ASUS EB1037 - nvidia 820m - VBios issue - optimus

[anthonythomas]

Hello,

I've bought an ASUS EeeBox EB1037 thinking it would make a great HTPC.

After trying to install ubuntu I've discovered it is an nvidia optimus based system.

I've tried loads of different ways to get things working but I think the main issue comes down to ubuntu not being able to access the VBios.

When trying to boot from a LiveCD I have to add "nouveau.modeset=0" to the Linux grub command. That then boots fine. If I don't do that and remove the quiet splash part it hangs at the VBios section.

To be able to boot all the time nouveau has to be blacklisted.

The hang looks like this with the Bios error:

This is also true when using bumblebee

I get the following error with bumblebee.

kernel: [ 2103.239018] vgaarb: this pci device is not a vga device
kernel: [ 2103.240424] nvidia 0000:01:00.0: irq 113 for MSI/MSI-X
kernel: [ 2103.247963] NVRM: failed to copy vbios to system memory.
kernel: [ 2103.249699] NVRM: RmInitAdapter failed! (0x30:0xffffffff:714)
kernel: [ 2103.249714] NVRM: rm_init_adapter failed for device bearing minor number 0

Any ideas how to get past this step so I can somehow try and get the nvidia graphics working?

Edit: I should add that I am using ubuntu 14.04. The things I had tried were various nvidia drivers (319, 331, 337) with and without bumblebee. prime-switch and bbswitch fail and the issues all seem to be around the vbios problem.

[karimakela]

I am trying the same - but can't help much.

I tried 14.04 64 bit server, and 14.04 64 bit desktop. Both did hang in early phase of USB boot, just gray screen and nothing else. Then I noticed that in BIOS (or exactly speaking, not in BIOS but UEFI) has options to define which operating system is used, and ACPI options. I changed operating system to Android (instead of Win7 or Win8), and changed the ACPI to "PCI" if I recall right, without understanding what I did. After that I tried to install old version, 12.04.3 32 bit desktop, and it seems to be OK, just done and boots and looks normal (except that initially it shows ugly black-white striped display)

But I do not like the idea of starting with something old, and it also does not recognize the WLAN chip.

Did you have to modify the UEFI options, or did you get it up with just that GRUB parameter?

I did not yet have time to try 14.04 after the two ACPI modifications were done, will try tomorrow.

[anthonythomas]

I can get ubuntu 14.04 to install fine in EFI mode.

You need to add "nouveau.modeset=0" to the grub linux command for the LiveCD and then also on first boot or it will hang. If you remove "quiet splash" you'll see exactly where it hangs. That should get you to the desktop. Once you're there add "blacklist nouveau" to /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf and ubuntu should boot fine.

Then you can try to install nvidia drivers....!

I've read around that there's some patches for similar issues where the vbios isn't copied which is down to an ACPI/EFI/CSM issue.

I also changed a few things to PCI mode and back. Tried various combinations in various menus in the EFI to set it to Win7, Win8, Android, Other OS. Can't seem to find the right settings to get the vbios to copy.

[karimakela]

OK, and thanks for the advice. Now I am in the same situation. I resetted all UEFI settings to default (except temp boot device), and got the same hang if I did not disable nouveau, and got it up by disabling it.

This is partially good for me, because I was planning to buy one more of these boxes, so that the first one will be used only as a web server and SSH hopper (no windows, just text), and the other then with graphical interface. Thus, this would be OK for the server. It is small, very silent and does not get warm at all.

And it might even be OK for the other use without the nvidia, because the other one is a "kitchen laptop" used by all the family for simple and mundane things like checking public transportation timetables, reading news(papers), weather, recipes, and all such stuff which seems to work OK also without nvidia - even if it is a bit stupid.

[anthonythomas]

I've given up for the time being and stuck OpenElec on and I'll just use the Intel graphics until I get the nvidia working.

Pretty sure it's an nvidia driver issue but my post on the nvidia forum is coming up as "hidden" which is irritating.

[jicha]

Hi, I am thinking about getting this PC. I want to have a HTPC with Ubuntu/XBMC attached to my TV. This one looks very good and is cheap. Have you found any solution for the nVidia graphics card problems? If I don't plan to use it to play 3D games, can I live with the integrated graphics?

I found this article, which might be useful: http://xmodulo.com/install-configure...er-ubuntu.html

Or would you suggest a different HTPC? If it had a DVD drive, it would be ideal. But it must be slim (less then 3").

[ekx27]

Have anyone tried to modify some options into the BIOS ?

There is a 0606 version available here : http://www.asus.com/EeeBox_PCs/EB103...Desk_Download/

I an not very familiar with those CSM settings in the BIOS, anyone does ?

[ekx27]

On this webpage http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree8...nproblems.html I get the following details:

Why does the VBIOS fail to load on my Optimus system?


On some notebooks with Optimus graphics, the NVIDIA driver may not be able to retrieve the Video BIOS due to interactions between the System BIOS and the Linux kernel's ACPI subsystem. On affected notebooks, applications that require the GPU will fail, and messages like the following may appear in the system log:

NVRM: failed to copy vbios to system memory.
NVRM: RmInitAdapter failed! (0x30:0xffffffff:858)
NVRM: rm_init_adapter(0) failed

Such problems are typically beyond the control of the NVIDIA driver, which relies on proper cooperation of ACPI and the System BIOS to retrieve important information about the GPU, including the Video BIOS.

The issue seems to be the ACPI, does anyone knows any settings to change into the BIOS ?

[josef7]

Hi I'm also a proud owner of a EB1037.


I current running with the nvida disabled only using the intel grapichs.

Still i have issues with the system freezing from time to time.
I runned dmesg and could see that there is alot of error messages related to ACPI. So I have set the acpi=off in grub and now my system seems to be stable.

Seems to be a way to move forward for this issue, following this steps
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingACPI

I have not got further than the apci=off step, i will keep it for a while to be 100% sure.

Is there anyone that is ahead of me tracking this down?

[ekx27]

Which version of Ubuntu do you use ?

On Xubuntu 14.10 I have no ACPI issues, even for running the LiveCD...