[ltp] ATI fglrx 8.29.6 issues (disappearing console!)

[David Abrahams]

I installed the proprietary driver using the procedure shown at
http://tinyurl.com/zlqgl, method 2, which I updated today with my
notes.  This is on a T60p running Ubuntu/dapper with a custom 2.6.18
kernel.

  [ISSUE #1] The kernel-source installer creates this
             "make.sh" in the tarball but doesn't make it executable,
             and module-assistant seem to depend on it being
             executable.
 
             Workaround: after

               sudo dpkg -i fglrx-control_8.29.6-1_i386.deb

            I had to

               tar xjf /usr/src/fglrx.tar.bz2
               chmod +x modules/fglrx/make.sh
               sudo tar cjf /usr/src/fglrx.tar.bz2 modules


  [ISSUE #2] Consoles disappear the instant I stop GDM.  I am
             currently booting my kernel with vga=791; haven't tested
             yet with no vga setting.  The consoles are still functioning,
             but the screen is black.  If I carefully restart GDM, the
             console comes back.  Never had this problem with earlier
             versions  of fglrx.

  [ISSUE #3] fglrx garbles my consoles when I use vga=884.  The
             instant GDM starts, the console display gets all messed
             up (still sorta readable, though).  I actually had it
             work once when the console was on an external monitor,
             which led me to believe vga=884 was safe with this
             version of fglrx, but next time I booted my laptop
             disconnected, it garbled again.  This was true of earlier
             fglrx versions.


-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
www.boost-consulting.com