[solved] Yet another recent update oddities thread (related to ati)

sjb933 · 2010-04-13 03:38:07

Well, for a while now everything has been working kosher on my laptop with exception to resuming from suspend (which seems to be a coinflip... it works fine or I get the black screen + cursor, nothing else).

The recent kernel + xf86-video-ati updates have caused a few noticeable changes/problems:

1) loading udev events on boot seems to take longer, and I also happened to notice that while this is loading the screen will blank once, and then return with the ARCH logo at the top no longer displayed in the framebuffer... not really an issue, just an observation (though I don't like the slightly slower boot time).

2) The problem: Now if I run compiz-fusion I end up with an all white screen + cursor. Standard rendering works fine using gnome/metacity.

I figured 2 was solely linked to the video driver, so I downgraded back to the 6.12.4-3 version (from the newer 6.12.192-1 version -- which to me looks older based on the version numbers??). Anyways, here's the proof that I've downgraded correctly:

[shane@shane-arch ~]$ pacman -Qi xf86-video-ati
Name           : xf86-video-ati
Version        : 6.12.4-3
URL            : http://xorg.freedesktop.org/
Licenses       : custom  
Groups         : xorg-video-drivers  
Provides       : None
Depends On     : libdrm>=2.4.17-2  libpciaccess  ati-dri>=7.7  pixman>=0.16.4  
Optional Deps  : None
Required By    : None
Conflicts With : xorg-server<1.7.0  
Replaces       : None
Installed Size : 728.00 K
Packager       : Andreas Radke <andyrtr@archlinux.org>
Architecture   : i686
Build Date     : Sat 26 Dec 2009 02:35:03 PM CST
Install Date   : Mon 12 Apr 2010 10:04:42 PM CDT
Install Reason : Explicitly installed
Install Script : No
Description    : X.org ati video driver

[shane@shane-arch ~]$ sudo yaourt -Syu
Password: 
:: Synchronizing package databases...
 core                      35.8K  129.1K/s 00:00:00 [#####################] 100%
 extra                    450.8K  329.5K/s 00:00:01 [#####################] 100%
 community                364.7K  193.9K/s 00:00:02 [#####################] 100%
 archlinuxfr                8.7K   42.1K/s 00:00:00 [#####################] 100%

==> Software upgrade (new version) :
core/mdadm 3.1.1-2 -> 3.1.2-2
extra/xf86-video-ati 6.12.4-3 -> 6.12.192-1
extra/git 1.7.0.4-1 -> 1.7.0.5-1

==>  Continue installing ? [Y/n]
==>  [V]iew package detail [M]anualy select packages
==>   ----------------------------------------------
==>n

[shane@shane-arch ~]$

However, the problem still persists! So my question is, what changed in the kernel that could be causing this? KMS was running fine before, so I don't see that as being the problem...

There are no errors in my Xorg.0.log file, and glxinfo shows that direct rendering is indeed working.

*sigh*

Thanks in advance,

-Shane

Last edited by sjb933 (2010-04-21 21:44:48)

sjb933 · 2010-04-13 18:25:03

Wow.. resuming from suspend is completely broken now too. Won't even power on the backlight/screen at all. This is the worst kernel update I've had in ages.

Chokkan · 2010-04-16 12:43:13

I feel your pain. I'm using an ATI card in my desktop and have a white screen with just a cursor when I try to use compiz. Everything is fine in Openbox, which I'm using now. I want candy.

sjb933 · 2010-04-20 21:07:04

I wish me (or someone) could pin this one down... I can't find anything weird in the log. :-/

I've rolled back to the 2.6.32 kernel and 6.12.4-3 ati driver and everything is kosher now. I can provide packages if you'd like. I'm just going to skip this round of updates (at least the kernel & vid driver)

-Shane

oldmerovingian · 2010-04-20 22:30:21

Have you tried disabling KMS? KMS was not enabled in 2.6.32 by default, but it is in 2.6.33

Try adding radeon.modeset=0 or nomodeset to the kernel line. Chances are it will fix your problem.

Edit: Are you sure you were using KMS in 2.6.32?

Last edited by oldmerovingian (2010-04-20 22:34:44)

ssri · 2010-04-21 00:19:43

oldmerovingian wrote:

Have you tried disabling KMS? KMS was not enabled in 2.6.32 by default, but it is in 2.6.33
Try adding radeon.modeset=0 or nomodeset to the kernel line. Chances are it will fix your problem.
Edit: Are you sure you were using KMS in 2.6.32?

I was about to say the same thing. I believe the blank screen refresh while booting is related to kms being enabled. Also, resuming from suspend works perfectly fine here. My specs: ATi mobility x2300 (R500) and xf86-video-ati-git from aur (pulled circa the release of xf86-video-ati 6.13). However, I had issues with the openssl update crashing kdm due to the fact that I use kdemod and the maintainers were on the road at the time. Thankfully they updated the situation and uploaded the compatible packages within 24 hours. Anyways, that problem is neither here nor there. I just wanted to illustrate that updating is not always flawless. Back to your issue, like OM said, try to disable kms.

ssri

sjb933 · 2010-04-21 21:44:15

Well guys, thanks a ton! Disabling kms did fix the prob. I thought it was already on in .32

Anyways thanks again!

-Shane

Arch Linux

#1 2010-04-13 03:38:07

[solved] Yet another recent update oddities thread (related to ati)

#2 2010-04-13 18:25:03

Re: [solved] Yet another recent update oddities thread (related to ati)

#3 2010-04-16 12:43:13

Re: [solved] Yet another recent update oddities thread (related to ati)

#4 2010-04-20 21:07:04

Re: [solved] Yet another recent update oddities thread (related to ati)

#5 2010-04-20 22:30:21

Re: [solved] Yet another recent update oddities thread (related to ati)

#6 2010-04-21 00:19:43

Re: [solved] Yet another recent update oddities thread (related to ati)

#7 2010-04-21 21:44:15

Re: [solved] Yet another recent update oddities thread (related to ati)

Board footer