FGLRX is like pulling teeth...

[blkmax]

I have tried many guides to installing ATI/FGLRX drivers without success. I sometimes get it to work, just to get a blank screen at next re-boot. I tried ENVY wich is great but it does not get me running. Envy seems to install FGLRX from the repositories without any problem but I only get MESSA when re-booting, even when selecting FGLRX. When using ENVY to install ATI driver manually, I get a black screen with a blinking cursor. Even ctrl-alt-backspace wont kill X.

I never had issues installing ATI or Nvidia drivers manually in the past on linux.

I have tried a few cards without success such as a radeon 9500 pro, 9600 pro and 9800 pro. I was able to get a X600 running at work using Envy, So I assume i'm installing it right.

I checked xorg.conf and it list my device as radeon 9800 pro (Should this be FGLRX instead?). It also has the composite disable part at the end.

Any ideas, I'm running out of teeth?

[Rog131]

Re: FGLRX is like pulling teeth...

This seems to work (at here)

DIY
After installation, run (backup first)

sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

This reconfigures xserver.
More at http://users.bigpond.net.au/hermanzone/p7.html


After that: edit (backup first) xorg.conf:
Alt +F2 and kdesu /etc/X11/xorg.conf.

Remove unnessary markings:
Topic: X Error: BadDevice, invalid or uninitialized input device 168
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/index.php?topic=7964.0

Check that Section "Device" has

Driver "fglrx"

and

Option "VideoOverlay" "on"

and there is

Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "0"
EndSection

because:
From http://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Ubu...allation_Guide

In Ubuntu Feisty the Composite extension is enabled by default, however, fglrx does not yet support Composite with DRI. In order to disable Composite you have to edit the xorg.conf file

Add

Option "AIGLX" "false"

in the Section "ServerLayout"
because AIGLX doesn't work with fglrx (keep error messages off).
without:

(EE) AIGLX error: dlsym for __driCreateNewScreen_20050727 failed (/usr/lib/dri/fglrx_dri.so: undefined symbol: __driCreateNewScreen_20050727)
(EE) AIGLX: reverting to software rendering

Save - restart - check

:~$ fglrxinfo
display: :0.0 screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: ATI RADEON 9600 Series
OpenGL version string: 2.0.6458 (8.36.5)

:~$ xvinfo
X-Video Extension version 2.2
screen #0
 Adaptor #0: "video4linux"
  number of ports: 1
  port base: 115
  operations supported: PutVideo
...

:~$ glxinfo | grep direct
direct rendering: Yes

If there is problems (still mesa/no xv/no direct rendering):
Check errors (/var/log/Xorg.0.log):

cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | grep "(EE)"

and warnings

cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | grep "(WW)"

This is from:
Topic: Problems installing ATI driver
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/index.php?topic=3082899

[Fintan]

Re: FGLRX is like pulling teeth...

My xorg.cong as a reference. Works fine:

# /etc/X11/xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf(5) manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Files"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi"
# path to defoma fonts
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "i2c"
Load "bitmap"
Load "ddc"
Load "dri"
Load "dbe"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "vbe"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "ch"
Option "XkbOptions" "lv3:ralt_switch"
Option "XkbVariant" "de_nodeadkeys"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "wacom"
Identifier "stylus"
Option "Device" "/dev/wacom" # Change to
# /dev/input/event
# for USB
Option "Type" "stylus"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4" # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "wacom"
Identifier "eraser"
Option "Device" "/dev/wacom" # Change to
# /dev/input/event
# for USB
Option "Type" "eraser"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4" # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "wacom"
Identifier "cursor"
Option "Device" "/dev/wacom" # Change to
# /dev/input/event
# for USB
Option "Type" "cursor"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4" # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "ATI RADEON 9250"
Driver "radeon"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
Option "XAANoOffscreenPixmaps"
Option "AGPMode" "4"
Option "AGPFastWrite" "true"
Option "DisableGLXRootClipping" "true"
Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "true"
Option "AllowGLXWithComposite" "true"
Option "EnablePageFlip" "true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Standardbildschirm"
Option "DPMS"
HorizSync 30-65
VertRefresh 50-75
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "ATI RADEON 9250"
Monitor "Standardbildschirm"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Option "AIGLX" "true"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
InputDevice "stylus" "SendCoreEvents"
InputDevice "cursor" "SendCoreEvents"
InputDevice "eraser" "SendCoreEvents"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "Enable"
EndSection

I hope that helps

Cheers
F

[blkmax]

Re: FGLRX is like pulling teeth...

I will have a look at my log file and xorg.conf and replace my device from radeon 9800 pro to FGLRX and see if this helps.

[SheeEttin]

Re: FGLRX is like pulling teeth...

Dunno if it'll help you at this point, but I wrote an fglrx installation script. (This hasn't been thoroughly tested, though, only ran it a few times on my machine. Works fine for me.)
Shortly after I finished, I found out that Envy supports ATI cards, too...

But again, this may not be of use to you. Direct rendering should work just fine once you change your driver line. Should. (We all know how "should"s work...)

[blkmax]

Re: FGLRX is like pulling teeth...

I tried the instruction from Rog131 and got the same problem with the blinking cursor and no xwindows. Its hard to post my xorg.conf file as I cannot log in xwindows. I will re-install again from CD. This system is a fresh build and I have nothing on it yet, so I can afford it. I will try envy again and see what happens.

[Rog131]

Re: FGLRX is like pulling teeth...

with the blinking cursor and no xwindows

Hmm - you have tried Ctrl + Alt +F1 (or 2..6) ?
Log in text mode and edit/remove (1) xorg.conf.

More:
Virtual console
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_console

I will re-install again from CD.

You could also start with cd and edit/remove(1) xorg.conf. Or you could copy xorg.conf from the cd session to the hard drive.


Links:
Topic: HOWTO : Disaster Recovery and xorg.conf
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3082808.0


(1) Here Feisty is working without xorg.conf. I haven't find documentation for this but seems to work. Mesa mode off course .
Note:
#1 Without xorg.conf my screen resolution is 1679x1200. Native is 1680x1050.
#2 Without xorg.conf:

(EE) Unable to locate/open config file

and

(WW) The core pointer device wasn't specified explicitly in the layout.
(WW) The core keyboard device wasn't specified explicitly in the layout.
(WW) No FontPath specified. Using compiled-in default.
(WW) RADEON(0): DRI init changed memory map, adjusting ...
WW) <default pointer>: No Device specified, looking for one...

[blkmax]

Re: FGLRX is like pulling teeth...

I re-installed Kubuntu 7.04 and re-installed ENVY.

Envy installation always fails when installing from The downloaded .deb file. But once installed I just use adept manager, find the broken package and select re-install. This time it gets the needed dependencies. This seems to be my method of install everytime. I guess there is a repository to point to for this to install from Synaptic.

Anyways, the install went fine I installed the ATI driver using ENVY again, but this time it worked. I can get fglrx working, fglrxinfo give me the right information and $ glxinfo | grep direct gives me
"direct rendering: Yes". a quick try of the opengl uphoria screen saver tells me it is working fine.

Now, Even when setting my resolution using the ATI control Panel, it keeps reverting back to 1600x1200 at every re-boot. So I tried to use the Kubuntu System settings/Monitor and Display option to set it to 1280x1024 to see if it will keep its setting this time.

NOW I'm back to the black screen at re-boot.

You just can't win.

I guess that once you install the ATI driver, you must not use Kubuntu System settings/Monitor and Display utility.

I will check to see if using ubuntu "System settings/Monitor and Display" reverted back to messa in any way.

Marc

[Rog131]

Re: FGLRX is like pulling teeth...

Even when setting my resolution using the ATI control Panel, it keeps reverting back to 1600x1200 at every re-boot.

From BinaryDriverHowto/ATI
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BinaryDriverHowto/ATI

You might also want to install a control panel for your graphic card. Please note that I do not recommend it, as it seems to be buggy, and generally doesnt work.

Here it doesn't work. It is info screen - not control center

So I tried to use the Kubuntu System settings/Monitor and Display option to set it to 1280x1024 to see if it will keep its setting this time.

NOW I'm back to the black screen at re-boot.

Tried myself - yes - my clean xorg.conf is full of modelines and modes. Not a 'pretty' sight. Using backup to overwrite...

[blkmax]

Re: FGLRX is like pulling teeth...

I hope you didn't loose your settings. Thanks for trying it. I am at work presently and will try recovery mode to see my xorg.conf file. Just wanted to state what happened as it may be usefull to others searching the forum for some help.


Marc

[SheeEttin]

Re: FGLRX is like pulling teeth...

Next time you reconfigure the X server, select only the resolutions you want to use.

[blkmax]

Re: FGLRX is like pulling teeth...

I tried that as well figuring that If I gave it no other mode to switch to it had to default to the one I specified. I was able ti get FGLRX running, but could not keep the saved resolution and kiled it while trying to use the Kubuntu video Resolution tool.

I will see if I can remove the section that say 1600x1200 in the configuration file and see if it defaults to the next higher resolution (i think 1400xsomething)

thanks

[blkmax]

Re: FGLRX is like pulling teeth...

Nothing helped with the install. I tried to re-install a couple of times using the exact method and got different results every time. The first time I got a blank screen, the second time I got Messa with no way of changing to fglrx without a blank screen and the third time I got the system to freeze xwindows and upon re-boot got the Grub missing error. Its frustrating to have so many different results for doing the same thing.

When I say re-install, I mean re-install Kubuntu from cd, do all the latest updates then install Envy.

I installed Kubuntu 7.04 with Envy at work on a Dell Dimension 9150 with a Radeon X600 pro without any issues and all is well. Same process as my home systems.

I have been repairing/building computers for 20 years, so I don't consider myself a novice, but only have 5 years of linux experience, but mostly on servers where 2D graphics is all that is needed. Getting into 3D video and other uses that need to satisfy the home multimedia users is where everything falls appart with Linux. I don't mind testing things and breaking test systems to help improve linux on this side, but I am not a programmer so I cannot create them.

Marc