[K8M890]Square cursor with Ubuntu 9.04 livecd, during VNC connection

[Leonardo Prosperi]

Binary package hint: xserver-xorg-video-openchrome

Ubuntu 9.04 livecd starts, but the cursor is a big white square.
If I use the vesa driver I get a blank screen; vesa driver are working in 8.04, not in 8.10.

I have the same bug with openchrome svn 747.

I have a Athlon 64 with a M2V-MX (BIOS V0807) motherboard with a Via K8M890CE display chipset.
My monitor is Asus wv202sr (1680x1050)

Updated the motherboard model

[lspci]
00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: VIA Technologies, Inc. K8M890CE Host Bridge [1106:0336]
     Subsystem: VIA Technologies, Inc. K8M890CE Host Bridge [1106:0336]
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: VIA Technologies, Inc. K8M890CE/K8N890CE [Chrome 9] [1106:3230] (rev 11)
     Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:81b5]

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Hi leo1981,

Please attach the output of `lspci -vvnn`, and attach your /var/log/Xorg.0.log (and maybe Xorg.0.log.old) file from after reproducing this issue. If you've made any customizations to your /etc/X11/xorg.conf please attach that as well.

[This is an automated message. Apologies if it has reached you inappropriately; please just reply to this message indicating so.]

[Leonardo Prosperi (leo1981)]

I took a screen shot of the desktop, it doesn't show what I see in my monitor.
But it is what I see using VNC too.

[Bartosz Kosiorek (gang65)]

In the Xorg.0.log there is an error:
  (EE) CHROME(0): [dri] VIADRIScreenInit failed (libdri.a is too old).

Please attach the xorg.log from Vesa driver.

[Bartosz Kosiorek (gang65)]

I have the same motherboard ASUS K8V-VM, and I haven't got any problems with my graphics.

Recently I tried to boot Ubuntu 9.04 livecd, and all works perfectly. I use CRT monitor. I have BIOS revision 401.

Make sure that your Ubuntu is not beta.
Try to reset BIOS to default values and update your BIOS to the latest revision (BIOS upgrade is very dangerous, so do it on your own risk):
http://support.asus.com/download/download_item.aspx?product=1&model=A8V-VM

Try remove extension cards and try again (the openchrome driver often interfere with WIFI).

I attached Xorg.log from Ubuntu 9.04 LiveCD (I haven't got any problems)

[Leonardo Prosperi (leo1981)]

I have only remote access to the computer, BIOS settings or hardware changes are almost impossible.
I have a firewire card in the pc, do I need to remove it to test, or can I just blacklist the ieee1394 module?

I thought the problem was the upgrade from Ubuntu 8.10 (vesa driver) to Ubuntu 9.04 (openchrome driver), but it exists in the livecd too (not beta).
I compared your Xorg with the one I attached to the openchrome bug, and the main difference is in the monitor resolution part.
Does the driver have the same behavior with CRT and LCD monitors?

Are you using any special option in the xorg.conf file?

[Bartosz Kosiorek (gang65)]

I don't understand "remote access to the computer". How you insert Ubuntu 9.04 livecd?

Could you please check bios revision, when this computer start?
I think the best option is just remove the firewire card to test, but if you can't do this, just blacklist the ieee1394 module.

I haven't got LCD monitor, so I can't test system with it.

I do not change anything. I just insert Ubuntu 9.04 disc, run it normally and take the logs. I haven't got any extension card inserted to motherboard.

[Leonardo Prosperi (leo1981)]

The motherboard model is M2V-MX with BIOS V0807.
Sorry for the confusion.

I have console access through SSH and VNC access (only vesa, the user in front of the computer doesn't see anything).

[Leonardo Prosperi (leo1981)]

I updated to SVN 750 and I reset the BIOS setting.
I have still the same problem.

[Bartosz Kosiorek (gang65)]

Hello again
Try to set UseLegacyModeSwitch=TRUE (line 709) for your chipset (K8M890) in file via_driver.c

For example:

        case VIA_K8M890:
            pVia->VideoEngine = VIDEO_ENGINE_CME;
            pVia->agpEnable = FALSE;
            pVia->dmaXV = FALSE;
            pVia->UseLegacyModeSwitch = TRUE;
            break;

Please build/install the latest openchrome driver and enable debug mode.

[Leonardo Prosperi (leo1981)]

I compiled SVN 781 with UseLegacyModeSwitch=TRUE, but I have the same problems.

[F. Medeiros (excalibas-gmail)]

I have this problem to and I just tied with 9.10 live cd and it is the same.

[Leonardo Prosperi (leo1981)]

Can you take a screen shot of the screen?
I tried it, but the screen shot wasn't what I had on screen.

Have you tried the vesa drivers?
I get a black screen.

[F. Medeiros (excalibas-gmail)]

If I take a screen shot the mouse looks ok (not what I have on screen)

The Vesa drivers also didn't work.

[Vsevolod (sevk-list)]

it's so strange. when i do screen shot i have black screeb with normal mouse cursor, but in real i have colored scquare :(
see attachment

[Vsevolod (sevk-list)]

and Phone photo (mouse square in center)

[Bartosz Kosiorek (gang65)]

Hello Vsevolod.
What chipset type do you have?

Attach your Xorg.0.log file.

Try to build the latest openchrome revision and replace the file "via_cursor.c" with following.

[Leonardo Prosperi (leo1981)]

Vsevolod ,
I have the same type of problem.
When I take a screenshot I see the cursor and some icons/menus.
The icons I see in the screenshot are not visible on the screen.
For example, I cannot see OpenOffice menus on the screen, but I can see them in the screenshot or in a VNC session from a remote computer.

Which Ubuntu version are you using?

Thanks,
Leonardo

[Leonardo Prosperi (leo1981)]

I tried the patched file, but the cursor is not visible at all.
It is still visible correctly if I take a screen shot.

[Bartosz Kosiorek (gang65)]

To workaround this bug try to enable software cursor in your xorg.conf file:

Option "SWCursor" "true"

[Vsevolod (sevk-list)]

After this change (Option "SWCursor" "true") square cursor became smaller but appear visible mouse pointer trail :(

[Vsevolod (sevk-list)]

Section "Device"
 Identifier "Configured Video Device"
 Option "UseFBDev" "true"
 Driver "openchrome"
 #Option "XaaNoImageWriteRect"
        #Option "SWCursor" "true"
 #Option "EnableAGPDMA" "True"
 #Option "NoAccel" "true"
 #Option "ExaNoComposite" "true"
 #Option "AccelMethod" "XAA"
 #Option "VBEModes" "true"
 Option "DisableIRQ"
Combination of all this options does not become result

[Bartosz Kosiorek (gang65)]

Hi.
Try to change cursor type to another.

[Bartosz Kosiorek (gang65)]

More detail:
Change cursor icon to another (for example full-color cursor).

[Rob (rob-tillaart)]

Had this problem this morning too when I installed 9.10. Tried different things and ultimately I reconfigured my BIOS to use 256 MB instead of 64MB (default) for the on board video. And the mouse cursor is right now :) Give it a try . Note I have 2GB internal memory (and also an ASUS M2V-MX board)
Now I only have to learn my daughter handling dual boot systems ...

[Bartosz Kosiorek (gang65)]

@Rob.
Please build/install the latest openchrome driver and enable debug mode.
The detail build instruction for Ubuntu/Debian is available at:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/OpenChrome

Then attach your /var/log/Xorg.0.log file with 256MB graphic memory.
Attach also your /var/log/Xorg.0.log file with 64MB graphic memory.

Is this problem also exists with 128MB memory

@Vsevolod & Leonardo Prosperi
Try to increase number of memory in BIOS
Is it helps?

[Leonardo Prosperi (leo1981)]

I set both:
- OnChip VGA Frame Buffer
- Graphics Aperture Size
at 256MB. I left AGP Mode at 8X and I use SVN 826.
But I have still the same problem.

[Nelsson (unelsson)]

Confirming the bug with M2V-MX motherboard with K8M890CE (integrated GPU). Mouse cursor is an ugly block with random colored pixels, the desktop size is too big for the monitor, resolution max 800x600 and the whole system is quite slow. Perhaps related to this bug - Open Office icons (for different tools etc.) do not show at all. I've tried different BIOS-settings, but problems still exist. It's a really troubling bug and not only a visual annoyance. Vesa-drivers do not work at all, so can't even use them at the moment.

[Nelsson (unelsson)]

With 64mb mem set for K8M890 from BIOS, system runs smoother, but all of the bugs still exist.

[Nelsson (unelsson)]

More details for troubleshooting:

- resolution problem existed in 9.04 too and was solved by adding following line to xorg.conf: HorizSync 30.0-100.0

- the rest of the problems came only after an upgrade from Ubuntu 9.04 to 9.10.
- - missing graphics in several programs, e.g .Open Office: tool icons are missing, menu texts are missing
- - square mouse cursor was present when upgraded to 9.04, but was fixed by a patch (don't know which one though). The bug came again after an upgrade to 9.10.

- downgrading to default openchrome driver version in Jaunty (9.04) did not help
- - 9.04 uses xserver-xorg-video-openchrome (1:0.2.903+svn713-1ubuntu1)
- - http://packages.ubuntu.com/jaunty/xserver-xorg-video-openchrome

- upgrading to openchrome svn 826 did not help

- I confirm #23 that xorg.conf Option SwCursor "true" leaves a mouse pointer trail

- I confirm that xorg.conf options mentioned in #24 do not make a difference

- I also confirm #29 that changing K8M890 memory settings from BIOS (64mb to 256mb) do not make a difference

[Bartosz Kosiorek (gang65)]

Hello Nelsson.
- resolution problem existed in 9.04 too and was solved by adding following line to xorg.conf: HorizSync 30.0-100.0
I think your monitor was not recognized by Xorg. What model do you have? Attach Xorg.0.log file with option "HorizSync 30.0-100.0" and without it.

- missing graphics in several programs
Attach the photo/screenshot of the application that have missing graphics.

- square mouse cursor was present when upgraded to 9.04, but was fixed by a patch (don't know which one though).
Please check which patch fixed your problems with square mouse cursor.

[Nelsson (unelsson)]

Open Office's icons do not show up. In mine sweeper it only shows the brown closed squares, but if Open Office is the active window and the window is moved over minesweeper's window, the squares in minesweeper show like they should. The cursor is the white box with random-colored pixels on top of minesweeper's window.

[Nelsson (unelsson)]

My monitor is Hyundai T91D

[Nelsson (unelsson)]

I've tried now several versions of openchrome-driver, including Jaunty's 0.2.903 svn 713, Karmic's 0.2.903+svn758-0ubuntu0 and 904+svn826 source from openchrome.org. Currently using Lucid's xserver-xorg-video-openchrome (1:0.2.904+svn812-1ubuntu1). All of the mentioned packages give the same problems (square cursor & missing graphics). I'm using XAA, not EXA (I've heard EXA is more likely to have weird graphics problems).

[Nelsson (unelsson)]

I was also asked to try if the same problems appear with Fedora 12 live cd - and they do. The mouse cursor was a weird square and exactly the same graphical problems appeared in minesweeper. I couldn't try if the graphics were missing in open office too, because Fedora 12 live cd doesn't have Open Office installed as a default.

[Bartosz Kosiorek (gang65)]

Do you have monitor connected by a DVI cable?

[Nelsson (unelsson)]

Nope, I have a VGA-cable.

[Nelsson (unelsson)]

Fedora 12 live cd

[Bartosz Kosiorek (gang65)]

Attach your ~/.xsession-errors file

[Bartosz Kosiorek (gang65)]

Is Option "NoAccel" "true" (in xorg.conf) helps?

[Bartosz Kosiorek (gang65)]

Please check the latest revision of the openchrome r831

[Akhil (bluffablemonk)]

Hai Guys I too have the same problem with ubuntu.
I am managing this problem by adding the below option with the boot parameter :

vga=771

Pls try this and give replay..

[Nelsson (unelsson)]

vga 771 alone doesn't seem to help.. I tried with xorg.conf option "DefaultDepth 8" under Section Screen and rebooted with only 256 colors, but the square cursor bug persists.

Latest revision of openchrome r841 gives me a blank screen. Xorg.0.log attached.

[Nelsson (unelsson)]

I had some trouble with the new build r841 so I reinstalled the whole thing again. All of the bugs persist and I got some more problems.

Reinstallation in detail: I downgraded back to ubuntu's xserver-xorg-video-openchrome 0.2.903+svn758-0ubuntu1... Then rebooted to console (recovery mode), uninstalled xserver-xorg-video-openchrome, compiled the latest svn from source. The result is that computer restarts and shows the login window background, I typed my name and password without seeing anything and apparently logged in. After login I got square cursor and only white background, nothing to interact with.

I tried with Option "NoAccel" "true" and got similar results (although slightly different looking graphical glitches).

I tried with Option "AccelMethod" "EXA" with and without Option "ExaNoComposite" "true" - result was unusable desktop because of random-colored pixels all around the screen. This time I could clearly see where the edges of the windows were though..

As Xorg.0.log hinted of wrong version of DRI-drivers, I also tried to upgrade some DRM/DRI-packages to newer versions from Ubuntu Lucid's repository, but... got no working results.

Finally I downgraded back to 0.2.903+svn758-0ubuntu1 and got back where I started.

[Nelsson (unelsson)]

Quote from http://openchrome.org/trac/ticket/302#comment:5
"I have the same problem, tested on ubuntu 9.04 9.10 10.04 xubuntu puredyne and fedora.

A strange thing happened,(Ubuntu Lucid Lynx) I plugged in an nvidia card (just plug on the pci-e) but still use the onboard vga. the resolution is 800x600 but the problems are gone.

If I unplug the nvidia the problem comes back.

/var/log/Xorg.0.log with nvidia card - http://pastebin.com/cBLNV7cF

/var/log/Xorg.0.log without nvidia card - http://silva.pastebin.com/GdJLuxH2

dmesg without nvidia card - http://silva.pastebin.com/w1BCmz0F"

I also confirm this bug in Ubuntu 10.04 LTS.

[Nelsson (unelsson)]

I also confirm that what excalibas mentioned at http://openchrome.org/trac/ticket/302#comment:5 that just plugging in another card (in my case Geforce 6200) will solve all of the problems even when I use onboard K8M890.