Screen is dark after Update on r600 4290HD

[Timo Witte]

After updating the package, Xorg starts with no problems in the logfile, but the screen is dark.
I think this is a problem with the "radeon" kernel module, because there is a very weird resolution detected "Setting screen physical size to 508 x 285" in Xorg.0.log

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: xserver-xorg-video-radeon 1:6.14.2-1ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-4.5-generic 3.0.0-rc6
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-4-generic x86_64
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,decor,compiztoolbox,mousepoll,blur,place,vpswitch,regex,move,snap,gnomecompat,resize,animation,expo,wall,session,ezoom,workarounds,staticswitcher,fade,scale]
Date: Tue Jul 12 10:45:26 2011
DistUpgraded: Log time: 2011-05-30 22:27:30.965030
DistroCodename: oneiric
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
 virtualbox, 4.0.10, 3.0.0-4-generic, x86_64: installed
 virtualbox, 4.0.10, 3.0-2-generic, x86_64: installed
 virtualbox, 4.0.10, 3.0-3-generic, x86_64: installed
GraphicsCard:
 ATI Technologies Inc RS880 [Radeon HD 4290] [1002:9714] (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Giga-byte Technology Device [1458:d000]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release amd64 (20100429)
MachineType: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. GA-890GPA-UD3H
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=de_DE.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-4-generic root=UUID=03e143b0-d2cd-4586-a32f-57b7f864303e ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
Renderer: Unknown
SourcePackage: xserver-xorg-video-ati
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to oneiric on 2011-05-30 (42 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 03/18/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: Award Software International, Inc.
dmi.bios.version: F5
dmi.board.name: GA-890GPA-UD3H
dmi.board.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.board.version: x.x
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAwardSoftwareInternational,Inc.:bvrF5:bd03/18/2010:svnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:pnGA-890GPA-UD3H:pvr:rvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:rnGA-890GPA-UD3H:rvrx.x:cvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:ct3:cvr:
dmi.product.name: GA-890GPA-UD3H
dmi.sys.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.4+bzr20110606-0ubuntu6
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs 20090808ubuntu13
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.26-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.11~1-0ubuntu3
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.11~1-0ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+7ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.2-1ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.15.0-3ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110411+8378443-1

[Timo Witte (spacefish)]

The blaack Screen Problem only happens with lightdm, with gdm shortly a mousepointer is visible but then returns to console back to Xorg three times to finally land on console. So this is still a Xorg problem i think.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

"Setting screen physical size to 508 x 285" in Xorg.0.log

That is 20.5" x 11", which doesn't seem that weird to me, assuming you have a widescreen display.

(II) RADEON(0): Max Image Size [cm]: horiz.: 52 vert.: 29

It appears to be detecting this size and the resolution properly. If you think these numbers are incorrect, it could be a bug in the kernel's KMS code, and so should file a bug there. In any case, even if they're incorrect this wouldn't cause a black screen.

[Timo Witte (spacefish)]

Yes, thought this was related to the pixel dimensions, but it´s "real screen size"...
I switched to the xorg-edgers repository, but the problem still persists...
I am using the fglrx driver right now, because it´s the only one that works.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Hi Timo Witte,
avivotool can be used to assist in debugging this issue. avivotool is provided with the radeontool package, so to install it run:

    sudo apt-get install radeontool

After installing it, you run it like this:

    sudo avivotool regs all > regdump_good.txt
    sudo avivotool regs all > regdump_broke.txt

Run it two times. Once when you have a working screen (for any driver), and once in the broken case (either from the tty console or logged into the sick box remotely). Attach both of those to this bug report, and we can then forward this issue upstream. Thanks ahead of time!

"After updating the package"

You should also review your /var/log/dpkg.log to see what other packages might have been upgraded around the same time frame. Often blank screen bugs are not due to -ati but rather the kernel or mesa. So, it would be helpful if you would test downgrading other packages that were upgraded at that same time, so you can definitively identify which package caused the regression. .debs for older versions of packages can be found on launchpad via the Publishing History page.

[Timo Witte (spacefish)]

seems like avivotool has some problems on my machine, trying to get the source and get it compiled from there, so i can have debug symbols and fix the bug (if possible)

Reading symbols from /usr/sbin/avivotool...(no debugging symbols found)...done.
(gdb) set args regs
(gdb) start
Function "main" not defined.
Make breakpoint pending on future shared library load? (y or [n]) n
Starting program: /usr/sbin/avivotool regs
mapping fb region

Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
0x00000000004013d9 in ?? ()
(gdb)

[Timo Witte (spacefish)]

Ok had to hack this a littlebit.. The devias regions for ctrl_region and fb_region.. fb_region isn´t found correctly i think. The latest region in the regions table of my pci device is 1024x1024 big so i hardcoded to map the fb to this adress, no i get some output which looks correct... will post the results here as soon as ready!

[Timo Witte (spacefish)]

Ok i have the files now!
the regdump_broke is done via ssh while the blacksceen is shown.

[Timo Witte (spacefish)]

and the good regdump with fglrx driver

[Timo Witte (spacefish)]

i have filled a bug against radeontools https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/libpciaccess/+bug/812778

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Hey spacefish,

Hi, thanks for reporting this issue during the development period of
Ubuntu.

I notice there's not been further comments to the bug report since the
release came out, would you mind updating us on the status of it in the
release?

Are you still able to reproduce the issue? If not, do you think the bug
report can be closed, or do you think we should continue tracking it?

[bugbot (bugbot)]

We're closing this bug since it is has been some time with no response from the original reporter. However, if the issue still exists please feel free to reopen with the requested information. Also, if you could, please test against the latest development version of Ubuntu, since this confirms the bug is one we may be able to pass upstream for help.