# Delay during startup since upgrading to 3.4.9

## lostinspace2011

While booting my system get stuck for about a minute after switching clocksource. From the output of dmesg it seems to be caused by not being able to load the firmware. 

 *Quote:*   

> [    1.513227] Refined TSC clocksource calibration: 3199.953 MHz.
> 
> [    1.513314] Switching to clocksource tsc
> 
> [   62.044301] si_cp: Failed to load firmware "radeon/VERDE_pfp.bin"
> ...

 

Initially I did not have linux-firmware installed, but even after installing it, the problem persisted. I guess I also need to configure my kernel and specify the correct values for:

```
CONFIG_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL=y

CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE=""
```

What confuses me is why is this suddenly needed and how did it work before. Other than the delay during startup everything seems to be working correctly.

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## Hu

Either you changed a configuration option to enable the driver which requires this firmware or the upgrade put your PCI ID on the list of supported devices, causing the driver to try to use the device.  You can embed the firmware in the kernel by setting EXTRA_FIRMWARE to the same value as shown in the error message and setting EXTRA_FIRMWARE_DIR to a directory where firmware files are found.

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## lostinspace2011

Even after setting the values as :

```
CONFIG_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL=y

CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE="/radeon/VERDE_pfp.bin"

CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE_DIR="/lib64/firmware"

```

and

```
CONFIG_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL=y

CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE="radeon/VERDE_pfp.bin"

CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE_DIR="/lib64/firmware"

```

I am still getting the same error. I check that the file exists.

 *Quote:*   

> locate VERDE
> 
> /lib64/firmware/radeon/VERDE_ce.bin
> 
> /lib64/firmware/radeon/VERDE_mc.bin
> ...

 

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## lostinspace2011

I made some progress on this issue. Using

```
CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE="radeon/VERDE_ce.bin radeon/VERDE_mc.bin radeon/VERDE_me.bin radeon/VERDE_pfp.bin radeon/VERDE_rlc.bin"

CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE_DIR="/lib64/firmware"

```

Allows me to boot up without the delay, however X no longer works.

The gentoo-ATI-FAQ has a reference to this issue :

 *Quote:*   

> Important: If you're using ati-drivers, then you'll need to disable radeonfb (and probably any other framebuffer drivers) in your kernel config, as it conflicts with the built-in framebuffer in ati-drivers.

 

So does this mean I either have to live with the delay and have X working or not live with the delay and not use X ? Since enabling the firmware option in the kernel I get to see Tux on startup, while previously I didn't.

Any suggestions on how to achieve all three, Tux on startup, no delay and working X.

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## Odward

 *lostinspace2011 wrote:*   

> 
> 
> The gentoo-ATI-FAQ has a reference to this issue :
> 
>  *Quote:*   Important: If you're using ati-drivers, then you'll need to disable radeonfb (and probably any other framebuffer drivers) in your kernel config, as it conflicts with the built-in framebuffer in ati-drivers. 
> ...

 

Not sure if this helps, but in case it wasn't clear:

radeon is the open source driver, ati-drivers would be fglrx

You definitely should not be using both.

Are you using radeon in the kernel and then trying to start X with fglrx?  If so, that's wrong.  Otherwise that quote from the gentoo-ATI-FAQ is not related to your trouble.

If your make.conf contains VIDEO_CARDS="radeon" you can probably ignore the rest of this post.  If you're using ati proprietary drivers the following may help.

If you're using fglrx, you need to eliminate radeon from your kernel

```
Device Drivers  --->

   Graphics support  --->

      < > Direct Rendering Manager (XFree86 4.1.0 and higher DRI support)  --->
```

If that is the scenario, and if my understanding is correct, you will then cease to get the hang on boot because it won't be attempting to load the firmware for radeon. 

If you're using ati-drivers (fglrx) and want the penguin, you could try in the kernel

```
Device Drivers --->

    Graphics Support --->

          <*> Support for frame buffer devices --->

                  [*] VESA VGA graphics support
```

This is how I get penguins when using nvidia proprietary driver, so not positive it's the same for ati cards.

If you're using radeon, and Not ati-drivers then something else is occurring.

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## lostinspace2011

Thanks this fixed the startup issue and X is also working again. The tux's still don't come up on startup, but that is really not that important. 2 out of 3 is not that bad.

 :Very Happy: 

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