Brand new to everything! Need help with modifying an industrial machine to use new video card.

[jacmeenon]

Hello all, I'm brand new to Linux having only heard about it before, but never have done anything with it. I am an industrial service tech and have been asked to resurrect an old system that appears to be using Linux.

Primary issue: Failing video card (Matrox G550) on a industrial, intel based, computer (986LCD-M/mITX)

Where I am stuck: I think I need to replace the video card with something much newer and cheaper. However, when I place another video card in the PCIE slot the system no longer fully boots.

99.9% sure it's Linux: It hangs on "Uncompressing Linux... Ok, booting the kernel."

My best guess: On that screen that hangs, and above the "Uncompressing..." among lots of code that I don't understand, I see "video=matroxfb : vesa : 0x1B8" A little bit of research lead me to the idea that this is a Linux generic driver for Matrox and that this should be turned off or replaced with something that is compatible with my new card(whatever I end up getting)

Details: The computer is using a CF to IDE card and I assume that Linux is somehow installed on this compact flash card.

So?: How do I "get into" this Linux OS and change the generic video driver? Is(n't) that what I need to do?

I think I have included all the pertinent and / or relative information here, but if anything is missing or other details are needed, please just ask. Thank you all!

 

[Brickwizard]

Welcome to the forums
you say old machine, how long since it last worked? When was it last serviced?
the Matrox G550 is around 22 yrs old and long since depleted by the manufacturer, I don't think drivers are still available for it,
as a hardware man, my first reactions is give the machine a damn good clean inside, if it has been used/stored in even the slightest damp environment, I would remove both the ram stick and graphics card carefully clean the terminals with a non-static cloth, and re, assemble, whilst inside I would also [in turn] pull the drive cables and re-connect, these actions should ensure you do not have any "dry Joints" in the main system, then try booting the machine again.
If it has some form of Linux installed, it will be helpful to find out which it is if you need advice from my associates with it.

 

[osprey]

jacmeenon ... if you are brand new to linux, there's a significant learning curve, but not unsurmountable.

A few findings which seem relevant:

"Uncompressing Linux ..." means it's linux booting 100%.

The specs of the computer appear to be here:

986LCD-M/mITX | Kontron

986LCD-M/mITX support latest Intel® Core™ Duo and Core™ Solo processors up to 2.16GHz. Due to the latest Intel's dual core technology, the baord achives both superior data processing capability and low power consumption

www.kontron.com

There appears to be a manual available on the page but I haven't looked at it.

The factory matrox drivers appear to be here:
https://www.matrox.com/en/video/apps/drivers/graphics/download?id=145. Usually however there were matrox drivers provided by the X installation but I guess they are long deprecated. In any case it may not be the matrox drivers that resolve the issues.

The specs suggest there is an onboard video which is intel:
Intel® GMA950 graphic controller on board

If that onboard video card is still in working condition, then one ought to be able to remove the matrox card, remove what appear to be the kernel parameters: "video=matroxfb : vesa : 0x1B8" which are calling for the matrox card, instruct the machine to use the onboard video, and boot it with the onboard intel graphics. Normally what's needed to drive the intel graphics are in the linux kernel (microcode and firmware) and the intel driver is usually installed by default by the X installation (the GUI) if it sees the intel hardware, which it usually does.

The change in graphics card can usually be achieved in a few ways. There may be a menu item in the BIOS which can select the onboard video, or disable it which allows an installed graphics card to run. Or, an installed video card may be detected automatically by the BIOS, but it sounds like this automatic facility is not the case with your hardware since installing another video card stopped the boot. Sometimes it may be a jumper on the motherboard that needs to be moved.

There's lots of information about the installation that could help, such as what the distribution is. That would let people know which package manager to use to install or alter programs that may be necessary.

Normally, to discover an unknown linux installation, one could use a live distro or live rescue disk which was installed on a usb which one would boot, mount the computer-installed distro and then have the tools to discover nearly everything one would need to know and also perhaps make some changes to get the computer working. Unfortunately I'm not familiar with this hardware of a compact flash card carrying the linux installation on an IDE host adapter card (if that's what it is), so my observations should be taken in that context.

Does the computer boot to a grub menu? If it does, it's a simple matter to add and delete kernel parameters. The process is to hit e as the grub menu appears, navigate down to the linux line with the up and down arrow keys, alter the kernel options there as desired, then hit cntl+x to boot.

If you can't see a grub menu, it's likely to still be there as the boot loader but with a configuration that obscures it. That sort of thing can be altered using a live disk or rescue disk.

 

[jacmeenon]

I'm processing through more of this. One thing I thought maybe useful...

This is displayed "kernel (hd0,0 )boot/vmlinuz-2.6.11.12"

This led me to believe it is some sort of compressed image and grub may not work until it gets "uncompressed"?

 

[kc1di]

Hello @jacmeenon,
Welcome to the Linux.org Forum.
The vmlinuz file is the file that contains the Linux kernel to boot from you do not need to uncompress it. It is used by the boot process to access the Linux kernel to boot from. Kernel 2.6.11.12 was released in 2005 and reach end of life in June 2005. So it pretty old. And you'll have a hard time finding any kind of support for that old of a install. What ever is causing it not to boot. I doubt it's the kernel.

 

[jacmeenon]

Right now I'm working on the assumption that the MatroxFB is holding it from booting when any other video card, including none(allowing the onboard / intel video system to take over) is installed. The system works / boots fine when a Matrox card is installed. it's just the one that we have G550 has a intermittent BGA. Something that we could repair, but would rather move on to something modern. We cannot change away from the Linux OS, but we could change the nature of the kernel in hopes of telling it to allow another card.

At this point I think I need to load a Linux rescue environment onto a USB and somehow get into the Linux OS that is on a CF card(?)

 

[MikeWalsh]

@jacmeenon :-

Welcome to Linux.org.

There's no reason at all why you shouldn't be able to run with the on-board graphics, but as always it comes down to use-case. What exactly will the machine be used FOR?

If it's being used for something that requires the increased processing/ rendering power of a separate 'discrete' card, then it will be worthwhile upgrading that truly ancient Matrox G550. From what I understand, Matrox were a company that specialised in video cards for the industrial sector, anywhere from video-processing to development work.

My belief is that it's a combination of the drivers and/or specific BIOS/GRUB bootloader settings that is preventing it from booting with the onboard graphics chip. It's almost certainly a software-based issue, since I myself run an Nvidia card on an HP desktop, and something like a dozen instances of 'Puppy' Linux on that same machine. Some make use of the 'official' Nvidia driver, some use the 'in-kernel', 'nouveau' driver (this is the kernel team's reverse-engineered answer to the official driver).

All of which means the appropriate driver in use is determined at boot-time when each individual Puppy fires up. So it's doubtful it'll be a hardware solution as such......the whole thing about the Linux kernel is that it contains ALL necessary drivers for any given machine to run, and is probably better than 95% nothing BUT drivers at this point in time. The kernel 'scans' the hardware at boot, and determines which driver modules need to be loaded for that combination of hardware to function as it should.

(That's a very simplistic explanation.....but you get the idea. No need to trawl the web searching for a whole bunch of drivers after install, like a certain OS I could mention..!)

Given the age of the video card compared with the vintage of the motherboard, I should say that an older video card was re-used from an earlier machine by whoever originally assembled this set-up.


Mike.

 

[jacmeenon]

It runs a proprietary hardware / software environment. That's all I can say at the moment.

Am I right in thinking that I need to get access to this "grub" menu and then modify the kernel to remove / change the "video=matroxfb"?

 

[jacmeenon]

I'll eventually need dual head, so using the motherboard / intel graphics wont be the final solution.

Yes, I plan on moving away from the Matrox card... onto something new.

Getting into the BIOS is fine, but won't ultimately help.

What I believe I need is to get into the Linux kernel and modify / remove the "video=matroxfb."

That is what I have no idea of how to do.

 

[kc1di]

Is it possible to get to a terminal screen? if so type these commands and report the output here.

lsmod
and
lshw

enter them one at a time.

 

[jacmeenon]

Right. How? Is that my job to figure out?

 

[jacmeenon]

Okay, I've written SystemRescue to a bootable USB drive. After forcing the computer to be able to boot from USB, I can get into the system rescue menu... going forward. Any help here would be awesome as this is all english to me but looks like greek.

 

[osprey]

jacmeenon wrote:

The system works / boots fine when a Matrox card is installed. it's just the one that we have G550 has a intermittent BGA. Something that we could repair, but would rather move on to something modern. We cannot change away from the Linux OS, but we could change the nature of the kernel in hopes of telling it to allow another card.

One doesn't need to change the kernel to change the video card. One only needs the drivers for the graphics card which are usually a module that the kernel loads.

 

[jacmeenon]

Did you see this from previous post? "This is displayed "kernel (hd0,0 )boot/vmlinuz-2.6.11.12""

 

[osprey]

Did you see this from previous post? "This is displayed "kernel (hd0,0 )boot/vmlinuz-2.6.11.12""

Whether it's relevant or not in this case, it's worth noting that a system running a 2.6.11.12 kernel is not equipped to run online because its security framework is obsolete with innumerable vulnerabilities. What is the purpose for resurrecting the system? Is there some software running on it that cannot be run elsewhere?

When the system is running, as you mentioned it could with the matrox card in post #6, the following command should show what graphics cards are available and which drivers are being used:

lspci -nnkd ::300

Since the main problem appears to be the matrox video card, it may actually be possible to re-install the factory matrox drivers which are available for linux at the matrox webite linked to in post #3. Inside the tarball that contains the driver is an install script which will install it, and in the docs directory are the instructions for it. That may be an alternative approach to try, especially if the latest driver from matrox is a later one than the driver on the machine.

 

[jacmeenon]

The computer and software(linux) runs a semi-automated industry machine. That's all I'm at liberty to expose at the moment. On the application of AC 120Vac to the computer, the system first boots the Linux kernel, then loads a proprietary software environment that "takes over" is the best way that I can describe it.

Again, the issue is the Matrox G550 card and specifically the fact the main BGA (Ball Grid Array) IC is failing intermittently. I/we have the technology to reflow and/or reball the BGA, but would like to move away from this video card if possible.

Once the machine's software environment takes over there is no command that I have found so far to exit the environment and return to a Linux terminal or whatever.

Is there not a master "stop" command like the awesome ctrl-alt-delete in windows for linux?

 

[osprey]

The computer and software(linux) runs a semi-automated industry machine. That's all I'm at liberty to expose at the moment. On the application of AC 120Vac to the computer, the system first boots the Linux kernel, then loads a proprietary software environment that "takes over" is the best way that I can describe it.

Again, the issue is the Matrox G550 card and specifically the fact the main BGA (Ball Grid Array) IC is failing intermittently. I/we have the technology to reflow and/or reball the BGA, but would like to move away from this video card if possible.

Once the machine's software environment takes over there is no command that I have found so far to exit the environment and return to a Linux terminal or whatever.

Is there not a master "stop" command like the awesome ctrl-alt-delete in windows for linux?

Thanks for more details which provide a context for the issue. On getting another terminal, I wonder if it's possible to hit the keys: cntl+alt+ F2 ... or instead of F2, any of the function keys from F2 to F6, to get to a linux console terminal which is outside the GUI system. If that's possible, you can run commands in that terminal. (One of the F keys will usually return the display from console to the GUI ... they are often either F1 or F7, but this can vary).

Another query whose answer may be helpful is: what is the bootloader? Is it grub? Does a grub menu appear upon booting? If it does appear, that may make some things easier.

 

[jacmeenon]

Here is a readout of what is on the screen that "hangs."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Booting "Module1"

kernel (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.11.12-Lockhead root=/dev/ram0 video=matroxfb :vesa:
0x1B8 splash=silent,theme:screen .kdgraphics ide1=noprobe ide2=noprobe ide3=nop
robe ide4=noprobe ide5=noprobe usbscore.old_scheme_first=1 console=ttyS1,57600n8
Boot_MSG="" usb-storage.delay_use=0
[Linux-bzimage, setup=0x1400, size=0x1b89a1]
initrd (hd0,0)/boot/initramfs
[Linux-initrd @ 0x1f0a6000, 0xf4992d bytes]

Uncompressing Linux... Ok, booting the kernel

---------------------------------------------------------------------
There is a flashing cursor right below the last line "...ok, booting the kernel"

**EDIT** None of the f-keys seem to do anything, nor ctrl+alt+ any f-keys.

 

[osprey]

I shall try and provide my understanding of this problem and propose some approaches.

As I understand it this machine boots with the matrox card installed based on your text in post #6:

The system works / boots fine when a Matrox card is installed. it's just the one that we have G550 has a intermittent BGA.

If the machine boots up fine, and you can get to a console (as described in post #18), you will be in a position to discover which graphics drivers are installed on the machine which will enable you to know which video cards can be installed without having to load any more drivers, since they are already there. A default linux installation usually includes drivers that can run intel, radeon, nvidia and amd video cards, though often to get optimal performance proprietary drivers are needed, but these video cards will work just fine for ordinary text and unsophisticated GUI work like browsing. In the case you describe, what appear to be kernel parameters "video=matroxfb : vesa : 0x1B8" are loading the matrox driver which will not work for any other video card, which you apparently discovered and stated in post #1:

when I place another video card in the PCIE slot the system no longer fully boots.

So it if you wish to run another video card, these parameters need to be removed.

You said you have no trouble getting into the BIOS.

Getting into the BIOS is fine, but won't ultimately help.

It would be useful to know if there is a menu item in the BIOS which can be clicked to choose between the onboard video card or an installed video card. If there is such a control, then as mentioned, it could be used to have the onboard intel video card run, since it almost certainly will have the driver installed. The matrox kernel parameters would need to be removed.

My question at the moment is this: when you boot the machine up in its working condition, can you get a text console by pressing cntl+alt+F2 (or substitute another of the F2-F6 keys) as mentioned in post #18? If you can get there, then you will be able to be guided to change a number of configurations, including removing the matrox parameters from the kernel options which may help with getting another video card to work which appears to be your aim.

If you cannot get a console, then there are other approaches that are possible, but it just seems like this is a one step at a time situation because, as you mentioned in post #1:

I'm brand new to Linux

If the kernel fails to boot, your edit in post #19 will certainly be the case:

None of the f-keys seem to do anything, nor ctrl+alt+ any f-keys.

To be clear then: can you get to a console when the machine is running?

 

[jacmeenon]

I cannot, or at least have not been successful at, get into a console/terminal when the machine is running.

Here is what happens the best I can describe it with the Matrox card installed. i.e. A working machine.

1. I turn on the power switch on a standard PC power supply.
2. The CPU fan spins. The motherboard POSTs. The Linux kernel boots.
3. A new splash screen comes up. I recognize this splash screen as our software that runs the machine as a whole.
4. The splash screen goes away and then our software environment starts.
5. From here, I can execute commands in the proprietary GUI that the machine will follow, as normal.
6. I cannot execute any commands that will close the software environment, however I don't know all of the commands to try.

So, no. When the machine is running normally, I cannot get to a terminal, at least not by pressing ctrl+alt+fkeys.