k7-smp kernel help

[Henk Koster]

On Sat, 17 Jun 2006 18:46:32 -0400, Kenny wrote:

> OK, I have been at this for about 6 hours now.
> 
> I have an AMD X2 4400+ dual core processor. I have been trying to use 
> the k7-smp kernel so that I can actually use both of my cores. I went 
> into synaptic package manager, and of course it automatically chooses 
> all of the latest pieces needed, including the appropriate restricted 
> modules (I have 2 7800GTX's in SLI mode, so I need the Nvidia drivers).
> 
> It all downloads and installs fine (the kernel that it defaults to 
> download is 2.6.15.25-k7). But after about 2-5 minutes of use after I 
> boot into this kernel and log in, my entire computer locks up. Mouse 
> doesn't move, keyboard shortcuts don't respond. I have to manually 
> reboot with the power button. Reminds me of the days of Windows 3.1.
> 
> So I thought that I would step it back and get the previous kernel 
> (2.6.15-23-k7). But when I try to download it, synaptic wants to 
> automatically put all of the latest software with it that depend on the 
> newer kernel. I couldn't get it to cooperate, so I figured, what the 
> hell, I'll try it.
> 
> I reboot, choose the older kernel, and after the Ubuntu loading screen, 
> I get the X failure screen telling me that it couldn't start X. I 
> figured that this was because the restricted modules wanted to work with 
> the newer kernel and not this one.
> 
> So I reboot again, this time to the newer k7 kernel (2.6.15-25-k7) only 
> to find that after the Ubuntu loading screen, nothing gets sent to my 
> monitor. My LCD power light goes orange dictating that it is no longer 
> recieving a signal from my video cards.
> 
> The only way I can work in Ubuntu is to use the latest 386 kernel, and 
> that sucks because I'm running on only half of my physical cpu hardware.
> 
> Is there a better way to do this? I've tried the sudo apt-get, but it 
> does the same exact thing as synaptic, getting all of the latest stuff, 
> not letting me have anything older.
> 
> Suggestions?
> 
> Kenny

Could it be X, I wonder?

Boot the new kernel in a recovery session, which will give you
an old-fashioned black root terminal. Then run 

dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

(no need to use sudo this way)

and make sure to choose the nvidia driver, and a few screens 
later make sure to select glx and deselect dri.

Then reboot.