Probs with nVidia Compiz & KWin After Kernel Update [Solved]

[tonyawards]

I have a few issues that have come up from the latest kernel update this week. I updated the kernel in the world update, and after doing so I did the steps in wolfden's World Updating 101 list before rebooting:

eselect kernel list (there was only 2.6.29, so ok)
equo search nvidia-driver (installed was 185.18.14-r1 for 2.6.29, (ok, or so I thought it was the newest)
equo conf update (all fine, baby)
eselect opengl list (set to nvidia)
checked for udev set for sysinit (ok)

Rebooted, and got the blinking cursor, darnit. And I had tried to make sure I got all the required steps in place. So, I used the “ctrl-alt-F1” command and tried “/etc/init.d/xdm restart” which worked when the live-dvd gave me initial problems, but it didn't work this time. After an hour or so I really looked at the “equo search nvidia-driver” results and saw a mismatch (it looked like it should have been the “available” 96.43.09-r10) so I installed that, restarted xdm and got graphics and a desktop again. Great.

Except, when the desktop came back up I got an error message from SuperKaramba saying to adjust the settings (and no more transparency on the system monitor widget) and when launching Compiz I got a totally blank white screen, except for a SuperKaramba skeleton outline.

I had previously noted the comments in the terminal on the nvidia driver new installation that recommended: to use the nVidia GLX, run “eselect opengl set nvidia” (so I did, again) and “to work with Compiz enable the AddARGBGLXVisuals option”. Had no idea what that was but finally found it in the xorg.conf file. So I learned how to edit the file (my 1st time trying to use vi) and uncommented the line in xorg.conf, saved and rebooted. All the GUI came back up ok and I thought I was home free. Compiz and SuperKaramba will now work and I can get my preferred Emerald Theme Manager theme back. But -

Now the entire box is running very slowly. Rebooted again, same thing – plus when I get to the desktop I'm getting the error window: “KWin crashed and caused the signal 6 (SIGABRT)” with no available debugging log. Also, my title-bars and the panels are either not showing up or are showing really slowly.

This is a long messy preamble, I know, and I apologize, but this newbie (who did it all right on the last kernel update, but this time...) is still on a learning curve. I'm not even sure what log, if any, to post here for your review for this one.

Does all this make sense to anyone, and is it all tied together somehow? I've looked, but can't find an answer to this one. So -

How can I make Compiz (and SuperKaramba) behave with this new kernel and its matching nvidia driver?
How can I get Compiz to load automatically on startup (once it's working) without having to enable the icon every time? I tried the initial fixes in this thread (in the System Manager) viewtopic.php?f=86&t=17870&p=102670&hilit=compiz+slow#p102670 but it still makes it all bog down.
How can I fix the (related?) KWin crash that appears to be happening?
And is that the reason that my computer is running so very slowly?

What have I done now, I wonder?

Thank you all, and if this is really obvious and I should have found it already, or I've put this in the wrong area of the forum, I apologize, but I have looked for quite a while with no luck.

Running SL4.2 on AMD Turion64 MK-36 2GHz, 1GB RAM, GeForce 6150

[joeoden]

got the blinking cursor

That happens if you do not install your drivers again after kernel update
In a terminal as root type
equo install nvidia-driver

[albfneto]

you may boot to the new kernel, making the command....

Code: Select all

eselect kernel list
sudo eselect kernel set number of the more recent kernel


reboot to the line of the newest kernel in grub (if not appears, put this line manually in the grub),
the re install the nvidia drivers...

Code: Select all

equo install nvidia-drivers nvidia-settings


Then it may works.
KDE freezing.. KDE 4.3 is not totally compatible with compiz! compiz, new versions, works much better in GNOME than in KDE, because new Kwin is not totally friendly interacting with compiz...

[tonyawards]

An update: albfneto, I did another "equo world --ask", reinstalled the latest nvidia drivers, and added in the nvidia-settings per your suggestion, which I did not do the first time after the kernel update. Then I looked at all the nvidia-drivers, opengl list, kernel list, kernel select, and they all appeared to match. So I went ahead and rebooted and when it came back - the desktop loaded fine, no more KWin crash, and my speed is back to normal.

I reactivated Compiz (I am in KDE 4.2.4) and it and my window theme both work now with no slowdowns.

Could this nvidia mismatch (and/or the lack of updating the nvidia settings when I updated the drivers) really have caused all those problems, or was there something else? At any rate, all is fine now, and I thank you and joeoden for your suggestions.