[SOLVED] Blank screen with proprietary ATI driver

andrewthomas · 07-12-2011, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTK358

OK, I'll try that. But do they have to be installed in that order?

Since catalyst-utils is a dependency of catalyst, then that should be first. I don't think that it matters with the last two.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTK358

I don't see any big disadvantage, the only thing I could think of is if you want to unload and reload the module for some reason before rebooting. On the other hand, it might be better since when I boot it up I don't have to wait for it to compile before I can start using X.

Yeah, that is why I think that the hook would be better.

MTK358 · 07-12-2011, 01:58 PM

OK, I installed the packages in this order:

catalyst-utils
catalyst
catalyst-hook

Note that when installing catalyst-hook, it said that it conflicts with catalyst and that catalyst has to be removed (so I removed it).

My current xorg.conf says to use the open-source driver:

Code:

Section "Device"
	Identifier "Default Device"
	Driver "radeon"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier "DVI-0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier "DVI-1"
	Option "RightOf" "DVI-0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier "Default Screen"
        SubSection "Display"
                Virtual 2560 1024
        EndSubSection
EndSection

. Should I change it to say "fglrx", or is it more complicated? And do I need to reboot, or just quit X and start it again?

andrewthomas · 07-12-2011, 02:06 PM

I think that you need to do

Code:

aticonfig --initial

to fix your xorg.conf

MTK358 · 07-12-2011, 02:59 PM

I restarted X, and everything froze. I hit reset, and then decided to try again just in case, and it works! But the problem is that both monitors now show the same image. I looked at the new xorg.conf, and saw this:

Code:

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

Section "Module"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "DVI-0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "DVI-1"
	Option	    "RightOf" "DVI-0"
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  "Default Device"
	Driver      "radeon"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier  "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"
	Driver      "fglrx"
	BusID       "PCI:2:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Default Screen"
	SubSection "Display"
		Virtual   2560 1024
	EndSubSection
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

I modified it be be like this:

Code:

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier     "aticonfig Layout"
	Screen      0  "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0" 0 0
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 "Monitor"
	Identifier   "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"
	Option	    "VendorName" "ATI Proprietary Driver"
	Option	    "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor"
	Option	    "DPMS" "true"
	Option      "RightOf" "DFP1"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier  "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"
	Driver      "fglrx"
	BusID       "PCI:2:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0"
	Device     "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"
	Monitor    "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"
	DefaultDepth     24
	SubSection "Display"
		Virtual   2560 1024
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     24
	EndSubSection
EndSection

But it still shows the same image on both monitors. When I try to do it with the xrandr command, it fails:

Code:

$ xrandr --output CRT1 --right-of DFP1
xrandr: screen cannot be larger than 1600x1600 (desired size 2560x1024)

, even though I have this line on the xorg.conf:

Code:

		Virtual   2560 1024

. What should I do?

andrewthomas · 07-12-2011, 03:41 PM

I think that you may have to have two different identifiers for the two monitors. Maybe have a look at the unofficial ATI-wiki:

Use extended desktop with two monitors (dual-head and big desktop)
with two monitors connected:

Code:

sudo aticonfig --initial=dual-head --screen-layout=right

This command will generate a dual head configuration file with the second screen located to the right of the first screen.

Code:

sudo aticonfig --dtop=horizontal --overlay-on=1

This command will set up big desktop to horizontal and set overlay on the secondary display.

Code:

sudo aticonfig --set-pcs-val=MCIL,DigitalHDTVDefaultUnderscan,0

http://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Configuring

MTK358 · 07-12-2011, 03:51 PM

What does "extended desktop" and "overlay" mean?

MTK358 · 07-12-2011, 05:47 PM

I tried all three of those options and all of them don't work. The window manager thinks that the desktop is only as big as the first monitor, but I can move the cursor into the second one and it turns into a square with random white dots in it. This happens with all of the above commands.

business_kid · 07-13-2011, 02:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTK358

I tried all three of those options and all of them don't work. The window manager thinks that the desktop is only as big as the first monitor, but I can move the cursor into the second one and it turns into a square with random white dots in it. This happens with all of the above commands.

Have you a line in xorg.conf.d beginning with 'Virtual'? That tells it screen size, e.g.

Code:

Virtual 2048 768

Would be for 2 x 1024x768 monitors.

MTK358 · 07-13-2011, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by business_kid

Have you a line in xorg.conf.d

Is that a mistake, or do you really mean xorg.conf.d?

Quote:

beginning with 'Virtual'? That tells it screen size, e.g.

Code:

Virtual 2048 768

I did in my xorg.conf. Read my previous posts.

MTK358 · 07-13-2011, 09:25 AM

I see that there's a directory called xorg.conf.d. What do you mean by putting a line in a directory? Does putting it in the xorg.conf do the same thing?

And still, could someone explain what does "extended desktop" and "overlay" means?

MTK358 · 07-13-2011, 10:47 AM

I kept hearing about "Catalyst Control Center", but I didn't know how to start it. I found out that it's named "amdcccle", and i did have it installed. I figured out how to sep up the dual monitors with it, and now everything seems to work.