[Solved] Help me, total black screen

saif · 2010-07-03 04:39:10

Hello there, I have been using ArchLinx for a while now, and Its my favorite distro.

The problem is, im not sure why, but ArchLinux boots up and then it shows a black screen and I can do anything. No Terminal, no ctrl+F1, no mouse, no response. All the bootup loads normally, hal, dbus, and drivers... I think it happens when Xorg Starts.

Two months ago I had ArchLinux running with Xorg 1.7 and catalyst 10.4 but I tried that now and It didnt work either.

I am running an autologin with Gnome desktop environment. My video card is a Radeon 4870hd 512mb. Only xf86-video-ati and xf86-video-vesa do work. Anything else, does not.

I have tried many things, such as many driver versions, Xorg 1.7 and current 1.8. usually configured with Xorg -configure and aticonfig --initial (also tried turning ACPI off, setting up the nomodest, etc)

Thanks in advance!
Saif

Last edited by saif (2010-07-09 16:24:10)

cesura · 2010-07-03 05:13:30

What method are you using to start Xorg on boot?

satanalin · 2010-07-03 07:44:52

same problem after upgrade. boot up and doesn't response ctrl+f1. how i understand, it's xorg and catalyst again. so... now i'm in kubuntu live and try to remember how to get acccess to arch directories (it's mounted, but i haven't permissions) to have manipulations with xorg.conf and pacman.conf ... so..
start live distro, get access to arch (need help), fix xorg to vesa, reboot and forbid in pacman new drivers and set up the most suitable for you

saif · 2010-07-03 16:57:00

I managed to fix this through Ubuntu's live cd and access the files with admin rights in there... But I would have liked to do this without that.. what could I have done?

In any case, accessing console through ctrl+F# looks screwed, and it is not readable... It seems overall linux sucks for ati users still or Arch isn't for me

Last edited by saif (2010-07-03 17:14:14)

a_priori_mouse · 2010-07-03 22:48:04

saif wrote:

I managed to fix this through Ubuntu's live cd and access the files with admin rights in there... But I would have liked to do this without that.. what could I have done?

You should use a single-user runlevel for system recovery
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Boo … Frc.single
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Runlevels

cesura · 2010-07-03 22:55:10

saif wrote:

I managed to fix this through Ubuntu's live cd and access the files with admin rights in there... But I would have liked to do this without that.. what could I have done?
In any case, accessing console through ctrl+F# looks screwed, and it is not readable... It seems overall linux sucks for ati users still or Arch isn't for me

Could you elaborate on what you did, to help future users reading this thread?

EDIT: ATI has been the most reliable for me, in both Linux and *BSD.

Last edited by cesura (2010-07-03 22:56:17)

saif · 2010-07-04 15:47:26

Well I dont know what to elaborate, I have been using catalyst 10.5 drivers for a while without problems.

When Updated to 10.6, Xorg launches with an inevitable black screen without the ability to push any button, write anything or do anything.

Going back to vesa drivers worked fine, but the terminal looks screwed, text glitches, appearing and disappearing and invisible parts of the texts, so I cant work through the console terminal.

I guess I will re do a clean install with non proprietary drivers until 10.7 come out

To install drivers, I downlaod them through yaourt and configure using aticonfig --initial --input=/etc/X11/xorg.conf

worked fine at first at least

Last edited by saif (2010-07-04 15:50:58)

nixpunk · 2010-07-04 15:59:25

Have you examined your Xorg log files? You might want to post the output here.

valium97582 · 2010-07-04 22:36:17

Well, I think it would be better to just use the open source (not official) ATI drivers, namely xf86-video-ati and xf86-video-radeonhd. Catalyst has been reportedly actually slower than the open source radeonhd driver and open source xf86-video-ati.

Personally, I use the xf86-video-ati, and I do not have any problems with video. Only audio is problematic in my Toshiba Sattelite S60 with ALSA. OSS works perfectly.

Anyway, I cannot see clear reasons for using the Catalyst driver.

edit:

The wiki has a very good comparision between the xf86-video-ati and xf86-video-radeonhd drivers.
Just do not remember where.:rolleyes:

Last edited by valium97582 (2010-07-04 22:38:15)

saif · 2010-07-05 00:00:00

open source drivers dont have a good 3D support, and I play some games through wine..

saif · 2010-07-05 05:12:20

a_priori_mouse wrote:

saif wrote:
I managed to fix this through Ubuntu's live cd and access the files with admin rights in there... But I would have liked to do this without that.. what could I have done?
You should use a single-user runlevel for system recovery
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Boo … Frc.single
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Runlevels

Thank you, that was really usefull. Should be mentioned in the newbie wiki.

Terminal is still screwed up with vesa drivers, installed gnome-terminal to work anyway for now.
Going to reinstall catalyst and report you the logs of xorg

saif · 2010-07-05 05:24:19

Here my log file

http://www.scribd.com/doc/33900301

And I confirm that radeonhd drivers dont work either...

Last edited by saif (2010-07-05 05:54:08)

przemo_li · 2010-07-05 06:28:27

The same problem. ATI 5730 Mobile, and Catalyst 10.6 makes black screen. Logs show no error nor wornings

I've come form ubuntu, recently, because I could not install them properly.
I've read that for some they are not working and it may be caused by new 2D acceleration architecture. Maybe it is it. Anyone knows how to disable it? (and use older acc. arch.)

saif · 2010-07-05 06:39:43

use the runlevel 1 (http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Runlevels) in the boot and reconfigure xorg with vesa will make it work again

Last edited by saif (2010-07-05 07:00:35)

przemo_li · 2010-07-05 06:44:17

I've not set auto X start at boot up, but started it with startx I've just removed x.org.conf created by aticonfig --initial

And resolution you can insert manually in xorg configs

saif · 2010-07-05 07:01:33

hmm.. so you got it to work? I was wrong last time, it wasn't working... I guess I give up, will look to install 10.5 from old repos

Last edited by saif (2010-07-05 07:12:18)

przemo_li · 2010-07-05 07:16:48

no I do not
however I try hard

saif · 2010-07-05 07:43:57

adding !radeon in modules in the rc.conf file boots up correctly after catalyst install. fglrx driver is loaded, though catalyst control center says there is no driver installed... at least is something. though cant even watch videos on Smplayer. Will install catalyst-test 10.4 version

Last edited by saif (2010-07-05 07:49:32)

przemo_li · 2010-07-05 07:54:58

aticonfig --set-pcs-str=DDX,ForceXAA,TRUE

this should disable new arch

saif · 2010-07-05 09:28:53

Okay, I give up totally. Tried everything, only driver working is Vesa. Radeonhd and Catalyst Propiertrary drivers give black screen.
Tried adding fglrx in module, nomodest, and lots of other stuff and no way.

Vesa works fine except it doesnt have 3d acceleration to play some games through wine... hopefully someone comes with new ideas

bye

sultanoswing · 2010-07-05 12:13:02

Black desktop - you sure you've activated your genuine copy of Arch?

Seriously though - some of the ATI users on these boards who claimed ATI's drivers were now up to snuff (yes, I know, stop laughing) - suggested using the unofficial catalyst-testing repository, which contains Xorg fixes. It may work for you. Or you could just buy / borrow and nvidia card and be done with it.

ATI Catalyst Wiki Page [http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/ATI_Catalyst]

Catalyst-test from AUR [http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=34773]

Good luck!

Last edited by sultanoswing (2010-07-06 09:29:54)

saif · 2010-07-08 18:08:41

Yes, I have tried catalyst-test, Old Catalyst 10.5 and 10.4. Even xf86-video-radeonhd doesn't work.

And now I have also tried xorg-server-1.7 and still getting the damn black screen. Dont know what happened since two months ago where everything was working fine and I could even play warcraft III and use 3D applications

I Really hope it is fixed in future versions of 'don't know which file'. I guess in the meanwhile I am stuck with xf86-video-ati drivers and dual boot with windows

If any more ideas, will be appreciated

Last edited by saif (2010-07-08 18:10:30)

saif · 2010-07-09 16:23:57

I have fixed it, I was adding fglrx in the DAEMONS array and not in the MODULES array in the rc.conf.

Thanks everyone

Arch Linux

#1 2010-07-03 04:39:10

[Solved] Help me, total black screen

#2 2010-07-03 05:13:30

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#3 2010-07-03 07:44:52

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#4 2010-07-03 16:57:00

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#5 2010-07-03 22:48:04

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#6 2010-07-03 22:55:10

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#7 2010-07-04 15:47:26

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#8 2010-07-04 15:59:25

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#9 2010-07-04 22:36:17

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#10 2010-07-05 00:00:00

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#11 2010-07-05 05:12:20

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#12 2010-07-05 05:24:19

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#13 2010-07-05 06:28:27

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#14 2010-07-05 06:39:43

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#15 2010-07-05 06:44:17

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#16 2010-07-05 07:01:33

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#17 2010-07-05 07:16:48

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#18 2010-07-05 07:43:57

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#19 2010-07-05 07:54:58

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#20 2010-07-05 09:28:53

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#21 2010-07-05 12:13:02

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#22 2010-07-08 18:08:41

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

#23 2010-07-09 16:23:57

Re: [Solved] Help me, total black screen

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