ATI Radeon HD 4650 Dual Displays?

[errandwolfe]

Okay, maybe this is a good thing....I am now getting the same result with every boot loader I use, and none of those include a kernel panic.

 

Apple just released "Snow Leopard Graphics Update" I installed this package and then modified the 4600Controller and RadeonX2000 kexts. Now no matter what bootloader I use I get the exact same result.

1.) Dual screen does not work

2.) Mirror does not work

3.) DVI port works with DVI to VGA, VGA port does not power on. Plugging in HDMI usually results in both monitors not powering on.

[NickMiller]

Okay, maybe this is a good thing....I am now getting the same result with every boot loader I use, and none of those include a kernel panic.

 

Apple just released "Snow Leopard Graphics Update" I installed this package and then modified the 4600Controller and RadeonX2000 kexts. Now no matter what bootloader I use I get the exact same result.

1.) Dual screen does not work

2.) Mirror does not work

3.) DVI port works with DVI to VGA, VGA port does not power on. Plugging in HDMI usually results in both monitors not powering on.

Hmm, I'm still on 10.6.2 I have been booting from an 8GB Flash Drive to find a config that 100% works before I buy a new HD for OS X. I don't have enought space to update to 10.6.4 so I can't install I guess I will have to buy an external HD :/

[errandwolfe]

So here is what I am going to try next...I read this post which mentioned using certain kexts from 10.6.2 to get dual display after the update. I realize it is for the 48xx series, but I am going to try the same thing using the 4600Controller kext. Downloading the 10.6.2 update right now to extract kexts. Will keep everyone informed.

[errandwolfe]

Following up on my earlier posts....

Installed ATI4600Controller, ATIFramebuffer and ATISupport kexts from 10.6.2. Looks like I am back to hardware mirror mode. Both displays boot, get QE/CI, but OS X seems to think it only has the 1 monitor on DVI (using DVI2VGA) attached. The remainder of the files all come from the SnowLeopard Graphics Update that was just released. I am using the Aserte bootloader.

 

Man do I wish I was a programmer...I mean we are getting both monitors to power on. If only we could get OS X to actually recognize their is a second monitor attached.

[NickMiller]

Following up on my earlier posts....

Installed ATI4600Controller, ATIFramebuffer and ATISupport kexts from 10.6.2. Looks like I am back to hardware mirror mode. Both displays boot, get QE/CI, but OS X seems to think it only has the 1 monitor on DVI (using DVI2VGA) attached. The remainder of the files all come from the SnowLeopard Graphics Update that was just released. I am using the Aserte bootloader.

 

Man do I wish I was a programmer...I mean we are getting both monitors to power on. If only we could get OS X to actually recognize their is a second monitor attached.

Okay, on my end I made some progress... Now my system preferences says "ATI Radon HD 4600", so that is better

I'm still stuck in mirror mode, but I still have hope for a simple fix :/

fixed.tiff

[errandwolfe]

Nick, yes for you that is probably progress. Mine has been saying 4600 for quite some time though. All of the screen shots I have seen from 512 users with dual screen working say 4600 and not 4650 (refer to Giorgio's earlier screen shots in this thread) so let's hope that is where we should be.

[errandwolfe]

For anyone new to this thread and looking for a starting point....

 

Go ahead and try this package.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/56nke5vsaa0b...50-1gb-1064.zip

 

1.) Make sure you use a DVI to VGA adapter, this most likely will not work for straight out DVI.

2.) Remove Evoenabler from your /S/L/E.

3.) Files for root are the Asere bootloader. If you are already on Chameleon RC4, PC-EFI 6, or RC 5 then you should not need these files.

4.) Extra is a copy of my Boot.plist file, put this in your Extra directory.

5.) S-L-E are the kexts I am currently using, place these in System/Library/Extensions, make sure you repair permissions.

 

What you should wind up with: You should have full QE/CI, both VGA and DVI (with DVI2VGA adapter). They will be stuck in what I term "hardware mirror mode." The displays will act mirrored, but according to OS X you only have a single display attached.

 

Fair warning: No one has developed a single guide to getting the 4650 operational yet. Different cards (512/1Gb) and different bootloaders and kext combinations can cause kernel panics. Before attempting to use these files, make sure you are well versed in how to recover your system if you can not boot into GUI.

 

Good luck.

[NickMiller]

I found this quote in a thread about the graphics update for 10.6.4

w00t

 

Brought back native QE/CI for 4650 cards without 10.6.2 kexts

 

Edit: Holy {censored}, OpenGL extension viewer show an increase of 100FPS on all 1.0-2.0 tests.

Also, the mediafire link is broken

[ytrox]

What you should wind up with: You should have full QE/CI, both VGA and DVI (with DVI2VGA adapter). They will be stuck in what I term "hardware mirror mode." The displays will act mirrored, but according to OS X you only have a single display attached.

 

 

What do you mean with " hardware mirror mode. the disolay will act mirrored... "? It's impossible to have dual monitor with this card?

[errandwolfe]

What I mean by hardware mirror mode is that the displays are mirrored with VGA and DVI (using DVI2VGA) powering on. OS X though only seems to recognize a single display plugged in. The mirroring seems more to be a function of the video card itself rather then the OS. Similar to a VESA graphics mode.

 

As for it being impossible to have dual displays...

Well I just can't agree with that statement. Several users have proven to me they have gotten dual-display fully working. These all so far seem to be on the 512 Mb version of the card. I refuse to believe though that the hardware differences between the 512 and 1 Gb versions of this card are so vast that we can not ever get the 1 Gb version working.

[NickMiller]

What I mean by hardware mirror mode is that the displays are mirrored with VGA and DVI (using DVI2VGA) powering on. OS X though only seems to recognize a single display plugged in. The mirroring seems more to be a function of the video card itself rather then the OS. Similar to a VESA graphics mode.

 

As for it being impossible to have dual displays...

Well I just can't agree with that statement. Several users have proven to me they have gotten dual-display fully working. These all so far seem to be on the 512 Mb version of the card. I refuse to believe though that the hardware differences between the 512 and 1 Gb versions of this card are so vast that we can not ever get the 1 Gb version working.

I have the 512MB version and I have yet to get the dual displays working... The only thing I have done is enter the Device ID into the .kext, but that doesn't help I'm gonna start messing around with Giorgio's method because he has a 512mb card too

[errandwolfe]

Yes, if you have a 512 card you should be using Giorgio's method.

[errandwolfe]

So I MAY be onto something....

 

Just grabbed the ATI kexts out of the 10.6.5 beta. Added my dev ID to 4600Controller and RadeonX2000. Rebooted....

 

And both displays powered onto blue screens and then black screens, doesn't sound impressive except: When I say black screen I mean actually powered and and displaying the mouse cursor, just with a black background. Not only that, but judging from the mouse cursor size it was at a higher resolution so it was not simply VESA mode.

 

I am running in safe mood at the moment. What I am going to do next is experiment with some of the different boot loaders to see what impact that has. Stay tuned.

[errandwolfe]

Okay...well still think we may be getting slowly closer to figuring this issue out, but unfortunately it looks like simply upgrading to the 10.6.5 kexts alone will not do it.

 

I tested the 10.6.5 ATI Kexts (ATI4600Controller, ATIRadeonX2000, ATIFramebuffer, and ATISupport) using several different boot loaders. These were all done using the DVI port with DVI to VGA adapter and the VGA port. Here are the results:

 

Chameleon RC5: Both displays power off on GUI load.

AsereBLN 1.19: Both displays power on, but display is garbled (see attached example)

Chameleon RC4: Both displays power on, but display is garbled

PC-EFI 10.6: Both displays power off on GUI load.

[NickMiller]

Okay...well still think we may be getting slowly closer to figuring this issue out, but unfortunately it looks like simply upgrading to the 10.6.5 kexts alone will not do it.

 

I tested the 10.6.5 ATI Kexts (ATI4600Controller, ATIRadeonX2000, ATIFramebuffer, and ATISupport) using several different boot loaders. These were all done using the DVI port with DVI to VGA adapter and the VGA port. Here are the results:

 

Chameleon RC5: Both displays power off on GUI load.

AsereBLN 1.19: Both displays power on, but display is garbled (see attached example)

Chameleon RC4: Both displays power on, but display is garbled

PC-EFI 10.6: Both displays power off on GUI load.

Hmm, I wonder if it is a problem with the DVI to VGA adapter... In Windows my 2nd monitor (on the adapter) says it's a "Generic Non-Pnp Monitor". I wonder if OS X is detecting that it's a non-pnp monitor which won't work with OS X... Have you tried your latest methods without a DVI>VGA adapter?

[errandwolfe]

Hmm, I wonder if it is a problem with the DVI to VGA adapter... In Windows my 2nd monitor (on the adapter) says it's a "Generic Non-Pnp Monitor". I wonder if OS X is detecting that it's a non-pnp monitor which won't work with OS X... Have you tried your latest methods without a DVI>VGA adapter?

I have tried every combo of cable possible. That includes straight VGA and DVI. The only straight cable I have not tried is HDMI as I have no HDMI display.

[NickMiller]

I have tried every combo of cable possible. That includes straight VGA and DVI. The only straight cable I have not tried is HDMI as I have no HDMI display.

Hmm, okay... Have you tried using an tv (HDMI) as a test monitor??

[errandwolfe]

I need a volunteer....

 

I have been discussing this issue with other folks in different places and I have a few ideas I would like to try. The problem is I can't have my system down for any length of time at the moment. I am looking for someone technically inclined who understands how to work with both kexts and bootloaders. You also need to have the 1Gb version of the 4650, this testing does not apply to those of you with the 512 version. You also need to be able to run 2 simultaneous displays, either VGA and DVI or VGA and HDMI.

 

To sum up what you will be doing: You will need to be able to run your system in 32 bit mode. You will be using the ATY_Init kext developed by Netkas. You will be testing a combination of kext versions as well as several different boot loaders. The goal of this is to by process of elimination determine if any combination of kexts and bootloaders will allow us to run dual screen properly; Something that our 512 Mb brethren seem to be able to do!

 

So you are asking yourself what is new here...? Well I don't believe any of us have done any work with the ATI-Init.kext. This is not a common install piece for any SL distro I have seen out there. It was developed to run on Leopard (which is why we will be stuck in 32 bit mode).

 

So....Do I have any volunteers?