Ati driver installation problem

English Hardware
1

I want to install Ati proprietary drivers (because they have 3D support). I had some problems in 11.0 so I started with a fresh install and upgraded what Opensuse Updater told to.

I followed the steps in the ATI wiki page (the easy way) with no success. I downloaded the installer from the AMD page, but it didn’t manage to install the driver properly.
I played around with “sax2” and “aticonfig --initial -f]” (sometimes with and sometimes without -f). When startx starts, I don’t have 3D support. Otherwise (usually after aticonfig --initial) it crashes.

Has someone got any suggestions? If you’re successful with a config like mine, please let me know.

My video card is an Ati Radeon HD 3850 and my MB is AMD.

I have saved the startx output and Xorg.0.log file, if someone needs them for an answer please explain how to attach them :-).

Thanks

2

Have you tried manually editing the xorg.conf file?

If not, run:

sudo edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Find Section “Device”
Change the value of Driver to “fglrx”. (Press ‘a’ to start ‘append mode’ and type it in normally. Then press ‘esc’.
Enter ‘:wq’ (without quotes) to exit and save.)
Then reboot.

This is what works for me, so I hope it helps you.

3

I like typing #> sax2 -r -m 0=fglrx

4

Thanks for help, but it didn’t worked :-(.

Both tips (executed separatedly) result in this startx output:


xauth:  creating new authority file /root/.serverauth.6017


This is a pre-release version of the X server from The X.Org Foundation.
It is not supported in any way.
Bugs may be filed in the bugzilla at http://bugs.freedesktop.org/.
Select the "xorg" product for bugs you find in this release.
Before reporting bugs in pre-release versions please check the
latest version in the X.Org Foundation git repository.
See http://wiki.x.org/wiki/GitPage for git access instructions.

X.Org X Server 1.4.0.90
Release Date: 5 September 2007
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: openSUSE SUSE LINUX
Current Operating System: Linux suse-fisso2 2.6.25.11-0.1-pae #1 SMP 2008-07-13 20:48:28 +0200 i686
Build Date: 28 July 2008  10:14:56PM
 
	Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
	to make sure that you have the latest version.
Module Loader present
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
	(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
	(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Thu Aug 28 15:20:35 2008
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
(EE) fglrx(0): vm86() syscall generated signal 11.
(II) Module "ddc" already built-in

Backtrace:
0: X(xf86SigHandler+0x7e) [0x80d3bce]
1: [0xffffe400]
2: /usr/lib/xorg/modules//drivers/fglrx_drv.so(setup_int+0x29) [0xb7b8fea9]
3: /usr/lib/xorg/modules//drivers/fglrx_drv.so(xf86ExecX86int10+0x25) [0xb7b8f5a5]
4: /usr/lib/xorg/modules//libvbe.so(VBEGetModeInfo+0x69) [0xb7798fe9]
5: /usr/lib/xorg/modules//drivers/fglrx_drv.so [0xb793c477]
6: /usr/lib/xorg/modules//drivers/fglrx_drv.so(swlDalHelperSetSafeMode+0x3e) [0xb793831e]
7: /usr/lib/xorg/modules//drivers/fglrx_drv.so(swlDalHelperPreInit+0x637) [0xb793a377]
8: /usr/lib/xorg/modules//drivers/fglrx_drv.so(atiddxPreInit+0xf47) [0xb790a997]
9: X(InitOutput+0xa1f) [0x80aac9f]
10: X(main+0x2b1) [0x8074091]
11: /lib/libc.so.6(__libc_start_main+0xe5) [0xb7d935f5]
12: X(FontFileCompleteXLFD+0x225) [0x8073581]

Fatal server error:
Caught signal 11.  Server aborting


waiting for X server to begin accepting connections 
giving up.
xinit:  Connection reset by peer (errno 104):  unable to connect to X server
xinit:  No such process (errno 3):  Server error.

The command sax2 -r -m 0=fglrx also writes:


SaX: initializing please wait...
SaX: your current configuration will not be read in

SaX: no X-Server is running
SaX: will start own server if needed
SPP: prepare device [0] profile: FireGL
SPP: prepare device [0] profile: AIGLX
SPP: prepare device [0] profile: Composite
SPP: including prepared profile(s)...

SaX: startup

xc: sorry could not start configuration server
xc: for details refer to the log file:

    /var/log/SaX.log

xc: abort...

The content of file /var/log/SaX.log is too long to copy-and-paste here, I append the parts I think are most interesting


/*************
SaX2 log     : SaX2 version 8.1 - SVN Release: 1.49 2003/03/17
**************
SVN RELEASE  : 1623
             :
DESCRIPTION  : X11 configuration log file to collect information
             : about detection, startup and configuration.
             : There are three parts of logging:
             : ---
             : 1) INIT     ( detection, 3D )
             : 2) STARTUP  ( xorg.conf, X11 log, glxinfo )
             : 3) CONFIG   ( config actions )
             : ---
             :
VERSION      : SaX2 compiled for: [openSUSE 11.0 (i586)]
PARAMETER    : -r -m 0=fglrx -r
             :
LOG DATE     : Thu Aug 28 15:23:21 CEST 2008
*************/



	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/local" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/PEX" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/misc" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/75dpi" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/100dpi" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/Type1" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/latin7/75dpi" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/baekmuk" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/japanese" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/kwintv" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/uni" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/CID" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/misc" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/75dpi" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/100dpi" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/misc" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/75dpi" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/100dpi" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/Type1" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/misc/sgi" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/xtest" does not exist.
	Entry deleted from font path.
	(==) Including the default font path /usr/share/fonts/misc:unscaled,/usr/share/fonts/TTF/,/usr/share/fonts/OTF,/usr/share/fonts/Type1/,/usr/share/fonts/100dpi:unscaled,/usr/share/fonts/75dpi:unscaled.
	(**) FontPath set to:
	/usr/share/fonts/misc:unscaled,
	/usr/share/fonts/75dpi:unscaled,
	/usr/share/fonts/100dpi:unscaled,
	/usr/share/fonts/Type1,
	/usr/share/fonts/URW,
	/usr/share/fonts/Speedo,
	/usr/share/fonts/cyrillic,
	/usr/share/fonts/truetype,
	/opt/kde3/share/fonts,
	/usr/share/fonts/misc:unscaled,
	/usr/share/fonts/TTF/,
	/usr/share/fonts/OTF,
	/usr/share/fonts/Type1/,
	/usr/share/fonts/100dpi:unscaled,
	/usr/share/fonts/75dpi:unscaled



	(II) Loading sub module "vbe"
	(II) LoadModule: "vbe"
	(II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules//libvbe.so
	(II) Module vbe: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
	compiled for 1.4.0.90, module version = 1.1.0
	ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 2.0
	(EE) fglrx(0): vm86() syscall generated signal 11.
	(II) fglrx(0): EAX=0x00004f00, EBX=0x00000000, ECX=0x00000000, EDX=0x00000000
	(II) fglrx(0): ESP=0x00000ffa, EBP=0x00000000, ESI=0x00000000, EDI=0x00002000
	(II) fglrx(0): CS=0x0000, SS=0x0100, DS=0x0040, ES=0x0000, FS=0x0000, GS=0x0000
	(II) fglrx(0): EIP=0x00000000, EFLAGS=0x00033202
	(II) fglrx(0): code at 0x00000000:
	 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
	 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
	(II) stack at 0x00001ffa:
	 00 06 00 00 00 32
	(II) fglrx(0): VESA BIOS not detected
	(WW) fglrx(0): GetVBEMode failed
	(II) fglrx(0): ATI Video BIOS revision 9 or later detected



	(WW) fglrx(0): Only one display is connnected,so single mode is enabled
	
	Backtrace:
	0: /usr/sbin/xw(xf86SigHandler+0x7e) [0x80d3bce]
	1: [0xffffe400]
	2: /usr/lib/xorg/modules//drivers/fglrx_drv.so(setup_int+0x29) [0xb7b36ea9]
	3: /usr/lib/xorg/modules//drivers/fglrx_drv.so(xf86ExecX86int10+0x25) [0xb7b365a5]
	4: /usr/lib/xorg/modules//libvbe.so(VBEGetModeInfo+0x69) [0xb773afe9]
	5: /usr/lib/xorg/modules//drivers/fglrx_drv.so [0xb78e3477]
	6: /usr/lib/xorg/modules//drivers/fglrx_drv.so(swlDalHelperSetSafeMode+0x3e) [0xb78df31e]
	7: /usr/lib/xorg/modules//drivers/fglrx_drv.so(swlDalHelperPreInit+0x637) [0xb78e1377]
	8: /usr/lib/xorg/modules//drivers/fglrx_drv.so(atiddxPreInit+0xf47) [0xb78b1997]
	9: /usr/sbin/xw(InitOutput+0xa1f) [0x80aac9f]
	10: /usr/sbin/xw(main+0x2b1) [0x8074091]
	11: /lib/libc.so.6(__libc_start_main+0xe5) [0xb7d305f5]
	12: /usr/sbin/xw(FontFileCompleteXLFD+0x225) [0x8073581]
	
	Fatal server error:
	Caught signal 11.  Server aborting

If there are some other related parts, just say: I keep the whole file.

Thanks in advance !!

5

“The easy way” is to use the ATI repo. To enable it just fire
up Yast select Software>Software Repositories click on the Add
button, select Community Repositories click on the Next button
select the ATI repo and click the Ok button.
It’s a good idea to uninstall the driver already installed
before going further. I believe the installer adds a script
for that, look for something like /usr/share/ati/fglrxuninstall.sh
and execute that script as root. Now in Yast select
Software>Software Mangement in the Filter drop down box select
repositories, the ATI repo should be there now. The cool thing
I’ve discovered at this point is that you don’t have to select
any driver. you don’t need to worry about what kernel you’re
running or if it’s 32 or 64 bit, just leave Software Management
and click on Online Update, accept and finish.
No need to run aticonfig just reboot, at the GRUB prompt type
init 3, logg in as root, run sax2 -r, finish that, type init 5
and you should be done.

6

@hank_se:

Maybe I didn’t explain well: I have already followed such steps in “The easy way”, only when I saw it didn’t worked I installed downloaded drivers.

7

What errors did you get when trying the repo method, the
HD 3850 should be well supported by sax using the repo
driver, note that the sax support for the downloadable
driver is somewhat limited, or to be honest close to zero.
Could you post the result of this command run as root:
sysp -c

8

Using the repository driver I have the same warnings and errors.
sysp -c outputs


Chip: 0  is -> ATI ATI Radeon HD 3850 (RV670 9505) 01:00:0 0x1002 0x9505 AGP fglrx
9

I notice this error:

(EE) fglrx(0): vm86() syscall generated signal 11.

Is this done on a virtual machine, that’s not possible.

10

No, this is run on real hardware, obviously…

11

Yes obviously, well the chipset is supported with the sax
configuration files you get with the repo driver, so there
must be something else going on. My guess is some version
conflict between the kernel, libraries and xorg.

12

So, what do you think should I do?

13

Hard to say, I’m on 64-bit and different ATI chip. If you haven’t
done already check you have the pae ATI module as you are running
that kernel version. I’m also skeptic to have any buildservices
enabled, they seem to mess up versions to often. And don’t have
the debug repo enabled.

14

Yes, I’ve the pae module. Being a fresh install I haven’t enabled neither the debug repository nor some build services.
I have googled my problem and found that this happens for nvidia drivers (badly installed) and other distributions too

15

It’s still not working… I have installed 10.3 and (after updating all packets) it doesn’t work in that too. I have tried also KUbuntu (please don’t kill me for that :wink: ) and it works: I only had to click the “Ati Drivers” (or something like that) checkbox.
I prefer SUSE as I’m used to it… Any tips? :confused:

If someone is using KDE on 11.0 with Ati driver working, please write the versions and type of the related packets (fgl, xorg and kernel).

Any help is very appreciated of course :shake:

16

In the AMD site I saw these two notes:


If a Linux 2.6.11 or newer kernel was built with CONFIG_AGP enabled, the kernel AGP frontend is required to load the fglrx kernel module. To identify whether your kernel was built with CONFIG_AGP enabled, look for CONFIG_AGP=y in the kernel config file, or if the 'agpgart' module loaded. 



In order to use the fglrx internal AGP support, you have to make sure that the kernel agpgart support is not active, i.e. it is not compiled into the kernel and the kernel modules are not loaded. If the fglrx kernel module detects that the kernel agpgart support is active, it will automatically use that even if its internal AGP support is requested in order to avoid conflicts that can cause problems under some circumstances.

Isn’t the Ati repository providing repackaged AMD drivers? If so, it’s normal to have the agpgart module enabled as I have? I have tried to disable it but didn’t reach.

People with Ati proprietary driver working, please post the output of this command (as root):

lsmod | grep agp

Suse fanboys out there, you don’t want me to pass to Ubuntu, do you? >:)

17

Hi I also had the same problem on the 64 bit version of suse linux 11.0. I have an ati radeon 3870. Besides the version 8-8 binary driver installation X startup backtrace issue, I was unable to compile the binary driver into an rpm package. Older versions of the binary driver would install, but on my dual screen setup, I was unable to configure my secondary monitor to use a default resolution of 1280x1024.

Here is what I have done to fix the issue:

I downloaded the 32bit version of suse linux 11.0.
I burned it to a dvd.
I then installed the 32bit version of suse linux with development packages selected.
Using only the suse linux update repositories, I updated the newly installed 32 bit version of suse linux.
I then downloaded the 8-8 version of the ati driver installer.
As root I ran the installer:

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

Then built an RPM for 32bit suse 11.0:

#./ati-driver-installer-8-8-x86.x86_64.run --buildpkg SuSE/SUSE110-IA32

All went well so I installed the pkg:

#rpm -i fglrx_7_1_0_SUSE110-8.522-1.i386.rpm

I then rebooted my workstation.

At boot up. I logged in as root and:

#aticonfig --initial
#aticonfig --initial=dual-head --screen-layout=above
#aticonfig --dtop=horizontal --overlay-on=1
#init 5

I then rebooted again, to be sure.

voila! I had an fglrx enabled big desktop dual screen X environment:

#fglrxinfo
display: :0.0 screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: ATI Radeon HD 3870
OpenGL version string: 2.1.7873 Release

#fgl_glxgears
Using GLX_SGIX_pbuffer
14516 frames in 5.0 seconds = 2903.200 FPS
minus back
17664 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3532.800 FPS
minus back
17698 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3539.600 FPS
minus back
17723 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3544.600 FPS
minus back
17703 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3540.600 FPS
minus back
17693 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3538.600 FPS
minus back
17677 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3535.400 FPS

I realize this may not be the perfect setup and I welcome any corrections to this. I hope this helps you. My nightmare with these drivers started with the incorrect resolution on my secondary monitor. Hopefully they have ended here. I am off to try playing openarena now, who knows what new crashes may be waiting for me there! Take care.

18

I take it by what I just read that you switched from 64bit to 32bit? if so I am thinking that I will need to install 32 bit also. I was using Arch 64bit but I could never get the ATI drivers to install properly so I ended up go to Ubuntu 64bit just because the drivers installed without any problems at all I was thinking of changing distro’s to opensuse 64bit but by the looks of things there still is issues with the 64bit. I am still a linux noob and am just trying different distros for a few months at a time and so far the only distro that I can run 64bit with ati radeon 3870HD is ubuntu hardy :frowning: is there that much of a difference between 64and 32bit?

19

Hi, thanks for the follow up. Well, to answer your question, I am not sure if it’s 32 bit or if I had a bad installation of the 64 bit (which by the way would have been my fault). When I installed the 64 bit, I added some extra repos, and I was using an RC CD that I did a zypper dup to get me to 11.0 proper.

When I get some time, I will do a fresh download and install of the 64bit in the same manner I just ran through on the 32bit and see if the above mentioned variables may have been my issue. If so, that may not be too much help to the person that started this thread, sorry. I will let you know what I find. Take care.

20

Thanks for the reply :wink: I’m trying to follow your steps.

When you say

Using only the suse linux update repositories, I updated the newly installed 32 bit version of suse linux.

Do you mean using the three default repositories or only the openSuSE update one?