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Hi

Did a bunch of updates on my Debian Etch system. Among others, KDE was
upgraded to 3.5. Now, when X starts up (tried both kdm and gdm), there is a
strange kind of translucency present - the mouse cursor is invisible, and
the text is visible, without the colors that distinguish a window from the
background. Nothing is readable. I am posting this from a Knoppix live CD
session.

Logging into Gnome leads to one advantage - can at least see the terminal,
though any ncurses dependent stuff leads to the same problems.

Any idea about what is wrong, and how do I fix it from a text only
runlevel ?

Thanks.

Madhusudan Singh wrote:

> Hi
>
> Did a bunch of updates on my Debian Etch system. Among others, KDE was
> upgraded to 3.5. Now, when X starts up (tried both kdm and gdm), there is
> a strange kind of translucency present - the mouse cursor is invisible,
> and the text is visible, without the colors that distinguish a window from
> the background. Nothing is readable. I am posting this from a Knoppix live
> CD session.
>
> Logging into Gnome leads to one advantage - can at least see the terminal,
> though any ncurses dependent stuff leads to the same problems.
>
> Any idea about what is wrong, and how do I fix it from a text only
> runlevel ?
>
> Thanks.

This appears to be an Xorg problem. I see some strange messages in
Xorg.log :

ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x2f) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0):
Fixing display offsets.
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING:
outring (0x17) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0): Fixing display
offsets.
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0): Fixing
display offsets.
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING:
outring (0x17) isn't on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x2f)
isn't on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x47) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x5f) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x77) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I81
(0): Fixing display offsets.
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING:
outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't
on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I81
(0): Fixing display offsets.
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING:
outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord bouhndary(WW) I810(0): Fixing display
offsets.
....

How do I fix this ?

* Madhusudan Singh wrote in alt.os.linux.debian:

[...]

> This appears to be an Xorg problem. I see some strange messages in
> Xorg.log :

> ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x2f) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0):

[...]

> offsets.
> ...

> How do I fix this ?

Try running xorgconfig ?

--
David
A tall, dark stranger will have more fun than you.

Madhusudan Singh wrote:
> Hi
>
> Did a bunch of updates on my Debian Etch system. Among others, KDE was
> upgraded to 3.5. Now, when X starts up (tried both kdm and gdm), there is a
> strange kind of translucency present - the mouse cursor is invisible, and
> the text is visible, without the colors that distinguish a window from the
> background. Nothing is readable. I am posting this from a Knoppix live CD
> session.
>
> Logging into Gnome leads to one advantage - can at least see the terminal,
> though any ncurses dependent stuff leads to the same problems.
>
> Any idea about what is wrong, and how do I fix it from a text only
> runlevel ?
>
> Thanks.

Perhaps this is way overkill, but maybe;
dpkg-reconfigure kdm
or
dpkg-reconfigure gdm
use whichever one you like least, in case something goes really funky,
like lost files /settings

Wait for other advice

__/ [ Madhusudan Singh ] on Friday 24 February 2006 06:07 \__

Hi,

The "Urgent" bit makes it sound as if a helpdesk is involved. *smile*


> Madhusudan Singh wrote:
>
>> Hi
>>
>> Did a bunch of updates on my Debian Etch system. Among others, KDE was
>> upgraded to 3.5. Now, when X starts up (tried both kdm and gdm), there is
>> a strange kind of translucency present - the mouse cursor is invisible,
>> and the text is visible, without the colors that distinguish a window from
>> the background. Nothing is readable. I am posting this from a Knoppix live
>> CD session.
>>
>> Logging into Gnome leads to one advantage - can at least see the terminal,
>> though any ncurses dependent stuff leads to the same problems.
>>
>> Any idea about what is wrong, and how do I fix it from a text only
>> runlevel ?
>>
>> Thanks.
>
> This appears to be an Xorg problem. I see some strange messages in
> Xorg.log :
>
> ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x2f) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0):
> Fixing display offsets.
> ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING:
> outring (0x17) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0): Fixing display
> offsets.
> ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0):
> Fixing display offsets.
> ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING:
> outring (0x17) isn't on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x2f)
> isn't on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x47) isn't on a QWord
> boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x5f) isn't on a QWord
> boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x77) isn't on a QWord
> boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
> boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
> boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
> boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
> boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
> boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I81
> (0): Fixing display offsets.
> ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING:
> outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't
> on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
> boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
> boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
> boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
> boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
> boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord
> boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I81
> (0): Fixing display offsets.
> ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING:
> outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord bouhndary(WW) I810(0): Fixing display
> offsets.
> ...
>
> How do I fix this ?

Has you XOrg configuration file been modified during KDE upgrade? If so, can
you retrieve the old version? I suppose command-line YaSY with SaX could be
handy here, but you are on Debian.

Other ideas: can you extract the XOrg configurations used by Knoppix in your
live session? Perhaps you can overwrite (careful making backups!) the
Debian's XOrg configuration.

Lastly, have you got any pre-upgrade backups? Any HOWTO on KDE upgrades
suggests this at the very start, so I hope you complied with the
recommendation.

Best wishes,

Roy

--
Roy S. Schestowitz | "On the eighth day, God created UNIX"
http://Schestowitz.com | SuSE Linux | PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
7:20am up 6 days 19:39, 8 users, load average: 1.18, 0.74, 0.59
http://iuron.com - Open Source knowledge engine project

Madhusudan Singh <spammers-go-here@spam.invalid> writes:

> Did a bunch of updates on my Debian Etch system. Among others, KDE was
> upgraded to 3.5. Now, when X starts up (tried both kdm and gdm), there is a
> strange kind of translucency present - the mouse cursor is invisible, and
> the text is visible,

Check if something like this is present in your /etc/X11/xorg.conf:
Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "Enable"
EndSection

If so, put a # in front of "Option".
--
Regards
Jes Vestervang

iforone wrote:

>
> Madhusudan Singh wrote:
>> Hi
>>
>> Did a bunch of updates on my Debian Etch system. Among others, KDE was
>> upgraded to 3.5. Now, when X starts up (tried both kdm and gdm), there is
>> a strange kind of translucency present - the mouse cursor is invisible,
>> and the text is visible, without the colors that distinguish a window
>> from the background. Nothing is readable. I am posting this from a
>> Knoppix live CD session.
>>
>> Logging into Gnome leads to one advantage - can at least see the
>> terminal, though any ncurses dependent stuff leads to the same problems.
>>
>> Any idea about what is wrong, and how do I fix it from a text only
>> runlevel ?
>>
>> Thanks.
>
> Perhaps this is way overkill, but maybe;
> dpkg-reconfigure kdm
> or
> dpkg-reconfigure gdm
> use whichever one you like least, in case something goes really funky,
> like lost files /settings
>
> Wait for other advice

Tried it. All it does is to change the manager. No joy.

I think this is an X problem.

SINNER wrote:

> * Madhusudan Singh wrote in alt.os.linux.debian:
>
> [...]
>
>> This appears to be an Xorg problem. I see some strange messages in
>> Xorg.log :
>
>> ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x2f) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0):
>
> [...]
>
>> offsets.
>> ...
>
>> How do I fix this ?
>
> Try running xorgconfig ?
>

Which Debian package provides that ? I do not seem to have it.

Madhusudan Singh wrote:
> iforone wrote:
>
>> Madhusudan Singh wrote:
>>> Hi
>>>
>>> Did a bunch of updates on my Debian Etch system. Among others, KDE was
>>> upgraded to 3.5. Now, when X starts up (tried both kdm and gdm), there is
>>> a strange kind of translucency present - the mouse cursor is invisible,
>>> and the text is visible, without the colors that distinguish a window
>>> from the background. Nothing is readable. I am posting this from a
>>> Knoppix live CD session.
>>>
>>> Logging into Gnome leads to one advantage - can at least see the
>>> terminal, though any ncurses dependent stuff leads to the same problems.
>>>
>>> Any idea about what is wrong, and how do I fix it from a text only
>>> runlevel ?
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>> Perhaps this is way overkill, but maybe;
>> dpkg-reconfigure kdm
>> or
>> dpkg-reconfigure gdm
>> use whichever one you like least, in case something goes really funky,
>> like lost files /settings
>>
>> Wait for other advice
>
> Tried it. All it does is to change the manager. No joy.
>
> I think this is an X problem.

If you are using gdm as "login" (quite nice after you patch the key order on
the requesters), you will get problems with KDE from time to time, it's better
to use kdm, it just works better. But I doubt that is cause of your problem as
you have troubles with Gnome2 too.


//Aho

Jes Vestervang wrote:

> Madhusudan Singh <spammers-go-here@spam.invalid> writes:
>
>> Did a bunch of updates on my Debian Etch system. Among others, KDE was
>> upgraded to 3.5. Now, when X starts up (tried both kdm and gdm), there is
>> a strange kind of translucency present - the mouse cursor is invisible,
>> and the text is visible,
>
> Check if something like this is present in your /etc/X11/xorg.conf:
> Section "Extensions"
> Option "Composite" "Enable"
> EndSection
>
> If so, put a # in front of "Option".

Funny that you should mention that. I initially did not have these lines
when I first encountered the problem. I then added them after discovering
through Google that they had some bearing on translucency capabilities of
Xorg (most of the references therein were to Nvidia graphic cards, mine is
an Intel). No difference. And as expected, your advice to remove them has
not made any difference either.

Another symptom - ctrl+alt+backspace does not seem to kill the x server, and
ctrl+alt+f<n> does not seem to take me to a text console.

To cover all bases, my xorg.conf follows. Could it be one of the loaded
modules that are causing this problem with the upgraded version of xorg ?

# 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 commands as root:
#
# cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.custom
# md5sum /etc/X11/xorg.conf >/var/lib/xfree86/xorg.conf.md5sum
# dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

Section "Files"
FontPath "unix/:7100" # local font server
# if the local font server has problems, we can fall back on these
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/CID"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Gurmukhi"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Mac"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/extra"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "bitmap"
Load "dbe"
Load "ddc"
Load "dri"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "record"
Load "type1"
Load "v4l"
Load "vbe"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "keyboard"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc104"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Synaptics Touchpad"
Driver "synaptics"
Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option "Protocol" "auto-dev"
Option "HorizScrollDelta" "0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Intel Corporation 82852/855GM Integrated Graphics Device"
Driver "i810"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
Option "DPMS"
HorizSync 28-49
VertRefresh 43-72
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Intel Corporation 82852/855GM Integrated Graphics Device"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

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

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection

#Section "Extensions"
# Option "Composite" "Enable"
# Option "RENDER" "Enable"
#EndSection

I dare not include the entire Xorg.0.log file as it is humoungous. However,
upon perusal, I find some intriguing points :

1 :

X Window System Version 6.9.0 (Debian 6.9.0.dfsg.1-4 20060114230205 David
Nusinow <dnusinow@debian.org>)
Release Date: 21 December 2005
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 6.9
Build Operating System: Linux 2.6.15-1-686 i686 [ELF]
Current Operating System: Linux nanak 2.6.12-1-386 #1 Tue Sep 27 12:41:08
JST 2005 i686
Build Date: 14 January 2006
Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.X.Org
to make sure that you have the latest version.

This version of X was built against a newer version of the kernel than I am
running.

2 :

(WW) ****INVALID MEM ALLOCATION**** b: 0xffe80000 e: 0xffefffff correcting

3 :

drmOpenDevice: node name is /dev/dri/card0
drmOpenDevice: open result is -1, (No such device or address)
drmOpenDevice: open result is -1, (No such device or address)
drmOpenDevice: Open failed
drmOpenDevice: node name is /dev/dri/card0
drmOpenDevice: open result is -1, (No such device or address)
drmOpenDevice: open result is -1, (No such device or address)
drmOpenDevice: Open failed
drmOpenByBusid: Searching for BusID pci:0000:00:02.0
drmOpenDevice: node name is /dev/dri/card0
drmOpenDevice: open result is 9, (OK)
drmOpenByBusid: drmOpenMinor returns 9
drmOpenByBusid: drmGetBusid reports pci:0000:00:02.1
drmOpenDevice: node name is /dev/dri/card1
drmOpenDevice: open result is 9, (OK)
drmOpenByBusid: drmOpenMinor returns 9
drmOpenByBusid: drmGetBusid reports pci:0000:00:02.0
(II) I810(0): [drm] loaded kernel module for "i915" driver
(II) I810(0): [drm] DRM interface version 1.2
(II) I810(0): [drm] created "i915" driver at busid "pci:0000:00:02.0"

4:

(WW) I810(0): Extended BIOS function 0x5f05 failed.

5:

(WW) I810(0): PGTBL_ER is 0xffffffff
(WW) I810(0): PRB0_CTL (0xffffffff) indicates ring buffer enabled
(WW) I810(0): PRB0_HEAD (0xffffffff) and PRB0_TAIL (0xffffffff) indicate
ring buffer not flushed

I include this because a lot of the really strange errors later make
references to rings and such.

6 :

(II) I810(0): direct rendering: Enabled
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary(==) RandR enabled

7 :

ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x2f) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0):
Fixing display offsets.
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING:
outring (0x17) isn't on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x2f)
isn't on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x47) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x5f) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x77) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x8f) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0xa7) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0xbf) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0xd7) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0xef) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x107) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x11f) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x137) isn't on a QWord
boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x14f) isn't on a QWord

..... (a lot of such errors, sentences not even broken up)

followed by :

ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0): Fixing
display offsets.
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0): Fixing
display offsets.
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0): Fixing
display offsets.
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0): Fixing
display offsets.
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0): Fixing
display offsets.
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0): Fixing
display offsets.
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0): Fixing
display offsets.
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0): Fixing
display offsets.
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0): Fixing
display offsets.
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0): Fixing
display offsets.
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0): Fixing
display offsets.
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary(WW) I810(0): Fixing
display offsets.
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundaryADVANCE_LP_RING:
outring (0x27) isn't on a QWord boundarySynaptics DeviceOff called
(II) I810(0): [drm] removed 1 reserved context for kernel
(II) I810(0): [drm] unmapping 8192 bytes of SAREA 0xe000b000 at 0xb7965000
ADVANCE_LP_RING: outring (0x7) isn't on a QWord boundary

Now, in all my years of using X, I have never seen such errors. Could it all
just be due to the DRI module not loading properly or something like that ?