Fedora 11: ATI Radeon Xpress 200M Support?

Driv3r912 · #1 17th June 2009, 05:40 AM

Good Day Everyone,

I am having some graphics problems with Fedora 11. When I attempt to install Fedora 11 on the DVD, I select the 1st Boot Option to install or upgrade system. When I do, it asks to check media. I checked it and it comes back OK. So I proceed. The installation advises me it is starting Anaconda (the CentOS, Fedora, etc... installer). After that, the screen goes black, comes back with white lines all over the monitor along with a cursor that moves around the screen. Nothing happens past this point.

So, I edited the boot line by adding the following commands:
nomodeset
acpi=off
quit
r_ _ _ (can't recall that command off hand). It's like rphg or something.

Nothing resolves that white lines and the cursor. So, my next attempt was to select option 2 on the install media. Install using basic video drivers. It works! But now I'm sitting here with Fedora 11 installed and running with a maximum resolution of 1024 x 768. My laptop should be using a resolution of 1280 x 800.

I'm using the: ATI Radeon Xpress 200M Series Graphics Card. This is found on the Gateway ML3109 Laptop.

I'm going to be getting a laptop made exclusively for Linux, so there should not be a problem with Fedora on that machine. But my concern now is -- can I get the proper resolution on this laptop with my graphics card?

Any and all help is appreciated. There shouldn't be a problem really. CentOS works normally graphics-wise on this machine-- but it should since it uses stable packages. And Ubuntu works normally graphics-wise as well. Something must be missing.

***Firewing1*** · #2 17th June 2009, 06:14 AM

I would try applying all updates and then check if /etc/X11/xorg.conf exists. If it does, please post the contents here (chances are you can just remove it, which will cause Xorg to use the default radeon graphics driver which should support your resolution).

Driv3r912 · #3 17th June 2009, 06:39 AM

Hello Firewing1, that was the first thing I tried when I got the OS up and running was to download and apply the updates. Nothing fixed this graphics resolution problem.

My /etc/X11/xorg.conf contains the following content:

Code:

Section "Device"
	Identifier "Videocard0"
	Driver "vesa"
EndSection

It looks like the issue now just by looking at the file is: It's using the VESA driver. What do you think I should do? Just back the file up and delete the original. Then have Linux create a new one on automatically on the next boot?

Driv3r912 · #4 17th June 2009, 08:10 AM

OK, unfortunatly when deleting xorg.conf -- the system tries to boot into normal mode. When the boot screen disappears; we once again see the black screen (more like all white screen with black lines) or vice-versa. To get to this point though, I had to remove the quiet, nomodeset, and r_ _ _ switch commands. When not removing those command lines, the system attempts to boot normally -- in the sense that the display goes crazy. It will be black on the top. And then from 3/4 down the display is white with black stripes?

Is there any other hope to get this going?

Driv3r912 · #5 17th June 2009, 06:31 PM

Well? What is missing? Why do other latest Linux Operating Systems work right, but Fedora cannot recognize my graphics card? Another thing: Fedora 10 recognized my graphics card. I know there is a solution, but how??

Should I downgrade and/or upgrade flgrx to the latest and/or version in Fedora 10 along with the kernel?

This is starting to get frustrating.

Any and all help is appreciated. Thanks!

Robert2 · #6 17th June 2009, 06:55 PM

The problem presumably is that the ATI Radeon Xpress 200M is a bit of a special case, in that it is integrated into the ATI North bridge, and instead of having its own memory it uses regular system memory.
Also I think it is quite rare, so in effect it is probably not well tested.

There is one ThinkPad (R51e) with the same video controller, here is something on it that might help
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/ATI_Mo...on_Xpress_200M

I would suggest that you add 'nomodeset' as a kernel parameter, and then boot either without xorg.conf, or with an xorg.conf with 'radeon' instead of 'vesa' and if you resolution is not set properly to add your own modes.

You should also open a bugzilla report.

Driv3r912 · #7 17th June 2009, 07:00 PM

Thank you for your reply Robert2, I will open a case with bugzilla. I will also investigate the Thinkpad version.

tomash · #8 21st June 2009, 05:00 PM

I have the same problem on Asus F5RL laptop with the same ATI Radeon Xpress 200M video card. After installation with "vesa" driver (second boot option) I managed to get native 1280x800 resolution with

Code:

Section "Device"
        Identifier "Videocard0"
        Driver "radeon"
        Option "NoAccel" "on"
EndSection

"radeon" driver in Fedora 10 worked fine with default accelerations enabled. Driv3r912, could you please post the link to your bug report here, I'd like to follow on it too.

ultra magnus · #9 21st June 2009, 08:22 PM

I have an Acer Aspire 5102VLMi with that graphics chipset, using the radeon driver without any xorg.conf in F11. Added

Code:

nomodeset vga=791

to /boot/grub/menu.lst
I get the native resolution of 1280x800 here.

AlexDudko · #10 21st June 2009, 10:06 PM

I couldn't pass through this stage on my ASUS-A9RP laptop - this is the first distribution since FC6, which I wasn't able to install. The option "xdriver=vesa" doesn't help.

salmanal · #11 24th June 2009, 12:37 AM

F10 runs perfectly, this morning, I downloaded and burned the F11 DVD; only to try
installation in "low Graphics" mode. The media tested was fine, but once I tried to continue,
Fedora went into shutdown mode and told me it was okay to reboot This happened several times.
The live CD of F11 will not display at all. Again F10 is fine. Is there any way I could tell
Fedora at boot time to recognize my graphics card? I do like this Radeon, but there are too few PC stores
in this dreadful city. My choices in Radio Shack or Comp USA. Which graphics card could I buy that
is better supported by F11?

tch · #12 25th June 2009, 09:10 AM

@salmanal: Have you verified the checksum of the downloaded F11 DVD image or tried some other boot media? I was able to install F11 with basic video driver from the CD.

Here's the /etc/X11/xorg.conf that works for me (along with nomodeset boot parameter):

Code:

Section "Device"
	Identifier  "Videocard0"
	Driver      "radeon"
	Option "AccelMethod" "XAA"
	Option "AccelDFS" "off"
	Option "DRI" "off"
EndSection

It's based on:

https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Commo...phics_adapters

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=498457

It might be a good idea to periodically review both of those places.

salmanal · #13 25th June 2009, 01:36 PM

It may not be for a few weeks though. I am about to put my PCs in storage for a move
to Upstate New York. Strange, The KDE, F11 installed without issue, but the Gnome just
seems "cleaner;" nonetheless, at least I'll have one working Linux system (Ubuntu) to demonstrate Linux advantage.

AlexDudko · #14 25th June 2009, 03:51 PM

I did checksum and was able to install it to other computers, but this Radeon one just doesn't like Fedora-11.

sundar_ima · #15 15th July 2009, 04:25 PM

I too have "ATI Radeon Xpress 200M" graphics card. Media was tested before booting and the result is "black screen with cursor". Tried with various boot parameters given here and there but the result is same . Same CD works fine in my friend's laptop and PC.

I am having DVD too but affried to install in to HDD due to this problem. Is there anyway i can at least see the desktop

I have tested many distros including mini and micro but none had this problem. "Fedora" is such a reputed distro... hhhhmmm