Bug 13852

Summary: text console doesn't work correctly with current git master
Product: xorg Reporter: Giacomo Perale <ghepeu>
Component: Driver/RadeonAssignee: xf86-video-ati maintainers <xorg-driver-ati>
Status: RESOLVED FIXED QA Contact: Xorg Project Team <xorg-team>
Severity: normal    
Priority: medium CC: sebastien.valette
Version: git   
Hardware: Other   
OS: All   
Whiteboard:
i915 platform: i915 features:
Attachments:
Description Flags
xorg.conf
none
Xorg.0.log none

Description Giacomo Perale 2007-12-29 05:41:35 UTC 
With current git master of xf86-video-ati the text console works only until X starts; when closing the X session or switching to console with Ctrl+Alt+F? the OSD reports a different refresh rate , which means that it effectively switched to the console, but all I can see is a blank screen. It is possible to switch back to X, and X works flawlessly, but the console isn't usable. 

After a bisecting run (complicated because simply installing the new driver and restarting X doesn't work, it is necessary to reboot every time) I found that the cause is a recent commit (653da558148cc601bc1f80253e92ef98c75ef37a - 
RADEON: restore crtc regs before VGA regs). git master without that single commit works reliably.

I'm using a Radeon X550 (RV370) 5B63 (PCIE), xorg-server 1.4.0.90.
Comment 1 Giacomo Perale 2007-12-29 05:42:11 UTC 
Created attachment 13409 [details]
xorg.conf
Comment 2 Giacomo Perale 2007-12-29 05:44:00 UTC 
Created attachment 13410 [details]
Xorg.0.log

Xorg.0.log (with git master without the 'bad' commit). No relevant differences from a bad run but unfortunately I overwrote that log and I can't attach it now.
Comment 3 Giacomo Perale 2008-02-11 02:48:09 UTC 
Still broken here with current git (2007-02-11). Reverting the single commit still fixes the problem.
Comment 4 Alex Deucher 2008-02-11 07:02:18 UTC 
Right.  The problem is that commit fixes VT switch for a different chip.  I'm not sure off hand which chips need the previous ordering vs the current ordering.
Comment 5 Sebastien Valette 2008-03-30 18:42:00 UTC 
Hi!

I have similar symptoms : I lose the terminals after hibernation. My device:
 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV350 [Mobility Radeon 9600 M10]

Interestingly, reverting commit 653da558148cc601bc1f80253e92ef98c75ef37a solves the problem for all terminals except terminal 1 (Terminals 2 to 6 are OK). Terminal 1 shows some christmas-tree-ish text (unreadable).
Comment 6 Alex Deucher 2008-04-03 19:33:24 UTC 
Does:
Option "VGAAccess" "False"
Fix it?
Comment 7 Sebastien Valette 2008-04-04 16:45:47 UTC 
(In reply to comment #6)
> Does:
> Option "VGAAccess" "False"
> Fix it?
> 

For my case, this option makes the screen completely black when switching to text console.
Comment 8 Nicola Ricciarelli 2008-05-17 23:25:54 UTC 
(In reply to comment #7)
> (In reply to comment #6)
> > Does:
> > Option "VGAAccess" "False"
> > Fix it?
> > 
> 
> For my case, this option makes the screen completely black when switching to
> text console.
> 

I've had and solved your same problem using a lower number of colors: I've tested that removing the vga=xxx from lilo.conf it works great, and than I've tested to use more colours. I've tested to use a 1024x768 resolution with 256 colours (vga=773). 
If you try to use 32k or 64k colours you have problems, also with a 640x480 resolution.
If you're using grub modify menu.lst file for the vga=xxx option.
So, the vga=xxx working good are the ones using just 256
colours or the not usage of vga=xxx, all others create problems.
Comment 9 Alex Deucher 2008-12-03 01:01:19 UTC 
Is this still an issue with a newer driver (6.9.0 or newer)?
Comment 10 Giacomo Perale 2008-12-03 09:24:41 UTC 
Fixed in an October snapshot.

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