NVidia GeForce 6600 problems

[Alejandro Pulver]

On Thu, 2 Feb 2006 11:39:19 -0300
Alejandro Pulver <alejandro at varnet.biz> wrote:

> On Thu, 02 Feb 2006 12:05:14 +0000
> Alex Zbyslaw <xfb52 at dial.pipex.com> wrote:
> 
> > Alejandro Pulver wrote:
> > 
> > >On Wed, 1 Feb 2006 15:06:21 -0300
> > >Alejandro Pulver <alejandro at varnet.biz> wrote:
> > >
> > >  
> > >
> > >>Hello,
> > >>
> > >>I have recently bought a GeForce 6600 video card, and sometimes
> > >>(not very often) I experience the following problem:
> > >>
> > >>A little after starting X11 (for example when I start downloading
> > >>e-mails), the screen freezes a few seconds, after that the screen
> > >>looks like if widgets (buttons, text, etc.) aren't drawn, and the
> > >>white background of Sylpheed-Claws covers the screen. Then I am
> > >>forced to switch to the 1st console (Ctrl+Alt+F1), which takes
> > >>around 30 seconds, and then kill X11.
> > >>
> > >>I have FreeBSD 5.4 release, Xorg 6.8.2 and nvidia-driver 1.0.8178.
> > >>    
> > >>
> > I have a 6600 with FreeBSD 5.4 XOrg 6.8.2 but still 
> > nvidia-driver-1.0.7676_1.  I have an occasional problem where the
> > whole screen is shifted left on startup, but exiting and restarting
> > X fixes it.  You could try downgrading to an older nvidia-driver and
> > see if it helps.  Portdowngrade should do that, but I've never used
> > it myself.
> > 
> > You may have more luck if you try the nvidia support forum.
> > Definitely slower than this mailing list but someone from nvidia was
> > reading it, last time I used it.
> > 
> > http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=47
> > 
> > --Alex
> > 
> 
> Hello,
> 
> Thank you for your reply.
> 
> I have recently (started yesterday, and finishing yoday) upgraded my
> ports (including Xorg -> 6.9). If the problems persist I will try the
> old dirver and post information about the error in the NVidia forums.
> 
> Best Regards,
> Ale

Hello again,

I have discovered the problem: the lock of the AGP slot wasn't on
(when I changed the video card I forgot the lock isn't automatic as the
one in the memory slots).

I noticed this when the card was disconnected completely (it has a
cooler, so I guess the vibration did it). Once I rebooted and the
screen was black (the integrated video card was used instead of the
NVidia). Other time I saw the kernel message indicating the card was
detached and instantly detected again.

Best Regards,
Ale