Arch Linux

Haikarainen

Member

Registered: 2012-09-04

Posts: 93

Very weird AMD & dualboot related bug.

After a recent upgrade to the latest beta driver for my AMD GPU, I started facing some truly annoying issues. I know this might be more related to windows than linux, but as there is a possibility this bug happens on the linux-side, I'm still posting it here.

So, here's what happens;
I run a dualboot setup between ArchLinux x64 and Windows 8.1, I initially had the 14.1 catalyst driver installed on both sides, but after I had rebooted from Linux into Windows after a recent upgrade (-Syu), I was faced with a black screen in Windows. Everything worked fine, it just displayed nothing.

Turns out my GPU driver kept crashing and restoring itself. Reinstalling the beta driver in windows didn't work, so I downgraded the driver to the stable counterpart (13.x, still in windows), then it just started working.  So I went along with my life. Now, when I've been inside Linux and tried to boot back into Windows again, I was faced with the exact, same, problem. This is weird as this problem didn't occur before (even with both driver versions being equal, latest beta). It happened after a huge upgrade via pacman, and I suspect something happened in the kernel, that makes the Linux binary driver send weird stuff to the GPU, which in turn borks up the windows driver.

I am mostly wondering if anyone else faces this issue or similiar issues? Or can easily try to replicate it.

Tomorrow I will find some windows-forum that looks legit and post there too, and I know I probably should've started there, but I just want to collect information here.

My specs;

Windows 8.1 64 bit
ArchLinux x86_64
Kernel as of writing: 3.12.9 (package version 2)
AMD R9 280X
AMD FX-4170

Any help, suggestions or hints are greatly appreciated!

HarlemSquirrel

Member

From: US-East

Registered: 2014-01-22

Posts: 130

Website

Re: Very weird AMD & dualboot related bug.

I have an HD 6670 GPU and dual boot Windows 7 and Arch Linux. I am using Windows less and less these days with many Steam games now running native on Linux. Beta drivers are fine for testing, but I have run into issues and so have chosen to remain stable and just read about the goodies on the way!  Also, I find the open source ATI driver on Linux to be more smooth and stable with my system. The only tweak I have now is radeon.dpm=1 as a kernel parameter. Maybe your issue lies with dynamic power management?

On a side note, I am beginning to consider upgrading; how do you like the performance of your R9 280X on Linux aside from this issue?

Last edited by HarlemSquirrel (2014-02-15 16:40:41)

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Haikarainen

Member

Registered: 2012-09-04

Posts: 93

Re: Very weird AMD & dualboot related bug.

I have an HD 6670 GPU and dual boot Windows 7 and Arch Linux. I am using Windows less and less these days with many Steam games now running native on Linux. Beta drivers are fine for testing, but I have run into issues and so have chosen to remain stable and just read about the goodies on the way!  Also, I find the open source ATI driver on Linux to be more smooth and stable with my system. The only tweak I have now is radeon.dpm=1 as a kernel parameter. Maybe your issue lies with dynamic power management?

On a side note, I am beginning to consider upgrading; how do you like the performance of your R9 280X on Linux aside from this issue?

I've tried the opensource driver, lately it's never been on par with the binary driver, either with my HD6870 or my R9 280X.

Sourcegames are barely playable with  the opensource driver for me with both my GPUs.
Binary driver performs very well in the games I play in Linux though (Team fortress 2, L4D2 etc).

I've noticed a big performance increase in these games on Linux when going from XFX HD6870 to XFX R9 280X though,  although it shouldn't really be ANY difference as any source-game shouldn't have any performance decreases on any of the cards. Although they do, and the decreases are much worse on the 6870.

Now, if you are looking to upgrade, I would go for windows comparisons, as the drivers and games on there are way more mature then the Linux counterparts. This way you can make the right choice  and reap the benefits when Linux comes on par. I would highly recommend the R9 280X, I have a constant > 120 FPS in Ultra in Battlefield 4 with the mantle drivers and my new card,  compared to ~30-50 FPS  in BF4 on Low settings with my 6870. HUGE difference. The difference would be way huger for you as you are currently on the 6670, which is slightly less performing than the 6870 (My brother has the 6670 so I know how it performs).

That being said; I will never set my foot on the opensource drivers again, AMD is doing a great job nowadays, and if it comes down to the binary blob no more being available, I'll rather be considering a switch to NVidia.