Mailing List Archive

Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers
Linux-3.3.0 is released and, as is my usual habit, I downloaded and compiled
the plain vanilla source.

After rebooting to the command console, and before starting X, I needed
to re-install the nvidia-driver module for the new kernel. Doing
"emerge nvidia-drivers" gave me the following error (the entire build log
is attached):

>>> Source prepared.
>>> Configuring source in /tmp/portage-acc/tmp/portage/x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers-295.20-r1/work ...
>>> Source configured.
>>> Compiling source in /tmp/portage-acc/tmp/portage/x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers-295.20-r1/work ...
Preparing nvidia module
make -j9 HOSTCC=x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-gcc CROSS_COMPILE=x86_64-pc-linux-gnu- 'LDFLAGS=-m elf_x86_64' IGNORE_CC_MISMATCH=yes V=1 SYSSRC=/usr/src/linux SYSOUT=/lib/modules/3.3.0/build CC=x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-gcc clean module

*** Unable to determine the target kernel version. ***

make: *** [select_makefile] Error 1
emake failed
ERROR: x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers-295.20-r1 failed (compile phase):
Unable to emake HOSTCC=x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-gcc CROSS_COMPILE=x86_64-pc-linux-gnu- LDFLAGS=-m elf_x86_64 IGNORE_CC_MISMATCH=yes V=1 SYSSRC=/usr/src/linux SYSOUT=/lib/modules/3.3.0/build CC=x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-gcc clean module

Call stack:
ebuild.sh, line 85: Called src_compile
environment, line 3711: Called linux-mod_src_compile
environment, line 2668: Called die
The specific snippet of code:
eval "emake HOSTCC=\"$(tc-getBUILD_CC)\"


The first part of the build log (see attached file) indicates that the
kernel source was correctly found (at /usr/src/linux), but for some
reason the make process fails.

Could this be due to some changes in the kernel-3.3.0 tree?

Frank Peters
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
On Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 9:12 AM, Frank Peters <frank.peters@comcast.net> wrote:
> Linux-3.3.0 is released and, as is my usual habit, I downloaded and compiled
> the plain vanilla source.
>
<SNIP>
> The first part of the build log (see attached file) indicates that the
> kernel source was correctly found (at /usr/src/linux), but for some
> reason the make process fails.
>
> Could this be due to some changes in the kernel-3.3.0 tree?
>
> Frank Peters
>

Possibly this from Google will help?

Good luck & post back,
Mark
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
On Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:35:34 -0700
Mark Knecht <markknecht@gmail.com> wrote:

>
> Possibly this from Google will help?
>

Did you intend to include a link? If so, it must have gotten
lost somewhere.

Frank Peters
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
I have switched to nouveau driver, for over 1 year,
using with gnome3 interface, no performance issue, and quite stable,

enjoying every mainline kernel 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, no building issue


I think it's time for everyone to give up nvidia-drivers, the blob of binary

On Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 9:12 AM, Frank Peters <frank.peters@comcast.net> wrote:
> Linux-3.3.0 is released and, as is my usual habit, I downloaded and compiled
> the plain vanilla source.
>
> After rebooting to the command console, and before starting X, I needed
> to re-install the nvidia-driver module for the new kernel.  Doing
> "emerge nvidia-drivers" gave me the following error (the entire build log
> is attached):
>
>>>> Source prepared.
>>>> Configuring source in /tmp/portage-acc/tmp/portage/x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers-295.20-r1/work ...
>>>> Source configured.
>>>> Compiling source in /tmp/portage-acc/tmp/portage/x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers-295.20-r1/work ...
> Preparing nvidia module
> make -j9 HOSTCC=x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-gcc CROSS_COMPILE=x86_64-pc-linux-gnu- 'LDFLAGS=-m elf_x86_64' IGNORE_CC_MISMATCH=yes V=1 SYSSRC=/usr/src/linux SYSOUT=/lib/modules/3.3.0/build CC=x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-gcc clean module
>
> *** Unable to determine the target kernel version. ***
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
On Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 12:05 PM, Frank Peters <frank.peters@comcast.net> wrote:
> On Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:35:34 -0700
> Mark Knecht <markknecht@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> Possibly this from Google will help?
>>
>
> Did you intend to include a link?  If so, it must have gotten
> lost somewhere.
>
> Frank Peters
>
>

Gadzooks, yes I did. Sorry!

http://weltall.heliohost.org/wordpress/2012/01/20/linux-kernel-3-3-rc1-and-nvidia-drivers/

To be clear, I have no idea if it will solve your exact problem. It
didn't for all.

My experience with nvidia is pretty good if you give them a couple of
days, but very spotty on the first or second day a new kernel minor
rev is released. Nominally I use this page:

http://www.nvidia.com/Download/indexsg.aspx?lang=en-us

and then search out my specific card to determine what _exact_ driver
they want me to run. It almost always requires i run ~amd64.

HTH,
Mark
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
On Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 12:14 PM, Cheng Renquan <crquan@gmail.com> wrote:
> I have switched to nouveau driver, for over 1 year,
> using with gnome3 interface, no performance issue, and quite stable,
>
> enjoying every mainline kernel 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, no building issue
>
>
> I think it's time for everyone to give up nvidia-drivers, the blob of binary
>

And how would one use CUDA if we gave up nvidia-drivers? Does nouveau
support all the CUDA stuff?

Cheers,
Mark
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
On Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:35:34 -0700
Mark Knecht <markknecht@gmail.com> wrote:

>
> Possibly this from Google will help?
>

OK, I think I've found the URL that you may have intended:

http://weltall.heliohost.org/wordpress/2012/01/20/linux-kernel-3-3-rc1-and-nvidia-drivers/

I followed the second fix that is described and now the nvidia-drivers
emerge and work nicely with linux kernel-3.3.

Thanks for the hint.

There are changes to the kernel-3.3 tree that will have to addressed
by the gentoo nvidia-drivers or other users will hit this problem
as well.

Frank Peters
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
On Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 12:30 PM, Frank Peters <frank.peters@comcast.net> wrote:
> On Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:35:34 -0700
> Mark Knecht <markknecht@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> Possibly this from Google will help?
>>
>
> OK, I think I've found the URL that you may have intended:
>
> http://weltall.heliohost.org/wordpress/2012/01/20/linux-kernel-3-3-rc1-and-nvidia-drivers/
>
> I followed the second fix that is described and now the nvidia-drivers
> emerge and work nicely with linux kernel-3.3.
>
> Thanks for the hint.
>
> There are changes to the kernel-3.3 tree that will have to addressed
> by the gentoo nvidia-drivers or other users will hit this problem
> as well.
>
> Frank Peters
>
>

Glad you found it. That is the link I just sent along and good to know
it helped a bit.

As I said, on kernel revision number changes I ALWAYS wait a minimum
of 3-5 days before trying to upgrade. nvidia always seems to need at
least a few days to catch up with a new release, or that's been my
experience in the past anyway.

Cheers,
Mark
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
On Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 3:08 PM, Mark Knecht <markknecht@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> As I said, on kernel revision number changes I ALWAYS wait a minimum
> of 3-5 days before trying to upgrade. nvidia always seems to need at
> least a few days to catch up with a new release, or that's been my
> experience in the past anyway.

Same here, nvidia-drivers and vmware-modules are why I usually wait
until the .1 release on a new kernel series. :)
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
Mark Knecht <markknecht@gmail.com> skribis:
> And how would one use CUDA if we gave up nvidia-drivers? Does nouveau
> support all the CUDA stuff?

I think they may have reverse engineered CUDA, but whether it is
implemented I don’t know, and I wouldn’t want to be the one to test
it, either. :)

I’m donating processor time with boinc and that’s good enough reason
to use the binary driver if it gives me more processor to donate.

(Waiting before installing anything new is painful, I know, because
with Gentoo you always feel like you want it to be doing something, or
at least that’s my experience. :) )
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
On Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 2:28 PM, Barry Schwartz
<chemoelectric@chemoelectric.org> wrote:
> Mark Knecht <markknecht@gmail.com> skribis:
>> And how would one use CUDA if we gave up nvidia-drivers? Does nouveau
>> support all the CUDA stuff?
>
> I think they may have reverse engineered CUDA, but whether it is
> implemented I don’t know, and I wouldn’t want to be the one to test
> it, either. :)
>
> I’m donating processor time with boinc and that’s good enough reason
> to use the binary driver if it gives me more processor to donate.
>
> (Waiting before installing anything new is painful, I know, because
> with Gentoo you always feel like you want it to be doing something, or
> at least that’s my experience. :) )
>

I have no problem with you or anyone else running nouveau. None at all.

I do have a problem with someone saying 'it's time for everyone to
give up nvidia-drivers' without demonstrating they know the full
impact of what they are suggesting. Had Cheng Renquan suggest 'Maybe
people who don't need anything other than basic X capabilities should
consider running nouveau' I wouldn't have even chimed in.

And thanks for running boinc. It's good of you and good for you.

Cheers,
Mark
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
Mark Knecht <markknecht@gmail.com> skribis:
> I do have a problem with someone saying 'it's time for everyone to
> give up nvidia-drivers' without demonstrating they know the full
> impact of what they are suggesting. Had Cheng Renquan suggest 'Maybe
> people who don't need anything other than basic X capabilities should
> consider running nouveau' I wouldn't have even chimed in.

Sage Notebook (sage-on-gentoo overlay) can use CUDA as well. I think
you don't have to worry that nvidia-drivers would go away; in the
worst case it would end up in a good overlay. That's unlikely IMO, and
would mostly likely be if there were an established alternative
implementation of CUDA.
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
On Mon, 19 Mar 2012 14:40:34 -0700
Mark Knecht <markknecht@gmail.com> wrote:

>
> I have no problem with you or anyone else running nouveau. None at all.
>
> I do have a problem with someone saying 'it's time for everyone to
> give up nvidia-drivers' without demonstrating they know the full
> impact of what they are suggesting. Had Cheng Renquan suggest 'Maybe
> people who don't need anything other than basic X capabilities should
> consider running nouveau' I wouldn't have even chimed in.
>

I think the main complaint is that the Nvidia drivers are closed
binary blobs while Nouveau is an attempt to create an entirely
open source driver. The spirit of free software demands that we
support these open initiatives.

Actually, until recently, I was very happy using the legacy open
source xorg nvidia driver known simply as as "nv." It is still
available in Gentoo as x11-drivers/xf86-video-nv.

Since I do not do gaming or other intensive graphic activities,
I could get by nicely with just nv. However, the nv driver does
not seem to support the latest hardware too well. On one of
my machines I have a card based on Nvidia GeForce 210. Although
the nv driver works with this card, it does not enable the Xv
extension and consequently the graphic response is poor.

On older cards nv does work quite well for ordinary purposes.

Frank Peters
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
Frank Peters <frank.peters@comcast.net> skribis:
> I think the main complaint is that the Nvidia drivers are closed
> binary blobs while Nouveau is an attempt to create an entirely
> open source driver.

Unfortunately the nvidia drivers are needed not only for graphics but
also to use the GPU for scientific calculations, including for
donating processor time to medical research, for instance.
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
Frank Peters posted on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:03:06 -0400 as excerpted:

> Actually, until recently, I was very happy using the legacy open source
> xorg nvidia driver known simply as as "nv." It is still available in
> Gentoo as x11-drivers/xf86-video-nv.
>
> Since I do not do gaming or other intensive graphic activities, I could
> get by nicely with just nv. However, the nv driver does not seem to
> support the latest hardware too well.

FWIW, the old nv driver is legacy, now, and won't be supporting new
hardware. AFAIK older hardware should be switching as well, for support
with current software, as nv won't be updated for that any longer, either.

The same thing happened to it as happened to nvidia's proprietary network
driver some years ago; pretty much everyone involved, including the
distros that used to ship nv and nvidia itself, seems to have recognized
that the reverse-engineered work is now better than nvidia's basic
freedomware stub driver, nv, and nouveau has officially taken its place.

--
Duncan - List replies preferred. No HTML msgs.
"Every nonfree program has a lord, a master --
and if you use the program, he is your master." Richard Stallman
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
Barry Schwartz posted on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 01:20:13 -0500 as excerpted:

> Unfortunately the nvidia drivers are needed not only for graphics but
> also to use the GPU for scientific calculations, including for donating
> processor time to medical research, for instance.

My donation ends where their disrespect for human freedom begins. (Over
a decade ago, back on MS, I used to run distributed.net. However, they
don't have a freedomware client, or at least didn't back then, and while
I understand the reasons why -- someone cheating and saying they did the
work when they didn't, just to get the stats -- that didn't change the
fact that I wasn't going to run servantware. But as they say, YMMV.)

--
Duncan - List replies preferred. No HTML msgs.
"Every nonfree program has a lord, a master --
and if you use the program, he is your master." Richard Stallman
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
On Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 9:12 AM, Frank Peters <frank.peters@comcast.net> wrote:
> Linux-3.3.0 is released and, as is my usual habit, I downloaded and compiled
> the plain vanilla source.
>
> After rebooting to the command console, and before starting X, I needed
> to re-install the nvidia-driver module for the new kernel.  Doing
> "emerge nvidia-drivers" gave me the following error (the entire build log
> is attached):
>
>>>> Source prepared.
>>>> Configuring source in /tmp/portage-acc/tmp/portage/x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers-295.20-r1/work ...
>>>> Source configured.
>>>> Compiling source in /tmp/portage-acc/tmp/portage/x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers-295.20-r1/work ...
> Preparing nvidia module
> make -j9 HOSTCC=x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-gcc CROSS_COMPILE=x86_64-pc-linux-gnu- 'LDFLAGS=-m elf_x86_64' IGNORE_CC_MISMATCH=yes V=1 SYSSRC=/usr/src/linux SYSOUT=/lib/modules/3.3.0/build CC=x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-gcc clean module
>
> *** Unable to determine the target kernel version. ***
>
> make: *** [select_makefile] Error 1
> emake failed
> ERROR: x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers-295.20-r1 failed (compile phase):
>  Unable to emake HOSTCC=x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-gcc CROSS_COMPILE=x86_64-pc-linux-gnu- LDFLAGS=-m elf_x86_64  IGNORE_CC_MISMATCH=yes V=1 SYSSRC=/usr/src/linux             SYSOUT=/lib/modules/3.3.0/build CC=x86_64-pc-linux-gnu-gcc clean module
>
> Call stack:
>    ebuild.sh, line   85:  Called src_compile
>  environment, line 3711:  Called linux-mod_src_compile
>  environment, line 2668:  Called die
> The specific snippet of code:
>              eval "emake HOSTCC=\"$(tc-getBUILD_CC)\"
>
>
> The first part of the build log (see attached file) indicates that the
> kernel source was correctly found (at /usr/src/linux), but for some
> reason the make process fails.
>
> Could this be due to some changes in the kernel-3.3.0 tree?
>
> Frank Peters
>

Hey Frank,
I hadn't played with this since you first posted but I've been
waiting for a new nvidia-driver to solve the problem and not seen it.
As my laptop uses vanilla-sources I was stuck but also not really
wanting to do the patch you did.

Anyway, for kicks this morning I tried gentoo-sources-3.3.0 and
found that nvidia-drivers builds & runs fine with that kernel.

Don't know if this is helpful but thought I'd let you know that the
gentoo devs seem to know how to fix this for their kernel.

Cheers,
Mark
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
On Thu, 22 Mar 2012 09:03:59 -0700
Mark Knecht <markknecht@gmail.com> wrote:

>
> I hadn't played with this since you first posted but I've been
> waiting for a new nvidia-driver to solve the problem and not seen it.
> As my laptop uses vanilla-sources I was stuck but also not really
> wanting to do the patch you did.
>

It's not much of a patch. It involves only copying a few files
from one directory to another. Apparently, these files are
auto-generated by the new kernel and placed in the wrong location
(wrong for Nvidia).

>
> Anyway, for kicks this morning I tried gentoo-sources-3.3.0 and
> found that nvidia-drivers builds & runs fine with that kernel.
>

Out of habit, I still use the kernel sources from kernel.org.
I have an automated build/install for this from a long time
back. But maybe I'll look into the gentoo-sources one day.
Thanks for the tip.

However, checking the Changelog for gentoo-sources I do not
see any indication of a possible patch to fix 3.3.0. Maybe
I'm just not looking in the right place.

Frank Peters
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
On Thu, Mar 22, 2012 at 11:41 AM, Frank Peters <frank.peters@comcast.net> wrote:
> On Thu, 22 Mar 2012 09:03:59 -0700
> Mark Knecht <markknecht@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>    I hadn't played with this since you first posted but I've been
>> waiting for a new nvidia-driver to solve the problem and not seen it.
>> As my laptop uses vanilla-sources I was stuck but also not really
>> wanting to do the patch you did.
>>
>
> It's not much of a patch.  It involves only copying a few files
> from one directory to another.  Apparently, these files are
> auto-generated by the new kernel and placed in the wrong location
> (wrong for Nvidia).
>
>>
>> Anyway, for kicks this morning I tried gentoo-sources-3.3.0 and
>> found that nvidia-drivers builds & runs fine with that kernel.
>>
>
> Out of habit, I still use the kernel sources from kernel.org.
> I have an automated build/install for this from a long time
> back.  But maybe I'll look into the gentoo-sources one day.
> Thanks for the tip.
>

Ah, so you operate independently as well as outside of the world of
portage do you?!? Shame! ;-)

Anyway, I don't much know what the Gentoo devs do to patch
gentoo-sources. I've gone back and forth between the two at different
times. One reason to stick with gentoo-sources is that vanilla-sources
(and presumably source directly from kernel.org) isn't supported by
Gentoo Security. Not sure how important that is to an individual
though.

> However, checking the Changelog for gentoo-sources I do not
> see any indication of a possible patch to fix 3.3.0.  Maybe
> I'm just not looking in the right place.
>

Dunno. I can only report that my laptop seems happy with
gentoo-source-3.3.0 + nvidia-drivers-295.20-r1. Frame rate is OK. No
weird messages so far in dmesg. Nothing much else to report.

Have fun,
Mark

> Frank Peters
>
>
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
Mark Knecht <markknecht@gmail.com> skribis:
> Anyway, I don't much know what the Gentoo devs do to patch
> gentoo-sources. I've gone back and forth between the two at different
> times. One reason to stick with gentoo-sources is that vanilla-sources
> (and presumably source directly from kernel.org) isn't supported by
> Gentoo Security. Not sure how important that is to an individual
> though.

I have found gentoo-sources utterly unreliable and finally settled on
using only vanilla sources, using the ebuild for convenience. The
Gentoo Security warning means essentially nothing to me; it’s not as
if the kernel project is out there purposely creating backdoors that
we can depend on Gentoo to nail shut.

(I’ve recently migrated my system from ~amd64 to amd64 -- yes, it can
be done -- but am still running 3.2.7 rather than the stable
3.2.2. Nevertheless I had to mask the latest ‘stable’ nvidia-drivers;
it made gkrellm crash. In the process of fixing that problem, I
noticed that OpenCL is around as a more generic alternative to CUDA,
so maybe use of that will pick up.)
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
Barry Schwartz <chemoelectric@chemoelectric.org> skribis:
> I have found gentoo-sources utterly unreliable and finally settled on
> using only vanilla sources, using the ebuild for convenience.

Not to pick on Gentoo in particular -- I have seen Ubuntu break
otherwise functional kernels with patches, too.
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
On Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 9:12 AM, Frank Peters <frank.peters@comcast.net> wrote:
> Linux-3.3.0 is released and, as is my usual habit, I downloaded and compiled
> the plain vanilla source.
>
<SNIP>
>
> Could this be due to some changes in the kernel-3.3.0 tree?
>
> Frank Peters
>

Frank,
NVidia release 295.33 last night. It's in portage this morning as
of an hour or two ago. The release notes on NVidia's site don't
specifically say anything about the 3.3 kernel but possibly it will
fix your problems with vanilla-sources?

Good luck,
Mark
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
On Fri, Mar 23, 2012 at 11:28 AM, Mark Knecht <markknecht@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 9:12 AM, Frank Peters <frank.peters@comcast.net> wrote:
>> Linux-3.3.0 is released and, as is my usual habit, I downloaded and compiled
>> the plain vanilla source.
>>
> <SNIP>
>>
>> Could this be due to some changes in the kernel-3.3.0 tree?
>>
>> Frank Peters
>>
>
> Frank,
>   NVidia release 295.33 last night. It's in portage this morning as
> of an hour or two ago. The release notes on NVidia's site don't
> specifically say anything about the 3.3 kernel but possibly it will
> fix your problems with vanilla-sources?
>
> Good luck,
> Mark

Shrug...

Hope you do better then me. This one fails on gentoo-sources-3.3.0
whereas the previous one does not.

Go figure...

- Mark
Re: Kernel-3.3.0 and Nvidia-drivers [ In reply to ]
On Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:28:20 -0700
Mark Knecht <markknecht@gmail.com> wrote:

> NVidia release 295.33 last night. It's in portage this morning as
> of an hour or two ago. The release notes on NVidia's site don't
> specifically say anything about the 3.3 kernel but possibly it will
> fix your problems with vanilla-sources?
>

The gentoo package changelog for nvidia does mention the problem and
refers to bug #408841 at bugs.gentoo.org.

As described in the URL that you provided in response to my original
post, the culprit is the location of the generated include files
in kernel 3.3.0. A simple patch fixes the problem.

With gentoo there are so many places to ask questions -- mailing
lists, forums, and bug sites -- that I am not sure know where to go
for help first.

Frank Peters