Bug#694777: Wheezy Beta4 installs but X server unusable
On Fri, 30 Nov 2012, Brian Potkin wrote:
[AMD] nee ATI RV610 [Radeon HD 2400 XT] [1002:94c1]
Subsystem: Dell Optiplex 755 [1028:0d02]
Kernel driver in use: radeon
[ ... ]
http://wiki.debian.org/AtiHowTo
which looks like I should install some non-free firmware for this card.
I find this in the running dmesg:
root@ivanovad:/var/log# dmesg |grep -i firmware
[ 8.322395] r600_cp: Failed to load firmware "radeon/RV610_pfp.bin"
[ 8.322442] [drm:r600_startup] *ERROR* Failed to load firmware!
I am happy to report that installing the non-free firmware blob fixed
my problem, everything worked correctly upon the next wheezy boot.
That is good to know.
May I inquire why you did not have the contents of firmware-linux-nonfree
available to use during the installation on a "just in case" basis? It is
something I have got into the habit of doing, especially when I'm
unfamiliar with the machine's hardware.
I ask because the Guide does have some detailed information on firmware
in sections 2.2 and 6.4. It would be useful to have some feedback on
whether the documenation is deficient in some way amd you did not quite
realise its importance.
I certainly read those sections more than once without getting the feeling
that I should always have the unofficial extras available in advance.
In advance, I felt like the installer might ask for it if needed, or I
might see the need when something completely failed to work. Indeed these
warnings made me more willing to consider the possibility of firmware as
I researched my problem post-install, and followed layers of links in various
documentation, eventually finding the wiki-page which made it clear that
my display controller does need firmware, period. Note also that section
6.4.2 of the Guide warns about non-packaged firmware evading updates later
via the package management system.
Perhaps the installer could warn the user if her video card is among those
listed in AtiHowTo and the installer doesn't see the firmware supplied
somewhere by the user. Perhaps just a referral to the wiki page ?
Didn't the installer ask for RV610_pfp.bin to be supplied?
No, never. It looks like the installer itself always runs the card in
some kind of framebuffer mode which worked throughout without problem.
Only after booting the installed system, resulting in a blank screen,
did I have any hint of a problem with this card.
http://myweb.cableone.net/ytpoppler/hardware-summary
http://myweb.cableone.net/ytpoppler/status
http://myweb.cableone.net/ytpoppler/syslog
http://myweb.cableone.net/ytpoppler/Xorg.0.log
(I also have the cdebconf subdirectory and the partman file from installer
saved logs, as well as various system logs, if they are interesting.)
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