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Atom N2600/CedarTrail graphics problems & workarounds?[Solv]

Atom N2600/CedarTrail graphics problems & workarounds?[Solv]

#1 Post by jacobh » 2012-04-09 09:02

I have an Asus Eee PC with the new Intel Atom N2600 Cedar Trail chip which has integrated graphics. lspci reports:

VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Atom Processor D2xxx Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 09)

Unfortunately, I do not think this chip is well supported by linux. Therefore, at the moment Xorg is falling back on the VESA driver and running it in 800×600 mode. This makes the laptop barely usable, not least because of the stretching that goes on to fit 800×600 into a 1024×768 ratio.

I was wondering if anyone could help me with any suggested solutions or workarounds?

I think a solution is difficult because I am not sure if the drivers (yet) exist. I read elsewhere that the 3.3.0 kernel would support the Cedar Trail. I’ve installed the 3.3.0 kernel from Experimental which seems to run fine but that does not to affect the launching of X as far as I can tell. I am not sure if I would have to load some extra kernel modules or something to get it working; but I can’t find any documentation about what they would be.

In terms of a workaround, I was wondering if it is possible to put VESA into a 1024 x 768 resolution?

At the moment, it is not loading with any flexibility. xrandr reports:

xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default Screen 0: minimum 800 x 600, current 800 x 600, maximum 800 x 600 default connected 800x600+0+0 0mm x 0mm 800x600 61.0*

[ 78.325] (II) VESA(0): Supported detailed timing: [ 78.325] (II) VESA(0): clock: 54.2 MHz Image Size: 220 x 129 mm [ 78.325] (II) VESA(0): h_active: 1024 h_sync: 1077 h_sync_end 1112 h_blank_end 1356 h_border: 0 [ 78.325] (II) VESA(0): v_active: 600 v_sync: 604 v_sync_end 609 v_blanking: 666 v_border: 0

[ 78.325] (II) VESA(0): Printing DDC gathered Modelines: [ 78.325] (II) VESA(0): Modeline "1024x600"x0.0 54.20 1024 1077 1112 1356 600 604 609 666 -hsync -vsync (40.0 kHz)

[ 78.411] (WW) VESA(0): Unable to estimate virtual size [ 78.411] (II) VESA(0): Not using built-in mode "800x600" (no mode of this na me) [ 78.411] (II) VESA(0): Not using built-in mode "640x480" (no mode of this name) [ 78.411] (WW) VESA(0): No valid modes left. Trying less strict filter. [ 78.411] (II) VESA(0): : Using hsync value of 39.97 kHz [ 78.411] (II) VESA(0): : Using vrefresh value of 60.02 Hz [ 78.411] (WW) VESA(0): Unable to estimate virtual size [ 78.411] (II) VESA(0): Not using built-in mode "800x600" (hsync out of range) [ 78.411] (II) VESA(0): Not using built-in mode "640x480" (hsync out of range) [ 78.411] (WW) VESA(0): No valid modes left. Trying aggressive sync range. [ 78.412] (II) VESA(0): : Using hsync range of 31.50-39.97 kHz [ 78.412] (II) VESA(0): : Using vrefresh range of 50.00-60.02 Hz [ 78.412] (WW) VESA(0): Unable to estimate virtual size [ 78.412] (II) VESA(0): Not using built-in mode "640x480" (hsync out of range) [ 78.412] (--) VESA(0): Virtual size is 800x600 (pitch 800) [ 78.412] (**) VESA(0): *Built-in mode "800x600"

To try to get the higher resolution working, I have tried adding the following to /etc/defaults/grub and ran update-grub2:

GRUB_GFXMODE=1024x768x32 GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=1024x768x32

I also tried the second parameter as GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=allow which some other places on the internet suggested as an alternative.

I also tried adding vga=712 and vga=0x318 manually to the boot parameters in grub since these should be the codes for 1028×768 VESA but without success.

In addition to the /var/log/Xorg.0.log log the only other problem that I have seen is that if I try to automatically recreate the Xorg.conf file by killing the display manager and running X -configure it fails with this error:

(EE) open /dev/fd0: No such file or directory

suggesting that the framebuffer has problems.

Would anyone be able to help me with these problems, either for a solution or a workaround to get the resolution up to scratch?

Re: Atom N2600 / Cedar Trail graphics problems and workaroun

#2 Post by dtl131 » 2012-04-10 22:29

The Cedar Trail GPU is about a half-step above a paperweight in Linux. The best workaround is to get a system with a GPU that’s actually supported in Linux. Anyway.
Try manually setting horizsync and vertrefresh in xorg.conf. The default hsync range is not very large and excludes larger resolutions.

Re: Atom N2600 / Cedar Trail graphics problems and workaroun

#3 Post by jacobh » 2012-04-11 14:24

dtl131 wrote: The Cedar Trail GPU is about a half-step above a paperweight in Linux. The best workaround is to get a system with a GPU that’s actually supported in Linux. Anyway.

Yes, I know now, but on the wrong side of a purchase made on the basis that the first Eee was a linux machine so the more recent ones must work, too

dtl131 wrote: Try manually setting horizsync and vertrefresh in xorg.conf. The default hsync range is not very large and excludes larger resolutions.

Re: Atom N2600 / Cedar Trail graphics problems and workaroun

#4 Post by jacobh » 2012-04-12 08:36

Sorry but could I have some help in writing the xorg.conf file? X -configure fails to generate one due to a “/dev/fb0 Not found” error and I am not sure how to start manually writing one (it’s years and years since I last did it).

Section "Monitor" Identifier "Screen 0" HorizSync 30-81 VertRefresh 56-75 Option "UseFBDev" "true" Driver "fbdev" EndSection 

but X failed to start with a no screens found error. xrandr identifies the screen as “Screen 0” which is why I went for that identifier but that may be wrong.

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Re: Atom N2600 / Cedar Trail graphics problems and workaroun

#5 Post by peter_irich » 2012-04-12 17:07

Section "Monitor" Identifier "Monitor0" DisplaySize 307 246 ModeLine "1280x1024" 145.69 1280 1376 1512 1744 1024 1025 1028 1071 -HSync +VSync Option "VendorName" "ATI Open Driver" Option "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor" Option "DPMS" "true" EndSection 

Section "Screen" Identifier "Screen0" Device "Device0" Monitor "Monitor0" DefaultDepth 24 SubSection "Display" Viewport 0 0 Depth 24 Modes "1280x1024" EndSubSection EndSection 

Re: Atom N2600 / Cedar Trail graphics problems and workaroun

#6 Post by dtl131 » 2012-04-13 23:31

Re: Atom N2600 / Cedar Trail graphics problems and workaroun

#7 Post by Ibidem » 2012-04-15 00:38

Ah, PowerVR bites again. The next Atom should work better, but that’s irrelevant.
It will almost certainly NOT be 1024×768: that is the same old 4:3 aspect ratio as 800×600, while almost every netbook uses the 1024×600 screen.

The kernel module should be gma500_gfx or perhaps psb_gfx, from what I read [1][2]— see if that can be modprobed in.

#Do the following as root #check for driver; take care to read the parameters (parm: ) #probaly will include a modeset: (int) line, but maybe not modinfo gma500_gfx #check if the firmware is installed--if not, maybe install linux-firmware-nonfree modinfo gma500_gfx|grep firmware|awk ''|xargs ls #Load driver -add parameters as needed #fbcon is for a console under KMS modprobe fbcon modprobe gma500_gfx modeset=1 #now it should flicker & change resolutions; if so, start X.

ANother possibility may be 915resolution.mod in grub2, if Debian ships that (I use grub1).
There’s also uvesafb for the kernel, but that’s a last resort

Thinkpad X100e/Debian Squeeze (All reposiories enabled)/Linux 3.4.11:
1GB RAM/1.6GHz Neo X2/ATI HD 3200/RTL8191SEVA2 wlan0, RTL8169 eth0

Re: Atom N2600 / Cedar Trail graphics problems and workaroun

#8 Post by jacobh » 2012-04-15 12:14

What I showed above was all my Xorg.conf. No file was automatically generated on install and I can’t generate one with X -configure. That’s why I think I need to write one by hand and I’m not quite sure what I should put in (since X Server stuff is not anywhere near a specialty of mine). I’ll try playing around with it again.

Ibidem wrote: Ah, PowerVR bites again. The next Atom should work better, but that’s irrelevant.
It will almost certainly NOT be 1024×768: that is the same old 4:3 aspect ratio as 800×600, while almost every netbook uses the 1024×600 screen.

Ibidem wrote: The kernel module should be gma500_gfx or perhaps psb_gfx, from what I read [1][2]— see if that can be modprobed in.

Will this work with the N2600? I wasn’t sure if they were only for the slightly older Atoms with integrated graphics. As far as I can see the drivers are no available in any way within debian. There are some instructions for building the Ubuntu ones which I might try if that’s the only option.

Ibidem wrote: ANother possibility may be 915resolution.mod in grub2, if Debian ships that (I use grub1).

I tried that, but unfortunately it does not work with the N2600. (It also broke grub in all sorts of exciting ways but that’s another story ).

Re: Atom N2600 / Cedar Trail graphics problems and workaroun

#9 Post by jacobh » 2012-04-15 12:41

Section "Device" Identifier "Configured Video Device" Driver "vesa" EndSection Section "Monitor" Identifier "Configured Monitor" HorizSync 42.0 - 81.0 VertRefresh 55.0 - 75.0 Modeline "1024x600_75.00" 62.50 1024 1072 1176 1328 600 603 613 629 Modeline "1024x600_60.00" 49.00 1024 1072 1168 1312 600 603 613 624 Modeline "800x600" 38.21 800 832 976 1008 600 612 618 631 Modeline "640x480" 24.11 640 672 760 792 480 490 495 50 EndSection Section "Screen" Identifier "Default Screen" Monitor "Configured Monitor" Device "Configured Video Device" DefaultDepth 24 Subsection "Display" Depth 24 Modes "1024x600_75.00" "1024x600_60.00" "800x600" "640x480" EndSubsection EndSection

[ 10000.799] (II) VESA(0): Total Memory: 123 64KB banks (7872kB) [ 10000.799] (II) VESA(0): Configured Monitor: Using hsync range of 42.00-81.00 kHz [ 10000.799] (II) VESA(0): Configured Monitor: Using vrefresh range of 55.00-75.00 Hz [ 10000.799] (II) VESA(0): Not using mode "1024x600_75.00" (no mode of this name) [ 10000.799] (II) VESA(0): Not using mode "1024x600_60.00" (no mode of this name) [ 10000.799] (II) VESA(0): Not using built-in mode "800x600" (no mode of this name) [ 10000.799] (II) VESA(0): Not using built-in mode "640x480" (no mode of this name) [ 10000.799] (WW) VESA(0): No valid modes left. Trying less strict filter. [ 10000.800] (II) VESA(0): Configured Monitor: Using hsync range of 42.00-81.00 kHz [ 10000.800] (II) VESA(0): Configured Monitor: Using vrefresh range of 55.00-75.00 Hz [ 10000.800] (II) VESA(0): Not using mode "1024x600_75.00" (no mode of this name) [ 10000.800] (II) VESA(0): Not using mode "1024x600_60.00" (no mode of this name) [ 10000.800] (II) VESA(0): Not using built-in mode "640x480" (hsync out of range) [ 10000.800] (--) VESA(0): Virtual size is 800x600 (pitch 800) [ 10000.800] (**) VESA(0): *Built-in mode "800x600"

From looking around elsewhere, am I right in thinking I’ll never get this to work with the vesa driver because 1024×600 is not a built in mode?

Re: Atom N2600 / Cedar Trail graphics problems and workaroun

#10 Post by Ibidem » 2012-04-15 23:48

Ibidem wrote: Ah, PowerVR bites again. The next Atom should work better, but that’s irrelevant.
It will almost certainly NOT be 1024×768: that is the same old 4:3 aspect ratio as 800×600, while almost every netbook uses the 1024×600 screen.

Ibidem wrote: The kernel module should be gma500_gfx or perhaps psb_gfx, from what I read [1][2]— see if that can be modprobed in.

Will this work with the N2600? I wasn’t sure if they were only for the slightly older Atoms with integrated graphics. As far as I can see the drivers are no available in any way within debian. There are some instructions for building the Ubuntu ones which I might try if that’s the only option.

If you read the references, you would see that one of the in-kernel drivers has recently (kernel 3.3) had Cedar Trail support added.
However, this module appears to not be built, even in kernel 3.3; this is where I’d recommend building your own kernel (read the HOWTOs, it will help)
Here’s the Kconfig file from Linux 3.3.2
Looks like you should enable these:

CONFIG_EXPERIMENTAL CONFIG_DRM CONFIG_DRM_GMA500 CONFIG_DRM_GMA3600

Thinkpad X100e/Debian Squeeze (All reposiories enabled)/Linux 3.4.11:
1GB RAM/1.6GHz Neo X2/ATI HD 3200/RTL8191SEVA2 wlan0, RTL8169 eth0

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