Intel Graphic Hardware
A brief explanation about drivers for Intel cards
Intel Graphic card practical theory.
Note that for Intel graphic cards, you have some choices for graphic drivers:- fbdev
- this is the frame buffer driver and it is compatible with many
different graphic cards (ati, nvidia, intel ... ) . It has the slowest
performance, but sometimes it will work when all else fails. It
typically comes packaged with openSUSE as part of xorg-x11-driver-video
rpm and on openSUSE-11.3/11.4 it is typically loaded if either the
'nomodeset' or 'x11failsafe' boot code is applied in grub.
- vesa - this is the vesa driver and it is compatible with
many different graphic cards (ati, nvidia, intel ... ) . It is faster
than the fbdev for performance, and it is pretty robust, but overall it
still has slow performance. It typically comes packaged with openSUSE as
part of xorg-x11-driver-video rpm.
- i740 - this is a free open source driver for the Intel740 hardware. It comes packaged with openSUSE as part of xorg-x11-driver-video rpm.
- i810 - this is a free open source driver for some Intel
hardware. I believe this driver has been depreciated and it is no
longer maintained, although it is provided in openSUSE-11.1 and earlier.
This driver should have much better performance than the VESA driver.
It typically comes packaged with openSUSE as part of
xorg-x11-driver-video rpm.
- intel - this is an free open source driver for all Intel hardware. The "intel" driver supports
the i810, i810-DC100, i810e, i815, i830M, 845G, 852GM, 855GM, 865G,
915G, 915GM, 945G, 945GM, 965G, 965Q, 946GZ, 965GM, 945GME, G33, Q33,
Q35, G35, GM45, G45, Q45, G43 and G41 chipsets. This driver should have
much better performance than the VESA driver. It typically comes
packaged with openSUSE as part of xorg-x11-driver-video rpm and it is
the default graphic driver in openSUSE-11.3/11.4.
- intellegacy - this is a free open source driver for older
Intel hardware, where this driver contains the legacy version 2.9.1 of
the Intel X.Org driver which does not require KMS (together with some
patches), and it was included with the distribution commencing with
openSUSE-11.3. To use this driver, one needs the rpm
xorg-x11-driver-video-intel-legacy installed
- iegd - this is a proprietary Intel Linux driver for selected Intel graphic hardware. The iegd driver
supports the Mobile Intel(R) GM45/GL40/GS45, GLE960, GME965, 945GME,
945GSE, 915GME, 910GMLE chpsets and also the Intel(R) Atom(TM),
Q45/G45/G41, Q35, Q964, Q945G, 915GV chipsets. More detail to follow in a
future update to this post ... For now some information is recorded in in post#10 and post#11
of the unreviewed version of this same guide/thread . One needs to
download and install separately this proprietary Intel graphic driver.
- emgd - this is a proprietary Intel Linux driver for a very small selection of specific Intel graphic hardware. The emgd driver
supports only the Intel� System Controller Hub US15W, US15WP and
US15WPT, and the Intel� Atom™ Processor E6xx Series. One needs to
download and install separately this proprietary Intel graphic driver.
xorg.conf file and xorg.conf.d directory in Linux.
In older openSUSE releases, it was necessary to have an /etc/xorg.conf
file which defined the configuration needed for one's graphic card. This
is not the case for newer openSUSE versions.
As of openSUSE-11.2, the need to have an xorg.conf file was removed for
many graphic cards. This was because "xorg" who code X window framework
have moved away from requiring the xorg.conf file, but rather the card
should be configured automatically without that xorg.conf file. In such a
case, the xorg software should automatically use the latest open source
driver (either "intel"). However the automatic recognition of graphic
cards is still not reliable for all cards in openSUSE-11.2 nor 11.3.
To help address that case (where automatic graphic card recognition
fails) similar to other Linux distributions, openSUSE as of version 11.3
also has an /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ directory, with a series of .conf
files, where the graphic configuration can be specified (which if
specified will take precidence over the Xorg software automatic
configuration). These files include:
Code:
10-evdev.conf
11-mouse.conf
20-synaptics.conf
20-wacom.conf
50-device.conf
50-monitor.conf
50-screen.conf
50-vmmouse.conf
90-keytable.conf
For example, to force the intellegacy driver, one could edit the 50-device.conf to look like (where Driver "intellegacy" was added):
Code:
Section "Device"
Identifier "Default Device"
#Driver "radeon"
Driver "intellegacy"
## Required magic for radeon/radeonhd drivers; output name
## (here: "DVI-0") can be figured out via 'xrandr -q'
#Option "monitor-DVI-0" "Default Monitor"
EndSection
In addition the older xorg.conf file can still be used for the
card to force a graphic configuration, for if that xorg.conf file is
available, then the xorg software will use it, giving it precidence over
BOTH the automatic Xorg configuration and the
/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/nn-yyyyy.conf files.
Software to Create xorg.conf file.
For openSUSE-11.2 and earlier there is software provided by
SuSE-GmbH in openSUSE that is used to generate the xorg.conf file for
graphic drivers, which is called "sax2". One can run "sax2" with many
options (but it must be run with root permissions).
For example on openSUSE-11.2 and earlier, to check what chip# one's graphic devices are, one can run with root permissions:
pay attention to the chip, ... ie chip 0 (typically if only one
graphic device) or there may be a chip-0 and a chip-1 (if one has more
than one graphic device).
For all openSUSE versions (including 11.3) there is "Xorg -configure". ie run with root permissions in run level 3 (see below for more detail).
Run Level 3.
Now typically, when reconfiguring a graphic card, it is best to do this
NOT in X window, but rather in the full screen terminal run level 3. One
boots to run level 3 by pressing "3" (no quotes) when the initial grub
boot menu first appears. By pressing "3" one will see the "3" appear in
the options line. Then boot normally. That brings one to a full screen
text login. Login as a regular user.
Creating the xorg.conf file
For openSUSE-11.2 and earlier. After logging in to run level 3,
type "su" (no quotes - enter root password) to switch users to the
administrator/root. If one wishes to force sax2 to create an xorg.conf
file for the intel open source graphic driver (called "intel"), then
one would type in run level 3 (NOT in X window):
or
where the 0 or 1 depends on what graphic chip one is trying to
configure. The "-r" option tells sax2 to ignore any previous created
xorg.conf file, and overwrite/replace it.
or for the slower vesa driver
or
where the 0 or 1 depends on what graphic chip one is trying to
configure. The "-r" option tells sax2 to ignore any previous created
xorg.conf file, and overwrite/replace it.
Once sax2 is complete, one can restart from run level 3 with root permissions by typing "shutdown -r now" and then let the reboot continue to see if the graphic card configuration worked.
For all openSUSE versions (including 11.3) there is "Xorg -configure". ie run with root permissions in run level 3
which will create the file /root/xorg.conf.new. Copy that file to /etc/X11 with:
Code:
cp /root/xorg.conf.new /etc/X11/xorg.conf
and then if necessary edit the xorg.conf file, using something
like the vi editor . Pay attention to the "Device" section in the
xorg.conf file as it will specify the Driver, with a line something
like:
It may be necessary to edit that file/line to change the driver
to "vesa" or "fbdev". Again, note above the much early section on the
subject "xorg.conf file and xorg.conf.d directory in Linux", where the file "50-device.conf" can instead be edited.
Restart to test. Once complete creating the xorg.conf file, one can restart from run level 3 with root permissions by typing "shutdown -r now" and then let the reboot continue to see if the graphic card configuration worked.
openSUSE specific boot codes
As of openSUSE-11.3, where a proprietary graphic driver is not
installed, with the default installation (ie with no special
configuration file settings in place) it is possible to influence the
video driver that is loaded by use of a boot code in the initial
grub-boot-manager menu options line. By default, with Intel graphic
hardware openSUSE-11.3/11.4 will boot with the 'intel' graphic video
driver. If one insteads specify the boot code 'nomodeset' (which
disables KMS) openSUSE-11.3/11.4 will also (instead) boot the 'FBDEV'
graphic video driver. If instead one specifies 'x11failsafe' (or uses
the 'Fail Safe' or 'Safe Settings' ) openSUSE will also boot to the
FBDEV graphic driver. If one wishes to permanently specify a specific
graphic driver one should edit the /etc/x11/xorg.conf.d/50-device.conf
file.
Hopefully this overall post gives some practical theory so that users
can understand the recommendations that have been given in various posts
by our forum members.
openSUSE Graphic Card Practical Theory Guide for Users
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