xfce installation broke after ati driver installation

[wayne]

OK, this is the first BSOD on the xfce installation, working well since around Dec 5 with several dist-upgrade.

I was messing around with ati driver installation, using AMD website to download the .run file
http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/l ... ng=English

After that, change it to executable, click to run it.
Actually it installed OK

and reboot OK, on terminal, fglrxinfo, glxgears, fgl_glxgears all OK. very nice spinning tubes in 3D.
run for a while, advantage is the GPU is much cooler, something like 55degC versus 68degC on normal working.

Reboot several times and working..
until today, something like 10 reboots after ati driver installed,
still bootable but BSOD, only a cursor blinking.. LOL.. no more graphic desktop...

As earlier on chating with some forumers, I was advised NOT to reinstall from my previous iso made with bbqsnapshot. I should attempt to repair.. that is the fun and learning experience..

So now I have it, BSOD. and here are some attempts:

1. Alt-F2 I can get into console, I can login, and get into $, I can get into root # also
2. attempt to reboot, on grub menu, 'e', go to the kernel line (linux/...) and add nomodeset, ctrl-X to reboot, it still does not get into graphic desktop.

what is next?

thank you for helping.

[rhowaldt]

what i'd try is to use the command-line and make attempts to uninstall that ATI driver in some way. not sure how, but that's the route i'd go.

[wuxmedia]

this happened to me, i think after i tried to install emerald...can't remember.
anyway
have you tried looking at the xorg logs?

cd /var/log
there are a bunch of Xorg. fies
Xorg.0.log seems to be the current one. It might have an error, maybe the file/driver got moved...

try typing
startx

as u$er might throw out an error.
good luck

[machinebacon]

modeset.radeon=0

sorry i dont use ati, have you checked aptosid or siductions bluewater manual for hints?

[rhowaldt]

you could also try reading here: http://linuxbbq.org/wiki/index.php?titl ... ics_driver maybe you find something useful. i do use ATI but never tried those AMD drivers through their site.

[wayne]

@rhowaldt
Thanks for your link to the wiki
http://linuxbbq.org/wiki/index.php?titl ... ics_driver

1. smxi method, did not work out..
got the bash smxi command not found after follow the procedure, both the wiki and smxi website..

2. using the other method:
Uninstall the driver
revert to the open source driver, remove the nomodeset radeon.modeset=0 from the Grub line and:

sudo sh /usr/share/ati/amd-uninstall.sh #let it finish its job
sudo mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorgconf-old
sudo update-grub
sudo reboot

This method works!!

Now back to working condition..

Thank you very much.

[machinebacon]

wayne,

just an addendum to #1: download the smxi script and copy the contents to /usr/local/bin/, then chmod a+x them.

good to know it works (as in reverts)

[ivanovnegro]

Also, the guide says it. If you are on Sid and we all are, do not install from their site, use the repos!

So, I would say our guide is for Debian Stable and derivatives, we should discuss if the guide is useful at all for us because BBQ is Sid based?

[machinebacon]

typical copypaste job without even reading it. gnah!
though, it doesnt really count, the original author obviously does not use sid anyway.

[wayne]

More experiments... for my learning..

use smxi... it got me into another 'bsod' but then I found out by trial and error that I can ALT-F2 to get a $ prompt, then login to root , type smxi.. and this time, it works :) :)


after hours going thru the routines, reading so much info and quite lost at time...
like walking into a foreign land without understanding the sign boards

but eventually, experiment and found

1. current driver 13.1 cannot work with liquorix kernel
2. previous driver 12.10 cannot work with liquorix kernel
3. older drive 12.7 cannot work with liquorix kernel

etc...

eventually, haha, saw some lights... install old debian kernel
wayne@linuxbbqxfce:~$ uname -r
3.2.0-4-686-pae

then, smxi again, very long process, and now, surprisingly, it finally installed the current 13.1 ati driver!!!
returning from smxi and playing now

just so i captured some info and post here... cos I need it for reference.. :)

wayne@linuxbbqxfce:~$ lsmod | grep fglrx
fglrx 4704613 91
button 12817 1 fglrx

wayne@linuxbbqxfce:~$ glxinfo | grep direct
direct rendering: Yes
GL_AMD_multi_draw_indirect, GL_AMD_name_gen_delete,
GL_ARB_draw_indirect, GL_ARB_draw_instanced,
GL_EXT_copy_buffer, GL_EXT_copy_texture, GL_EXT_direct_state_access,

wayne@linuxbbqxfce:~$ fglrxinfo
display: :0.0 screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: ATI Radeon HD 5450
OpenGL version string: 4.2.12002 Compatibility Profile Context 9.012

wayne@linuxbbqxfce:~$ glxgears
8737 frames in 5.0 seconds = 1747.377 FPS
8876 frames in 5.0 seconds = 1775.150 FPS
8943 frames in 5.0 seconds = 1788.413 FPS
XIO: fatal IO error 11 (Resource temporarily unavailable) on X server ":0.0"
after 29344 requests (29344 known processed) with 0 events remaining.

the gears are rotating nicely.
don't understand that XIO failure.

wayne@linuxbbqxfce:~$ fgl_glxgears
Using GLX_SGIX_pbuffer
3831 frames in 5.0 seconds = 766.200 FPS
4415 frames in 5.0 seconds = 883.000 FPS
4447 frames in 5.0 seconds = 889.400 FPS
4437 frames in 5.0 seconds = 887.400 FPS
4155 frames in 5.0 seconds = 831.000 FPS

the 3D gears are spinning and rotating smoothly...

So I guess I am running fglrx with kernel 3.2.0-4-686-pae



EDIT,, added the /etc/X11/xorg.conf

wayne@linuxbbqxfce:~$ cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf
Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "aticonfig Layout"
Screen 0 "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0" 0 0
EndSection

Section "Module"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"
Option "VendorName" "ATI Proprietary Driver"
Option "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor"
Option "DPMS" "true"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"
Driver "fglrx"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0"
Device "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"
Monitor "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection



Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "enable"
# Option "RENDER" "disable"
EndSection

[wayne]

read from the wiki:

Unless you're on Debian Sid, don't install the driver from the repositories, just don't.


On the other hand, if you are on Sid, don't install the driver from AMD's website.

hmm....i have a few ati.. sigh... this one is 5450
got an 10yr old haha
got another 6xxx series...

i tell myself, if I can run with GPU 55 degC on fglrx,, should I use the solid, free radeon driver running at 68degC..not sure how long it can last if I continue to run it hot.. well, hope some guru can give me good advices.

[wayne]

Here is just the pastebin on some logs, /var/log/sgfxi/sgfxi.log
generated when I ran smxi with liquorix kernel.. might be useful?

http://pastebin.com/2LhUMCEa

highlights

Function: print_information_continue - Utility: End
Installing this driver: 13.1
Function: set_driver_install_version - Primary: End
Function: driver_support_tests - Utility: Start
Args: supported-driver
ERROR: (234) The driver 13.1 does not support the 3.7 kernel.
You are running the 3.7.0-3.dmz.1-liquorix-686 kernel. Unable to install your 13.1 driver.
You can override this test with -! 6 option. If install works, let maintainer know.

Function: driver_support_tests - Utility: Start
Args: supported-driver
ERROR: (234) The driver 12.10 does not support the 3.7 kernel.
You are running the 3.7.0-3.dmz.1-liquorix-686 kernel. Unable to install your 12.10 driver.
You can override this test with -! 6 option. If install works, let maintainer know.

Function: driver_support_tests - Utility: Start
Args: supported-driver
ERROR: (234) The driver 12-7 does not support the 3.7 kernel.
You are running the 3.7.0-3.dmz.1-liquorix-686 kernel. Unable to install your 12-7 driver.
You can override this test with -! 6 option. If install works, let maintainer know.

[ivanovnegro]

well, hope some guru can give me good advices.

We probably cannot as we have not many AMD users. The guide is from El K btw. I only know that if you are using AMD stuff on Debian Sid you can have tough times even with the repo versions.

[wayne]

continue my experiment,
this time I login with the original kernel.. siduction version..

then smxi to attempt installing fglrx.. with most current version first..

and the end result: works :) :)

here is just a quick copies of some relevant tests

root@linuxbbqxfce:/home/wayne# fglrxinfo
display: :0.0 screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: ATI Radeon HD 5450
OpenGL version string: 4.2.12002 Compatibility Profile Context 9.012

root@linuxbbqxfce:/home/wayne# glxgears
9086 frames in 5.0 seconds = 1817.185 FPS
8824 frames in 5.0 seconds = 1764.579 FPS

gears rotating OK

root@linuxbbqxfce:/home/wayne# fgl_glxgears
Using GLX_SGIX_pbuffer
3662 frames in 5.0 seconds = 732.400 FPS
4307 frames in 5.0 seconds = 861.400 FPS

3D gears rotating smoothly

root@linuxbbqxfce:/home/wayne# uname -r
3.6-6.towo-siduction-686
root@linuxbbqxfce:/home/wayne#

[wayne]

well, hope some guru can give me good advices.

We probably cannot as we have not many AMD users. The guide is from El K btw. I only know that if you are using AMD stuff on Debian Sid you can have tough times even with the repo versions.

Hi ivan,
thank you for information..

I read the wiki again..on this point, I am seeing it... well 10degC hotter..

radeon - this is the open source driver for 99 percent of the cards. It does 2D and 3D, KMS, is extremely stable, works out of the box for pretty much everything once you install the package firmware-linux-nonfree. It has crappy power management, so it runs about 10 degrees Celsius hotter than the proprietary driver.

Thanks to the BSOD I got, it brought me to here,, and letting smxi do all the jobs and reporting the issues related to which kernel cannot work with which version of drivers really help..

Now that I have two kernels ( siduction 3.6.6 and debian 3.2.x) that works with 13.1 driver, I should be happy for a while.
I shall run it for a longer periods to see if any reboot issues.

Well, it is clearly cooler to run with fglrx..

[wuxmedia]

As earlier on chating with some forumers, I was advised NOT to reinstall from my previous iso made with bbqsnapshot. I should attempt to repair.. that is the fun and learning experience..

8)
you have come a long way.
another wiki article / additions? 8)

[rhowaldt]

re: the copy-paste job without reading: No.
i did read it and knew it was for stable, but still it has lots of useful information concerning AMD Graphics, and thus i thought it was better to have this on the Wiki than nothing at all.
(btw, not angry about this :D )

seeing how wayne is now our new specialist in the field, i'll leave it up to him to write his own article, geared towards Debian Sid :)

[machinebacon]

^ Aye, but cutting the part "I don't use Sid" out would have been a clever idea for the BBQ, based on Sid :D
(The Gnaah was directed against myself, because I *did* read the original entry, even added some crap to it - or was the introduction added afterwards?

Ah nevermind, I don't use ATi crap anyway

:P)

[rhowaldt]

^ i think i ported that thing directly from the #! forums to the Wiki. did make some slight adjustments to get it out of 'forum style' and into 'Wiki style' but i figured as it was written for Stable the 'i dont use Sid' part was good to keep in, just so people were aware where there article was coming from. like i said, it is a good article at any rate, lots of good information even though it isn't Sid based, so that's why i put it on the Wiki. better to have an article with some good but slightly less fitting info than no article at all, imo. but, i agree that it is somewhat strange :) - if i remember i'll add a big blue caption at the top with a disclaimer or whatever, to make it more clear what the article is.

[rhowaldt]

a nice blue banner was added to the Wiki-page! :) http://linuxbbq.org/wiki/index.php?titl ... ics_driver