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hackerwolf
Adept II

fglrx fails to load on false-positive switchable graphics TOSHIBA laptop

Hi! I decided to write to this forum because I have an issue that is driving me crazy. Only two months ago I bought a new TOSHIBA laptop, a Satellite L850-1PD PSKG8E-U05500UIT (http://it.computers.toshiba-europe.com/innovation/product/Satellite-L850-1PD/1142961/), equipped with an Intel i7 3630QM CPU and a Radeon HD7670M w/2GB VRAM. I use GNU/Linux by 5 years and more but I've never had a similar issue: after I've installed Ubuntu 12.10, logically, I start to install the fglrx video driver, but after the reboot I get black screen (LDM doesn't load) and the following Xorg error:

fglrx(0): Invalid video BIOS signature!

fglrx(0): GetBIOSParameter failed

fglrx(0): PreInitConfig failed

After reading hundreds of web pages, I've discovered that this error is caused by an incorrect detection of video card: the OS looks for in-CPU Intel HD400 GPU, but this one is disabled via BIOS by TOSHIBA. As suggested here, I should change some BIOS graphic options, but obviously my BIOS doesn't have any of these options!!!

So I gently ask if there is a sort of workaround or fix to get the driver working properly.

Thanks in advance!!

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1 Solution
hackerwolf
Adept II

Issue solved!!!

I installed last beta (Catalyst 13.2 beta6) and it finally works!!!! Only I have an ugly watermark on bottom right that says "AMD Testing use only". Any idea to remove it?

View solution in original post

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31 Replies
himanshu_gautam
Grandmaster

While we look at this issue here, Can you also check with Toshiba on this? May be, they have an alternate BIOS image that can help you out...

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It would be great but it's impossible. The BIOS update published by TOSHIBA is older than my BIOS running on my laptop; and if you ask them the reason because the Intel HD4000 is disabled, they answer that the GPU isn't disabled but "helps" the Radeon

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Since switchable graphics should work automatically (assuming) -- Can you try fglrx instllation with AC power cord plugged in?

Sorry if this is a dumb suggestion

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I've already tried with no success, and like now, I usually use the machine only with AC, the battery is unplugged.

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Hi,

I dont understand why you have to unplug your battery...

As far as switchable graphics goes, it is upto the laptop vendor on how he implements it.

Some of them implement a hardware-switch. Others, implement a software to switch.

Some others do it transparently with no user control.

How has Toshiba done it? Any idea? I hope that hardware logic is not tied to the presence/absence of battery.

Thats why I am concerned about your unplugged battery..

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I unplug the battery to don't wreck it... a fully charged battery still plugged to the AC for a long time it's destinated to have a short life; I had this bad experience with a previous laptop.

Regarding the issue, the laptop has no switchable graphics in any way. Only the HD760M is working. The obstacle isn't represented by how TOSHIBA sets graphic options, but how the OS detects them. We have to consider the laptop as an old model with only one GPU. fglrx (or the kernel) fails in this detection: it detects switchable graphic, shows the related error, but actually there's no switchable graphic and no options to set or edit it via BIOS.

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Sorry... I misunderstood and got carried away by Switchable graphics... Now I see why you have listed False +ve.

ok,

Instead of loading Fglrx through ubuntu, Can I suggest you to have a look at  http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx ?

Please download the driver from the site above and update. This might help.

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I've tried everything. Ubuntu packages, normal AMD .run installation, building deb packages from AMD .run, stable and beta, but nothing to do.

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Okay, I will check with the AMD driver team on this. If your problem is solvable, it will be solved 🙂

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Thank you very much!!!

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I have already written to them.. I am signing off for today. Will post an update tomorrow.

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northbridge.PNG

This is a screenshot of AIDA64 Extreme Edition regarding North Bridge Intel Chipset Infos, where is reported that the Internal Graphics Controller is currently disabled.

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The screenshot is from windows, right? But i thought you were using Linux.

Can you run "lspci -vv" and see if the integrated card is visible under Linux?

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Yes, I'm writing from OEM Win8.

lspci --vv output here: http://pastebin.com/ASEZeGVz

As you can see, only the Radeon is listed as a VGA compatible controller.

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Thanks!

I am still trying to contact different people - who can possibly answer your questions.

OR at least, what the "fglrx" error message means.....

From there, we will see how we can resolve this..

So, Please be patient. Thanks!

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I am still working on this. Hopefully, we will know before this weekend -- whether this problem is solvable or not.

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https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?pid=1133916

Have you seen this link?

Here in, some one has fixed the issue by fixing the Xorg.conf file

The BusID parameter was wrong. The user had found "vgaarb: this pci device is not a vga device" in the kernel.log file (/var/log/ folder ??)  and used that hint to fix the BusID.

May be, you just need to lspci to find which Bus your Radeon is in and then check re-look at your Xorg.conf file.

Just trying a quick guess.... If this does not work, dont blame me 🙂

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Also, If you dont mind, Can you post your:

1. Xorg.conf file

2. lspci -v output (the link does not work from corporate firewalls).

    Please upload the files as ZIP files here (use advanced editor on right top)

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generated by aticonfig --initial -f

Section "ServerLayout"

    Identifier     "aticonfig Layout"

    Screen      0  "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0" 0 0

EndSection

Section "Module"

EndSection

Section "Monitor"

    Identifier   "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"

    Option        "VendorName" "ATI Proprietary Driver"

    Option        "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor"

    Option        "DPMS" "true"

EndSection

Section "Device"

    Identifier  "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"

    Driver      "fglrx"

    BusID       "PCI:1:0:0"

EndSection

Section "Screen"

    Identifier "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0"

    Device     "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"

    Monitor    "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"

    DefaultDepth     24

    SubSection "Display"

        Viewport   0 0

        Depth     24

    EndSubSection

EndSection

the method used by the user in that post doesn't help me... i tried to remove BusID from xorg.conf but nothing to do. Moreover Win8 shows the same ubication.

Give me a bit for lspci -v

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lspci files

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THanks for this info. Can you also get the Xorg.0.log? This will help the driver team.

The driver team said this could be caused by a variety of reasons and the log file will definitely help them.

Thanks,

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Xorg.0.log

Thank you again for your help!!!

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Hackerwolf,

I am sorry to say this. But this configuration is not supported by AMD for Linux.

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/pages/737-28041supportforatimobility.aspx

I hope you are able to get this working under windows.

If you have a problem with Windows as well, I can help you out here.

Otherwise, this is the dead-end. Sorry.

Best Regards,

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This is NOT the dead-end.

Where is mentioned "Linux" in that article? Moreover on Win8 I'm succesfully running Official AMD Catalyst 13.1, not TOSHIBA's drivers, I removed them.

Googling a bit I see a lot of TOSHIBA laptops that run fglrx.

I hope you're still waiting for answers from driver team.

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Hi Hackerwolf,

I am representing the driver team here. I am not making sentences out of thin air.

Here is the excerpt from the URL above.

If installing an operating system other than the one currently supported by the notebook, the notebook may not meet all requirements. As such supported graphics drivers may not be available

So, the question is:

Does Toshiba support Linux on their laptop? Please get confirmation from Toshiba on this.

But as far driver team's knowledge on this goes, AMD did not promise linux support for this Laptop.

So, If you can get Toshiba's nod on Linux support and if they point to AMD, I can arrange for the support that you deserve (after verification of what Toshiba says)

As far as windows driver goes, AMD recommends you to use the driver from your notebook vendor. Is there a reason why you removed the driver and went with the AMD-proprietary one?

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hackerwolf
Adept II

Issue solved!!!

I installed last beta (Catalyst 13.2 beta6) and it finally works!!!! Only I have an ugly watermark on bottom right that says "AMD Testing use only". Any idea to remove it?

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open /etc/ati/signature and paste. 66fb27a85ab1edb83099e9ad1326f379:5fd51799689cdc8a01abd894720bc24c57c2119a199cacec79b9d1982b14c24a:539d439d6b86d48106a1d0ce7745cb1856ca46ca3e89d48c07abd9cf7014c71a53cc449a6b80d4d901a0d0ce7245961a51c245913e80d48002fbd8997014c718

alternative you can save that file from normal version of driver and replace it after installation of beta driver.

Well, Have a good time!

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Thank you for your great help Himanshu!!!

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You are welcome.

I am still working to find out what is the right thing to do here. I hope the drivers continue to work for you.

Good luck!

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The driver seems to work very well, only there's no way to change brightness. I'm working on it.

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