Using newer kernels (2.3.33-rcX) and KMS built into the kernel the kernel will boot and show a message about trying to load the R600_rlc.bin firmware file:

[drm] Loading RS780 Microcode
platform radeon_cp.0: firmware: requesting radeon/RS780_pfp.bin
platform radeon_cp.0: firmware: requesting radeon/RS780_me.bin
platform radeon_cp.0: firmware: requesting radeon/R600_rlc.bin

Then it just hangs itself and sits there doing who knows what.

It appears the file is requested even before /sys is mounted. I found an option to build firmware files into the kernel -- but even then it just hung itself trying to load the firmware file.

I get the KMS technology working by compiling drm and radeon by modules and loading them by adding radeon and fbcon to /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.6 and echo "options radeon modeset=1" > /etc/modprobe.d/radeon-kms.conf

Is there any way I can put R600_rlc.bin into the kernel??? I did try

CONFIG_EXTRA_FIRMWARE="R600_rlc.bin RS780_pfp.bin RS780_me.bin"

and the files were fetched from the kernels /firmware folder (where I placed them) and compiled into the kernel -- yet loading FAiLED.

WHY can't the firmware file be stuffed into the kernel (by default would be great), and WHY oh WHY can't I find any source code for this file anywhere when the files header claims that "This is free software; see the source for copying conditions."???