suggestions on replacing my ATI card?

[commonplace]

I'm currently using an ATI Radeon x700 PCI-e 256MB card in my FC5 system, but even using the Livna drivers, I can't game at all or get acceleration working. (If anyone has any suggestions, let me know; I've tried just about everything I've come across in these forums.)

So, I'm considering replacing the card with something from nVidia. What do you all suggest? I'd like something comparable to my existing ATI card. I want to be able to play games, to use desktop effects, to have full 3D acceleration, etc. I don't want to break the bank, though. :) Thanks!

/Kevin

[commonplace]

Also, what's the best place to find out how well a card works in Linux (specifically Fedora Core 5 & 6)? Is there a good place to go to read Linux-oriented reviews of hardware?

[Firewing1]

lol no need to replace your card, it's working perfectly fine... It's just a incompatibility with DRI and the Composite extensions that ship by default with Fedora's Xorg - Check out my "Getting ATi cards to work in FC" howto, and at the bottom there's a DRI part that should get things working again.
Firewing1

[commonplace]

I tried adding that part to my xorg.conf and rebooting, but my glxgears is still very slow and gaming (even PPRacer) is impossible.

I don't know what else I can try but I'd love any suggestions you might have! I've posted for help before but this has been the only thing I've really been unable to get resolved. Basically, 3D acceleration is what's not working. I'm in X just fine using either the 'radeon' driver or 'fglrx' (from Livna) but neither help with the acceleration.

[Firewing1]

Can you post:
glxinfo | grep -i direct
cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | grep EE
That should give us any errors that are happening.
Firewing1

[commonplace]

# glxinfo |grep -i direct
direct rendering: No
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa GLX Indirect


# cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log |grep EE
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(II) Loading extension MIT-SCREEN-SAVER


Interesting, that last bit, because I just noticed that after making those changes, my screensaver no longer works. Weird.

Edit: Well, scratch that, now the screensaver's working fine. It just failed that one time. First time that has ever happened, so not sure if it's related or not.

[Firewing1]

OK, so the problem is you don't have direct rendering... You should, seeing as X700 is a modern card...
If you type dmesg
do you see and errors?
Firewing1

[commonplace]

Well, I saw this (which might be normal):

fglrx: module license 'Proprietary. (C) 2002 - ATI Technologies, Starnberg, GERMANY' taints kernel.

Then there's this:

[fglrx:firegl_unlock] *ERROR* Process 3091 using kernel context 0

which I assume is a problem.

[Firewing1]

Yup, I'll look into the error - As for the taints kernel message that tainting part is OK, but what worries me is the (C) 2002 - What driver version are you using?
Firewing1

[Firewing1]

Hmmm.... Found this:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=115104
http://www.stanchina.net/~flavio/debian/fglrx-archive/msg00788.html
http://www.stanchina.net/~flavio/debian/fglrx-archive/msg00790.html
Firewing1

[commonplace]

Not sure what driver version I'm using... System|Administration|ATI-fglrx Display Settings shows 8.29.06 as the version, so I guess that's it. I haven't installed anything from ATI directly or anything, just followed Stanton's guide (http://stanton-finley.net/fedora_core_5_installation_notes.html) .

I checked out the links you posted. cat /proc/mtrr on my system shows the correct about of memory (1024MB). The symptoms match ("glxgears gives very laggy output, you can't play 3-d games, and performance is low") but I don't think the fix applies, unfortunately.

I might try the "Option "KernelModuleParm" "agplock=0"" bit added to xorg.conf, but I'm not sure if that applies, either, since my card is PCI-e and not AGP, but maybe it doesn't matter. I'll give it a try and see what happens.

You don't think upgrading to FC6 would help, do you? I've been too scared to try that yet! (Only been using FC5 for ~6 months, and it's basically my first foray into Linux besides an attempt back in the mid-90s.)

[commonplace]

I added that line to my xorg.conf and rebooted, but it doesn't appear to have made any difference. glxinfo |grep -i direct still shows:

direct rendering: No
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa GLX Indirect

[mwette]

I added that line to my xorg.conf and rebooted, but it doesn't appear to have made any difference. glxinfo |grep -i direct still shows:

Could you attach your /var/log/Xorg.0.log file? Maybe we can see something in there.
(or maybe you can look and see if anything looks fishy)

[commonplace]

Okay, I've attached the log file (renamed to a .txt extension), and my xorg.conf file in case you need to see that. Also went ahead and attached the output of glxinfo.

I'm not sure what to look for in that log file, but I saw where it mentioned direct rendering and it said it was enabled, so I don't know why it's not.

Thank you all for your help!

[mwette]

The thing that pops out at me is that the driver seems to be for X6.8
while FC5 is running, I believe, 7.0.

(II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/fglrx_drv.so
(II) Module fglrx: vendor="FireGL - ATI Technologies Inc."
compiled for 6.8.99.8, module version = 8.29.6
Module class: X.Org Video Driver
ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 0.7

Maybe the driver did not get installed properly and you have something
old.

All the other modules state "compiled for 7.0.0".

[commonplace]

Hmm. So, any idea how I'd resolve that?

[mwette]

Hmm. So, any idea how I'd resolve that?

Where did your fglrx driver come from? Did you build this from livna
or build from the package from the ATI site? If the latter, maybe you
can try to build again (using sh ati-....run --buildpkg Fedora/FC5).

[commonplace]

I followed Stanton's guide and installed from Livna. I didn't build anything, or get anything from ATI's site, either.

[mwette]

I followed Stanton's guide and installed from Livna. I didn't build anything, or get anything from ATI's site, either.

OK. I went through the ATI build on a FC5 box and I see how the driver could
come up with "compiled for X6.9" the x700 directory is linked to the x690
build directory and the only driver built there is fglrx_drv.so.

I don't have any more ideas for you commonplace. Sorry.

(I got the drivers built OK -- so it seems -- for my X1300, but no 3d working.)

[Firewing1]

Like I said earlier, though, the 3d isn't a problem. It's the Composite extension that's disabling your DRI, adding the lines in my ATi howto corrects that.
Firewing1

[commonplace]

Firewing1, I added that to my xorg.conf and rebooted but I still have the same problem. Did you see anything else wrong with my xorg.conf file or anything?

[marcosmds]

I agree with mwette, and more. Commonplace, based in your Xorg.0.log I think you have a version conflict. Did you upgrade or fresh install FC6? After that did you simply copied an xorg.conf from elsewhere? That's the beginning of my file:

X Window System Version 7.1.1
Release Date: 12 May 2006
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 7.1.1
Build Operating System: Linux 2.6.9-34.ELsmp i686 Red Hat, Inc.
Current Operating System: Linux gryffindor.localdomain 2.6.18-1.2798.fc6 #1 SMP
Mon Oct 16 14:37:32 EDT 2006 i686
Build Date: 04 October 2006
Build ID: xorg-x11-server 1.1.1-47.fc6
Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
to make sure that you have the latest version.
Module Loader present
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: Sun Oct 29 11:37:05 2006
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
(==) ServerLayout "single head configuration"
(**) |-->Screen "Screen0" (0)
(**) | |-->Monitor "Monitor0"
(**) | |-->Device "Videocard0"
(**) |-->Input Device "Keyboard0"
(==) |-->Input Device "<default pointer>"

And that's yours:
X Window System Version 7.0.0
Release Date: 21 December 2005
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 7.0
Build Operating System:Linux 2.6.9-34.ELsmp i686Red Hat, Inc.
Current Operating System: Linux kevin-fedora.envail 2.6.18-1.2200.fc5 #1 Sat Oct 14 16:59:26 EDT 2006 i686
Build Date: 30 June 2006
Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
to make sure that you have the latest version.
Module Loader present
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: Sat Oct 28 17:52:23 2006
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
(==) ServerLayout "single head configuration"
(**) |-->Screen "Screen0" (0)
(**) | |-->Monitor "Monitor0"
(**) | |-->Device "Videocard0"
(**) |-->Input Device "Mouse0"
(**) |-->Input Device "Keyboard0"
(**) FontPath set to "unix/:7100"
(==) RgbPath set to "/usr/share/X11/rgb"
(==) ModulePath set to "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
(**) Extension "Composite" is disabled
(II) Module ABI versions:
X.Org ANSI C Emulation: 0.2
X.Org Video Driver: 0.8
X.Org XInput driver : 0.5
X.Org Server Extension : 0.2
X.Org Font Renderer : 0.4
(II) Loader running on linux
(II) LoadModule: "bitmap"
(II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/fonts/libbitmap.so
(II) Module bitmap: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
compiled for 7.0.0, module version = 1.0.0
Module class: X.Org Font Renderer
ABI class: X.Org Font Renderer, version 0.4
(II) Loading font Bitmap
(II) LoadModule: "pcidata"
(II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/libpcidata.so
(II) Module pcidata: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
compiled for 7.0.0, module version = 1.0.0
ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 0.8
(++) using VT number 7

As you can see your xorg and modules declares himself as 7.00 but fontpath is 7.10.
More: my fglrxdrm section
II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/linux/libfglrxdrm.so
(II) Module fglrxdrm: vendor="FireGL - ATI Technologies Inc."
compiled for 7.1.0, module version = 8.29.6
ABI class: X.Org Server Extension, version 0.3
and yours, as newette has commented:
II) Loading sub module "fglrxdrm"
(II) LoadModule: "fglrxdrm"
(II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/linux/libfglrxdrm.so
(II) Module fglrxdrm: vendor="FireGL - ATI Technologies Inc."
compiled for 6.8.99.8, module version = 8.29.6
ABI class: X.Org Server Extension, version 0.2
Check your kernel version: anaconda has installed the i586 instead of i686 for me and several others. If so get the i686 rpm version and install that with
rpm -Uvh --force kernel-2.6.18-1.2798.fc6.i686.rpm
your livna kmod-fglrx should match the i686 arch not the i586
Check your xorg rpms and see if fonts, apps and filesystem ones are 7.1.x. If
your files are OK perhaps all you need is to use the xorg.conf, else maybe it's better make a FC6 fresh install, force update your kernel for i686 if needed, reboot, install livna's rpms with yum, copy the following xorg.conf and restart X. Perhaps you should edit my xorg.conf on monitor section and keyboard to match yours.
My xorg.conf:
Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "single head configuration"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dbe"
Load "extmod"
Load "glx"
Load "dri"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard0"
Driver "kbd"
Option "XkbModel" "abnt2"
Option "XkbLayout" "br"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
Identifier "Monitor0"
ModelName "ViewSonic VX715"
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
HorizSync 30.0 - 83.0
VertRefresh 50.0 - 60.0
Option "dpms"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "fglrx"
Option "VideoOverlay" "on"
# Option "OpenGLOverlay" "off"
Option "no_accel" "no"
Option "no_dri" "no"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "single head configuration"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dbe"
Load "extmod"
Load "fbdevhw"
Load "glx"
Load "record"
Load "freetype"
Load "type1"
Load "dri"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard0"
Driver "kbd"
Option "XkbModel" "abnt2"
Option "XkbLayout" "br"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
Identifier "Monitor0"
ModelName "ViewSonic VX715"
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
HorizSync 30.0 - 83.0
VertRefresh 50.0 - 60.0
Option "dpms"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "fglrx"
Option "VideoOverlay" "on"
# Option "OpenGLOverlay" "off"
Option "no_accel" "no"
Option "no_dri" "no"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Videocard0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "Disable"
EndSection

[commonplace]

marcosmds, I'm still on FC5. I haven't upgraded to FC6 yet (though I've got the DVD and am considering upgrading, but have been afraid to do so yet).

I assume that's the reason for the differences; you're on FC6 and I'm on FC5.

[kiram9]

run
LIBGL_DEBUG=verbose glxinfo
and see what the output says

[commonplace]

kiram9, I've attached the output. Thanks for helping!

[kiram9]

Hmm interesting, I dont know exactly what is wrong with your setup, Since you have disabled the composite extension in your xorg file and added the dri group, it should work. I had a problem with files not being in the right places for my libgl files, but as evidenced from your libgl debug output you do not have this problem.... The only other thing i noticed was that your xorg.conf file was somewhat more detailed than mine... this is my file, the only thing to note is i have no extensions section, and i have no options in the device section (and overlay works fine)

# Xorg configuration created by system-config-display

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "single head configuration"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Synaptics" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard0"
Driver "kbd"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Synaptics"
Driver "synaptics"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "auto-dev"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "yes"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
Identifier "Monitor0"
ModelName "LCD Panel 1280x800"
### Comment all HorizSync and VertSync values to use DDC:
HorizSync 31.5 - 90.0
VertRefresh 59.9 - 60.1
Option "dpms"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "fglrx"
# Driver "radeon"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Videocard0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
Modes "1280x800" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "False"
EndSection
Section "DRI"
# Allow only the video group
Group 91
Mode 0666
EndSection

[mwette]

commonplace,

Here is a problem I see withthe glxinfo output

OpenGL vendor string: Mesa project: www.mesa3d.org

OpenGL renderer string: Mesa GLX Indirect

OpenGL version string: 1.2 (1.5 Mesa 6.4.2)



Check this out. See if you get similar or get a different libGL:

mwette:~$ ldd /usr/bin/glxinfo
linux-gate.so.1 => (0x00732000)
libGL.so.1 => /usr/lib/fglrx/libGL.so.1 (0x0062a000)
libGLU.so.1 => /usr/lib/libGLU.so.1 (0x00110000)
libc.so.6 => /lib/libc.so.6 (0x42e3e000)
libX11.so.6 => /usr/lib/libX11.so.6 (0x430d3000)
libXext.so.6 => /usr/lib/libXext.so.6 (0x431fa000)
libpthread.so.0 => /lib/libpthread.so.0 (0x42fac000)
libdl.so.2 => /lib/libdl.so.2 (0x42fa6000)
libstdc++.so.6 => /usr/lib/libstdc++.so.6 (0x439f9000)
libm.so.6 => /lib/libm.so.6 (0x42f7d000)
libgcc_s.so.1 => /lib/libgcc_s.so.1 (0x439eb000)
/lib/ld-linux.so.2 (0x4246f000)
libXau.so.6 => /usr/lib/libXau.so.6 (0x4308d000)
libXdmcp.so.6 => /usr/lib/libXdmcp.so.6 (0x43085000)


If glxinfo is not binding to the fglrx version of libGL.so, then you need
to get that working. Is the fglrx version in /usr/lib/fglrx/? If so then
check /etc/ld.so.conf.d. This is a directory that should contain, if the
livna package is set up like the ATI installer, with a file "fglrx-x86.conf".
On my system this file contains one line: /usr/lib/fglrx. To get programs l
ike glxinfo to bind to /usr/lib/fglrx/libGL.so you need to have /usr/lib/fglrx
in the ld.so.conf system somewhere (like in a file in /etc/ld.so.conf.d) *and*
you need to have run "ldconfig" to update the cache.

[commonplace]

mwette, I'll check that out tonight when I'm back at that computer -- that sounds promising, though! I'd love to get this thing working and not have to drop a bunch of money on an nVidia card when I just got this ATI one but a year ago. Thanks for your help! I'll update tonight after I try this.

[marcosmds]

Commonplace, Sorry! I thougth you were using FC 6 because of the section "Extensions" it's not necessary on FC5 as FC5 doesn't use AIGLX and composite as default. If glxinfo shows mesa as gl renderer that's because fglrx is not loaded or is not correctly bind. As root execute lsmod.
fglrx should be the first module of the list.
Assuming you installed from livna, you should be able to run:
service ati-fglrx restart
and after
ati-fglrx-config-display enable
and after reboot or at least restart X.
I was using my new radeon X1600 and before a X550 on FC5 with no problem and excellent performance. Now I am using FC 6 and just waiting ATI release an AIGLX compatible driver.
By the way, don't be afraid of FC 6. It's faster then FC 5 and can do new tricks. The only problem I have found up to now is about automounting DVDs. Ok, I can't use AIGLX at this moment, but it's not a problem of FC6.

[commonplace]

mwette, I checked my libGL, and it's slightly different, but everything seems to correspond to the way it is on my system. On mine, instead of /usr/lib/fglrx, it's /usr/lib/ati-fglrx, and instead of fglrx-x86.conf, it's ati-fglrx.conf. The ati-fglrx.conf file is in /etc/ld.so.conf.d and contains only one line, which is /usr/lib/ati-fglrx -- which should be correct for my system.

Nonetheless, after double-checking all that, I ran ldconfig to update the cache, but glxinfo still shows no direct rendering, and Mesa3D for OpenGL, and glxgears is atrocious, ppracer unplayable, etc.

marcosmds, no problem! I wasn't very clear that I was running FC5, and with so many people right now switching to FC6, I understand why you'd think that (especially since that line in my xorg.conf is apparently only needed for FC6 -- Firewing1 had me add that, but he probably thought I was running FC6, too!) Anyway, I restarted the ati-fglrx service and then did the ati-fglrx-config-display enable command and rebooted, but it didn't make any difference.

So, I'm still where I started. Any other suggestions? I really appreciate all the help I've gotten on this!

[marcosmds]

Commonplace, when you reboot during interactive startup did you see before X starts something like
Checking for ati-fglrx kernel module [Ok}
If you are using rhgb on grub it will be difficult to see
At least now it would be better to use a grub setup like this:
title Fedora Core (2.6.18-1.2798.fc6)
root (hd0,1)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.18-1.2798.fc6 ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.18-1.2798.fc6.img
Of course, yours will be different because you are using FC5. But what's interesting is remove rhgb from kernel line.
if this line doesn't appear during startup, check if it is configured to run on startup (you can see on console with ntsysv or on gnome (system->administration->services). In that case just mark the service to be loaded on startup on level 5. Cross your fingers and toes and reboot. :D
If it appears and is failed that's your problem
if it appears and it's OK well ... :confused:

[commonplace]

Yep, it appears and seems to load fine with no error. So that leaves us at ... :confused:

Unfortunately. :(

[marcosmds]

I have reread your earlier post with your xorg.conf and Xorg.0.log.
After all you did are that files up to date? if so, could you post the last 30 lines of your messages.log?
Reboot and get the lines just after you have access to gnome desktop. Before reboot comment out this line Option "KernelModuleParm" "agplock=0" and those three lines:
Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "False"
EndSection
after reboot with the above lines commented out post your output for fglrxinfo and for fgl_glxgears.
By the way, in your last post you didn't answer if lsmod reports fglrx is loaded.

[mwette]

mwette, I checked my libGL, and it's slightly different, but everything seems to correspond to the way it is on my system. On mine, instead of /usr/lib/fglrx, it's /usr/lib/ati-fglrx, and instead of fglrx-x86.conf, it's ati-fglrx.conf. The ati-fglrx.conf file is in /etc/ld.so.conf.d and contains only one line, which is /usr/lib/ati-fglrx -- which should be correct for my system.

Can you satisfy my curiosity? What does "ldd /usr/bin/glxinfo" give for the location of libGL.so?
(I'm using the ATI driver install and get /usr/lib/fglrx/libGL.so. I want to see if you
get /usr/lib/ati-fglrx/libGL.so or something else.)

[commonplace]

marcosmds: I've attached my current xorg.conf and Xorg.0.log files, as well as the last part of my messages.log file and the output of fglrxinfo and fgl_glxgears. (Neither of those worked, as you'll see, but I think that's always been the case; the only test that works for me is the regular glxgears command, but it's horrendously slow and jerky and the FPS is terrible; also, I always try PPRacer (Tux Racer) and even at its menu, it's apparent that the video is verrry sloooowwww).

mwette, I ran that command but it didn't list libGL.so -- it listed libGL.so.1 though, so maybe that's what you meant? Anyway, the location of libGL.so.1 is listed as "/usr/lib/ati-fglrx/libGL.so.1 (0x02269000)". If libGL.so.1 isn't the same as libGL.so, then... maybe that's part of my problem.

Thanks for not giving up on me yet, you two! :)

[mwette]

mwette, I ran that command but it didn't list libGL.so -- it listed libGL.so.1 though, so maybe that's what you meant? Anyway, the location of libGL.so.1 is listed as "/usr/lib/ati-fglrx/libGL.so.1 (0x02269000)". If libGL.so.1 isn't the same as libGL.so, then... maybe that's part of my problem.

No. That looks great. You should be getting the right OpenGL bindings.
glxinfo should report "ATI" and not "Mesa".

[commonplace]

No. That looks great. You should be getting the right OpenGL bindings.
glxinfo should report "ATI" and not "Mesa".

I figured it was okay, but I was hoping it wasn't so that I'd at least have something to try fixing! I still get Mesa as the OpenGL vendor.

Hopefully someone else will have some ideas. Thanks again for your help!

[mwette]

I figured it was okay, but I was hoping it wasn't so that I'd at least have something to try fixing! I still get Mesa as the OpenGL vendor.

commonpalce,
did you run "ati-fglrx-config-display enable" ?

In this thread (http://forums.fedoraforum.org/forum/showthread.php?t=127305) we worked with someone who had a similar problem
and this turned out to be the solution.

[commonplace]

commonpalce,
did you run "ati-fglrx-config-display enable" ?

In this thread (http://forums.fedoraforum.org/forum/showthread.php?t=127305) we worked with someone who had a similar problem
and this turned out to be the solution.

Yes, I tried that a couple of days ago, and rebooted afterwards, but it didn't make any difference.

[marcosmds]

Commonplace, I have read all the trhead and links from it. That's weird because both your xorg.0.log reports no error at all (you sent one to firewing1 and one to me) Including it reports DRI is enabled.
The following fragment shows us that since the beggining you have DRI enabled with the fglrx drivers and you should be another happy linux user.
II) fglrx(0): Acceleration enabled
(II) fglrx(0): X context handle = 0x1
(II) fglrx(0): [DRI] installation complete
(II) fglrx(0): Direct rendering enabled
(==) fglrx(0): Using hardware cursor
(II) fglrx(0): Largest offscreen area available: 1280 x 410
(**) fglrx(0): Video overlay enabled on CRTC1
But it's not working, I have installed livna's drivers several times in several machines and it uses to work with no effort besides yum and reboot just once. I not sure the problem is in xorg.conf or the drivers. Perhaps we are looking the wrong way and forgeting the environment. I do not know if it's easy for you but it would be interesting to get another machine with FC5 and a ATI card and try to swap the cards. If the other machine get the same problem and yours get cured the problem is the card. If the other works with both cards and you have problems with both cards the problem is your machine. What is your motherboard? Are you using the most current BIOS for your motherboard? Perhaps you could do a fresh install of FC5, yum update to most current packages and kernel for FC5 (or FC 6) and install the drivers, so that we could rule out a problem in the software environment.

[marcosmds]

The last message was a little confuse at the end. The last sentence should be: Perhaps you could do a fresh install of FC5 or FC6, yum update to most current packages and install the livna's drivers, so that we could rule out a problem in the software environment.

[commonplace]

I'm in the process of setting up a test machine and I'll pull the video card out of this problematic one and put it in that box and see if I can get it to work. If it works there, I'll know it's something with my software setup here, which would mean (ugh) a clean install of FC5 or FC6. I'm just not 'good enough' at Fedora yet to get back to where I'm at right now without a lot of work... getting all the stuff installed I want installed, etc. It's a lot of work (for me, as a relative newbie).

I know some people think nothing of formatting and reinstalling, but for me, it would take me weeks to get back to where I'm at now -- everything working the way I want it (well, except 3D acceleration).

[marcosmds]

A fresh reinstall of a box you installed few hours early is piece of cake but when the box is fully customized that can be truly painful. I don't know it will help but that's what I suggest:
1- Make a list of all programs you have installed, particularly the programs you didn't get from fedora and livna repositories.
2-Backup all /home folder. You can use a CD or a DVD but my best option is just copy the entire folder to a second HD.
3- Backup selected conf files from /etc (the ones you manually modified) or if you are afraid to forget something backup all /etc. This step is more important to job machines. At home I don't make it. But itś up to you.
4- if you have a web server backup /var/www, too.
5- Install FC ...Hey since you are taking all this load go ahead and install FC 6
6- Get from DVD, CD or web the i686 arch version of FC6 kernel. Anaconda installs i586.
7- rpm -Uvh --force kernel-2.6.18-1.2798.fc6.i686.rpm and reboot
6- yum -y update
7-set up livna repo
8-init 3, login as root, yum install kmod-fglrx
9-edit your xorg.conf in order to add the section extensions with composite disabled and the server flag action with option AIGLX off. If the driver on device section is different from radeon, change it to radeon
10- ati-fglrx-config-display enable
11- ati-fglrx-config-display enabledri (just to be sure)
12 - service ati-fglrx restart
13 - check again xorg.conf in order to see driver has changed from radeon to fglrx
14 - reboot
15 - check lsmod (fglrx should be in the first line)
16 - check glxinfo e fglrxinfo
14 - make you

[marcosmds]

A little note about the last sentence. It's Alzheimer :)
It should be:
17- reinstall the programs you wrote down at the beggining, restore your data.

[commonplace]

Thanks. I might give this a try this weekend.. or next weekend.. or whenever I feel courageous. :)