rootninja

ATI allows xorg.conf to have the normal customized settings you’re used to for X, but it relies on this little PCS database at /etc/ati/amdpcsdb for driver configuration.

If you have a customized amdpcsdb, or a binary installation from your favorite package manager is screwing up your X when using the fglrx driver, try reverting back to the default ATI settings.

It’s as simple as removing your current amdpcsdb and allowing it to be regenerated using the amdpcsdb.default. The next time startx/gdm/kdm loads X, the problem should fix itself.

(II) ATI Proprietary Linux Driver Build Date: Apr 28 2009 21:43:27
(II) PCS database file /etc/ati/amdpcsdb not found
(II) Creating PCS database from initial defaults instead

If this doesn’t help, then you’ve got other issues such as bad settings in your xorg.conf, an unsupported video card, or kernel. Or maybe you’re just missing the kernel source and can’t even build the driver in the first place.

The best fix is to throw away that rotten ATI card and upgrade to NVidia. I say upgrade, because ANY nv card will be better than your ATI.

sidenote:

I recently made the mistake of trying another ATI card recently, and ended up returning it when the latest drivers still left me with artifacts and a jumpy image when running full screen high resolution apps. The card was a XFX 5770 with 1GB DDR5. I’m much happier with the BFG GeForce 260 OC MAXCORE. It just works, flawless.