Binary package hint: xorg
I recently installed a new HD5670 graphics card, with two monitors connected. After a bunch of work, I finally got it all working, but then I rebooted, and the system froze hard (couldn't ping from another machine, etc). I logged in remotely and started experimenting, and discovered the problem was that X was failing to deal with my xorg.conf file. In particular, this part:
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "0-DFP1"
Option "VendorName" "ATI Proprietary Driver"
Option "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor"
Option "DPMS" "true"
Option "PreferredMode" "2560x1440"
Option "TargetRefresh" "60"
Option "Position" "0 0"
Option "Rotate" "normal"
Option "Disable" "false"
EndSection
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "0-DFP3"
Option "VendorName" "ATI Proprietary Driver"
Option "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor"
Option "DPMS" "true"
Option "PreferredMode" "1600x1200"
Option "TargetRefresh" "60"
Option "Position" "2560 0"
Option "Rotate" "left"
Option "Disable" "false"
EndSection
Section "Device"
Identifier "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"
Driver "fglrx"
Option "Monitor-DFP1" "0-DFP1"
# this is the culprit here:
Option "Monitor-DFP3" "0-DFP3"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection
I booted into recovery mode without X, ssh'd in, and tried starting X by hand. I discovered that with two monitors in the Device section as above, the X server fails an assertion. stdout looks like this:
X.Org X Server 1.9.0
Release Date: 2010-08-20
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: Linux 2.6.24-27-server i686 Ubuntu
Current Operating System: Linux tempest 2.6.35-23-generic #41-Ubuntu SMP Wed Nov 24 10:18:49 UTC 2010 i686
Kernel command line: root=/dev/mapper/vg0-root ro single
Build Date: 16 September 2010 05:39:22PM
xorg-server 2:1.9.0-0ubuntu7 (For technical support please see http://www.ubuntu.com/support)
Current version of pixman: 0.18.4
Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
to make sure that you have the latest version.
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Wed Dec 1 17:04:42 2010
(++) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
(==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
(WW) fglrx: No matching Device section for instance (BusID PCI:0@1:0:1) found
X: ../../dix/pixmap.c:118: AllocatePixmap: Assertion `pScreen->totalPixmapSize > 0' failed.
Abort
Exit 134
apparently it leaves things in an unclean state, because if I run the X server again at this point, the machine freezes hard. It looks like gdm tries restarting the X server if it fails the first time, so with the xorg.conf as above, I believe the second try freezes the machine.
If I comment out the second monitor Option in the Device section, everything starts up fine. If I comment out the first monitor, then I get the same abort, so it may be an artifact of the specific configuration of that second monitor, rather than the second monitor itself.
ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: xorg 1:7.5+6ubuntu3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-23.41-generic 2.6.35.7
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-23-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: openafs fglrx
Architecture: i386
Date: Wed Dec 1 17:32:00 2010
MachineType: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. P35-DS3L
ProcCmdLine: root=/dev/mapper/vg0-root ro
ProcEnviron:
PATH=(custom, user)
LANG=en_US.utf8
SHELL=/bin/tcsh
SourcePackage: xorg
Symptom: display
Title: Xorg freeze
dmi.bios.date: 08/13/2007
dmi.bios.vendor: Award Software International, Inc.
dmi.bios.version: F4
dmi.board.name: P35-DS3L
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.:bvrF4:bd08/13/2007:svnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:pnP35-DS3L:pvr:rvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:rnP35-DS3L:rvrx.x:cvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:ct3:cvr:
dmi.product.name: P35-DS3L
dmi.sys.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
system:
distro: Ubuntu
codename: maverick
architecture: i686
kernel: 2.6.35-23-generic
Marc:
I am having the same problem and tracked it down to the rotation. If you change the rotation on the second monitor from "left" to "normal", I am pretty sure everything will work. Here is a temporary workaround --
1) Set all rotations to "normal" in xorg.conf, but have everything else set the way you want it.
2) Start X.
3) Go into ATI Catalyst, and change rotation of desired monitor. Settings will be applied immediately, and everything appears to work (unless you were to now restart the X server at this point -- DON'T!).
4) Go back and edit xorg.conf so that rotations are again set to "normal". This won't affect the current session, but will allow you to reboot without hanging.
You'll have to repeat steps 3-4 every time you boot up...
Andy