Dell Netbook Video Issues

Help
1

I grabbed a recent nightly to try on my netbook. It boots fine, but I ended up with three mini desktops stacked one on top of the other, followed by a thick, black vertical line and then the beginning of three more stacked desktops on the RHS of the screen.

It boots fine on a Dell i3 laptop and it even boots fine in Virtual Box, but I seem to have a video driver issue with the netbook.

I pulled this out of the syslog:
KERN: PCI: vendor 8086: Intel Corporation
KERN: PCI: device 27a6: Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller
KERN: PCI: info: Display controller

KERN: Supported VESA Video Modes:
KERN: Additional Video Mode (1024x600@60Hz):
KERN: clock=57.880000 MHz
KERN: h: (1024, 1153, 1239, 1455)
KERN: v: (600, 608, 623, 663)
KERN: size: 22.2 cm x 12.5 cm
KERN: border: 0.0 cm x 0.0 cm
KERN: Ascii Data: J1J93\80N101L6
KERN: intel_extreme: IsConnected: Analog A PortRegister: 0x5001100
KERN: intel_extreme: CALLED status_t Port::GetEDID(edid1_info *, bool = false)
KERN: intel_extreme: Analog A: trying to read EDID
KERN: intel_extreme: Analog A: using ddc @ 0x4005010
KERN: DDC: ddc2_read: DDC information read failure
KERN: Last message repeated 3 times.
KERN: intel_extreme: Analog A: no EDID information found.

KERN: intel_extreme: intel_set_display_mode(1024x600)
KERN: intel_extreme: intel_set_display_mode: invalid mode set!
KERN: intel_extreme: intel_set_display_mode(1024x600)
KERN: intel_extreme: intel_set_display_mode: invalid mode set!
KERN: intel_extreme: intel_set_display_mode(640x350)
KERN: [iprowifi4965] (iwn) MIMO 3T3R, MoW, address %D

Linux inxi -G identifies the GPU as an Intel Mobile 945GSE Express Graphics Controller and as it turns out that 1024x600@60Hz is the desired resolution. Is there any way to force this resolution at boot, and/or force a different video driver?

Thanks!

2

This looks like an issue with intel_extreme driver. If you are using Haiku bootloader, you can boot using a fail-safe video mode (docs: https://www.haiku-os.org/docs/userguide/en/bootloader.html). If that works fine, you may want to blacklist the intel_extreme driver (docs: https://www.haiku-os.org/guides/daily-tasks/blacklist-packages). Additionally, take a look at this workaround posted by Humdinger, as this might be the case with your issue: https://dev.haiku-os.org/ticket/11268#comment:10

3

Another option is to set the mode using the “screenmode” tool from Terminal, and a custom modeline.
It looks like we should add some extra logging in the driver, because “invalid mode set!” is not a very helpful error message.

4

The “Shift” key, that’s what I was looking for! Thanks!!!

Fail-safe video mode seems to do the trick, so I now have the live ISO running on the desktop, albeit at only 800x600.

Whoo Hoo!!! The ISO automatically detected and loaded the correct WiFi driver and … it works!

Now, should I be inclined to install this build, my options seem to be to blacklist the Intel driver (which is in effect what I have now, AKA 800x600), or if I understand correctly, I can use screenmode -m to force 1024x600? Is this true, even if screenmode -l doesn’t show the desired resolution?

I’ll have to read up on X-style modeline modes, to see if I can discombobulate the necessary string for my hardware.

Thanks for your help and your the quick responses!!! Haiku is a natural for this application, since it runs like greased lightning on Atom-powered netbooks!!!

Cheers!

5

screenmode -m allows to force any resolution, even those not listed.
I found one modeline for 1024x600: 48.96 1024 1064 1168 1312 600 601 604 622 -HSync -VSync

It appears to be missing from our well known modes list: http://cgit.haiku-os.org/haiku/tree/src/add-ons/accelerants/common/create_display_modes.cpp
Adding it there could fix some of your problems.

6

You, my friend, are a Prince among men. I shall try it tonight.

Thank you!

BTW - It occurred to me to have a look at the /var/log/Xorg.0.log file of my existing, working Linux install. In it, I found the following:

Printing DDC gathered Modelines:
Modeline "1024x600"x0.0 57.88 1024 1153 1239 1455 600 608 623 663 +hsync -vsync (39.8 khz eP)

… which does not seem to appear in your well known modes list.