# [SOLVED] X breaks Text Mode

## zolxd

I am in the habit of booting into Text Mode before starting X, using TM VTs while X is running, and sometimes returning to TM when X stops before calling shutdown, instead of doing so from within X.

At present, starting X disables TM: switching to TM VTs from X results in a blank screen that doesn't receive input, except for switching between (blank) VTs (including the X session, fortunately), turning off the monitor. Ditto stopping X, without any X to return to.

In addition, Alt-SysRq-k disables input and output updating only, leaving a frozen display on screen.

(the "terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp" in hal strategy has never worked on this box)

Possibly a modesetting issue, but disabling KMS didn't help.

Well, I am using svn drivers, so problems are to be expected.

But perhaps there is a solution, or the problem is with my config.

HW: core i7 + ati evergreen on GA-P55

gentoo-2.6.32 x86_64

xorg-x11-7.4 (inc xorg-server-1.7.6-r1)

libdrm/mesa/xf86-video-ati-9999

some kernel settings:

```

CONFIG_STANDALONE=y

CONFIG_PREVENT_FIRMWARE_BUILD=y

CONFIG_FW_LOADER=y

CONFIG_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL=y

CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE=""

CONFIG_VT=y

CONFIG_CONSOLE_TRANSLATIONS=y

CONFIG_VT_CONSOLE=y

CONFIG_HW_CONSOLE=y

CONFIG_VGA_ARB=y

CONFIG_DRM=m

CONFIG_DRM_KMS_HELPER=m

CONFIG_DRM_TTM=m

CONFIG_DRM_RADEON=m

CONFIG_FB=y

CONFIG_FB_DDC=m

CONFIG_FB_CFB_FILLRECT=m

CONFIG_FB_CFB_COPYAREA=m

CONFIG_FB_CFB_IMAGEBLIT=m

CONFIG_FB_MODE_HELPERS=y

CONFIG_FB_RADEON=y

CONFIG_FB_RADEON_I2C=y

CONFIG_DUMMY_CONSOLE=y

CONFIG_FRAMEBUFFER_CONSOLE=y

CONFIG_DMADEVICES=y

CONFIG_STAGING=y

CONFIG_DRM_RADEON_KMS=y

```

No xorg.config

There is some uncertainty about framebuffer conflicts, but the variations I've tried make no difference.

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## chithanh

The DRM in kernel 2.6.32 does not properly support your card. And console restore in UMS is not yet implemented for Evergreen.

Try with 2.6.34 or newer and KMS.

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## zolxd

 *chithanh wrote:*   

> The DRM in kernel 2.6.32 does not properly support your card. And console restore in UMS is not yet implemented for Evergreen.

 

This is true, but the DRM works well enough for general use  :Smile: 

I imagined* that UMS wouldn't be called upon in this case (*because I don't know enough about it to 'believe').

But 2.6.32 wouldn't have had a KMS-ready driver to work with, I suppose (haven't compared the timelines).

 *Quote:*   

> Try with 2.6.34 or newer and KMS.

 

Now that driver-side KMS is "DONE" that might work, but it's still ~amd64, and I'm willing to wait.

Incidentally, how would I go about following kernel development to watch for such things as what each release affects/will affect.

I just thought there might be a quirk in my setup preventing best operation of what is already installed, rather than assume the software is at fault.

I won't mark this as solved just yet, unless you're sure a kernel upgrade is the answer.

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## VoidMage

I'll repeat "upgrade your kernel" from the other post

and add "unset CONFIG_FB_RADEON".

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## zolxd

I went ahead and tried 2.6.34-r1.

All framebuffer settings were as off as possible, basic support was M.

Note that I also rebuilt xf86-video-ati-9999 after each configuration, because I don't know what it needs to be compatible.

Maybe I should have rebuilt libdrm?

Result is black screen during boot shortly after the start of runlevel 3.

This is with or without KMS, module or in-kernel.

However, I was able to boot and startx once with in-kernel radeon DRM, and no KMS.

But after building and trying another variation with KMS that failed, the above version also failed during boot.

I'm guessing the newer modules caused that, but it's not worth another round of trials for no improvement over stable.

I'll probably have to be more thorough to get it working.

Doubtless some detail deemed to obvious to mention, but I would have to discover by research, or simply remember.

There are other demands on my time (and my machine) right now, so for now I'll stick with 2.6.32.

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## VoidMage

CONFIG_FRAMEBUFFER_CONSOLE should still be set with KMS.

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## zolxd

Aha, I didn't realise the boot process now switches to FB automatically.

Here's what's working for me:

using gentoo-sources-2.6.34-r1

CONFIG_DRM_RADEON=m

CONFIG_DRM_RADEON_KMS=y

CONFIG_FB=y	     <--- to unlock FB_CONSOLE setting

CONFIG_FRAMEBUFFER_CONSOLE=y

#CONFIG_FB_RADEON is not set

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