x server won't start

[gweinstein]

Made the horrible mistake to try and install catalyst from the ati website (ati-driver-installer-9-6-x86.x86_64.run). Stupid idea. Now x-server won't start. I can get to the prompt on session 1 and runlevel 5 is reached, but only get a black screen. Is there a way to roll back to previous config? "SaX2 -r -m 0=fglrx" hangs the machine (can't go back to session 1)

preliminary info:

opensuse 11.1
ati radeon 4850

more info?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[caf4926]

You might be able to boot to the desktop with the failsafe boot from the menu.

Otherwise boot to level 3 - login - switch to su and use the vesa switch:

sax2 -r -m 0=vesa

re boot

[gweinstein]

Already tried booting failsafe but that didn't work.

Thanks for the vesa suggestion. I will try that when I get home.

How do I uninstall the catalyst driver then and revert back to the fglrx which worked prior the ati catalyst?

[caf4926]

Is this what you did:

Manual driver installation

Since ATI driver release 8.16.20 the ATI installer needs to be used
to create SUSE/Novell RPMs. Download the ATI installer from the ATI
website.

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. --> Support & Drivers --> Download graphics drivers

It is possible to create RPMs for the following SUSE/Novell distros.
This information has been retrieved by using the installer itself:

./ati-driver-installer-8-12-x86.x86_64.run --listpkg

[...]
SuSE Packages:
SuSE/SLED10-IA32
SuSE/SLES10-IA32
SuSE/SLED10-AMD64
SuSE/SLES10-AMD64
SuSE/SUSE102-IA32
SuSE/SUSE103-IA32 (openSUSE 10.3-IA32)
SuSE/SUSE110-IA32 (openSUSE 11.0-IA32)
SuSE/SUSE111-IA32 (openSUSE 11.0-IA32)
SuSE/SUSE102-AMD64
SuSE/SUSE103-AMD64 (openSUSE 10.3-AMD64)
SuSE/SUSE110-AMD64 (openSUSE 11.1-AMD64)
SuSE/SUSE111-AMD64 (openSUSE 11.1-AMD64)

Example:
--------
Create a RPM for SUSE 11.1 (AMD64) by using the installer.

./ati-driver-installer-8-12-x86.x86_64.run --buildpkg SuSE/SUSE111-AMD64

Afterwards install the created RPM by using the rpm command. In the
mentioned example above this would be:

rpm -Uhv fglrx64_7_4_0_SUSE111-8.561-1.x86_64.rpm

The postinstall script of this RPM will try to compile the required
kernel module. If this fails, you'll get a message how to proceed.

You still need to configure the driver with SaX2. Details can be found
in /usr/share/doc/packages/fglrx/README.SuSE.

Unfortunately you need to recompile the "fglrx" kernel module right
after any kernel (security) update. Use "fglrx-kernel-build.sh" for
this.

[gweinstein]

No, unfrotunately not.

I simply ran the *.run file and followed the instructions on the graphical installer which came up.

I suppose that now Yast doesn't know about the new driver. Ouch!

[caf4926]

What were you using before.

You can login to level 3 and then go su and start Yast with: yast

It's keyboard navigation
re-install the kernel see if that helps

to get to level 3 just type 3
in the boot line arguments

[gweinstein]

Originally Posted by caf4926

What were you using before.

I was using fglrx from the 1-click install on the opensuse ati page.

You can login to level 3 and then go su and start Yast with: yast

It's keyboard navigation
re-install the kernel see if that helps

Is that the linux kernel or is there only one kernel? (kernel-default in yast software management)

[caf4926]

kernel-default if that's the one you have, just look for kernel in software management. You should be able to mark it to re-install
If you have the ati repo in there, why not re-install that too.

[gweinstein]

No luck with reinstalling kernell and ati driver.

Also tried 0=vesa in sax2 but all I got was a sax prompt.

Any other ideas beside reinstall?

[caf4926]

Yes. Roll back the kernel.
Do what you did before but in the window use the versions tab to select the radio button down to get an older kernel and try also reinstalling the ati driver from the ati repo you have