LinuxQuestions.org - Problems with ATI fglrx driver and Power Management

Mods, feel free to move this to a more appropriate place. Posted this under General because it involves both hardware and software and maybe Distro.

I'm using a desktop PC that I built, with PCLinuxOS v.2009.1. There seems to be a conflict with the kernel or ATI driver so that when the system is idle for say, an hour, the screen goes black and will NOT wake up. It flickers, then goes black. Nothing but a reboot will get the system to wake up. I've found some discussion about this in here and elsewhere, but not much in the way of solutions.

FWIW, I login to X from runlevel 3 using "startx". Doesn't matter if I'm in X, or in console, the system goes into suspend and can't wake up.

I've turned off Power Management in KDE. Tried it with and without a screensaver. I've tried various commands involving ACPI in Grub, until the system couldn't even boot anymore.

I've reinstalled 3 times.

I've read about ATI's "Catalyst" or fglrx being incompatible with the 2.6.26+ kernels or GLX or something. I've spent WEEKS trying to find a solution to this.

I'm wondering if I can change something in xorg.conf, or change to a different driver, or go back to an older kernel that worked (2.6.18.8), or just buy a new video card that doesn't have conflicts. That last solution will suck because one of the reasons I bought this mobo is because the video is so good and it "was" supported in Linux.

SYSTEM INFORMATION:

Kernel 2.6.26.8.tex3

ati_8-x version 8.12-1pclos2007

using:
dkms-fglrx version 8.12-1pclos2007
x11-driver-video-fglrx version 8.12-1pclos2007

======================

OpenGL
DIRECT RENDERING
3D Accelerator
Vendor - ATI Technologies, Inc.
Device - Radeon HD 3200 Graphics
Subvendor - Giga-byte Techmology

DRIVER
Vendor - ATI Technologies, Inc.
Renderer - Radeon HD 3200 Graphics
OpenGL version - 2.1.8304 Release
Kernel module - fglrx

INDIRECT RENDERING
Vendor - ATI Technologies, Inc.
Renderer - Radeon HD 3200 Graphics
OpenGL version - 1.4 (2.1.8304 Release)

GLX
server GLX vendor - SGI
server GLX version - 1.2
client GLX vendor - SGI
client GLX version - 1.4

GLU version 1.3

==================================

xorg-x11 version 7.2.0-2pclos2009

xorg.conf:

Section "ServerFlags"
#DontZap # disable <Ctrl><Alt><BS> (server abort)
AllowMouseOpenFail # allows the server to start up even if the mouse does not work
#DontZoom # disable <Ctrl><Alt><KP_+>/<KP_-> (resolution switching)
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dbe" # Double-Buffering Extension
Load "v4l" # Video for Linux
Load "extmod"
Load "type1"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx" # 3D layer
Load "dri" # direct rendering
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard1"
Driver "kbd"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
Option "XkbOptions" "compose:rwin"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse1"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "monitor1"
VendorName "Plug'n Play"
ModelName "SyncMaster"
HorizSync 30-81
VertRefresh 56-75
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "device1"
VendorName "ATI Technologies Inc"
BoardName "ATI Radeon X1300 and later"
Driver "fglrx"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "screen1"
Device "device1"
Monitor "monitor1"
DefaultColorDepth 24

Subsection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1600x1200" "1400x1050" "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1600x1200" "1400x1050" "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1600x1200" "1400x1050" "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1600x1200" "1400x1050" "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
EndSubsection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "layout1"
InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer"
Screen "screen1"
EndSection

======================

Sincerest thanks for any and all help.