AMD "Unsupported Hardware" issue. Big time.

[gamjaevel]

Hello users of Sabayon!
First of all, thank you for an amazing distribution.

I am using Sabayon Linux 6 KDE on 2 of my computers, whilst trying to get it working properly for my third.
But I've stumbled across a problem which i've never seen before.

So here it is:
The installation of the Distribution goes smoothly (like it always does)
It boots properly after the installation, but gives me an annoying message telling me that my Hardware is unsupported (which it laughable to me, since it's new specs). Anyhow this problem isn't the big one. It also freezes the computer as soon as KDE loaded and im about to move my mouse-cursor.

I formated my computer to try with Ubuntu 10.10, which did the same thing - freezes.

Im completely out of options and it's quite frustrating. The computer is 2 days old.
The graphic card is AMD Radeon HD 6470M. And the processor is AMD Brazos Dual Core E350

My only step forward, or clue or lead (whatever you want to call it) is that it's the ATI driver that causes the problem.


On a completely fresh install it works, slowly cause of the inactive drivers and whatnot's missing. When they are installed the problems occur.


If anyone have something/anything to help out with, feel free to. I'll gladly accept any kind of help.

Best regards.

ps. Sorry if i repeat things weirdly.

EDIT: Now Xorg fails to start, after a single reboot - no modifications, whatsoever.

[raman]

In liveCD you have the same problem, or system is working OK?

[gamjaevel]

Live disc works. The problems occur when i update the system. When the graphic driver gets installed. Also formated and updated the system WITHOUT the ati-driver, the problem still occured. I'm kinda clueless

[raman]

How do you upgrade system without ati drivers. Could you write how do you do it?
And for sure: if you don't take upgrades, the system is working fine right?

[Fitzcarraldo]

If you mean you are seeing the AMD 'watermark' "Unsupported Hardware" when you use the FGLRX driver (ati-drivers package) then the following hack used to work for me when earlier versions of the FGLRX driver resulted in the watermark until the later versions of the driver fully supported my particular model of AMD ATI GPU:

Unsupported Hardware watermark

Save Kano's BASH script in your home directory (call the file anything you want, I'll call it "amd.sh") and make it executable:

Code: Select all

$ su
Password:
# chmod +x /home/gamjaevel/amd.sh

Then execute the script:

Code: Select all

# cd /home/gamjaevel
# sh amd.sh
# exit
exit
$

BTW, you can do all the above without logging in to KDE: just press Ctrl-Alt-F1 when the log-in screen appears, which will take you to a VT (virtual terminal) a.k.a. console or TTY. Once you log-in on the VT you can use the nano editor to type in the short BASH script:

Code: Select all

# nano /home/gamjaevel/amd.sh

As for the freezing, I don't know, but have you checked on the AMD Web site whether the 11.8 Catalyst driver supports your particular model of AMD ATI GPU? Also, instead of KDE, have you tried selecting Fluxbox from the Settings menu on the log-in page, and logging in to Fluxbox instead to see if that does not freeze?

[gamjaevel]

How do you upgrade system without ati drivers. Could you write how do you do it?
And for sure: if you don't take upgrades, the system is working fine right?

Yes, after the first boot with sabayon installed (pre installs) it works, but have the ugly watermark enabled.

But as soon as i do the update it freezes

[gamjaevel]

If you mean you are seeing the AMD 'watermark' "Unsupported Hardware" when you use the FGLRX driver (ati-drivers package) then the following hack used to work for me when earlier versions of the FGLRX driver resulted in the watermark until the later versions of the driver fully supported my particular model of AMD ATI GPU:

Unsupported Hardware watermark

Save Kano's BASH script in your home directory (call the file anything you want, I'll call it "amd.sh") and make it executable:

Code: Select all

$ su
Password:
# chmod +x /home/gamjaevel/amd.sh

Then execute the script:

Code: Select all

# cd /home/gamjaevel
# sh amd.sh
# exit
exit
$

BTW, you can do all the above without logging in to KDE: just press Ctrl-Alt-F1 when the log-in screen appears, which will take you to a VT (virtual terminal) a.k.a. console or TTY. Once you log-in on the VT you can use the nano editor to type in the short BASH script:

Code: Select all

# nano /home/gamjaevel/amd.sh

As for the freezing, I don't know, but have you checked on the AMD Web site whether the 11.8 Catalyst driver supports your particular model of AMD ATI GPU? Also, instead of KDE, have you tried selecting Fluxbox from the Settings menu on the log-in page, and logging in to Fluxbox instead to see if that does not freeze?

Im going to burn a new ISO of Sabayon, to see if it could be my disc that could be damaged of some sort.
Im not sure wheater my chipset/graphic card is supported, but i seriously cant think of anything else, it's a modern card used in plenty of laptops.

Though this seem like an AMD/Radeon problem. Cause my stationary computer running on Nvidia graphics - no problems.
Nor my craptop (an old laptop) running on a graphic card that doesnt even exist (some veeeery old integrated-intelcard)

I'll get back to this thread in an hour or two, when i've burned the new iso and managed to install it.

Thanks for the help so far guys! you keep my motivation up!

[ppoteete@gmail.com]

Hey guys. The script worked great. I wanted to post it below, just in case the link ever dies.

### Backup the file (if you wish):
cp /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/fglrx_drv.so /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/fglrx_drv.so.original
---
### Create the script:
vi amd.sh
---
#!/bin/sh
DRIVER=/usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/fglrx_drv.so
for x in $(objdump -d $DRIVER|awk '/call/&&/EnableLogo/{print "\\x"$2"\\x"$3"\\x"$4"\\x"$5"\\x"$6}')
do
sed -i "s/$x/\x90\x90\x90\x90\x90/g" $DRIVER
done
---
chmod 775 amd.sh
---
sudo ./amd.sh

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As far as the freezing goes, I probably can't help you if it is actually the video, but it may be the network. I had a similar problem with my on-board wireless network card. As soon as I logged-in, the screen would freeze as it tried to attach to the wifi network. The Live USB worked without any issues.

The solution was really strange - never heard of it fixing anything like this... Change the boot order in the BIOS and put the network boot as the first option. et Voila, it worked like a charm. No more freezing.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


Thanks guys - great distro,
Paul

Hardware with the problem:
Acer Aspire One 722
AMD C60
4GB RAM

06:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications AR8152 v2.0 Fast Ethernet (rev c1)
07:00.0 Network controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) (rev 01)