ATI Radeon 2500 + openSUSE 10.2

tiddy · 12-20-2006, 02:53 PM

Hi, I have an ATI Radeon 2500 card and I recently upgraded my system from SUSE 10.1 to 10.2 (like, today) and found that the X server wouldn't start, I expected some difficulties because of what I have heard about these cards (ATI and nVidia) but when I was using SUSE 10.1 it worked with generic drivers (at least enough for me to install the official drivers). But now I get nothing.
I have followed the instructions at http://en.opensuse.org/ATI_Driver#op...x_10.2_-_fglrx but they don't work (when I try to download the drivers I get version 8.28.8 not 8.32.something) which won't let me create the rpm for suse 10.2 (only 10.1). Apparently it is because Xorg 7.2 (the version that 10.2 comes with) is still in development and not supported by ATI.

I have run out of ideas so please will someone help?

PS.
I have no screens or devices configured in xorg.conf, in the installation it said something like configure error (can't really remeber, but it definitely had the word "ERROR" in it and it was under the first heading in the monitor or device section (after it has installed))

tiddy · 12-20-2006, 03:47 PM

When I try to install generic drivers using ati-blah-8.28.8-blah.run it says that there are errors and they are in file /usr/share/fglrx/fglrx-install.log. Contents:

Code:

[Message] Kernel Module : Trying to install a precompiled kernel module.
[Message] Kernel Module : Precompiled kernel module version mismatched.
[Message] Kernel Module : Found kernel module build environment, generating kernel module now.
ATI module generator V 2.0
==========================
initializing...
Error:
kernel includes at /lib/modules/2.6.18.2-34-default/build/include do not match current kernel.
they are versioned as ""
instead of "2.6.18.2-34-default".
you might need to adjust your symlinks:
- /usr/include
- /usr/src/linux
[Error] Kernel Module : Failed to compile kernel module - please consult readme.

gbj · 12-21-2006, 08:35 AM

Try this page and good luck, I followed the instructions and got my ati radeon x300 pce card to work perfectly...http://www.suse.de/~sndirsch/ati-installer-HOWTO.html

tiddy · 12-22-2006, 06:26 AM

Making and installing the rpm from those instructions works fine but when I run aticonfig --initial it says something about no screens being configured and to try using the -f option. I did but that made no difference to what happens when I try to run gdm (or even X). I tried "SaX2 -r -m 0=fglrx" but it hangs after saying something like "will start own X server if needed" and then nothing happens. I don't know what to do!

tiddy · 12-22-2006, 10:56 AM

I have managed to get the display working with an xorg.conf copied from the installation system, and I have installed the fglrx drivers but when I run aticonfig --initial and then aticonfig --resolution=0,1600x1200,1280x1024,1024x768 and reboot an error comes up saying the X server has been disabled. So I replace the modified xorg.conf with the original and try to run SaX2 as root. the computer freezes the mouse (only the mouse) a couple of times, which can be fixed by doing Ctrl+Alt+F1 and then Alt+F7 when it happens, and then SaX gives the following:

Code:

joe@joes:~> su
Password: 
joes:/home/joe # sax2
SaX: initializing please wait...
SaX: your current configuration will not be read in

SaX: access to your display has been granted

This is where all the freezes and stuff occur, when they stop it says:

Code:

SaX: ups lost card during probing... abort
SaX: something went wrong while X was called with -probeonly
SaX: try to call 'sax2 -p' and select a single device ?
abort
joes:/home/joe #

Exactly the same error occurs with sax2 -r -m 0=fglrx (in runlevel 3 the same also)

tiddy · 12-22-2006, 11:59 AM

I am now convinced that is is a problem with my xorg.conf file, however I have no idea how this file works in terms of its format and what to put in it, is there a way to get SUSE to configure this for you? (Like Sax2 but not Sax2) Like in the installer at the end configuration stuff, if possible I would like to go to this part of the installer again, but it seems that this is not possible.

PS. I mean this screen: http://www.thecodingstudio.com/opens...%2010.2/23.gif

xbennyboy · 12-25-2006, 07:56 PM

I think there is a repair mode on the Suse 10.2 cd that would allow you to do that. Try booting from the cd again and check.

tiddy · 12-28-2006, 02:36 PM

As far as I can tell from the descriptions of the repair tools there is nothing that will allow me to do this, I will check again tomorrow, any other suggestions in the meantime?

Thanks

tiddy · 12-29-2006, 10:02 AM

No, on the repair menu there is Automatic Repair, which doesn't do anything to xorg.conf, there is also Customised Repair, which only lets you select which processes of those in Automatic Repair to go through - since Automatic Repair is no good, this isn't either. The last option is Expert Tools which allow me to install a new bootloader, start the partitoning tool, repair a file system, reconver a lost partition, save system settings to a floppy and verify installed software, none of which look like they might allow me to reconfigure xorg.conf.

tiddy · 12-29-2006, 01:00 PM

Sorry, problem is now definitely with fglrx driver. I am using this xorg.conf:

Code:

# generic XFree86 4.x configuration file

Section "Files"
  FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/truetype/"
  FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/uni/"
  FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/misc/"
  ModulePath    "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
  InputDevices    "/dev/ttyS0"
  InputDevices    "/dev/ttyS1"
  InputDevices    "/dev/ttyS2"
  InputDevices    "/dev/ttyS3"
  InputDevices    "/dev/ttyS4"
  InputDevices    "/dev/ttyS5"
  InputDevices    "/dev/ttyS6"
  InputDevices    "/dev/ttyS7"
  InputDevices    "/dev/ttyS8"
  InputDevices    "/dev/psaux"
  InputDevices    "/dev/logibm"
  InputDevices    "/dev/sunmouse"
  InputDevices    "/dev/atibm"
  InputDevices    "/dev/amigamouse"
  InputDevices    "/dev/atarimouse"
  InputDevices    "/dev/inportbm"
  InputDevices    "/dev/gpmdata"
  InputDevices    "/dev/usbmouse"
  InputDevices    "/dev/adbmouse"
  InputDevices    "/dev/input/mice"
  InputDevices    "/dev/input/event0"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
  Option        "AllowMouseOpenFail"
  Option        "BlankTime"    "0"
EndSection

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

Section "InputDevice"
  Driver        "kbd"
  Identifier    "Keyboard[0]"
  Option        "Protocol"        "Standard"
  Option        "XkbRules"        "xfree86"
  Option        "XkbKeycodes"    "xfree86"
  Option        "XkbModel"        "pc104"
  Option        "XkbLayout"        "gb"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
  Driver        "mouse"
  Identifier    "Mouse[1]"
  Option        "Protocol" "explorerps/2"
  Option        "Device"   "/dev/input/mice"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
  HorizSync        25-40
  Identifier    "Monitor[0]"
  ModelName        "Initial"
  VendorName    "Initial"
  VertRefresh    47-75
  UseModes        "Modes[0]"
EndSection

Section "Modes"
  Identifier    "Modes[0]"
  Modeline        "800x600" 40.0   800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
  Modeline        "640x480" 31.5   640 656 720 840  480 481 484 500 # 6. Try
  Modeline        "640x480" 31.5   640 680 720 864  480 488 491 521 # 5. Try
  Modeline        "640x480" 28     640 664 760 800  480 491 493 525 # 4. Try
  Modeline        "640x480" 28.32  640 664 760 800  480 491 493 525 # 3. Try
  Modeline        "640x480" 25.18  640 664 760 800  480 491 493 525 # 2. Try
  Modeline        "640x480" 25.175 640 664 760 800  480 491 493 525 # 1. Try
EndSection

Section "Screen"
#@DefaultDepth@
  SubSection "Display"
    Depth        24
    Modes        "1280x1024"
  EndSubSection
  Device        "Device[0]"
  Identifier    "Screen[0]"
  Monitor        "Monitor[0]"
EndSection

# Device Sections...
# -------------------
Section "Device"
  Driver        "fbdev"
  Identifier    "Device[0]"
  # fbdev_options
  # Option        "ShadowFB"    "off"
EndSection

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

In this bit:

Code:

# Device Sections...
# -------------------
Section "Device"
  Driver        "fbdev"
  Identifier    "Device[0]"
  # fbdev_options
  # Option        "ShadowFB"    "off"
EndSection

I replaced Driver "fbdev" with Driver "fglrx", which is the driver that aticonfig --initial puts in (but in it's own device section -- which doesn't work either) and I get the same error.

tiddy · 01-03-2007, 06:01 AM

I downloaded Ubuntu 6.10 and the installer doesn't work with my graphics card, I can honestly begin to see where all these windows trolls get it all from. I give up -- windows here I come.

danr677 · 02-14-2007, 03:59 PM

I think the reason for your problem was the same as mine: ATI dropped the support for your card (as well as mine, Radeon 8500) in the new drivers. But couldn't find a note about it. Lousy support from ATI. I seems that what I could read everywhere was right: ATI support for linux is to say the least lousy. I will try to install somehow the Xorg 7.1, maybe I have success.

swampdog2002 · 02-14-2007, 07:13 PM

Are you certain that your card is a Radeon 2500? I did not realize that this nomenclature applied to any ATI Radeon series of cards. If it is something like a 7500 (which is one that I own), then as danr677 pointed out support is no longer available for ATI's proprietary drivers. You will have to use one of the built-in drivers supplied with the xorg configuration. There is a post in the Slackware forum that I know of that does a relatively decent job of explaining how to enable this for legacy ATI cards, and it should apply to SuSE as well.

tiddy · 02-15-2007, 08:43 AM

V. Sorry, it was a Radeon 9250 (typo), and I have got rid of it now anyway. I think I will get one from the nvidia geforce, are there any known problems with these cards?

swampdog2002 · 02-15-2007, 10:58 AM

The NVIDIA series of cards, as many other Linux users seem to agree, have much better support for the proper installation of the driver for Linux. I believe the cutoff for official support for NVIDIA for their proprietary driver is at least a card from the Geforce 2 family, as you will need to use the legacy driver (71.84) for older cards. I don't know necessarily of any issues with the NVIDIA cards, other than possibly compatibility. I can attest to the relative ease of installation of the NVIDIA drivers as opposed to that of ATI. If you need to compile a driver for your kernel, ensure that you have the kernel source installed for your particular kernel before installing the NVIDIA driver.