Rage 128 VR DRI

[Phonan]

I've been searching the forums like crazy to no avail, trying to solve this problem. I have a blueberry g3 with Ubuntu on it running perfectly, except one thing. Graphics acceleration will not work. I found some very useful resources
here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=3723
Lowering color depth to 16 allows acceleration, but anything using it freezes X, and pretty much everything after a couple of frames. So either I have a normal system without acceleration or an accelerated system that freezes. Some more information:
I have an ATI Technologies Inc Rage 128 RL/VR AGP (at least according to my xorg.conf) which as far as I can tell is my problem. I hear a Rage 128 Ultra works fine. Ubuntu 8.0.4 doesn't give me a working X, so I copy over the old xorg.conf from my 7.10 Xubuntu install. My xorg is below:

# xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
Option "XkbOptions" "lv3:lwin_switch"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "wacom"
Identifier "stylus"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "stylus"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4" # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "wacom"
Identifier "eraser"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "eraser"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4" # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "wacom"
Identifier "cursor"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "cursor"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4" # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "ATI Technologies Inc Rage 128 RL/VR AGP"
Driver "r128"
Option "UseFBDev" "fa;se"
Option "AGPMode" "2"
Option "AGPFastWrite" "true"
Option "ForcePCIMode" "true"
Option "SWCursor" "true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "iMac"
Option "DPMS"
HorizSync 60-60
VertRefresh 75-117
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "ATI Technologies Inc Rage 128 RL/VR AGP"
Monitor "iMac"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"

# Uncomment if you have a wacom tablet
# InputDevice "stylus" "SendCoreEvents"
# InputDevice "cursor" "SendCoreEvents"
# InputDevice "eraser" "SendCoreEvents"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dri"
Load "glx"
Load "dbe"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection


Sorry for the space that took up. Is there anyone out there who can help?

[stream303]

I'm not sure if this will fix the problem, but it did jump out at me:

Option "UseFBDev" "fa;se"

Looks like a semicolon got in there somehow...


HorizSync 60-60

Have you tried 58-62 or 59-61 instead? Again, not directly related, but this might give you some breathing room....

[Phonan]

Oh yeah, forgot to change the semicolon; I'll see what happens with the sync range.

[Phonan]

No luck- the X server still starts, but glxgears for example still kills the computer.

[Phonan]

Bump- any advice?

[Phonan]

Bump again, should I just give up on this?

[cyberdork33]

Can you try varying some of the options that you have set? I am not a PPC user, but I know that things like "AGPFastWrite" and "AGPMode" can cause funky issues sometimes, and instability. "ForcePCIMode" doesn't make sense to me to use either...

[stream303]

Bump again, should I just give up on this?

You aren't the only one who's had to choose between 2D stability or 3D crashes with that card. You can definitely say you tried...

Question is, what do you do that needs 3D, especially on a Blueberry? Sure it would be nice to have, but are your 3D apps usable with the Blueberry's speed and possibly small ram?

I'd be tempted to stick to 2D, and try to optimize the desktop by running XFCE4, Xubuntu, another simple window manager, or perhaps tame Gnome by using wireframes for window dragging and turning off animations, thumbnails, etc. Try PcManFM as a file manager instead of Nautilus - that kind of thing.

[Phonan]

@cyber: I know ForcePCIMode is needed, I think it has something to do with X not being able to treat this card as an AGP. The others I could try varying.

@stream: I'm currently running a system built from command line with fluxbox, etc. I am currently using Thunar for file management, just because it can manage volumes and I'm not going to be the one using this computer (mount & umount from the command line could be daunting to some.) Can PcManFM manage volumes?
And I suppose you do have a point about needing 3D; it would have been nice to have it, and hardware acceleration (I'd hoped) could help with video playback, DVDs, etc. But if this can't be solved, I don't really need 3D. Thanks.