[gentoo-user] problem with v86d

[gentoo-user] problem with v86d

[covici]

Hi.  Does anyone have a clue as to why v86d should suddenly start being
very cpu intensive on my computer?  When I first boot its fine (using
either systemd or openrc), but after a while -- maybe  a day or two it
starts using up lots of cpu and definitely increases the load average
and slows down things.  I notice this has not changed in several years,
so I am wondering if it is not working as it used to?

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

-- 
Your life is like a penny.  You're going to lose it.  The question is:
How do
you spend it?

         John Covici
         covici@ccs.covici.com

[gentoo-user] Re: problem with v86d

[Nikos Chantziaras]

On 11/06/14 08:14, covici@ccs.covici.com wrote:
> Hi.  Does anyone have a clue as to why v86d should suddenly start being
> very cpu intensive on my computer?  When I first boot its fine (using
> either systemd or openrc), but after a while -- maybe  a day or two it
> starts using up lots of cpu and definitely increases the load average
> and slows down things.  I notice this has not changed in several years,
> so I am wondering if it is not working as it used to?
>
> Thanks in advance for any ideas.

It's probably not v86d itself, but whoever is using it. But I don't know 
how to find out for sure.

I didn't notice anything like that myself though. But that might be 
because my machine isn't running for that long (I turn off my PC when I 
don't need it.)

[gentoo-user] Re: problem with v86d

[James]

 <covici <at> ccs.covici.com> writes:


> Hi.  Does anyone have a clue as to why v86d should suddenly start being
> very cpu intensive on my computer?  When I first boot its fine (using
> either systemd or openrc), but after a while -- maybe  a day or two it
> starts using up lots of cpu and definitely increases the load average
> and slows down things.  I notice this has not changed in several years,
> so I am wondering if it is not working as it used to? 
> Thanks in advance for any ideas.


Ok so the first thing I noticed:


http://dev.gentoo.org/~spock/projects/uvesafb/
You don't have permission to access /~spock/projects/uvesafb/ on this server.

So you need to drop the (gentoo-dev) a line about where to look at his 
sources....

Now looking at the flags {debug x86emu} I see:


sys-apps/v86d: Use x86emu for Video BIOS calls

If you've been reading the gentoo user list, you can see
much has changed with frame buffers and video drivers recently
in the kernel. The best place to start reading is posting on 
25/may/2014 by Greg Turner.


My best guess is changes in the kernel affect your emulation,
and you'll have much digging to do, if the gentoo -dev that
develops/maintains that code does not "drop a hint" onto your
questions as to "waz sup" with x86emu.

Are there any notes when you compile it?  News?   Read the comments
in the ebuild as to new problems?

good hunting.


hth,
James

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: problem with v86d

[covici]

James <wireless@tampabay.rr.com> wrote:

>  <covici <at> ccs.covici.com> writes:
> 
> 
> > Hi.  Does anyone have a clue as to why v86d should suddenly start being
> > very cpu intensive on my computer?  When I first boot its fine (using
> > either systemd or openrc), but after a while -- maybe  a day or two it
> > starts using up lots of cpu and definitely increases the load average
> > and slows down things.  I notice this has not changed in several years,
> > so I am wondering if it is not working as it used to? 
> > Thanks in advance for any ideas.
> 
> 
> Ok so the first thing I noticed:
> 
> 
> http://dev.gentoo.org/~spock/projects/uvesafb/
> You don't have permission to access /~spock/projects/uvesafb/ on this server.
> 
> So you need to drop the (gentoo-dev) a line about where to look at his 
> sources....
> 
> Now looking at the flags {debug x86emu} I see:
> 
> 
> sys-apps/v86d: Use x86emu for Video BIOS calls
> 
> If you've been reading the gentoo user list, you can see
> much has changed with frame buffers and video drivers recently
> in the kernel. The best place to start reading is posting on 
> 25/may/2014 by Greg Turner.
> 
> 
> My best guess is changes in the kernel affect your emulation,
> and you'll have much digging to do, if the gentoo -dev that
> develops/maintains that code does not "drop a hint" onto your
> questions as to "waz sup" with x86emu.
> 
> Are there any notes when you compile it?  News?   Read the comments
> in the ebuild as to new problems?
> 
> good hunting.

Thanks.  I have a fairly old kernel for other reasons and I installed
v86d in 2011 and it has not changed since.   I use udesafb because I
want a frame buffer so I can get a lot more than 80x25 in a virtual
console.  Iget 64x160.  I also need something which will net the nvidia
driver work since this is the card I have.  I did try the noveau driver,
but it did not give me as large of a screen and nvidia driver did not
like that driver.  I can't remember what it complained about, but it
means no X at all.

-- 
Your life is like a penny.  You're going to lose it.  The question is:
How do
you spend it?

         John Covici
         covici@ccs.covici.com

[gentoo-user] Re: problem with v86d

[Nikos Chantziaras]

On 11/06/14 17:49, covici@ccs.covici.com wrote:
> Thanks.  I have a fairly old kernel for other reasons and I installed
> v86d in 2011 and it has not changed since.   I use udesafb because I
> want a frame buffer so I can get a lot more than 80x25 in a virtual
> console.  Iget 64x160.  I also need something which will net the nvidia
> driver work since this is the card I have.  I did try the noveau driver,
> but it did not give me as large of a screen and nvidia driver did not
> like that driver.  I can't remember what it complained about, but it
> means no X at all.

If you're not booting in EFI mode, then you can use vesafb instead. This 
doesn't require v86d and doesn't even require an initrd.

uvesafb is mostly for non-PC or generally platforms where a BIOS is not 
available (EFI on a PC also lacks BIOS), and it achieves that through 
v86d. vesafb uses the BIOS directly, so v86d is not needed.

[gentoo-user] Re: problem with v86d

[James]

Nikos Chantziaras <realnc <at> gmail.com> writes:


> > like that driver.  I can't remember what it complained about, but it
> > means no X at all.
> 
> If you're not booting in EFI mode, then you can use vesafb instead. This 
> doesn't require v86d and doesn't even require an initrd.
> 
> uvesafb is mostly for non-PC or generally platforms where a BIOS is not 
> available (EFI on a PC also lacks BIOS), and it achieves that through 
> v86d. vesafb uses the BIOS directly, so v86d is not needed.

Spock is Michał Januszewski

A physics type with keen interests in chipsets; loads of Frame
Buffer info on his blog. He'd be a keen resource for you. Seems 
he has vanished from the gentoo scene?

spock@gentoo.org

http://mjanusz.wordpress.com/

http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=XSjXVbQAAAAJ&hl=en

http://mjanusz.github.io/homepage/

I'd rather think he's one of those "really sharp" but hidden
physics folks, who very much likes Gentoo and privacy.


hth,
James

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: problem with v86d

[covici]

James <wireless@tampabay.rr.com> wrote:

> Nikos Chantziaras <realnc <at> gmail.com> writes:
> 
> 
> > > like that driver.  I can't remember what it complained about, but it
> > > means no X at all.
> > 
> > If you're not booting in EFI mode, then you can use vesafb instead. This 
> > doesn't require v86d and doesn't even require an initrd.
> > 
> > uvesafb is mostly for non-PC or generally platforms where a BIOS is not 
> > available (EFI on a PC also lacks BIOS), and it achieves that through 
> > v86d. vesafb uses the BIOS directly, so v86d is not needed.
> 
> Spock is Michał Januszewski
> 
> A physics type with keen interests in chipsets; loads of Frame
> Buffer info on his blog. He'd be a keen resource for you. Seems 
> he has vanished from the gentoo scene?
> 
> spock@gentoo.org
> 
> http://mjanusz.wordpress.com/
> 
> http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=XSjXVbQAAAAJ&hl=en
> 
> http://mjanusz.github.io/homepage/
> 
> I'd rather think he's one of those "really sharp" but hidden
> physics folks, who very much likes Gentoo and privacy.

I will check him out, I have been using uvesafb for years.

-- 
Your life is like a penny.  You're going to lose it.  The question is:
How do
you spend it?

         John Covici
         covici@ccs.covici.com