X fails to start on gutsy live CD (radeon x1400), even in safe graphics mode

[Leif Walsh]

Binary package hint: xorg

ERROR:
The X server fails to find a suitable output mode (My monitor is 1680x1050, a common upgrade on the Dell Inspiron e1505), and crashes:
...
(II) VESA(0): Not using built-in mode "1400x1050" (no mode of this name)
(WW) VESA(0): No valid modes left. Trying less strict filter...

Backtrace:
0: /usr/bin/X(xf86SigHandler+0x81) [0x80c7f11]
1: [0xffffe420]
2: /usr/bin/X(InitOutput+0x9a4) [0x80a7bd4]
3: /usr/bin/X(main+0x27b) [0x807654b]
4: /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6(__libc_start_main+0xdc) [0xb7d2febc]
5: /usr/bin/X(FontFileCompleteXLFD+0x1e5) [0x8075a81]

Fatal server error:
Caught signal 11. Server aborting

FURTHER INFORMATION:
I am using a laptop with a Radeon Mobility X1400 gpu. Also, here is some output from some commands (cut down because I'm not copy/pasting).

 $ lspci
...
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Radeon Mobility X1400
...
 $ cat /proc/cpuinfo
processor : 0
vendor_id : GenuineIntel
cpu family : 6
model : 14
model name : Genuine Intel(R) CPU T2300 @ 1.66GHz
...
processor : 1
...

STEPS TO REPRODUCE:
1. Get yourself a Dell laptop with 1680x1050 monitor and a Radeon Mobility X1400.
2. Insert Gutsy live CD from last night.
3. "Start or install Ubuntu" or "Start in safe graphics mode"
4. Error message appears (with ugly border ASCII, too)

[Bruce Cowan (bruce89-deactivatedaccount)]

Is this a duplicate of Bug #87244?

[Leif Walsh (leif.walsh)]

No, I was using vesa.

On 6/28/07, Bruce Cowan <email address hidden> wrote:
> Is this a duplicate of Bug #87244?
>
> --
> X fails to start on gutsy live CD (radeon x1400), even in safe graphics mode
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/122663
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>

[Leif Walsh (leif.walsh)]

No, I was using vesa.

[brokencrystal.com (admin-brokencrystal)]

Similar Problem:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xorg/+bug/131799

[Michael DePaulo (mikedep333)]

Same thing, just phrased differently.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xorg/+bug/119465

The simple problem is that the vesa driver is not compatible with the x1400, at least on the dell inspiron 6400/e1505

[Bojan Rajkovic (bojanr)]

If it's not compatible, why did it work in Edgy?

[brokencrystal.com (admin-brokencrystal)]

"The simple problem is that the vesa driver is not compatible with the x1400, at least on the dell inspiron 6400/e1505"

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xorg/+bug/131799

This is not a x1400. It is an ATI Mobility Radeon X1300. Does this matter?

[Leif Walsh (leif.walsh)]

On 8/16/07, brokencrystal.com <email address hidden> wrote:
> This is not a x1400. It is an ATI Mobility Radeon X1300. Does this
> matter?

I believe they are the same series, and thus have the same set of
driver requirements, and problems.

[Thomas Novin (thomasn80)]

Confirmed with my laptop which has a ATI card:

(--) PCI:*(1:0:0) ATI Technologies Inc M56P [Radeon Mobility X1600] rev 0, Mem @ 0xe0000000/28, 0xf4600000/16, I/O @ 0x4000/8

My laptops LCD wants a resolution of 1680x1050.

I'm attaching my Xorg.0.log.

This bug should be raised to critical ASAP!

[Paul Douglas (stonecarver)]

Confirmed [Regression] - Acer 8204WLMi (ATI x1600). Feisty Final boots & installs fine.

[dahias (wengahias)]

similiar problem on lenovo thinkpad z61m with ati radeon mobility x1400

live-cd delivers only black screens after booting - even in safe graphics mode. X-Server doesnt come up.

[Emerson Ribeiro de Mello (emerson-ml)]

I'm trying with Gutsy Tribe 5 + Dell Ispiron 6400 (ATI Mobility Radeon x1300) and I got the same result, that is, X fails to start.

Well, I saw this bug in Feisty (7.04) and I had to download/install xorg-driver-fglrx (in live CD mode) to install Feisty in my Laptop.

Hey Ubuntu Team!! Please, could you return to Dapper's X conf files? In Dapper this graphic card works perfect. :-D

[jeff (j-perry)]

Another data point:

Vesa mode does not work on Averatec 3200 series laptop - even when booting in safe graphics mode
Gutsy 7.10 beta release live cd
This did work fine on the 7.04 livecd.

Symptoms: When booting in safe graphics mode, X seems to start fine, cursor becomes X then an arrow, background changes to blue, mouse can move arrow around but nothing else ever happens :-(

[jeff (j-perry)]

Just tried the latest release of Gutsy: 7.10 Release Candidate.
New behaviour, instead of the behaviour I reported earlier I'm seeing the following on my Averatec 3200

Since the safe boot option no longer is a choice, I selected Start or Install....
After booting for a bit I think X attempts to start and the screen is blank but back-lit.
I waited a bit for this and finally gave up.

I rebooted and edited the boot line to add vga=771
Eventually (after 5 or more mins) the system X started and produced a warning error box
indicating it was in low-res mode because it could not detect my hardware and asking whether I would like to configure things manually.

I tried various of the options offered (rebooting between each and painstakingly waiting to get to the warning box). None of the following attempts succeeded

1) simply press continue at the warning box
2) Configure as 800x600 generic lcd at 60hz device driver vga
3) Configure as 1024x768 generic lcd at 60hz device driver vesa

All of these result in a blank backlit screen but no X windows or cursor displayed.