Need some help ATI 4850 - using ATI/The Hard Way

English Hardware
1

Hello, I am trying to install the 10.2 ATI drivers into my 32 bit Suse Gnome 11.2 installation by using the ATI/The Hard Way document.Unfortunately I’ve hit a small problem.

Running through the check list of items:

All required software packages, with the exception of:

compat

compat-libstdc++

are installed. I couldn’t find these?

The kernel-default and the kernel-source are the same version.

libdrm is a higher version than the one stated, but the document is two years old…

I couldn’t find any relevant directories on ftp.skynet.be? Because of this I didn’t know what to do when it asks to update:

zypper update --type=package --no-confirm --skip-interactive

When attempting to perform these tasks:

su

password

cd /usr/src/linux

make mrproper

make cloneconfig

make modules_prepare

make clean

I get:

linux-woe7:/usr/src/linux # make mrproper
If ‘make’ is not a typo you can use command-not-found to lookup the package that contains it, like this:
cnf make

I ran this, to be sure:

rpm -e $(rpm -qa ‘fglrx’)

I ran this:

sax2 -a

I created the rpm with this:

sh ati*.run --buildpkg SuSE/SUSE110-IA32

Which gave me this:

fglrx_6_9_0_SUSE110-8.702-1.i386.rpm

I went to a TTY and ran init 3, then tried to install using:

rpm -Uvh fgl*.rpm

But here it fails. It tells me the kernel-source needs to be installed by YAST. As mentioned above, this package is installed and I have rebooted. I also installed the kernel-headers.

I must have missed something but I’m not sure what?

Thanks for any help :slight_smile:

2

Is this what you are following
ATI drivers - openSUSE

3

Hello.

It was actually this one ATI/The Hard Way - openSUSE the link you gave was ‘under review’ when I looked earlier.

I will see where that one takes me :slight_smile:

Thank you.

4

I have just been through the procedure outlined in the link you gave me. All went well until I ran the command:

SaX2 -r -m 0=fglrx

This failed, however, after a restart I was able to log in without problem. The error suggested i consult:

/var/log/SaX.log

At the end of which I found the following:


(EE) Failed to load /usr/lib/xorg/modules//drivers/fglrx_drv.so
(II) UnloadModule: "fglrx"
(EE) Failed to load module "fglrx" (loader failed, 7)
(EE) No drivers available.
	
Fatal server error:
no screens found

I’m not sure what to do now?

Thank you for your help :slight_smile:

5

Have you consulted this:
openSUSE Graphic Card Practical Theory Guide for Users - openSUSE Forums

6

As I read at ATI and recall giving advice previously:

To install the ATI Proprietary Linux driver using the Automatic option, follow these
steps:

Launch the Terminal Application/Window and navigate to the ATI Proprietary Linux
driver download.
Enter the command sh ./ati-driver-installer-10-2-x86.x86_64.run to launch the ATI
Proprietary Linux driver installer.
The ATI Proprietary Linux Driver Setup dialog box is displayed.

Select Install Driver and click Continue. The ATI License Agreement will be
displayed.

Read the License Agreement and click I Agree to continue the installation, or Cancel
to terminate the installation. The Mode of Installation Dialog Box is displayed.

Select Automatic and click Continue. The ATI Proprietary Linux Driver is now
installed, and the Installation Complete Dialog box will be displayed.

Click Exit to close the ATI Proprietary Linux Driver Installer.
Launch the Terminal Application/Window and run:
For versions of X.Org newer than 7, /usr/bin/aticonfig --initial to configure theFor versions of X.Org older than 7, /usr/X11R6/bin/aticonfig --initial to configure
the driver for your ATI product.
Reboot your system.

I didn’t know what ATI device you have, so just picked one and looked at the instructions.
*As I understand, there is no need to convert the installer to .rpm

Hope this helps
driver for your ATI product.

7

I suspect that your build of the fglrx proprietary driver was unsuccessful. I recommend you try again, but first install the “base development” pattern. You can do that under YaST > Software > Software Management and select the pattern “base development”. That will be a big download so go for some coffee while waiting. :slight_smile: Note this download can be done in X or if your PC has a wired ethernet connection to the Internet, it can be done in a run level 3 full screen terminal. In run level 3 the application “yast” is called ‘yast’ while in X it is called ‘yast2’.

Once that is done, check to ensure that your “kernel-source” and “kernel-syms” are the same version as your kernel. Also install “linux-kernel-headers”.

Remove the fglrx rpm prior to restarting this rebuild attempt.

 rpm -e $(rpm -qa '*fglrx*')

And then when you build the driver, you MUST do this from run level 3 and not run level 5 (I am not convinced any run level 5 built version will run proper). To boot to run level 3 you reboot the PC, and in the grub/splash menu press “3” (no quotes). That will take you to a full screen text login. Login as a regular user. Then type ‘su’ (no quotes and enter root password). Then move the file /etc/X11/xorg.conf to some some backup name. You cando that with:

mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.somebackupname

Then change to the directory where the driver .run file is located and build the driver (from the .run file) starting with:

sh ati*.run --listpkg

to see what driver configurations are available. Say you have a 32-bit openSUSE-11.2, then send:

sh ati*.run --buildpkg SuSE/SUSE112-IA32

That will build an fglrx rpm. Then install that rpm with:

rpm -Uvh fgl*.rpm

and then build a new xorg.conf file with:

ldconfig
aticonfig --initial

and restart with:

shutdown -r now

and this time do not press 3. That should hopefully boot to X ok.

If the above does not work, you can restore your previous xorg.conf, or you can reconfigure x to work with the vesa, radeon or radeonhd drivers until you can sort the problem with the proprietary driver. There is guidance here for the other drivers in post# and post#11: openSUSE Graphic Card Practical Theory Guide for Users - openSUSE Forums

8

Thank you both for your replies :slight_smile:

Before you both added your new entries, I read through openSUSE Graphic Card Practical Theory Guide for Users - openSUSE Forums as requested.

Whilst I didn’t find any information relating to the error message I posted above, it was interesting. Thank you for the link caf4926 and thank you for the post oldcpu :slight_smile:

I hope you will forgive me but English is not my first language, so, having followed what I believe to be the correct instructions and my system seems to be working, I’m afraid I have no idea of what is installed of if it’s working correctly.

Before i download this ‘base development’, which I’m afraid I couldn’t find in Yast, I would like to know what you think about the current installation.

My xorg.conf ‘device’ section has this:


Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "Monitor[0]"
	VendorName   "SAM"
	ModelName    "SAMSUNG SYNCMASTER"
	UseModes     "Modes[0]"
	DisplaySize  376	301
	HorizSync    29.0 - 81.0
	VertRefresh  43.0 - 76.0
	Option	    "DPMS"
	Option	    "PreferredMode" "1280x1024"
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  "Device[0]"
	Driver      "radeonhd"
	VendorName  "ATI"
	BoardName   "ATI Radeon 4800 Series"
	Option	    "monitor-DVI-I_2/digital" "Monitor[0]"
EndSection

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

The output from rpm -qa ‘driver’


cups-drivers-1.3.9-4.1.i586
xorg-x11-driver-virtualbox-ose-3.0.6-9.11.2.i586
xorg-x11-driver-video-radeonhd-1.3.0_20100216_79a0ab2-0.1.1.i586
xorg-x11-driver-input-7.4-39.2.1.i586
xorg-x11-driver-video-7.4-87.91.1.i586

The output from rpm -qa ‘Mesa’


Mesa-7.6-3.1.i586
Mesa-devel-7.6-3.1.i586

is there anything else I need to check?

if you believe this is wrong, I will download the package you mentioned and start again, but could you please tell me the exact name of the package, please.

I had already installed the same versions of kernel-default and kernel-sources in addition to kernel-syms and kernel-headers.

Thank you both for your help :slight_smile:

9

This looks OK to me, mind you I am not and never have been a ATI user.

Did you try this in a terminal

glxgears

Did you try enabling compositing?

10

If it seems to be working, thats good. :slight_smile:

base development is a “pattern”. If you go to YasT > Software > Software Management, you will note that it is possible to select “patterns”. When one selects a “pattern”, dependant on the pattern many different applications will be installed. The very basic “pattern” for building software is the “base developement” pattern.

I’m not at an openSUSE Linux PC right now, so I can not do a screen print to show you. Once you see it I think you will then see it the concept is intutive and good.

Reference your current configuration, I can’t say much more than that, except I am puzzled why it lists two drivers: radeonhd and fglrx. This makes me wonder if you created the xorg without first removing the previous existing one.

Again, I am not at a Linux PC, so I can not check my PC with ATI hardware (and the proprietary driver) to compare your PCs xorg.conf with my PCs xorg.conf. That does strike me as strange, but it could simply be my bad memory as to what one should expect.

Again, I can’t check the specific versions, but by looking at the Mesa version this appears to be an official openSUSE packaged version, and not the cutting edge xorg : x11 repository version.

Great !

11

I think something is broken :frowning:

running glxgears gives me a segmentation fault. The ATI catalyst control centre won’t start but I was able to turn on compositing in gconf. Looks like it’s time to start again.

That being the case, I’ll probably reinstall again, make sure I have a clean system. This is only a learning stage for me. I guess the question is, which guide do I follow?

Thanks again :slight_smile:

12

I do not recommend a reinstall unless you know you messed something up.

I recommend you rename the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file, and then in run level 3 run:

aticonfig --initial

run that with no xorg.conf in place.

then reboot and test.

That file as written is calling 2 drivers which does not make sense to me.

13

I have to run to a meeting, and I’m not on a Linux PC, so I can not check this (ie look for a syntax error). So you will either need to wait or go and do what you planned.

14

Boot to level 3
http://public.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pk8SmKoPrUvxDaSlreH7AsGEJFyzV7jinekbmNZTSSyKyDVtef1vQ62n1hEx_wEeyOnWTe7ROWyu64PboDkDJPw/2%20Edit%20the%20Boot%20line.png

At the CLI
login as user then become su -

Do this

mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.bak

Then do as @oldcpu suggests

aticonfig --initial

and then reboot

15

Hello again :slight_smile:

I decided to reinstall in the end, after moving the xorg.conf file and running aticonfig --initial I received a lot of errors with regard to GdmDisplay and max number of errors etc.

Reinstalling is not a major problem just now, i am only learning and it only takes a short time.

Anyway, I followed the instructions after updating my system with all the necessary packages, including the base-development (I found it after looking in the right place :shame:)

I ran through the procedure and all appears to be working. I was able to run glxgears and compositing seems to work. Here is the output from xorg.conf:


Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier     "aticonfig Layout"
	Screen      0  "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0" 0 0
EndSection

Section "Files"
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

There is a lot less in this version than the previous one, it doesn’t detect my monitor either?

Is there anything else I need to do now?

thank you again for your help :slight_smile:

16

I always set my monitor to Generic LCD—>

17

the xorg.conf file created by the ati configuration tool puts a lot less in the xorg.conf, than what the sax2 configuration tool will create. Since Xorg developers now are coding X to run with no xorg.conf file, then having less is not a bad thing.

Yes, I recommend IMMEDIATELY backup this functional /etc/X11/xorg.conf file (which should not be difficult since you posted it). :slight_smile:

Well done on getting the ATI 4850 running.

You know, I’ve had users claim that no ATI 48xx series works with openSUSE-11.2 and the ATI proprietary graphic driver. When I noted otherwise they were very uncomplimentary toward my view point.

Its nice to read of your example proving this is not the case, and that it can be configured to work with openSUSE. Well done in your determination.

18

Thank you both so much for your help and patients, I’m getting there slowly :slight_smile:

I’ve backed up the file now too :slight_smile:

19

You created the wrong package. You use 11.2, but created a package for 11.0 :open_mouth:
Please create the proper package for 11.2.

20

Well spotted.

In post#15 above the user reposted they re-installed, and I suspect in their second effort they applied the correct values.