unity-system-compositor fails to initialize Intel Cedar View (GMA3650)

[Richard Elkins]

This is not a major issue. LightDM successfully falls back to X in a consistent fashion.

Compositor:
=================
ERROR: /build/buildd/mir-0.0.9+13.10.20130813/src/server/graphics/gbm/gbm_display_helpers.cpp(305): Throw in function void mir::graphics::gbm::helpers::GBMHelpe
r::setup(const mir::graphics::gbm::helpers::DRMHelper&)
Dynamic exception type: boost::exception_detail::clone_impl<boost::exception_det
ail::error_info_injector<std::runtime_error> >
std::exception::what: Failed to create GBM device
=================

The attachment has (guessing) salient logs from /var/log & /var/log/lightdm, detailed specifications on this motherboard, and a `ps ax` stdout log.

Need anything else? Want me to run a test?

Richard
Xubuntu 13.10 based on ISO from http://vanir.unit193.tk/mir/ "08/13/13 Version: 0.0.9r970", up-to-date from repositories
Motherboard: Intel D2550MUD2 (for better and worse!)
* Mini-ITX
* Dual-core Intel Atom D2550 CPU
* Intel NM10 Express chipset
* Intel GMA 3650 graphics ("Cedar View")

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/motherboards/desktop-motherboards/desktop-board-d2550mud2.html?wapkw=d2550mud2

http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/category/dsktpboards/db-d2550mud2/doc_guide?format-type=Technical+Documents

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_GMA

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

It's not really surprising cedarview lacks some DRM/KMS functionality that Mir requires.

Out of curiosity, where did you get the graphics driver? From what I can tell, Ubuntu dropped cedarview after 12.04 (which doesn't sound right)...
https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/cedarview-graphics-drivers
https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/cedarview-drm-drivers

[Richard Elkins (texadactyl)]

The fallback X graphics driver selected by X initialization is "modesetting". This is actually a good choice for me because it allows me to adjust my display characteristics to fit my Acer 22" monitor nicely.

Note that I have made absolutely no customization to X, the kernel graphic module selected (gma500_gfx), or the related configuration files. I have added some user applications on top of the ISO referenced above (E.g. gedit) and brought the system up-to-date after installation - but that's it for local mods. This system (Xubuntu 13.10 using X) is performing very well for me, even better than the stable 13.04. It has become my everyday desktop at home.

My motivation for trying Mir with this rig was to provide an "oddball" Intel test case. Even the Intel Linux Graphics project at 01.org is unable to detect their own hardware with their own software [(-:]. Your term "lack" seems to be apt. Had I known what I know now before I bought this motherboard, I would probably have bought something else!

[Richard Elkins (texadactyl)]

Even though the Xubuntu team has temporarily lost focus on Mir, I am willing to help the Mir team with testing my configuration. Note that I am a programmer too (my day job!) so if you want me to try something unusual and/or debug a bit to address this issue, I am open to this.

Clearly, the CedarView population is quite small. There isn't even a "gma3650" kernel module to provide full support. The Xorg modesetting driver used with gma500 is what makes my Xubuntu 13.10 Alpha-2 experience quite positive.

There could be quite a few "oddball" "graphic card" types out there (E.g. old Intel, Nvidia, and Ratheon). Do you and the Ubuntu folks have a generic reliable fallback process (E.g. to Xorg from display manager Y) if the 13.10 release installation is less than what is hoped for? My Xubuntu 13.10 Alpha-2 experience with LightDM was good in that respect; fallback works every time. That could make the 13.10 launch almost 100% painless. I would also suggest providing a high-level way of "turning off" Mir if things are unpleasant while using a desktop based on Mir (E.g. GUI off/on + reboot).

Good luck.

Richard

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Richard,

Your help would certainly be appreciated. I'm not sure what progress we can or will make with cedarview in the short term though. We're focusing on i915/radeon/nouveau first.

BTW, the way to "turn off" Mir in saucy is to search /etc/lightdm/* and remove/edit configs which turn Mir on with:
    type=unity

So comment those lines out, or the whole config files. Then your system will use legacy X. No mir (unity-system-compositor).

[Richard Elkins (texadactyl)]

Thanks, I already commented out unity in /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d/10-unity-system-compositor.conf.

For end users during the 13.10 launch, something more GUI would probably be helpful to them. Obviously, it would do something like this under the covers.

I agree that cedarview is an odd case and the vendor has not been very helpful thus far. Yes, your time would be better spent in the higher probabilities motherboards and graphics.

[Michał Sawicz (saviq)]

Syncing task from Mir.