mjhjmtu

I have a Dell Inspiron 15r laptop with Intel CoreI7 4500u and an AMD Radeon 8600 HD and recently I have installed a Debian Jessie Linux with XFCE desktop.

My problem is this: I try to install Fglrx AMD Driver, but when I enable it XServer won't work, the log contains the following message :

 [ 226.609] 
X.Org X Server 1.16.4
Release Date: 2014-12-20
[ 226.612] X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
[ 226.613] Build Operating System: Linux 3.16.0-4-amd64 x86_64 Debian
[ 226.614] Current Operating System: Linux localhost 3.16.0-4-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 3.16.7-ckt7-1 (2015-03-01) x86_64
[ 226.614] Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-3.16.0-4-amd64 root=UUID=5aa12b5b-ac46-4da0-8d99-4b981388ce53 ro quiet
[ 226.616] Build Date: 11 February 2015 12:32:02AM
[ 226.617] xorg-server 2:1.16.4-1 (http://www.debian.org/support) 
[ 226.618] Current version of pixman: 0.32.6
[ 226.620] Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
 to make sure that you have the latest version.
[ 226.620] Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
 (++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
 (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
[ 226.624] (==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Fri Apr 3 02:41:21 2015
[ 226.625] (==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
[ 226.626] (==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
[ 226.626] (==) ServerLayout "aticonfig Layout"
[ 226.626] (**) |-->Screen "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0" (0)
[ 226.626] (**) | |-->Monitor "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"
[ 226.626] (**) | |-->Device "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"
[ 226.626] (==) Automatically adding devices
[ 226.626] (==) Automatically enabling devices
[ 226.626] (==) Automatically adding GPU devices
[ 226.627] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic" does not exist.
[ 226.627] Entry deleted from font path.
[ 226.627] (==) FontPath set to:
 /usr/share/fonts/X11/misc,
 /usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/:unscaled,
 /usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/:unscaled,
 /usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1,
 /usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi,
 /usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi,
 built-ins
[ 226.627] (==) ModulePath set to "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
[ 226.627] (II) The server relies on udev to provide the list of input devices.
 If no devices become available, reconfigure udev or disable AutoAddDevices.
[ 226.627] (II) Loader magic: 0x7f3350a68d80
[ 226.627] (II) Module ABI versions:
[ 226.627] X.Org ANSI C Emulation: 0.4
[ 226.627] X.Org Video Driver: 18.0
[ 226.627] X.Org XInput driver : 21.0
[ 226.627] X.Org Server Extension : 8.0
[ 226.627] (II) xfree86: Adding drm device (/dev/dri/card0)
[ 226.628] (--) PCI:*(0:0:2:0) 8086:0a16:1028:05ea rev 9, Mem @ 0xc0000000/4194304, 0xb0000000/268435456, I/O @ 0x00005000/64
[ 226.628] (--) PCI: (0:3:0:0) 1002:6660:1028:05ea rev 0, Mem @ 0xa0000000/268435456, 0xc0500000/262144, I/O @ 0x00003000/256, BIOS @ 0x????????/131072
[ 226.628] (II) "glx" will be loaded by default.
[ 226.628] (II) LoadModule: "glx"
[ 226.628] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/linux/libglx.so
[ 226.628] (II) Module glx: vendor="Advanced Micro Devices, Inc."
[ 226.628] compiled for 6.9.0, module version = 1.0.0
[ 226.628] (II) LoadModule: "fglrx"
[ 226.629] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/fglrx_drv.so
[ 226.648] (II) Module fglrx: vendor="FireGL - AMD Technologies Inc."
[ 226.648] compiled for 1.4.99.906, module version = 14.20.7
[ 226.648] Module class: X.Org Video Driver
[ 226.649] (II) Loading sub module "fglrxdrm"
[ 226.649] (II) LoadModule: "fglrxdrm"
[ 226.649] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/linux/libfglrxdrm.so
[ 226.649] (II) Module fglrxdrm: vendor="FireGL - AMD Technologies Inc."
[ 226.649] compiled for 1.4.99.906, module version = 14.20.7
[ 226.649] (II) AMD Proprietary Linux Driver Version Identifier:14.20.7
[ 226.649] (II) AMD Proprietary Linux Driver Release Identifier: UNSUPPORTED-14.201.1006.1002 
[ 226.649] (II) AMD Proprietary Linux Driver Build Date: Sep 2 2014 10:14:55
[ 226.649] (++) using VT number 1

[ 226.649] (--) controlling tty is VT number 1, auto-enabling KeepTty
[ 226.649] (WW) Falling back to old probe method for fglrx
[ 226.652] (II) Loading PCS database from /etc/ati/amdpcsdb /etc/ati/amdpcsdb.default
[ 226.653] ukiDynamicMajor: failed to open /proc/ati/major
[ 226.653] ukiDynamicMajor: failed to open /proc/ati/major
[ 226.653] (--) Chipset Supported AMD Graphics Processor (0x6660) found
[ 226.653] (II) fglrx(0): pEnt->device->identifier=0x7f33527cb380
[ 226.653] (II) fglrx(0): === [xdl_xs116_atiddxPreInit] === begin
[ 226.654] (**) fglrx(0): Depth 24, (--) framebuffer bpp 32
[ 226.654] (II) fglrx(0): Pixel depth = 24 bits stored in 4 bytes (32 bpp pixmaps)
[ 226.654] (==) fglrx(0): Default visual is TrueColor
[ 226.654] (**) fglrx(0): Option "DPMS" "true"
[ 226.654] (==) fglrx(0): RGB weight 888
[ 226.654] (II) fglrx(0): Using 8 bits per RGB 
[ 226.654] (==) fglrx(0): Buffer Tiling is ON
[ 226.654] (II) Loading sub module "fglrxdrm"
[ 226.654] (II) LoadModule: "fglrxdrm"
[ 226.654] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/linux/libfglrxdrm.so
[ 226.654] (II) Module fglrxdrm: vendor="FireGL - AMD Technologies Inc."
[ 226.654] compiled for 1.4.99.906, module version = 14.20.7
[ 226.654] ukiDynamicMajor: failed to open /proc/ati/major
[ 226.654] ukiDynamicMajor: failed to open /proc/ati/major
[ 226.654] (**) fglrx(0): NoAccel = NO
[ 226.654] (**) fglrx(0): AMD 2D Acceleration Architecture enabled
[ 226.654] (--) fglrx(0): Chipset: "EXO XT (6660)" (Chipset = 0x6660)
[ 226.654] (--) fglrx(0): (PciSubVendor = 0x1028, PciSubDevice = 0x05ea)
[ 226.654] (==) fglrx(0): board vendor info: third party graphics adapter - NOT original AMD
[ 226.655] (--) fglrx(0): Linear framebuffer (phys) at 0xa0000000
[ 226.655] (--) fglrx(0): MMIO registers at 0xc0500000
[ 226.655] (--) fglrx(0): I/O port at 0x00003000
[ 226.655] (==) fglrx(0): ROM-BIOS at 0x000c0000
[ 226.658] (II) fglrx(0): Invalid ATI BIOS from int10, the adapter is not VGA-enabled
[ 226.658] (EE) fglrx(0): Invalid video BIOS signature!
[ 226.658] (EE) fglrx(0): GetBIOSParameter failed
[ 226.658] (EE) fglrx(0): PreInitAdapter failed
[ 226.658] (EE) fglrx(0): PreInit failed
[ 226.658] (II) fglrx(0): === [xdl_xs116_atiddxPreInit] === end
[ 226.659] (II) UnloadModule: "fglrx"
[ 226.659] (II) UnloadSubModule: "fglrxdrm"
[ 226.659] (II) Unloading fglrxdrm
[ 226.659] (II) UnloadSubModule: "fglrxdrm"
[ 226.659] (EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.
[ 226.659] (EE) 
Fatal server error:
[ 226.659] (EE) no screens found(EE) 
[ 226.659] (EE) 
Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support 
 at http://wiki.x.org
 for help. 
[ 226.659] (EE) Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional information.
[ 226.659] (EE) 
[ 226.661] (EE) Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.

So I delete the xorg.conf file generated by aticonfig tool in order to get to the desktop.

Using lshw -C Display I get this:

*-display 
 description: VGA compatible controller
 product: Haswell-ULT Integrated Graphics Controller
 vendor: Intel Corporation
 physical id: 2
 bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
 version: 09
 width: 64 bits
 clock: 33MHz
 capabilities: msi pm vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
 configuration: driver=i915 latency=0
 resources: irq:64 memory:c0000000-c03fffff memory:b0000000-bfffffff ioport:5000(size=64)
 *-display UNCLAIMED
 description: Display controller
 product: Sun XT [Radeon HD 8670A/8670M/8690M]
 vendor: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI]
 physical id: 0
 bus info: pci@0000:03:00.0
 version: 00
 width: 64 bits
 clock: 33MHz
 capabilities: pm pciexpress msi bus_master cap_list
 configuration: latency=0
 resources: memory:a0000000-afffffff memory:c0500000-c053ffff ioport:3000(size=256) memory:c0540000-c055ffff

Is my problem hardware or software specific ? and is it solvable ?

I fixed the problem by using the following command sudo apt-get install fglrx*

And now I have 2 new problems:

1. 
   aticonfig --adapter=all --initial doesn't detect my Intel HD
   graphcis


2. 
   

   When I boot my computer using AMD mouse courser becomes invisible (confirmed as a bug in the XServer shipped with Debian testing)
   
   Also I discovered that AMD switching method between hybrid graphics sucks, instead I added the following line to the generated xorg.conf file:

   
   
   

   Section "Device"
   Identifier "aticonfig-Device[0]-1"
   Driver "intel"
   BusID "PCI:0:2:0"
   EndSection

   
   

And in screen section I use the previous identifier to use my Intel HD or identeifier aticonfig-Device[0]-0 to use my AMD like this:

Intel HD Graphics:

Section "Screen"
 Identifier "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0"
 Device "aticonfig-Device[0]-1"
 Monitor "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"
 DefaultDepth 24
 SubSection "Display"
 Viewport 0 0
 Depth 24
 EndSubSection
EndSection

AMD Graphics

Section "Screen"
 Identifier "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0"
 Device "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"
 Monitor "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"
 DefaultDepth 24
 SubSection "Display"
 Viewport 0 0
 Depth 24
 EndSubSection
EndSection

Then I just restart the Light Display Manager using sudo service lightdm restart

Simple solution .. dont use binary drivers from AMD but opensource xorg-video-ati with proper amd-ucode, mesa etc.

This pretty old card nicely supported by opensource drivers