I recently installed C7 from a C7+gnome CD. Gnome was awful enough that I promptly installed KDE.
KDE is not doing so well either. Text in text editors invoked by "opening" a file is flakey at best. E.g. pieces disappear and duplicate. Terminals seem ok, including vim invoked from the terminal. Firefox text seems ok. The sidebar text in file-browser windows often has "black tape" over it, usually completely covering text. The file names are ok.
Suggestions on how to dignose this?
On Tue, 10 Jul 2018, Michael Hennebry wrote:
I recently installed C7 from a C7+gnome CD. Gnome was awful enough that I promptly installed KDE.
KDE is not doing so well either. Text in text editors invoked by "opening" a file is flakey at best. E.g. pieces disappear and duplicate. Terminals seem ok, including vim invoked from the terminal. Firefox text seems ok. The sidebar text in file-browser windows often has "black tape" over it, usually completely covering text. The file names are ok.
I wrote too soon. Some of the file names are also getting the black tape treatment.
Suggestions on how to dignose this?
On Tue, 10 Jul 2018, Frank Cox wrote:
On Tue, 10 Jul 2018 01:29:52 -0500 (CDT) Michael Hennebry wrote:
Suggestions on how to dignose this?
Sounds like a video driver issue.
In other words, a video driver that almost works. I expect the first things to do are discover what video card and video driver I have. Is there a link to what to do next?
BTW I probably will not be able to get back to this until tomorrow.
Michael Hennebry wrote:
On Tue, 10 Jul 2018, Frank Cox wrote:
On Tue, 10 Jul 2018 01:29:52 -0500 (CDT) Michael Hennebry wrote:
Suggestions on how to dignose this?
Sounds like a video driver issue.
In other words, a video driver that almost works. I expect the first things to do are discover what video card and video driver I have. Is there a link to what to do next?
BTW I probably will not be able to get back to this until tomorrow.
First place to start: lspci
mark
On Tue, 10 Jul 2018, mark wrote:
Michael Hennebry wrote:
On Tue, 10 Jul 2018, Frank Cox wrote:
On Tue, 10 Jul 2018 01:29:52 -0500 (CDT) Michael Hennebry wrote:
Suggestions on how to dignose this?
Sounds like a video driver issue.
In other words, a video driver that almost works. I expect the first things to do are discover what video card and video driver I have. Is there a link to what to do next?
BTW I probably will not be able to get back to this until tomorrow.
First place to start: lspci
lspci wrote:
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 82Q33 Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 02)
Googling centos 7 VGA...Controller tells me that apparently 82Q33 refers to the chipset: release date 2007.06 .
Don't know whether this helps: lspci -vv wrote:
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 82Q33 Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller]) Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device 281e Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx- Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx- Latency: 0 Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 16 Region 0: Memory at f0100000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512K] Region 1: I/O ports at 1240 [size=8] Region 2: Memory at e0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M] Region 3: Memory at f0000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1M] Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled] Capabilities: [90] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit- Address: 00000000 Data: 0000 Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 2 Flags: PMEClk- DSI+ D1- D2- AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-) Status: D0 NoSoftRst- PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME- Kernel driver in use: i915 Kernel modules: i915
Kernel driver in use: i915 Kernel modules: i915
The i915 driver is fairly rock solid - virtually all desktop machines these days have on-board Intel video, it's the lowest common denominator. And your chipset is not exactly cutting edge stuff.
Are there any errors in the logs - either kernel logs or X logs?
For some reason you say you disliked Gnome - but does Gnome show issues (they use the same video driver)?
A long shot is the theme. Are you using some non-standard theme on your desktop?
Finally, do you have a spare graphics card you could try in the machine? (This is just to make sure there's no hardware problem.)
P.
If it is to just get better font rendering (infinality freetype rendering); have a look at this gist:
https://gist.github.com/sunnz/11cd72135a0d6a3ec6b6
it requires the installation of some packages from non fedault repos such as nux-desktop and sets up a new fonts.conf file.
However, once used, it is impossible to work on a RHEL 7 type system without this installed. Font rendering looks better than Windows and Ubuntu.
-----Original Message----- From: CentOS centos-bounces@centos.org On Behalf Of Pete Biggs Sent: Thursday, 12 July 2018 10:51 To: centos@centos.org Subject: Re: [CentOS] bad text under KDE and C7
Kernel driver in use: i915 Kernel modules: i915
The i915 driver is fairly rock solid - virtually all desktop machines these days have on-board Intel video, it's the lowest common denominator. And your chipset is not exactly cutting edge stuff.
Are there any errors in the logs - either kernel logs or X logs?
For some reason you say you disliked Gnome - but does Gnome show issues (they use the same video driver)?
A long shot is the theme. Are you using some non-standard theme on your desktop?
Finally, do you have a spare graphics card you could try in the machine? (This is just to make sure there's no hardware problem.)
P.
_______________________________________________ CentOS mailing list CentOS@centos.org https://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos
Disclaimer
The information contained in this communication from the sender is confidential. It is intended solely for use by the recipient and others authorized to receive it. If you are not the recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking action in relation of the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful.
This email has been scanned for viruses and malware, and automatically archived by Mimecast SA (Pty) Ltd, an innovator in Software as a Service (SaaS) for business. Mimecast Unified Email Management (UEM) offers email continuity, security, archiving and compliance with all current legislation. To find out more, visit http://www.mimecast.co.za/uem.
On Thu, 12 Jul 2018, George Labuschagne wrote:
If it is to just get better font rendering (infinality freetype rendering); have a look at this gist:
No. It is to replace the 'black tape' that covers a lot of text.
On Thu, 12 Jul 2018, Pete Biggs wrote:
The i915 driver is fairly rock solid - virtually all desktop machines these days have on-board Intel video, it's the lowest common denominator. And your chipset is not exactly cutting edge stuff.
I bought it used.
Are there any errors in the logs - either kernel logs or X logs?
I'm not seeing anything that seems very interesting. Xorg.0.log uses the phrase "falling back" a few times. I expect that just means I've not inerfered with defaults. boot.log-20180625 does not contain any of the sequences rap, RAP, ideo, IDEO. dmesg contains graphics and video, but nothing that seems interesting.
For some reason you say you disliked Gnome - but does Gnome show issues (they use the same video driver)?
I'll try it.
A long shot is the theme. Are you using some non-standard theme on your desktop?
What is a theme?
Finally, do you have a spare graphics card you could try in the machine? (This is just to make sure there's no hardware problem.)
Only as a last resort. Having already lost a couple graphics cards (not in this machine), I open the case rarely and with fear and trepidation.
When I hover over text, the black tape effect goes away. Do graphics cards know about text or hovering?
A long shot is the theme. Are you using some non-standard theme on your desktop?
What is a theme?
It's how the desktop looks - colours, icons, widgets that sort of thing. Complex themes have a "theme engine" underneath that does a lot of the hard work of drawing things on the screen
Finally, do you have a spare graphics card you could try in the machine? (This is just to make sure there's no hardware problem.)
Only as a last resort. Having already lost a couple graphics cards (not in this machine), I open the case rarely and with fear and trepidation.
When I hover over text, the black tape effect goes away. Do graphics cards know about text or hovering?
Not really. But hardware issues may affect the rendering of some things.
P.
On Thu, 12 Jul 2018, Pete Biggs wrote:
For some reason you say you disliked Gnome - but does Gnome show issues (they use the same video driver)?
No, neither gnome nor gnome-classic. One of them, I think it was gnome-classic, did videos badly. It was a bit like a shutter came about a quarter way down at about once per second.
Late for work.
On Thu, 2018-07-12 at 09:06 -0500, Michael Hennebry wrote:
On Thu, 12 Jul 2018, Pete Biggs wrote:
For some reason you say you disliked Gnome - but does Gnome show issues (they use the same video driver)?
No, neither gnome nor gnome-classic. One of them, I think it was gnome-classic, did videos badly. It was a bit like a shutter came about a quarter way down at about once per second.
Hmm, that is usually symptomatic of slow graphics card, but the Intel graphics chip set should be perfectly OK.
It may be that your particular combination of chipset and driver is manifesting a bug - or it might be bad hardware.
Try booting a live distro - such as Fedora (other distros are available). It won't affect your installed data, but it will provide a different driver to try.
P.
On Thu, 12 Jul 2018, Michael Hennebry wrote:
On Thu, 12 Jul 2018, Pete Biggs wrote:
For some reason you say you disliked Gnome - but does Gnome show issues (they use the same video driver)?
No, neither gnome nor gnome-classic.
The black tape has gone away for KDE also. Apparently logging out and in again fixed or obscured the problem.
One of them, I think it was gnome-classic, did videos badly. It was a bit like a shutter came about a quarter way down at about once per second.
I'll try the live CD suggested elsewhere.
Late for work.
Again.
On Fri, 13 Jul 2018, Michael Hennebry wrote:
On Thu, 12 Jul 2018, Michael Hennebry wrote:
On Thu, 12 Jul 2018, Pete Biggs wrote:
For some reason you say you disliked Gnome - but does Gnome show issues (they use the same video driver)?
No, neither gnome nor gnome-classic.
The black tape has gone away for KDE also. Apparently logging out and in again fixed or obscured the problem.
One of them, I think it was gnome-classic, did videos badly. It was a bit like a shutter came about a quarter way down at about once per second.
I'll try the live CD suggested elsewhere.
I tried the live DVD from which I installed C7. It would not do videos at all. It claimed it did not have mp4 codecs. It made the same complaint about avi and flv files.
How would I go about telling whether C7 decided to do software rendering?
I tried the live DVD from which I installed C7.
I meant to use a live DVD from some other distro so that it had differently compiled drivers - the idea was to eliminate (or otherwise) the drivers from CentOS 7.
It would not do videos at all. It claimed it did not have mp4 codecs. It made the same complaint about avi and flv files.
That's mainly because they are non-free codecs so aren't included by default.
P.
On Sun, 15 Jul 2018, Pete Biggs wrote:
I tried the live DVD from which I installed C7.
I meant to use a live DVD from some other distro so that it had differently compiled drivers - the idea was to eliminate (or otherwise) the drivers from CentOS 7.
I've been looking. I keep finding claims that Fedora live CD's exist, but not actual images.
I did find a C6 live CD. No go. Without additional installs, it would not even try. After accepting its offers to install dragon and totem, it still would not play any videos. ... not working falling back to default. The default was blank.
It would not do videos at all. It claimed it did not have mp4 codecs. It made the same complaint about avi and flv files.
That's mainly because they are non-free codecs so aren't included by default.
To be clear: flv and avi caused it to complain about the lack of mp4 codecs.
Is there something dragon or totem will play out of the box?
On Sun, 2018-07-15 at 09:06 -0500, Michael Hennebry wrote:
On Sun, 15 Jul 2018, Pete Biggs wrote:
I tried the live DVD from which I installed C7.
I meant to use a live DVD from some other distro so that it had differently compiled drivers - the idea was to eliminate (or otherwise) the drivers from CentOS 7.
I've been looking. I keep finding claims that Fedora live CD's exist, but not actual images.
specifically
https://getfedora.org/en/workstation/download/
What it actually does is to download Fedora Media Writer which when run downloads the correct image and writes it to a memory stick.
To be clear: flv and avi caused it to complain about the lack of mp4 codecs.
Yes, because MPG codecs are not license free.
Is there something dragon or totem will play out of the box?
Probably WebM and OGG video as they are both patent/license free. If you are looking for something try
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Big_Buck_Bunny_Trailer_1080p.ogv
(that's an open source, royalty free movie using open codecs).
P.
On Sun, 15 Jul 2018, Pete Biggs wrote:
On Sun, 2018-07-15 at 09:06 -0500, Michael Hennebry wrote:
I've been looking. I keep finding claims that Fedora live CD's exist, but not actual images.
specifically
https://getfedora.org/en/workstation/download/
What it actually does is to download Fedora Media Writer which when run downloads the correct image and writes it to a memory stick.
Won't boot for me. I keep getting kernel panics and am real tired of the power button. I have to boot C6 with acpi=off, but that did not help.
Something about sync, attempt to kill process 1, kernel panic.
I'll see whether I can find something else.
To be clear: flv and avi caused it to complain about the lack of mp4 codecs.
Yes, because MPG codecs are not license free.
I hadn't realized flv and avi were synonyms for mpg.
Is there something dragon or totem will play out of the box?
Probably WebM and OGG video as they are both patent/license free. If you are looking for something try
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Big_Buck_Bunny_Trailer_1080p.ogv
Thanks.
What it actually does is to download Fedora Media Writer which when run downloads the correct image and writes it to a memory stick.
Won't boot for me. I keep getting kernel panics and am real tired of the power button. I have to boot C6 with acpi=off, but that did not help.
Something about sync, attempt to kill process 1, kernel panic.
I'll see whether I can find something else.
Check your hardware - all these things might well be symptomatic of an hardware issue.
To be clear: flv and avi caused it to complain about the lack of mp4 codecs.
Yes, because MPG codecs are not license free.
I hadn't realized flv and avi were synonyms for mpg.
They're not. flv and avi are containers, mpg is an encoding method that can be used in those containers.
P.
On Tue, 17 Jul 2018, Pete Biggs wrote:
Check your hardware - all these things might well be symptomatic of an hardware issue.
I'm not at all sure how. If it means opening the case, hardware issues are likely to occur.
Is there a way to tell whether the video player is even using video acceleration?
On Fri, 2018-07-20 at 10:10 -0500, Michael Hennebry wrote:
On Tue, 17 Jul 2018, Pete Biggs wrote:
Check your hardware - all these things might well be symptomatic of an hardware issue.
I'm not at all sure how. If it means opening the case, hardware issues are likely to occur.
Is there a way to tell whether the video player is even using video acceleration?
I don't necessarily mean the video - kernel panics are rarely to do with something that far removed from the CPU. I mean test the hardware of your computer.
First, check the memory - MemTest86+ is the tool most people use for this. Run it on your system and it will highlight memory problems. It can be found at www.memtest.org - the precompiled versions are tiny and will fit on a floppy (or memory stick or CD).
If that doesn't detect anything try running a hardware diagnostic - there's a load on the UBCD (www.ultimatebootcd.com) or Hiren's BootCD ( www.hiren.info). You might want to download one of those anyway as they both contain MemTest86+.
None of this needs you to open the case.
P.
On Sat, 21 Jul 2018, Pete Biggs wrote:
On Fri, 2018-07-20 at 10:10 -0500, Michael Hennebry wrote:
On Tue, 17 Jul 2018, Pete Biggs wrote:
Check your hardware - all these things might well be symptomatic of an hardware issue.
I'm not at all sure how. If it means opening the case, hardware issues are likely to occur.
Is there a way to tell whether the video player is even using video acceleration?
I don't necessarily mean the video - kernel panics are rarely to do with something that far removed from the CPU. I mean test the hardware of your computer.
I'll do the testing suggested. The machine is rather old. HP Compaq dc5800 sff (small form factor) I would not be surprised if the kernel just did not like my motherboard any more.
Even after I figure out the kermal panics, the video will still be an issue.
First, check the memory - MemTest86+ is the tool most people use for this. Run it on your system and it will highlight memory problems. It can be found at www.memtest.org - the precompiled versions are tiny and will fit on a floppy (or memory stick or CD).
If that doesn't detect anything try running a hardware diagnostic - there's a load on the UBCD (www.ultimatebootcd.com) or Hiren's BootCD ( www.hiren.info). You might want to download one of those anyway as they both contain MemTest86+.
None of this needs you to open the case.
That is good.
My suspicion is that this is a repeat of what sent me to Centos from Fedora. (Yes I know the relationship). I'm told I couldn't install Fedora on a machine because a kernel bug affected precisely one kind of motherboard, mine. I'm also told the bug was supposedly fixed, but I was never able to run any later Fedora on that machine.
I don't necessarily mean the video - kernel panics are rarely to do with something that far removed from the CPU. I mean test the hardware of your computer.
I'll do the testing suggested. The machine is rather old. HP Compaq dc5800 sff (small form factor) I would not be surprised if the kernel just did not like my motherboard any more.
It is very rare that old motherboards (or rather chipsets) stop being supported - I have CentOS 7 running on 10, 15 yr old kit. You get a lot more problems with new motherboards than you get with old ones.
Even after I figure out the kermal panics, the video will still be an issue.
They may well be linked.
First, check the memory - MemTest86+ is the tool most people use for this. Run it on your system and it will highlight memory problems. It can be found at www.memtest.org - the precompiled versions are tiny and will fit on a floppy (or memory stick or CD).
If that doesn't detect anything try running a hardware diagnostic - there's a load on the UBCD (www.ultimatebootcd.com) or Hiren's BootCD ( www.hiren.info). You might want to download one of those anyway as they both contain MemTest86+.
None of this needs you to open the case.
That is good.
My suspicion is that this is a repeat of what sent me to Centos from Fedora. (Yes I know the relationship). I'm told I couldn't install Fedora on a machine because a kernel bug affected precisely one kind of motherboard, mine. I'm also told the bug was supposedly fixed, but I was never able to run any later Fedora on that machine.
You never mentioned that you had previously had issues with Fedora on the machine - not even when I suggested you run a Live version of Fedora to provide different drivers. Not even when you got kernel panics when booting the live Fedora did you mention this was a known issue.
P.
On Sun, 22 Jul 2018, Pete Biggs wrote:
(Yes I know the relationship). I'm told I couldn't install Fedora on a machine because a
A machine, a now-defuct DakTech machine that I bought new. My current machine is an HP that I bought used. Did not mean to confuse.
kernel bug affected precisely one kind of motherboard, mine. I'm also told the bug was supposedly fixed, but I was never able to run any later Fedora on that machine.
You never mentioned that you had previously had issues with Fedora on the machine - not even when I suggested you run a Live version of Fedora to provide different drivers. Not even when you got kernel panics when booting the live Fedora did you mention this was a known issue.
On Sat, 21 Jul 2018, Pete Biggs wrote:
First, check the memory - MemTest86+ is the tool most people use for this. Run it on your system and it will highlight memory problems. It can be found at www.memtest.org - the precompiled versions are tiny and will fit on a floppy (or memory stick or CD).
Ran MemTest86+. While I was deciding what to tell it, it started in upiprocesor mode.
After reading about kernel option, tried C7 LIve again. Got panic again. Tried again with nosync. Gpt panic again. What got C7 to boot was acpi=off and nosmp.
Tried to play the Big Bunny file. Got fullscreen mode, the first and last images and audio. No complaints. Eventaully figured out how to get it out of fullscreen mode. Big Bunny played without the shutter effect.
The next thing on my list is to try MemTest86+ with SMP.
On Sun, 22 Jul 2018, Michael Hennebry wrote:
The next thing on my list is to try MemTest86+ with SMP.
5 hours in SMP mode, no errors.
Michael Hennebry wrote:
On Sun, 15 Jul 2018, Pete Biggs wrote:
On Sun, 2018-07-15 at 09:06 -0500, Michael Hennebry wrote:
I've been looking. I keep finding claims that Fedora live CD's exist, but not actual images.
specifically
https://getfedora.org/en/workstation/download/
What it actually does is to download Fedora Media Writer which when run downloads the correct image and writes it to a memory stick.
Won't boot for me. I keep getting kernel panics and am real tired of the power button. I have to boot C6 with acpi=off, but that did not help.
Something about sync, attempt to kill process 1, kernel panic. I'll see whether I can find something else.
To be clear: flv and avi caused it to complain about the lack of mp4 codecs.
Yes, because MPG codecs are not license free.
I hadn't realized flv and avi were synonyms for mpg.
They're not. Those are two *different* vidao/audio file formats. Each one needs its own codec.
Is there something dragon or totem will play out of the box?
I like mplayer.
mark
Le 10/07/2018 à 08:26, Michael Hennebry a écrit :
KDE is not doing so well either.
Here's what KDE on CentOS looks like here:
https://i1.wp.com/blog.microlinux.fr/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/centos-7-kde...
Cheers,
Niki
-
Frank Cox -
George Labuschagne -
mark -
Michael Hennebry -
Nicolas Kovacs -
Pete Biggs