Screen Refresh issues with SiS 760

Bug #65573 reported by Rory Curtis
32
This bug affects 2 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
xserver-xorg-video-sis (Ubuntu)
Fix Released
Undecided
Unassigned

Bug Description

I'm having bad screen refresh issues with Edgy Beta 3. Dragging Windows around the screen leaves traces of the Window as its being moved. Also, using something like nxclient is near impossible because the images get corrupted quite quickly. This appears to be a regression because I haven't had these issues in either Dapper or Breezy.

Here's the output of lspci -v:
00:00.0 Host bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 760/M760 Host (rev 03)
        Subsystem: Elitegroup Computer Systems Unknown device 1b26
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32
        Memory at d8000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=128M]
        Capabilities: <access denied>

00:01.0 PCI bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SG86C202 (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 99
        Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=32
        I/O behind bridge: 0000d000-0000dfff
        Memory behind bridge: e8000000-e80fffff
        Prefetchable memory behind bridge: e0000000-e7ffffff

00:02.0 ISA bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS964 [MuTIOL Media IO] (rev 36)
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0

00:02.5 IDE interface: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 5513 [IDE] (rev 01) (prog-if 80 [Master])
        Subsystem: Elitegroup Computer Systems Unknown device 1b26
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 128
        I/O ports at <unassigned>
        I/O ports at <unassigned>
        I/O ports at <unassigned>
        I/O ports at <unassigned>
        I/O ports at 4000 [size=16]

00:02.7 Multimedia audio controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] AC'97 Sound Controller (rev a0)
        Subsystem: Elitegroup Computer Systems Unknown device 1b25
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 209
        I/O ports at e000 [size=256]
        I/O ports at e100 [size=128]
        Capabilities: <access denied>

00:03.0 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.0 Controller (rev 0f) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
        Subsystem: Elitegroup Computer Systems Unknown device 1b26
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 177
        Memory at e8142000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]

00:03.1 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.0 Controller (rev 0f) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
        Subsystem: Elitegroup Computer Systems Unknown device 1b26
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 185
        Memory at e8143000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]

00:03.2 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.0 Controller (rev 0f) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
        Subsystem: Elitegroup Computer Systems Unknown device 1b26
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 193
        Memory at e8144000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]

00:03.3 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 2.0 Controller (prog-if 20 [EHCI])
        Subsystem: Elitegroup Computer Systems Unknown device 1b26
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 201
        Memory at e8140000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
        Capabilities: <access denied>

00:05.0 IDE interface: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] RAID bus controller 180 SATA/PATA [SiS] (rev 01) (prog-if 85 [Master SecO PriO])
        Subsystem: Elitegroup Computer Systems Unknown device 1b26
        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 169
        I/O ports at e300 [size=8]
        I/O ports at e400 [size=4]
        I/O ports at e500 [size=8]
        I/O ports at e600 [size=4]
        I/O ports at e700 [size=16]
        I/O ports at <unassigned>
        Capabilities: <access denied>

00:0a.0 Ethernet controller: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. 88w8335 [Libertas] 802.11b/g Wireless (rev 03)
        Subsystem: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. 88w8335 [Libertas] 802.11b/g Wireless
        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 10
        Memory at e8120000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64K]
        Memory at e8130000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64K]
        Capabilities: <access denied>

00:0d.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)
        Subsystem: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RT8139
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 209
        I/O ports at e800 [size=256]
        Memory at e8145000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
        Capabilities: <access denied>

00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] HyperTransport Technology Configuration
        Flags: fast devsel
        Capabilities: <access denied>

00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Address Map
        Flags: fast devsel

00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] DRAM Controller
        Flags: fast devsel

00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Miscellaneous Control
        Flags: fast devsel

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 661/741/760/761 PCI/AGP VGA Display Adapter (prog-if 00 [VGA])
        Subsystem: Elitegroup Computer Systems Unknown device 1b26
        Flags: 66MHz, medium devsel, IRQ 5
        BIST result: 00
        Memory at e0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=128M]
        Memory at e8000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=128K]
        I/O ports at d000 [size=128]
        Capabilities: <access denied>

Running glxinfo results in the following output:
name of display: :0.0
X Error of failed request: BadAlloc (insufficient resources for operation)
  Major opcode of failed request: 142 (GLX)
  Minor opcode of failed request: 3 (X_GLXCreateContext)
  Serial number of failed request: 16
  Current serial number in output stream: 17

If you need any more info, let me know.

Revision history for this message
Rory Curtis (rory-curtis) wrote :

OK, here's an update. I was using the default vesa driver. Changing the xorg.conf file to use the sis driver helped a lot. The refresh is now similar to what it was in previous releases. However, are newbies going to be able to figure that out? Should the installer be able to detect the SiS graphics cards and set the driver to be sis instead of vesa?

Revision history for this message
magilus (magilus) wrote :

Theoretically, Ubuntu should detect what driver is needed and it should select the correct one.

Could you please try to execute

sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

in a Terminal? You just have to press return all times. In the second dialog (after pressing return one time) vesa or sis should be preselected.

Please, post what is preselected here. If it is vesa, this needs further investigations.

Revision history for this message
Rory Curtis (rory-curtis) wrote :

The default selected driver is vesa. The sis driver also appears on the list. I seem to remember the sis driver didn't work terribly well in previous releases so perhaps this is the reason for going with the "safe" option. It needs more investigation though because the vesa driver is now totally unsuitable anyone using a setup like mine.

Revision history for this message
Mike Dahlgren (dahlgren) wrote :

Since there have been no updates on this bug and edgy is no longer supported, I was wondering if this is still an issue or can you reproduce it with a newer release?

 Thanks,
     ~ Mike

Revision history for this message
Rory Curtis (rory-curtis) wrote :

I no longer have this hardware, so can't verify if the bug still exists. Perhaps someone else could comment?

Revision history for this message
Mike Dahlgren (dahlgren) wrote :

Since this was originally reported against a now expired version, and original submitter no longer has the hardware to test, I am changing this to incomplete with the idea that maybe someone else can test it.

  Thanks,
      ~ Mike

Changed in xserver-xorg-video-sis:
status: New → Incomplete
Revision history for this message
Kyle M Weller (kylew) wrote :

This issue still exists for Intrepid Ibex Beta latest updates, the screen flickers and windows rip apart when moving them, and sometime dissapear

Changed in xserver-xorg-video-sis:
status: Incomplete → New
Revision history for this message
Bryce Harrington (bryce) wrote :

Hi rory-curtis,

Please attach the output of `lspci -vvnn`, and attach your /var/log/Xorg.0.log file from after reproducing this issue. If you've made any customizations to your /etc/X11/xorg.conf please attach that as well.

Changed in xserver-xorg-video-sis:
status: New → Incomplete
Revision history for this message
Rory Curtis (rory-curtis) wrote :

Hi Bruce,

as I mentioned above, I no longer have that hardware so can't give any more feedback. Perhaps Kyle could send you the info?

Revision history for this message
Blanchet (blanchet) wrote :

Actually Thomas Winischhofer explains this problem here
http://www.winischhofer.eu/linuxsispart1.shtml#21

First politic
"Pretty simple: SiS is unfortunately one of those companies that do not support Linux or X.org/XFree86. They don't (and will not) release any documentation on their products (with a few exceptions) and write drivers only for Microsoft's DOS-extensions (called "Windows" by many people; and yes, "Windows" is a trademark). Although they have released XFree86 drivers previously and have released a (binary) driver for the SiS650 in the past, these are and were heavily buggy and not developed any further from a certain point. In other words: Their XFree86 drivers are useless. If you have a notebook, you don't even need to consider trying them."

Then technics and comparison to windaube
"My advice: Don't buy a machine with a SiS760 unless this machine has dedicated local video memory. And please don't complain about "driver bugs" if you see "flashing lines" on the screen; these are the typical effects of a bandwidth problem and unavoidable - even the Windows driver can't do better. In such cases, reduce the resolution and/or refresh rate and/or color depth, or use one output (CRT1 or CRT2) only. Sorry, can't help it. There is no driver bug involved.

For poor Averatec 6240 users: My drivers at least allow 1280x800 on the LCD if the external monitor is enabled... the Windows driver kicks you back to 1024x768 in such a case."

In conclusion down the depth, the resolution or the refresh rate.

jorge.sola (jorge-sola)
Changed in xserver-xorg-video-sis (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
papukaija (papukaija) wrote :

This bug is fixed in Lucid's xserver (tested under Lucid RC with Fujitsu-Siemens Amilo a 1645). Please reopen this bug if you can reproduce it _in Lucid_.

Changed in xserver-xorg-video-sis (Ubuntu):
status: Confirmed → Fix Released
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