Read this if you get a white screen freeze after installing Ubuntu Hardy

[AK65]

Hi - a short howto if you have this problem.

I have an AMD64 3500+ with a EliteGroup RS-482 Motherboard with built-in Graphics - to be exact the Radeon Xpress 200. If you have something similar, read on...

First of all, the Hardy Live CD will not run with the defaults - you need to run it using the fail-safe graphics mode.

Once you are in the Live CD graphics environment, click on 'Install' and follow instructions.

Once installed, you can enable the proprietary ATI graphics driver:

System > Administration > Hardware Drivers > Enable ATI Graphics Driver.

Cool now reboot to effect the driver...

Now here's the thing. For some reason, because the graphics is onboard, it does not play nicely with the CPU stepping feature of the AMD processor, also called Cool 'n Quiet technology. You will start to experience white screen freezes, particularly when using Firefox, which are highly irritating and require a hard reset

Sooooo - we need to disable this 'feature'. Now, the easiest way to disable this is to install an app called sysv-rc-conf

Run a terminal: Applications > Accessories > Terminal

Type the following in the terminal:

sudo apt-get install sysv-rc-conf

This will install the application 'sys-rc-conf'.

Right, now the thing causing all the trouble is the module called 'powernowd'

So, let's run sys-rc-conf

sudo sysv-rc-conf

You will get a table with names and crosses in boxes. Untick all of the boxes in the powernowd and powernowd$ row, and quit the program, by typing the letter 'q'.

I forget if you need to reboot or not, but to be safe, reboot and you should be rock-steady.

Happy Hardy

btw: full details here: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.15/+bug/46470

 

[mexjim]

ubuntu 8.10 white screen

I had this problem with 8.04 and used your fix. I just installed 8.10 beta and had the white screen with firefox!

I've tried to run sysv-rc on 8.10 but can't seem to make it run. I'm basically a noobie and would appreciate a step by step procedure to fix the problem. Without a new fix I'll be stuck at 8.04.

RS-482-M amd 3200+

Thanks,

 

[mexjim]

update on white screen

I enabled additional repositories and then was able to install sysv-rc and run it like on 8.04.

Is this okay to do? So far so good..

 

[Tux]

I think the problem's got nothing to do with the AMD board or onboard graphics. I get the same on my intel box.. With a 9600 Radeon AGP I think. Forgot which model.
Getting the white screen too after this morning's update. Rolled back my driver to the previous version and it was fixed

Methinks the problem lies with the radeon and the new ATI drivers

 

[AK65]

I haven't upgraded yet, but what I can say is I tested with an old copy of Fedora and it did not suffer from the same problem. It seems to be confined to Ubuntu, unfortunately. It's definitely a stepping issue, where the frequency of the processor is adjusted according to load. The fix basically makes the processor run flat out all the time - the fan is a bit noisier but this is not a bad thing. Stepping is just a technique to make the processor run quieter and cooler. It doesn't affect overall performance at all...

 

[d0b33]

Is this still an issue with the latest ubuntu? if not might as well unsticky it to clean up the section?

 

[AK65]

Is this still an issue with the latest ubuntu? if not might as well unsticky it to clean up the section?

I don't know now.... My motherboard / processor crashed, so I am not running this box now. I would guess it has not been fixed. I will try and rescussitate it and see if the problem persists with 9.10

 

[Grim147]

a similair problem is also caused by the amd cool and quite feature, try turn it off in the bios (just incase anyone reads this , and there problem is not solved)

EDIT = didnt realy read properly (the cause of this problem is the cool and quiet feature)