Re: [gentoo-user] [drm] loading RV710 Microcode fails

Re: [gentoo-user] [drm] loading RV710 Microcode fails

[Gregory Shearman]

In linux.gentoo.user, you wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I cleanup up  a system, per the postings to not use HAL.
> k3b does not work, but, I'll look for a fix for it later.
>
> I keep 2 kernels on this system.
>
> kernel-2.6.34-gentoo-r12 and kernel-2.6.36-gentoo-r5
>
> the *36 does not work. I have copied it over from 
> an identical system, build new kernels an still it
> fails with the verbiage listed in the title.

Are you using kernel modesetting? If you are then you have to get your
microcode built into the kernel.

You need CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE, and provide the filenames of the
firmware you require (in the form of a space delimited string) to run
your graphics card.

You also need CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE_DIR to tell the kernel where to find
the microcode. Mine is set to /lib/firmware.

> Reboot and Running:
> xorg-server-1.9.2  ati-drivers-10.11
> xorg-x11-7.4-r1 kernel-2.6.34-gentoo-r12 
> with no hald all is fine?
> The old kernel was built with hal and hald
> running, if that makes a difference.....?

I don't think it has anything to do with HAL. Check to make sure if you
are now running Kernel Modesetting where the previous kernel wasn't.

-- 
Regards,
Gregory.

[gentoo-user] Re: [drm] loading RV710 Microcode fails

[James]

Gregory Shearman <zekeyg <at> gmail.com> writes:


> Are you using kernel modesetting? If you are then you have to get your
> microcode built into the kernel.

Not sure, can you be more specific on "modesetting" as 
grepping the /usr/src/linux/.config does not find anything,
so I'm not exactly sure what "modesetting" refers to....

Nothing under the "Generic Driver section of the kernels
I have been using has changed. The kernel worked before
I began following web pages and notes from this list
on removing hald and the hal flag from the system. I did
rebuild the kernel-2.6.36-gentoo-r5 after these
hal purge exercises began.....

CONFIG_UEVENT_HELPER_PATH="/sbin/hotplug"
# CONFIG_DEVTMPFS is not set
CONFIG_STANDALONE=y
CONFIG_PREVENT_FIRMWARE_BUILD=y
CONFIG_FW_LOADER=y
CONFIG_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL=y
CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE=""

> You need CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE, and provide the filenames of the
> firmware you require (in the form of a space delimited string) to run
> your graphics card.

Here are the setting from .config, as they always have
been: (I'd prefer not to use modsetting, unless provided
a GOOD reason to use it?)


CONFIG_UEVENT_HELPER_PATH="/sbin/hotplug"
# CONFIG_DEVTMPFS is not set
CONFIG_STANDALONE=y
CONFIG_PREVENT_FIRMWARE_BUILD=y
CONFIG_FW_LOADER=y
CONFIG_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL=y
CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE=""

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: [drm] loading RV710 Microcode fails

[Gregory Shearman]

In linux.gentoo.user, you wrote:
> Gregory Shearman <zekeyg <at> gmail.com> writes:
>
>
>> Are you using kernel modesetting? If you are then you have to get your
>> microcode built into the kernel.
>
> Not sure, can you be more specific on "modesetting" as 
> grepping the /usr/src/linux/.config does not find anything,
> so I'm not exactly sure what "modesetting" refers to....

I run an ATI HD5660 graphics card and use the open source Radeon driver
found in the kernel. When I select this driver, there's a second option
about allowing kernel modesetting by default. I've found that 3D
graphics and even the Xserver doesn't run on the 2.6.36 kernel unless
Kernel Modesetting is selected. This driver requires microcode to be
installed (emerge radeon-ucode). Now, I don't run an initramfs and
because kernel modesetting requires that the kernel handle the
framebuffer it loads the graphics driver before it has accessed any of
the system's hard drives. This means that for the kernel to find the
microcode it must be included when the kernel is compiled.

I can't help you further as I'm not sure what graphics card you run, nor
whether or not you're using the proprietary driver nor have you provided
the context for the error message provided in the subject.

>
> Nothing undeer the "Generic Driver section of the kernels
> I have been using has changed. The kernel worked before
> I began following web pages and notes from this list
> on removing hald and the hal flag from the system. I did
> rebuild the kernel-2.6.36-gentoo-r5 after these
> hal purge exercises began.....

I don't think HAL is your problem. Your kernel cannot find the microcode
for your graphics card. See above.

>> You need CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE, and provide the filenames of the
>> firmware you require (in the form of a space delimited string) to run
>> your graphics card.
>
> Here are the setting from .config, as they always have
> been: (I'd prefer not to use modsetting, unless provided
> a GOOD reason to use it?)
>
>
> CONFIG_UEVENT_HELPER_PATH="/sbin/hotplug"
> # CONFIG_DEVTMPFS is not set
> CONFIG_STANDALONE=y
> CONFIG_PREVENT_FIRMWARE_BUILD=y
> CONFIG_FW_LOADER=y
> CONFIG_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL=y
> CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE=""

See CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE=""?

This needs to be where you place your filenames for your kernel
microcode required by your graphics card.

You should also have:

CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE_DIR=""

This should show the kernel the directory where your firmware is stored.
Mine is in /lib/firmware.

-- 
Regards,
Gregory.

[gentoo-user] Re: [drm] loading RV710 Microcode fails

[James]

Gregory Shearman <zekeyg <at> gmail.com> writes:


> I run an ATI HD5660 graphics card and use the open source Radeon driver
> found in the kernel. When I select this driver, there's a second option
> about allowing kernel modesetting by default. I've found that 3D
> graphics and even the Xserver doesn't run on the 2.6.36 kernel unless
> Kernel Modesetting is selected. This driver requires microcode to be
> installed (emerge radeon-ucode). Now, I don't run an initramfs and
> because kernel modesetting requires that the kernel handle the
> framebuffer it loads the graphics driver before it has accessed any of
> the system's hard drives. This means that for the kernel to find the
> microcode it must be included when the kernel is compiled.


OK, I went and did a bunch of reading..... I do not use initramfs.
I emerge'd radeon-ucode


> I can't help you further as I'm not sure what graphics card you run, nor
> whether or not you're using the proprietary driver nor have you provided
> the context for the error message provided in the subject.

card:
02:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV710 [Radeon HD 4350]
I use ati-drivers-10.11


> See CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE=""?

now says: 
CONFIG_PREVENT_FIRMWARE_BUILD=y
CONFIG_FW_LOADER=y
CONFIG_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL=y

and
CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE="/lib/firmware"

Then I copied all file with*710* matching from
/usr/src/linux/firmware/radeon/*710* to /lib/firemware

OK?


> This needs to be where you place your filenames for your kernel
> microcode required by your graphics card.
> 
> You should also have:
> 
> CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE_DIR=""
CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE_DIR="firmware"

? not sure on this

I then emerged radeon-ucode-20101122
(but I'm using ati-drivers) ????
After the emerge I get:

* Your kernel has radeon DRM built-in but not the IRQ microcode.
 * For kernel modesetting to work, please set in kernel config
 * CONFIG_FIRMWARE_IN_KERNEL=y
 * CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE_DIR="/lib/firmware"
 * CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE="radeon/CEDAR_me.bin radeon/CEDAR_pfp.bin
radeon/CEDAR_rlc.bin radeon/CYPRESS_me.bin radeon/CYPRESS_pfp.bin
radeon/CYPRESS_rlc.bin radeon/JUNIPER_me.bin radeon/JUNIPER_pfp.bin
radeon/JUNIPER_rlc.bin radeon/R600_rlc.bin radeon/R700_rlc.bin
radeon/PALM_me.bin radeon/PALM_pfp.bin radeon/REDWOOD_me.bin
radeon/REDWOOD_pfp.bin radeon/REDWOOD_rlc.bin radeon/SUMO_rlc.bin"
 * You may skip microcode files for which no hardware is installed.

Those look to complete with the ati-driver driver?

> This should show the kernel the directory where your firmware is stored.
> Mine is in /lib/firmware.


YEP, I'm sure as hell confused now.....

I know I need kms with ati-drives, but all of the web pages
just seem to confuse me. Maybe 5-15 steps on kms with ati-drivers
is what I need?


What I find seems to confuse me more that help.....



James

[gentoo-user] Re: [drm] loading RV710 Microcode fails

[james]

Gregory Shearman <zekeyg <at> gmail.com> writes:


> CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE_DIR=""

> This should show the kernel the directory where your firmware is stored.
> Mine is in /lib/firmware.

Now I have ls /lib/firmware/

RV710_me.bin        RV710_me.bin.ihex    RV710_pfp.bin.gen.o
RV710_me.bin.gen.S  RV710_pfp.bin        RV710_pfp.bin.ihex
RV710_me.bin.gen.o  RV710_pfp.bin.gen.S  radeon


ls /lib/firmware/radeon/


CEDAR_me.bin    CYPRESS_pfp.bin  JUNIPER_rlc.bin  R700_rlc.bin     SUMO_rlc.bin
CEDAR_pfp.bin   CYPRESS_rlc.bin  PALM_me.bin      REDWOOD_me.bin
CEDAR_rlc.bin   JUNIPER_me.bin   PALM_pfp.bin     REDWOOD_pfp.bin
CYPRESS_me.bin  JUNIPER_pfp.bin  R600_rlc.bin     REDWOOD_rlc.bin


Before I emerge radeon-ucode, I tried it with just the lib/firmware
files. I think I need to select one file name out of that dir
for the parameter CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE=""?


but which one?

Since I use ati-drivers, I should unmerge radeon-ucode ?


James

[gentoo-user] Re: [drm] loading RV710 Microcode fails

[Nikos Chantziaras]

On 02/09/2011 03:35 AM, James wrote:
> Gregory Shearman<zekeyg<at>  gmail.com>  writes:
>
>
>> I run an ATI HD5660 graphics card and use the open source Radeon driver
>> found in the kernel. When I select this driver, there's a second option
>> about allowing kernel modesetting by default. I've found that 3D
>> graphics and even the Xserver doesn't run on the 2.6.36 kernel unless
>> Kernel Modesetting is selected. This driver requires microcode to be
>> installed (emerge radeon-ucode). Now, I don't run an initramfs and
>> because kernel modesetting requires that the kernel handle the
>> framebuffer it loads the graphics driver before it has accessed any of
>> the system's hard drives. This means that for the kernel to find the
>> microcode it must be included when the kernel is compiled.
>
>
> OK, I went and did a bunch of reading..... I do not use initramfs.
> I emerge'd radeon-ucode
>
>
>> I can't help you further as I'm not sure what graphics card you run, nor
>> whether or not you're using the proprietary driver nor have you provided
>> the context for the error message provided in the subject.
>
> card:
> 02:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV710 [Radeon HD 4350]
> I use ati-drivers-10.11

All the instructions you received assume that you were using 
xf86-video-ati, *not* ati-drivers (also known as "AMD Catalyst for 
Linux", AMD's proprietary binary driver for Radeon cards).

Do *not* install any firmware files and make sure you disable the radeon 
driver completely in the kernel.  Not only KMS, but no driver *at all*.