openSUSE 11.3: Radeon driver installation problem

English Hardware
#1

Hi
Need some help with video on openSUSE 11.3 64bit.

I have started this thread for my issues but it no longer seems relevant to my video problems so I’m starting a new one.

My PC is:
Athlon64 X2 5400+
Asus M2V-MX (1202 bios)
2+1GB DDR2 800
GeCube Radeon x800GTO
500GB WDigital SATA2 (connected to JMicron jmb36x connector)

I’m booting (both Desktop and Failsafe) to console -> no X. “vga=0x314” or “nomodeset” are not helping.

Since my video is legacy (omg is not so old) I can’t use latest ATI 10.6 so I downloaded 9.3. BUT as I understood it’s incompatible with the new kernel (install gave some version errors)

I tried to install Radeon driver following X.Org Wiki - radeonBuildHowTo.
However I’m stuck at ./autoconfigure.sh --prexif=/opt/xorg with the following error:
Syntax error near unexpected token “XINERAMA”…

So far I couldn’t find any solution. Also 99% sure that “–prefix” is not right…
Is there some how-to especialy for SUSE? Because the one in X.Org Wiki is not so correct.

Sorry I’m noob but want to use SUSE :slight_smile: So far the only Linux I can (maybe) run is Ubuntu 9.04 64bit

Maybe I have bad xorg.config too…?

I see that there are some other thread about similar problems I tried to read them but maybe I missed something. I also read the “Graphics card guide” and “ATI-Troubleshooting”.
Help will be really appreciated! :slight_smile:

#2

…and just one more question:

I can’t try it right now but am I going to be able to install 10.6 using this guide?
openSUSE Lizards » ATI HD57xxx fglrx drivers under 11.3

#3

I’m booting (both Desktop and Failsafe) to console -> no X. “vga=0x314” or “nomodeset” are not helping.

Since my video is legacy (omg is not so old) I can’t use latest ATI 10.6 so I downloaded 9.3. BUT as I understood it’s incompatible with the new kernel (install gave some version errors)

Your X800 should be supported by the included radeon driver. (My X300 chipset performs far better with the radeon driver than it did with the proprietary fglrx driver!) If you’ve tried installing the proprietary driver, then remove it.

  1. Do you have /etc/X11/xorg.conf present? If so, I’d try removing or renaming it
mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf xorg.conf.bak
  1. Your /var/log/Xorg.0.log might reveal clues about what is failing. Post the output here.
#4

I tried installing proprietary driver but had the error from my first post so nothing to remove.

  1. I do have xorg.conf because of my attempts to fix X. There is no difference after remove.

  2. Some dumps:Xorg.0.log, dmesg, lsmod

I can see radeon module is loaded (lsmod). But I see in Xorg.0.log that:
[9.768] (EE) Failed to load module “fglrx” (module does not exist, 0)
Trying to load both modules?? :sarcastic:

#5

I was going to suggest you take the steps to remove the fglrx installation first. It makes several changes to the X-server, that can interfere with the radeon driver operation. This involves using the uninstallation script if installed via script ‘/usr/share/fglrx/fglrx-uninstall.sh’, or removing the RPM if repo method was used.

However, looking through Xorg.0.log, this error looks worrying

(EE) RADEON(0): No valid linear framebuffer address
     9.827] (II) UnloadModule: "radeon"
     9.827] (II) UnloadModule: "vgahw"
     9.827] (II) Unloading /usr/lib64/xorg/modules/libvgahw.so
     9.827] (EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.
     9.827] 
Fatal server error:
     9.827] no screens found

Although your chipset is listed as being supported, the ‘No valid framebuffer address’ error is a problem. I think I would folllow the advice given there

Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support
at X.Org Wiki - Home

Anyone else got suggestions here?

#6

Contact X.Org support? :sarcastic: It will be another week of unnecessary pain and I don’t think I have the nerves anymore.
C’mon people! Help the poor n00b :slight_smile:
Ubuntu 9.04 was able to start in “Try” mode but want SUSE.
There is some regression in the new kernel?

#7

  1. Did you try to remove the proprietary driver (inc libraries etc) yet?

  2. You could also try reading

openSUSE Graphic Card Practical Theory Guide for Users

SDB:Configuring graphics cards - openSUSE

and maybe create a basic xorg.conf with ‘Xorg -configure’, and try using the ‘vesa’ driver to get a basic desktop environment working.

  1. Failing that, I think I would be inclined to reinstall 11.3, and see if that helps.
#8

Reinstalled 2 times. Read all the guides. Tried ‘Xorg -configure’. No prop driver. Nothing has worked.

I don’t want to saw it but 2 hours ago I installed Ubuntu 9.10 and I worked like charm.

I read somewhere that there is regression in the new kernel. Or maybe there is ATI to blame? Anyway I really wanted to run latest openSUSE and I’m very disappointed.

Farewell and thanks for the help.

#9

I don’t want to saw it but 2 hours ago I installed Ubuntu 9.10 and I worked like charm.

I read somewhere that there is regression in the new kernel. Or maybe there is ATI to blame? Anyway I really wanted to run latest openSUSE and I’m very disappointed.

I understand your disappointment. I note that Ubuntu 9.10 uses the 2.6.31 kernel, so its a similar vintage to openSUSE 11.2 which would probably play nice with your graphics hardware. I’m assuming that Ubuntu 10.04/10.10 may give you similar problems if you decided to upgrade (depending on kernel and X-server verison).

#10

Yes I thought so about openSUSE 11.2 but I had 9.10 CD in my hands so I used it.
I tried Ubuntu 10.04 and Debian sid. Same result :slight_smile:
Maybe later I’ll switch to SUSE 11.2