Bug 52121

Summary:	mgag200 driver does not work properly with Xen in new Intel Server Board
Product:	Drivers	Reporter:	Fernando Chaves (fernando)
Component:	Video(DRI - non Intel)	Assignee:	drivers_video-dri
Status:	NEW ---
Severity:	normal	CC:	alan, dkiper, konrad.wilk
Priority:	P1
Hardware:	All
OS:	Linux
Kernel Version:	3.7.1	Subsystem:
Regression:	No	Bisected commit-id:
Attachments:	content from lspci and Xorg.0.log on Kernel 3.7.1 (fixed attachment) content from lspci and Xorg.0.log on Kernel 3.7.1 My current kernel .config from Ubuntu 12.10 content of "xl dmesg" from Ubuntu 12.10 content from "dmesg" from Ubuntu 12.10 List of loaded modules in Ubuntu - without Xen dmesg output in Ubuntu (before typing "startx") - Without Xen dmesg output in Ubuntu (after typing "startx"), with tons of error messages - Without Xen Xorg.0.log from Ubuntu - Without Xen

Description Fernando Chaves 2012-12-29 21:04:12 UTC

When using Xen Hypervisor, the video goes very slow after module load in console.
Xorg does not run.

My boot process (in kernel 3.7.1 from elrepo, my default kernel.):
1. Hypervisor is loaded (from here, the screen resolution is 640x480 - text scrolling fast)
2. Kernel is loaded
3. mgag200 module is loaded
4. Screens enter native resolution (from here, the screen resolution is 1280x768 - text scrolling is sloooww..).
5. Starting Xorg gives me: "failed to activate core devices".

Without Xen, the video works great, Xorg starts, everything works fast and good.

Hardware:
Motherboard: S1200BTLR
Onboard video: ServerEngines LLC Pilot III (as written in manual)
CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1270v2

Software:
OS: Centos 6.3 64-bit
Xen: 4.2.1

Kernels tested (all with Xen Hypervisor Loaded - except 2.6.32):

Kernel 2.6.32-279 (shipped with CentOS - does not support XEN_DOM0):
- Screen is fast, but with 640x480 resolution.
- Xorg starts with mga driver

Kernel 3.0.57-1.el6.elrepo.x86_64 (from elrepo.org - with XEN_DOM0 support)
- "CONFIG_DRM_MGAG200" does not exist.
- Xorg starts with mga driver

Kernel 3.7.1-3.el6xen.x86_64 (from here: https://www.crc.id.au/xen-on-rhel6-scientific-linux-6-centos-6-howto/ [^] )
- Since "CONFIG_DRM_MGAG200 is not set", screen is fast, but with 640x480 resolution.
- Xorg does not start. "Failed to activate core devices".

Kernel 3.7.1-1.el6.elrepo.x86_64 (My favorite kernel - from elrepo.org)
- "CONFIG_DRM_MGAG200=m"
- Native resolution
- Screen refresh is slow
- Xorg does not start: "Failed to activate core devices."

Comment 1 Fernando Chaves 2012-12-29 21:05:31 UTC

Created attachment 89921 [details]
content from lspci and Xorg.0.log on Kernel 3.7.1

Comment 2 Fernando Chaves 2012-12-29 21:20:38 UTC

Created attachment 89931 [details]
(fixed attachment) content from lspci and Xorg.0.log on Kernel 3.7.1

Comment 3 Fernando Chaves 2013-01-02 15:02:44 UTC

UPDATE: 
Tested Xen 4.2.1 with Ubuntu 12.10 32-bit kernel 3.7.1 and I got the following results:

- Xorg with Unity works with poor performance with Xen hypervisor loaded.
- Xorg with Unity is very nice without Xen hypervisor loaded.

- Text-based console performance is bad (as in Centos). Screen refresh is very slow, text scrolling also slow.
- Text-based console performance is normal without Xen.

Exactly the same issues as in CentOS.

Comment 4 Konrad Rzeszutek Wilk 2013-01-02 17:14:58 UTC

Is the CONFIG_INTEL_IOMMU set in your kernel? Can you also attach the 'xl dmesg' and 'dmesg' output please?

Comment 5 Fernando Chaves 2013-01-02 17:31:09 UTC

Created attachment 90161 [details]
My current kernel .config from Ubuntu 12.10

Comment 6 Fernando Chaves 2013-01-02 17:31:36 UTC

Created attachment 90171 [details]
content of "xl dmesg" from Ubuntu 12.10

Comment 7 Fernando Chaves 2013-01-02 17:31:59 UTC

Created attachment 90181 [details]
content from "dmesg" from Ubuntu 12.10

Comment 8 Konrad Rzeszutek Wilk 2013-01-02 18:10:37 UTC

There looks to be something odd with the base value. Can you also run baremetal and collect the 'dmesg' and the 'xorg.log' please?

Thank you.

Comment 9 Fernando Chaves 2013-01-02 23:31:28 UTC

Created attachment 90201 [details]
List of loaded modules in Ubuntu - without Xen

Comment 10 Fernando Chaves 2013-01-02 23:33:23 UTC

Created attachment 90211 [details]
dmesg output in Ubuntu (before typing "startx") - Without Xen

Comment 11 Fernando Chaves 2013-01-02 23:35:40 UTC

Created attachment 90221 [details]
dmesg output in Ubuntu (after typing "startx"), with tons of error messages - Without Xen

Comment 12 Fernando Chaves 2013-01-02 23:36:38 UTC

Created attachment 90231 [details]
Xorg.0.log from Ubuntu - Without Xen

Comment 13 Konrad Rzeszutek Wilk 2013-01-03 18:04:34 UTC

So is it safe to safe that it does not work without Xen? Or do you see stuff on the screen in baremetal mode?

Comment 14 Fernando Chaves 2013-01-03 22:13:05 UTC

I have recorded this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0qHBxla5f8

Note the frame rate of the movie after reboot, with xen loaded.

Comment 15 Konrad Rzeszutek Wilk 2013-01-04 16:00:10 UTC

Let me ask again: Does it work properly under baremetal?

Comment 16 Fernando Chaves 2013-01-04 16:35:55 UTC

I'm sorry Konrad, but I don't know exactly what you mean when you say "run on bare metal".

Comment 17 Konrad Rzeszutek Wilk 2013-01-04 19:26:35 UTC

(In reply to comment #16)
> I'm sorry Konrad, but I don't know exactly what you mean when you say "run on
> bare metal".

without Xen.

Comment 18 Fernando Chaves 2013-01-04 19:34:06 UTC

Yes, everything works at 100% without Xen, both CLI and Xorg, even in CentOS.

Comment 19 Fernando Chaves 2013-01-23 04:15:42 UTC

I would like to inform that this motherboard uses UEFI.

And, obviously, I'm using Legacy Boot.

This requires some [video] emulation, right?

There is any known issue with Xen about motherboards that uses UEFI? If I install an UEFI-aware bootloader, like rEFInd or grub-efi, can I boot the hypervisor?

Big observations made since last message sent:
- BIOS-aware bootloaders (GRUB Legacy, GRUB 2, ISOLINUX, PXELINUX) have a slower keyboard response AND very slow screen refresh. keystrokes under those bootloaders have a ~500ms response delay. Also screen refresh is [much] slower, when entering submenus.
- All behaviors previously mentioned disappears when adding an video card. Tested with a 10 year-old ATI Rage XL 16MB PCI.

Comment 20 Fernando Chaves 2013-01-30 02:08:38 UTC

Well...

Same thing with EFI boot. Video still slow.

I think I should use a VGA card for a while (or forever).

Comment 21 Konrad Rzeszutek Wilk 2013-03-05 20:16:12 UTC

Well not forever. Daniel (lets see if I can add him on this bug) is looking at getting the EFI parts working.

The VGA part is on the list but we haven't yet touched it.

Comment 22 Daniel Kiper 2013-03-06 09:15:46 UTC

Now I have added myself to the bug.
Please follow LKML and Xen-devel for more details.