Nvidia Woes Redux

I want to configure my new server — actually all of my systems — with cron jobs and scripts to “intelligently” suspend or power down during periods of non-use. For whatever reasons, I seem to have a difficult time doing this on my systems with Nvidia GPUs.

My server uses an ASRock N68C-GS4 FX motherboard with a GeForce 7025 GPU. I am using the nouveau driver. Most of the time the system runs headless with no local active login. I keep a USB keyboard connected. The server is connected to a monitor although most of the time I use ssh to maintain the system.

My office desktop uses an Asus M3N78-EM motherboard with a GeForce 8300 GPU. I am using the proprietary drivers.

The server does suspend and resume but requires 18 seconds each way rather than a typical 2 to 3 seconds. Logs indicate the hook scripts all execute within 1 second. Blacklisting nouveau improves the suspend to about 3 seconds but results in a classic Linux black screen of death upon resuming. I have been unable to find the root cause of the issues. As a server I see no reason to tinker with the proprietary drivers. Yeah, I know the purists and zealots will holler to never run X on the server, but they can all take a long walk on a short pier. This is a home server. On occasion using X and working locally is convenient.

Hibernation seems to work as expected on the server. Yet that fails for me too. The server is now my main media server where I also record occasional movies. My TV tuner card there stops working upon resuming from hibernation.

The office desktop refuses to suspend or hibernate. I have tested this with both nouveau and the proprietary drivers. Just about everything I have tried with this board results in a black screen of death. I had similar results with the previous office desktop Asus M2NPV-VM motherboard with a GeForce 6150 GPU.

My Thinkpad T400 laptop uses an Intel GPU. Suspend and resume work as expected. With four different installed distros.

My new NM70I-1037U motherboard in my living room media streamer has an Intel GPU and works as expected. I even configured hibernation on that system, which reduces boot time.

My HP refurb uses an Intel GPU. Suspend and resume work as expected.

I think when the budget allows the Nvidia boards will become test machines being replaced with boards with Intel GPUs. I have had enough of the Nvidia nonsense.

Posted: February 6, 2016 Category: Usability Tagged: General

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