AMD Mars XTX [Radeon HD 8790M] [1002:6606] Black screen on external display (extended mode) with fglrx

[Po-Hsu Lin]

CID: 201404-14986 Dell Precision M2800

There is no desktop on the external monitor in extened mode through HDMI / D-Sub port.
But you can see your cursor there.

External monitor works nomally with Mirror / External Only mode.

Steps:
1. Install 14.04.1 + update (3.13.0-37) + fglrx-updates (2:13.350.1-0ubuntu2)
2. Connect a HDMI / VGA cable to an external monitor

Expected result:
* Display should work with the external monitor in extended mode.

Actual result:
* Black screen on the external screen, the only thing you can see is the cursor.

ubuntu@201404-14986:~$ xrandr -q
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 3840 x 1080, maximum 8192 x 8192
eDP1 connected primary 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 344mm x 193mm
   1920x1080 60.1*+ 40.0 59.9
   1680x1050 60.0 59.9
   1600x1024 60.2
   1400x1050 60.0
   1280x1024 60.0
   1440x900 59.9
   1280x960 60.0
   1360x768 59.8 60.0
   1152x864 60.0
   1024x768 60.0
   800x600 60.3 56.2
   640x480 59.9
VGA1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI1 connected 1920x1080+1920+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 531mm x 299mm
   1920x1080 60.0*+ 50.0 59.9
   1920x1080i 60.1 50.0 60.0
   1680x1050 59.9
   1440x900 59.9
   1280x960 60.0
   1280x800 59.9
   1152x864 75.0
   1280x720 60.0 50.0 59.9
   1440x576i 50.1
   1024x768 70.1 60.0
   1440x480i 60.1 60.1
   800x600 60.3 56.2
   720x576 50.0
   720x480 60.0 59.9
   640x480 66.7 60.0 59.9
   720x400 70.1
DP1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI3 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: linux-image-3.13.0-37-generic 3.13.0-37.64
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-37.64-generic 3.13.11.7
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-37-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.5
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: ubuntu 1776 F.... pulseaudio
                      ubuntu 3242 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: ubuntu 1776 F.... pulseaudio
                      ubuntu 3242 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA:
 country TW:
  (2402 - 2472 @ 40), (3, 27)
  (5270 - 5330 @ 40), (3, 17), DFS
  (5735 - 5815 @ 40), (3, 30)
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Thu Oct 9 04:56:04 2014
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=404890af-28cf-4569-a49d-10fc2fcf1cf9
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-10-09 (0 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140722.2)
MachineType: Dell Inc. Precision M2800
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-37-generic.efi.signed root=UUID=c670a1f7-2c9c-4fd2-9d34-a750d36d46b9 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.13.0-37-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.13.0-37-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.127.7
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 04/28/2014
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A01
dmi.board.name: 0CYT5F
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 9
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA01:bd04/28/2014:svnDellInc.:pnPrecisionM2800:pvr01:rvnDellInc.:rn0CYT5F:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct9:cvr:
dmi.product.name: Precision M2800
dmi.product.version: 01
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[Po-Hsu Lin (cypressyew)]

External display works well in every mode with the open-source driver on this I+A system.

[Po-Hsu Lin (cypressyew)]

External display works well with the latest 14.9 Catalyst driver (2:14.301-0ubuntu1, release date 9/29/2014)

Note that the HDMI audio seems not working with it.

[Anthony Wong (anthonywong)]

Hi, if the open source driver works, can we just certify this machine with that?

[Po-Hsu Lin (cypressyew)]

Hello Anthony,
Since this system is an I+A hybrid graphic system, proprietary driver is needed to do the switching job for certification. (Unless there is another way to do this)

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation 4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0416] (rev 06) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Mars XTX [Radeon HD 8790M] [1002:6606] (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])

[Anthony Wong (anthonywong)]

We can fix this together with bug 1308954 by updating the fglrx driver.

[Po-Hsu Lin (cypressyew)]

Verified with fglrx 2:15.200-0ubuntu on 14.04.1 stock image, external monitor works as expected in all four modes.
I will mark this bug as "Fix-released"
Thanks!

Note, for the bug mentioned in comment #9, it should be bug 1379217