering is still here, in both cases

[Jesse Barnes (jbarnes-virtuousgeek)]

Created an attachment (id=21283)
adjust display clock calculation values

Ahh, so actually it looks like the pixel clock calculation might be to blame here. We set it higher than it should be and it looks like that causes pipe underruns which would cause flickering.

Can you try this patch from Ma Ling that adjusts our calculations a little?

[Jesse Barnes (jbarnes-virtuousgeek)]

Adding Ma Ling to CC list.

[Adam Gundy (adam-starsilk)]

(In reply to comment #11)
> Created an attachment (id=21283) [details]
> adjust display clock calculation values
>
> Ahh, so actually it looks like the pixel clock calculation might be to blame
> here. We set it higher than it should be and it looks like that causes pipe
> underruns which would cause flickering.
>
> Can you try this patch from Ma Ling that adjusts our calculations a little?

tried it.. still flickers. sorry. anything I can get which might help with diagnosis? this was actually with both patches applied, BTW.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

[This is an automated message]

Hi adam-starsilk,

Please attach the output of `lspci -vvnn` too.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

[This is an automatic notice.]

We'd like to forward your bug upstream, however upstream requires
that you first test it against their newer driver code.

To save you the effort of building the driver from source, we've built
packages for the driver and its new dependencies.

So you have a couple options:

 1. Download and test .debs for intrepid, from:
     https://edge.launchpad.net/~intel-gfx-testing/+archive

 -or-

 2. Download and test the Jaunty alpha-2 (or newer) Live CD,
     (which includes a beta of the new xserver 1.6 as well).
     See http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/9.04/ for ISOs

Thanks ahead of time! You can simply reply to this email to report your
findings.

P.S., if you wish to forward your bug upstream yourself, please follow
these directions to do so:
  http://intellinuxgraphics.org/how_to_report_bug.html

[Hector Avila (compugeek3264)]

My laptop screen still flickers especially with the test debs installed from intel-gfx-testing
The laptop is a Gateway M305CRV with Intel 82852/855 GM

[Hector Avila (compugeek3264)]

^...at login and when starting up videos (forgot to add that)

[Kevin (raccoonstrait)]

Hi,

I managed to get the new driver installed, and tried to get GDB to function. The driver is not the answer. I was unable to complete this task in linux, though I tried a couple of times. I will say that it changed somewhat, I now get a red screen as the Xserver goes down, or looses contact. So, from Windows here are my latest SystemLog, XorgLog, and KernelLogs.

Please let me know if I can send something else.

Regards,

Kevin

[Adam Gundy (adam-starsilk)]

output of lspci attached. I've tried the new build of the driver from the testing page, it not only does NOT fix the flicker, but there are now also redraw issues when scrolling gnome terminal windows.

needless to say I'm about to try and remove this version...

also, when you say 'We'd like to forward your bug upstream'.. the bug has already been sent upstream by Alexander Monakov - see his comment in this bug report where he gives the freedesktop.org URL...

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Thanks for testing and pointing out that it's upstream. Setting to Triaged for now.

Yes, we've heard from several people about problems with 8xx. I hope upstream will look into addressing the issues on these older chipsets.

[David-nnucomputerwhiz (david-nnucomputerwhiz)]

I'm getting the same problem.
Using Arch Linux and when they updated the intel driver it started flickering.
Tried using the latest driver from GIT and it made no difference.
Tried applying the patch mentioned and it made no difference.
Only thing that fixed it was reverting to an older driver.
Bug still flagged as NEEDINFO, what information could I supply that would help?
Thanks
Dave

[JoeC@home (ciancimino)]

This bug has the best fit of the same error I get since the past few new upgrade releases. I get a ton of screen flicker especially on flash pages and the computer overall now acts like it is running slower but there is no load on the CPU an no lack of RAM issues.

So for this is the best I have managed to make an xorg.conf an a Toshiba A45-S151 with an 855GM video card. Testing with glxgears performance is still very slow but FPS is now more stable around 470FPS. Previously it would spike to 1200FPS then drop to around 300 FPS. I keep getting the same messages in Xorg.0.log

(WW) intel(0): Chosen PLL clock of 66.6 Mhz more than 2% away from desired 65.0 Mhz
(II) intel(0): Selecting standard 18 bit TMDS pixel format.
(EE) intel(0): underrun on pipe B!
(EE) intel(0): tried to update DSPARB with both planes enabled!
(II) intel(0): I2C device "LVDSDDC_C:ddc2" registered at address 0xA0.
(II) intel(0): I2C device "LVDSDDC_C:ddc2" removed.
(EE) intel(0): underrun on pipe B!

Researching this points to that this model has a second video output which is not currently being used so I am not sure it is related, so I am not too concerned with the permissions on card1 at this time.

/dev/dri/
total 0
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 80 2009-01-24 15:22 .
drwxr-xr-x 15 root root 13900 2009-01-24 15:22 ..
crw-rw-rw- 1 root video 226, 0 2009-01-24 15:22 card0
crw-rw---- 1 root video 226, 1 2009-01-24 15:22 card1

I also tried turning back to the older Linux kernel and there is no change.

Linux joe-laptop 2.6.27-9-generic #1 SMP Thu Nov 20 21:57:00 UTC 2008 i686 GNU/Linux

Xorg.99.log shows the following errors:

(II) Loading sub module "ddc"
(II) LoadModule: "ddc"
(II) Module "ddc" already built-in
f000:4169: 01 ILLEGAL EXTENDED X86 OPCODE!
(II) intel(0): VESA VBE DDC not supported

And also

(II) Reloading /usr/lib/xorg/modules//libint10.so
(II) intel(1): initializing int10
(EE) intel(1): Cannot read V_BIOS (3) Function not implemented

Hope this information helps.

[Cosmin Roman (koszul)]

Hullo all.

I had a very similar problem with the upgrade to 8.10 on my Fujitsu P5020 (Intel 82852/855GM Integrated Graphics Device, of course). Completely at random X would crash, forcing me to log in again. The rest of the system was working, on the other hand. The "both planes enabled" message I saw in Xorg.0.log is what brought me on this forum, in fact :)

After a tad of digging (forget now the source - but kudos to whoever had this idea, my lappy runs very happily now) I found a workaround, and would be glad to share with the community. In short, take the xrandr output, and disable in xorg.conf the device you won't use. Not the most elegant solution (the bug is still there, but I personally can live with that).

E.g., on my lappy xrandr listed three devices: VGA, LVDS and TMDS. Based on this, my xorg.conf contains the following:

Section "Device"
        Identifier "Configured Video Device"
        BusID "PCI:0:2:0"
        Option "monitor-TMDS" "dvi"
        Option "monitor-VGA" "vga"
        Option "monitor-LVDS" "lvds"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
         Identifier "dvi"
         Option "Ignore" "true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
         Identifier "vga"
         Option "Ignore" "true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier "Default Screen"
        Monitor "Configured Monitor"
        Device "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Now xrandr outputs only LVDS; and the only odd thing in Xorg.0.log is

(II) intel(0): I2C device "LVDSDDC_C:ddc2" registered at address 0xA0.
(II) intel(0): I2C device "LVDSDDC_C:ddc2" removed.

(TONS of these two lines). However, I don't experience anymore the random X crashes. Go Ibex.

Hope the above helps.

Now if someone can show me how to enable the built in SD card reader (the infamous O2Micro one) ...

Cheers.
Cosmin

[Cosmin Roman (koszul)]

Oh, and the "random monitor connect/disconnect messages" somebody else mentioned, they're gone too. Sorry for losing that, and for the add'l post.

C.

[Jesse Barnes (jbarnes-virtuousgeek)]

*** Bug 19703 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

[Jesse Barnes (jbarnes-virtuousgeek)]

Created an attachment (id=22327)
dump FIFO watermark values

So far, all we know is that people are seeing lots of underruns with the VBT derived mode line, and that one difference is that with the VBT modeline we get a higher pixelclock value than we used to. This patch should make the intel_reg_dumper too dump the FWATER_BLC values, can someone apply it and attach the output of the tool to this bug? (You only need to apply the i830_debug.c portion of the patch, though the other bits might be fun to play with too.)

[Russell O'Connor (launchpad-roconnor)]

Comin Roman's "solution" works for me too. I did the same except without

       Option "monitor-TMDS" "dvi"

which wasn't reported by xrandr for me.

I also have tonnes of those two lines, along with a few:

(EE) intel(0): tried to update DSPARB with both planes enabled!

VLC starts up a little ``clunky'', but seems to work once it gets going.
I have blue stripes around the windows that cover the video, but there is no flicker and my X does not crash.

In VLC I switch Tools -> Preferences. Show Settings All. Video -> Output modules -> XVideo -> XVideo adaptor number change from "-1" to "1" (which was suggesting in another thread) the blue bars around windows covering the video go away.

Obviously Cosmin's "solution" isn't a real fix, but it helps.

[Russell O'Connor (launchpad-roconnor)]

Oops. After rereading this bug report, I see it isn't really the problem I was having. I was having trouble with occasional flashes, and X black screening when playing videos, and such. None the less Cosmin's "solution" fixed this problem I was having.

Running on a Thinkpad X40 laptop here.

[Adam Gundy (adam-starsilk)]

(In reply to comment #16)
> Created an attachment (id=22327) [details]
> dump FIFO watermark values
>
> So far, all we know is that people are seeing lots of underruns with the VBT
> derived mode line, and that one difference is that with the VBT modeline we get
> a higher pixelclock value than we used to. This patch should make the
> intel_reg_dumper too dump the FWATER_BLC values, can someone apply it and
> attach the output of the tool to this bug? (You only need to apply the
> i830_debug.c portion of the patch, though the other bits might be fun to play
> with too.)

OK, I've attached the output under both ubuntu intrepid (flicker), and I managed to hack a version that will run on ubuntu hardy too. it's clear from diffing the two dumps that under hardy, pipe A is marked as disabled in several places - in intrepid, it's enabled. also, the dot clock on pipe B is very different (intrepid: 45459, hardy: 69142). the patch for showing the FWATER_BLC variables shows they are the same on both..

[Adam Gundy (adam-starsilk)]

Created an attachment (id=22789)
intel register dump under ubuntu hardy

[Adam Gundy (adam-starsilk)]

Created an attachment (id=22790)
intel register dump under ubuntu intrepid

[Adam Gundy (adam-starsilk)]

Created an attachment (id=22791)
intel_reg_dumper

this is a static build of the intel_reg_dumper that will work on both ubuntu hardy and intrepid.

obviously, you should think carefully before running (as root!) an untrusted binary you just found on a website...

OTOH it might be helpful for tracking this bug down..

[Michael Fu (michael-fu-intel)]

might be an ssc clock issue as well...? 852 isn't set to use 66/48 , rather use 100/96, which seems wrong...

[Ling-ma (ling-ma)]

Created an attachment (id=23742)
please try the patch on your machine

An external SSC clock synthesizer can be used to provide the 48/66-MHz reference clock into the GMCH Pipe B PLL.

thanks
Ma Ling

[Ling-ma (ling-ma)]

ping ~

[Karel Kolman (kolmis)]

@MaLing:

i confirm your patch fixes the flickering for me !

i tested your patch on the 2.6.3 version (i patched the ubuntu jaunty xserver-xorg-video-intel_2.6.3-0ubuntu2)

being forced to use the vesa driver for about a year now, i'm happy to use the intel driver again, thanks !

[Karel Kolman (kolmis)]

I forgot to mention that i tested the patch with the following hw:
Intel Corporation 82852/855GM Integrated Graphics Device (rev 02)

[Jesse Barnes (jbarnes-virtuousgeek)]

Great, looks like a good patch. I'll go ahead and push it.

[Jesse Barnes (jbarnes-virtuousgeek)]

commit 85e6b528582c2397ee9eb2132cd0d05ce12eb43d
Author: Ma Ling <email address hidden>
Date: Thu Mar 19 09:10:19 2009 -0700

    Set SSC frequency for 8xx chips correctly

[Karel Kolman (kolmis)]

i confirm this flickering on intrepid & jaunty (have been using vesa driver since update to intrepid), the laptop is acer travelmate 2304LC.

the patch https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=18358#c22 fixes the problem on my system (tested by patching the jaunty version of the intel driver - xserver-xorg-video-intel_2.6.3-0ubuntu2)

[Adam Gundy (adam-starsilk)]

(In reply to comment #27)
> commit 85e6b528582c2397ee9eb2132cd0d05ce12eb43d
> Author: Ma Ling <email address hidden>
> Date: Thu Mar 19 09:10:19 2009 -0700
>
> Set SSC frequency for 8xx chips correctly
>

apologies for the delay.. but your patch fixes the flicker issue for me too... fantastic. I've tried it on ubuntu intrepid - that's v2.4.1 of the driver.

I still get occasional warnings in the log.. don't know if they are serious?

(EE) intel(0): tried to update DSPARB with both planes enabled!
(II) intel(0): EDID vendor "AUO", prod id 3853
(II) intel(0): Printing DDC gathered Modelines:
(II) intel(0): Modeline "1280x800"x0.0 68.90 1280 1301 1333 1408 800 804 808 816 -hsync -vsync (48.9 kHz)
(II) intel(0): EDID vendor "AUO", prod id 3853

[Adam Gundy (adam-starsilk)]

Created an attachment (id=24064)
just for completeness, the intel_reg_dumper output with the fix applied

[Jesse Barnes (jbarnes-virtuousgeek)]

(In reply to comment #28)
> I still get occasional warnings in the log.. don't know if they are serious?
>
> (EE) intel(0): tried to update DSPARB with both planes enabled!

I think this is fixed in master as well, or is this log from master?

[Adam Gundy (adam-starsilk)]

(In reply to comment #30)
> (In reply to comment #28)
> > I still get occasional warnings in the log.. don't know if they are serious?
> >
> > (EE) intel(0): tried to update DSPARB with both planes enabled!
>
> I think this is fixed in master as well, or is this log from master?

ahh, no, this is with the patch applied to the ubuntu intrepid 2.4.1 version.. so there's a good chance it's missing other patches. that's fine..

[Adam Gundy (adam-starsilk)]

the patch also fixes my laptop (intrepid). please grab this patch!

[Brittany Dunlap (xdunlapx)]

The patch seems to have helped my laptop. There is a little flash still when the screen brightens from being idle to not idle. No big deal. Woohoo! Thanks for the patch!

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

According to the upstream bug, this was fixed as of 3/19, which is included in the 2.7 driver. 2.7.1 is in Karmic now, so closing as fixed. It is also available for Jaunty in the x-updates PPA.