Only failsafe mode boots after upgrade from 11.2 to 11.3

English Install/Boot/Login
1

I have just upgraded from 11.2 to 11.3 using zypper dup (with all the necessary pre steps). After upgrading X does not start with normal boot, only starts with failsafe mode selected. Otherwise the system boots and works in normal mode, only X doesn’t start. I have tried to remove and reinstall the radeon driver, but no success. Tried Xorg -configure, with no success.

I post my former (11.2) and actual xorg.conf files. Could you help in getting things work normally. If only possible I would like to avoid making a clean install.

My xorg.conf, which worked well with 11.2 looks as:

# /.../
# SaX generated X11 config file
# Created on: 2010-05-11T12:19:16+0200.
#
# Version: 8.1
# Contact: Marcus Schaefer <sax@suse.de>, 2005
# Contact: SaX-User list <https://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/sax-users>
#
# Automatically generated by [ISaX] (8.1)
# PLEASE DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE!
#

Section "Files"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/misc:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/local"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/75dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/100dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/Type1"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/URW"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/Speedo"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/PEX"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/cyrillic"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/misc:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/75dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/100dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/Type1"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/latin7/75dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/baekmuk:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/japanese:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/kwintv"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/truetype"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/uni:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/CID"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/misc:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/75dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/100dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/misc:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/75dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/100dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/Type1"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/misc/sgi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/xtest"
  FontPath     "/opt/kde3/share/fonts"
  InputDevices "/dev/gpmdata"
  InputDevices "/dev/input/mice"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
  Option       "AllowMouseOpenFail" "on"
  Option       "ZapWarning" "on"
EndSection

Section "Module"
  Load         "dbe"
  Load         "extmod"
  Load         "glx"
  Load         "dri"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
  # Driver "kbd" will be disabled unless 'Option "AutoAddDevices" "off"' 
  # is set in "ServerFlags" section. 
  Driver       "kbd"
  Identifier   "Keyboard[0]"
  Option       "Protocol" "Standard"
  Option       "XkbLayout" "hu"
  Option       "XkbModel" "microsoftpro"
  Option       "XkbRules" "xfree86"
EndSection


Section "InputDevice"
  # Driver "mouse" will be disabled unless 'Option "AutoAddDevices" "off"' 
  # is set in "ServerFlags" section. 
  Driver       "mouse"
  Identifier   "Mouse[1]"
  Option       "Buttons" "12"
  Option       "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
  Option       "Name" "Logitech USB Optical Mouse"
  Option       "Protocol" "explorerps/2"
  Option       "Vendor" "Sysp"
  Option       "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection


Section "Monitor"
  DisplaySize  338 270
  HorizSync    29-71
  Identifier   "Monitor[0]"
  ModelName    "LG ELECTRONICS L1953PR"
  Option       "DPMS"
  Option       "PreferredMode" "1280x1024"
  VendorName   "GSM"
  VertRefresh  43-75
  UseModes     "Modes[0]"
EndSection


Section "Modes"
  Identifier   "Modes[0]"
  Modeline 	"1280x1024" 106.97 1280 1360 1496 1712 1024 1025 1028 1059
  Modeline 	"1280x1024" 87.75 1280 1328 1360 1440 1024 1027 1034 1053 +HSync -Vsync
  Modeline 	"1280x960" 107.32 1280 1360 1496 1712 960 961 964 995
  Modeline 	"1280x960" 88.25 1280 1328 1360 1440 960 963 967 989 +HSync -Vsync
  Modeline 	"1280x800" 107.21 1280 1360 1496 1712 800 801 804 835
  Modeline 	"1280x800" 98.89 1280 1352 1488 1696 800 801 804 833
  Modeline 	"1280x800" 91.61 1280 1352 1488 1696 800 801 804 831
  Modeline 	"1280x800" 88.25 1280 1328 1360 1440 800 803 809 829 +HSync -Vsync
  Modeline 	"1280x800" 83.46 1280 1344 1480 1680 800 801 804 828
  Modeline 	"1152x864" 104.99 1152 1224 1352 1552 864 865 868 902
  Modeline 	"1152x864" 96.77 1152 1224 1344 1536 864 865 868 900
  Modeline 	"1152x864" 89.56 1152 1224 1344 1536 864 865 868 897
  Modeline 	"1152x864" 86.75 1152 1200 1232 1312 864 867 871 895 +HSync -Vsync
  Modeline 	"1152x864" 81.62 1152 1216 1336 1520 864 865 868 895
  Modeline 	"1280x768" 102.98 1280 1360 1496 1712 768 769 772 802
  Modeline 	"1280x768" 94.98 1280 1352 1488 1696 768 769 772 800
  Modeline 	"1280x768" 87.97 1280 1352 1488 1696 768 769 772 798
  Modeline 	"1280x768" 84.75 1280 1328 1360 1440 768 771 778 796 +HSync -Vsync
  Modeline 	"1280x768" 80.14 1280 1344 1480 1680 768 769 772 795
  Modeline 	"1280x720" 95.65 1280 1352 1488 1696 720 721 724 752
  Modeline 	"1280x720" 89.04 1280 1352 1488 1696 720 721 724 750
  Modeline 	"1280x720" 81.68 1280 1344 1480 1680 720 721 724 748
  Modeline 	"1280x720" 79.25 1280 1328 1360 1440 720 723 728 746 +HSync -Vsync
  Modeline 	"1280x720" 74.48 1280 1336 1472 1664 720 721 724 746
  Modeline 	"1024x768" 81.80 1024 1080 1192 1360 768 769 772 802
  Modeline 	"1024x768" 76.16 1024 1080 1192 1360 768 769 772 800
  Modeline 	"1024x768" 69.71 1024 1080 1184 1344 768 769 772 798
  Modeline 	"1024x768" 69.50 1024 1072 1104 1184 768 771 775 796 +HSync -Vsync
  Modeline 	"1024x768" 64.11 1024 1080 1184 1344 768 769 772 795
  Modeline 	"1280x600" 79.00 1280 1344 1480 1680 600 601 604 627
  Modeline 	"1280x600" 72.80 1280 1336 1472 1664 600 601 604 625
  Modeline 	"1280x600" 66.74 1280 1336 1464 1648 600 601 604 623
  Modeline 	"1280x600" 66.25 1280 1328 1360 1440 600 603 613 622 +HSync -Vsync
  Modeline 	"1280x600" 61.50 1280 1336 1464 1648 600 601 604 622
  Modeline 	"1024x600" 63.20 1024 1080 1184 1344 600 601 604 627
  Modeline 	"1024x600" 58.10 1024 1072 1176 1328 600 601 604 625
  Modeline 	"1024x600" 54.25 1024 1072 1104 1184 600 603 613 622 +HSync -Vsync
  Modeline 	"1024x600" 53.78 1024 1072 1176 1328 600 601 604 623
  Modeline 	"1024x600" 48.96 1024 1064 1168 1312 600 601 604 622
  Modeline 	"800x600" 48.91 800 840 920 1040 600 601 604 627
  Modeline 	"800x600" 45.50 800 840 920 1040 600 601 604 625
  Modeline 	"800x600" 44.00 800 848 880 960 600 603 607 622 +HSync -Vsync
  Modeline 	"800x600" 42.11 800 840 920 1040 600 601 604 623
  Modeline 	"800x600" 38.22 800 832 912 1024 600 601 604 622
  Modeline 	"768x576" 45.51 768 808 888 1008 576 577 580 602
  Modeline 	"768x576" 41.66 768 800 880 992 576 577 580 600
  Modeline 	"768x576" 40.75 768 816 848 928 576 579 583 597 +HSync -Vsync
  Modeline 	"768x576" 38.56 768 800 880 992 576 577 580 598
  Modeline 	"768x576" 34.96 768 792 872 976 576 577 580 597
  Modeline 	"640x480" 30.72 640 664 728 816 480 481 484 502
  Modeline 	"640x480" 29.25 640 688 720 800 480 483 487 497 +HSync -Vsync
  Modeline 	"640x480" 28.56 640 664 728 816 480 481 484 500
  Modeline 	"640x480" 25.95 640 656 720 800 480 481 484 499
  Modeline 	"640x480" 23.86 640 656 720 800 480 481 484 497
  Modeline 	"1280x1024" 108 1280 1328 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
EndSection


Section "Screen"
  DefaultDepth 24
  SubSection "Display"
    Depth      15
    Modes      "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1280x800" "1152x864" "1280x768" "1280x720" "1024x768" "1280x600" "1024x600" "800x600" "768x576" "640x480" 
    Virtual    3840 1200
  EndSubSection
  SubSection "Display"
    Depth      16
    Modes      "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1280x800" "1152x864" "1280x768" "1280x720" "1024x768" "1280x600" "1024x600" "800x600" "768x576" "640x480" 
    Virtual    3840 1200
  EndSubSection
  SubSection "Display"
    Depth      24
    Modes      "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1280x800" "1152x864" "1280x768" "1280x720" "1024x768" "1280x600" "1024x600" "800x600" "768x576" "640x480" 
    Virtual    3840 1200
  EndSubSection
  SubSection "Display"
    Depth      8
    Modes      "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1280x800" "1152x864" "1280x768" "1280x720" "1024x768" "1280x600" "1024x600" "800x600" "768x576" "640x480" 
    Virtual    3840 1200
  EndSubSection
  Device       "Device[0]"
  Identifier   "Screen[0]"
  Monitor      "Monitor[0]"
EndSection


Section "Device"
  BoardName    "RADEON X550"
  Driver       "radeon"
  Identifier   "Device[0]"
  Option       "monitor-DVI-0" "Monitor[0]"
  VendorName   "ATI"
EndSection



Section "ServerLayout"
  Identifier   "Layout[all]"
  InputDevice  "Keyboard[0]" "CoreKeyboard"
  InputDevice  "Mouse[1]" "CorePointer"
  Option       "Clone" "off"
  Option       "Xinerama" "off"
  Screen       "Screen[0]"
EndSection


Section "DRI"
    Group      "video"
    Mode       0660
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
EndSection

At the moment the xorg.conf (which works only in failsafe mode) is:

# /.../
# SaX generated X11 config file
# Created on: 2009-03-23T13:56:50+0100.
#
# Version: 8.1
# Contact: Marcus Schaefer <sax@suse.de>, 2005
# Contact: SaX-User list <https://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/sax-users>
#
# Automatically generated by [SaX2] (8.1)
# PLEASE DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE!
#

Section "Files"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/misc:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/local"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/75dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/100dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/Type1"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/URW"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/Speedo"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/PEX"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/cyrillic"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/misc:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/75dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/100dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/Type1"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/latin7/75dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/baekmuk:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/japanese:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/kwintv"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/truetype"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/uni:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/CID"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/misc:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/75dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/100dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/misc:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/75dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/100dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/Type1"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/misc/sgi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/xtest"
  FontPath     "/opt/kde3/share/fonts"
  InputDevices "/dev/gpmdata"
  InputDevices "/dev/input/mice"
EndSection

Section "Module"
  Load         "dbe"
  Load         "type1"
  Load         "freetype"
  Load         "extmod"
  Load         "glx"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
  Option       "AIGLX" "on"
  Option       "AllowMouseOpenFail" "on"
  Option       "ZapWarning" "on"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
  Driver       "kbd"
  Identifier   "Keyboard[0]"
  Option       "Protocol" "Standard"
  Option       "XkbLayout" "hu"
  Option       "XkbModel" "pc102"
  Option       "XkbRules" "xfree86"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
  Driver       "mouse"
  Identifier   "Mouse[1]"
  Option       "Buttons" "12"
  Option       "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
  Option       "Name" "Logitech USB Optical Mouse"
  Option       "Protocol" "explorerps/2"
  Option       "Vendor" "Sysp"
  Option       "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection


Section "Monitor"
  DisplaySize  338 270
  HorizSync    30-83
  Identifier   "Monitor[0]"
  ModelName    "LG ELECTRONICS L1953PR"
  Option       "DPMS"
  Option       "PreferredMode" "1280x1024"
  VendorName   "GSM"
  VertRefresh  43-75
  UseModes     "Modes[0]"
EndSection


Section "Modes"
  Identifier   "Modes[0]"
  Modeline 	"1280x1024" 106.97 1280 1360 1496 1712 1024 1025 1028 1059
  Modeline 	"1280x1024" 87.75 1280 1328 1360 1440 1024 1027 1034 1053 +HSync -Vsync
  Modeline 	"1024x768" 81.80 1024 1080 1192 1360 768 769 772 802
  Modeline 	"1024x768" 76.16 1024 1080 1192 1360 768 769 772 800
  Modeline 	"1024x768" 69.71 1024 1080 1184 1344 768 769 772 798
  Modeline 	"1024x768" 69.50 1024 1072 1104 1184 768 771 775 796 +HSync -Vsync
  Modeline 	"1024x768" 64.11 1024 1080 1184 1344 768 769 772 795
  Modeline 	"800x600" 48.91 800 840 920 1040 600 601 604 627
  Modeline 	"800x600" 45.50 800 840 920 1040 600 601 604 625
  Modeline 	"800x600" 44.00 800 848 880 960 600 603 607 622 +HSync -Vsync
  Modeline 	"800x600" 42.11 800 840 920 1040 600 601 604 623
  Modeline 	"800x600" 38.22 800 832 912 1024 600 601 604 622
EndSection


Section "Device"
  BoardName    "965Q"
  #BusID        "0:2:0"
  Driver       "intel"
  Identifier   "Device[0]"
  Option       "monitor-VGA" "Monitor[0]"
  VendorName   "Intel"
EndSection


Section "Screen"
  DefaultDepth 24
  SubSection "Display"
    Depth      15
    Modes      "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" 
  EndSubSection
  SubSection "Display"
    Depth      16
    Modes      "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" 
  EndSubSection
  SubSection "Display"
    Depth      24
    Modes      "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" 
  EndSubSection
  SubSection "Display"
    Depth      8
    Modes      "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" 
  EndSubSection
  Device       "Device[0]"
  Identifier   "Screen[0]"
  Monitor      "Monitor[0]"
EndSection


Section "ServerLayout"
  Identifier   "Layout[all]"
  InputDevice  "Keyboard[0]" "CoreKeyboard"
  InputDevice  "Mouse[1]" "CorePointer"
  Screen       "Screen[0]"
EndSection


Section "DRI"
    Group      "video"
    Mode       0660
EndSection
2

Do you have a Intel or ATI video device?
What does log for /var/log/Xorg.0.log report when you’re trying to load the ATI?


tail -n 100 /var/log/Xorg.0.log

Others have had great success by adding “nomodeset” to the grub boot option.

Xorg does not set anything relative to the display, I think you need to use sax2. But look for the errors in Xorg.0.log or earlier logs.

3

Thanks for the reply. In the meanwhile I have realized, that for some
unknown reason in my current xorg.conf (the second one in my previous
post) the driver was intel. I have changed it to radeon, but the system
still doesn’t boot with normal settings, but now boots with nomodeset (I
forgot to mention that I have also tried this previously).
So far, so good, but I would really like to know why I need nomodeset
for my system to work. Ok, my video card is Radeon X550, which is not the
newest one, but not too old. Could someone explain it? I do not like
using mystic options for unknown reasons…

At the moment the xorg.conf looks as:

# /.../
# SaX generated X11 config file
# Created on: 2009-03-23T13:56:50+0100.
#
# Version: 8.1
# Contact: Marcus Schaefer <sax@suse.de>, 2005
# Contact: SaX-User list
<https://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/sax-users>
#
# Automatically generated by [SaX2] (8.1)
# PLEASE DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE!
#

Section "Files"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/misc:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/local"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/75dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/100dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/Type1"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/URW"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/Speedo"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/PEX"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/cyrillic"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/misc:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/75dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/100dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/latin2/Type1"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/latin7/75dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/baekmuk:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/japanese:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/kwintv"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/truetype"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/uni:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/CID"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/misc:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/75dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/ucs/100dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/misc:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/75dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/100dpi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/hellas/Type1"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/misc/sgi:unscaled"
  FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/xtest"
  FontPath     "/opt/kde3/share/fonts"
  InputDevices "/dev/gpmdata"
  InputDevices "/dev/input/mice"
EndSection

Section "Module"
  Load         "dbe"
  Load         "type1"
  Load         "freetype"
  Load         "extmod"
  Load         "glx"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
  Option       "AIGLX" "on"
  Option       "AllowMouseOpenFail" "on"
  Option       "ZapWarning" "on"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
  Driver       "kbd"
  Identifier   "Keyboard[0]"
  Option       "Protocol" "Standard"
  Option       "XkbLayout" "hu"
  Option       "XkbModel" "pc102"
  Option       "XkbRules" "xfree86"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
  Driver       "mouse"
  Identifier   "Mouse[1]"
  Option       "Buttons" "12"
  Option       "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
  Option       "Name" "Logitech USB Optical Mouse"
  Option       "Protocol" "explorerps/2"
  Option       "Vendor" "Sysp"
  Option       "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection


Section "Monitor"
  DisplaySize  338 270
  HorizSync    30-83
  Identifier   "Monitor[0]"
  ModelName    "LG ELECTRONICS L1953PR"
  Option       "DPMS"
  Option       "PreferredMode" "1280x1024"
  VendorName   "GSM"
  VertRefresh  43-75
  UseModes     "Modes[0]"
EndSection


Section "Modes"
  Identifier   "Modes[0]"
  Modeline 	"1280x1024" 106.97 1280 1360 1496 1712 1024 1025 1028 1059
  Modeline 	"1280x1024" 87.75 1280 1328 1360 1440 1024 1027 1034 1053
+HSync -Vsync
  Modeline 	"1024x768" 81.80 1024 1080 1192 1360 768 769 772 802
  Modeline 	"1024x768" 76.16 1024 1080 1192 1360 768 769 772 800
  Modeline 	"1024x768" 69.71 1024 1080 1184 1344 768 769 772 798
  Modeline 	"1024x768" 69.50 1024 1072 1104 1184 768 771 775 796 +HSync
-Vsync
  Modeline 	"1024x768" 64.11 1024 1080 1184 1344 768 769 772 795
  Modeline 	"800x600" 48.91 800 840 920 1040 600 601 604 627
  Modeline 	"800x600" 45.50 800 840 920 1040 600 601 604 625
  Modeline 	"800x600" 44.00 800 848 880 960 600 603 607 622 +HSync -Vsync
  Modeline 	"800x600" 42.11 800 840 920 1040 600 601 604 623
  Modeline 	"800x600" 38.22 800 832 912 1024 600 601 604 622
EndSection


Section "Device"
  BoardName    "RADEON X550"
  Driver       "radeon"
  Identifier   "Device[0]"
  Option       "monitor-DVI-0" "Monitor[0]"
  VendorName   "ATI"
EndSection


Section "Screen"
  DefaultDepth 24
  SubSection "Display"
    Depth      15
    Modes      "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600"
  EndSubSection
  SubSection "Display"
    Depth      16
    Modes      "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600"
  EndSubSection
  SubSection "Display"
    Depth      24
    Modes      "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600"
  EndSubSection
  SubSection "Display"
    Depth      8
    Modes      "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600"
  EndSubSection
  Device       "Device[0]"
  Identifier   "Screen[0]"
  Monitor      "Monitor[0]"
EndSection


Section "ServerLayout"
  Identifier   "Layout[all]"
  InputDevice  "Keyboard[0]" "CoreKeyboard"
  InputDevice  "Mouse[1]" "CorePointer"
  Screen       "Screen[0]"
EndSection


Section "DRI"
    Group      "video"
    Mode       0660
EndSection

Without nomodeset the screen is black, I can access text terminals. The following kernel messages are coming constantly:

[drm: radeon_ib_schedule] ERROR radeon: couldn’t schedule IB(num)
[drm: radeon_cs_ioctl] ERROR Faild to schedule IB!

4

Can you see the directory /usr/share/ati/? If so run fglrx-uninstall.sh and reboot.

What happens if you delete the file /etc/X11/xorg.conf then reboot?

5

This is explained in the openSUSE-11.3 release notes:
openSUSE-13.3 Release Notes

6

Thanks for the link for 11.3 Release notes.

It explains a bit how to use “nomodeset” but not why Kernel Module Setting fails to work.

So far, only 3-5 older video adapters need to use the “nomodeset” option.

7

I confess I found NO REFERENCE in the release notes to Kernel Module Setting.

The wording in the release note is “Kernel Mode Setting”. Maybe "Kernel Module Setting is the same ? I do not know. But why are you changing the wording? Is this something different ? If you use different terms and do not know why, all you succeed to do is confuse everyone (like me).

Now, if you are worried about Kernel Mode Setting not working, you can write a bug report.

I assume you know what Kernel Mode Setting is ? (I have NO IDEA as to what Kernel Module setting is). Apologies, … but I’m thinking you don’t (because of that very confusing typo ??? ).

I’ve read that “Kernel mode-setting (KMS) shifts responsibility for selecting and setting up the graphics mode from X.org to the kernel. When X.org is started, it then detects and uses the mode without any further mode changes. This promises to make booting faster, more graphical, and less flickery”.

I’ve also read: “*Kernel Mode setting allows the kernel to switch between high- and low- resolution graphics without reinitializing the graphics card/driver. It is especially useful for setting up Framebuffer. *.”

I’m a BIG Fedora fan (although I prefer openSUSE) and I like their wiki on this:
Features/KernelModesetting - Fedora Project Wiki :

Currently, most graphics modes are initialized during the X server startup. Kernel Modesetting (referred to as KMS hereafter) moves this process from the X server’s DDX drivers to the kernel, and it enables several new features including:

  • Improved Graphical Boot
  • Faster fast user switching
  • Seamless X server switching
  • Graphical panic messages

Memory Management, while a separate feature in its own right, is included here because it is a requirement for Kernel Modesetting.

As to why it DOES not work for your hardware, you probably need to talk to a developer. Presumably the kernel by itself is not sufficient for your hardware, and hence Xorg is needed to help the kernel. Again, you need a developer to explain. KMS is all pretty new, and the developers probably do NOT have access to every piece of graphical hardware on the street.

8

Well, no wonder it doesn’t work.