HOWTO: ATI drivers

[teumima]

Ok, there have been many many posts about this, many users breaking their heads over this.

I've been trying to get it to work for months. Finally last night I stayed up chatting with guys at #ati on irc.freenode.org and finally here's the solution. I simply have to share this with everyone as there were certain things I need to change in order for the graphics to work that I have not seen mentioned anywhere else (doesn't mean that they don't exist).

First of all: BACKUP BACKUP BACKUP!

Second, but not least: Don't just copy and past all the commands, make sure I don't have any typos and that you have those dir, ideally type it in and use the tab key to complete.

There is no need to make your life more miserable by reinstalling your Ubuntu everytime you screw things up (That's why I left Windows, at least one of the 10 billions of reasons)

Do:

sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf_backup

Now:

Download this file:

http://www2.ati.com/drivers/linux/fg....19-1.i386.rpm

Once downloaded go to the dir you downloaded it to. Always a good idea to create a downloads file in your home dir. Do: (only for ubuntu & debian users)

sudo alien fglrx_6_8_0-8.10.19-1.i386.rpm

Now you should have the following .deb package:

fglrx-6-8-0_8.10.19-2_i386.deb

Type:

sudo dpkg -i --force-overwrite fglrx-6-8-0_8.10.19-2_i386.deb

You have to force overwrite otherwise it wont install. Mesa wont let you.

Now we need to edit you xorg.conf

Now it's time to configure:

type fglrxconfig

also type in another terminal:

sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

you will need to find your monitor frequencies, in order to punch them in to your fglrxconfig when it asks you for them. Before writing your fglrxconfig to file make sure to close your xorg.conf.

In fglrxconfig the defaults should work fine, when it comes where it asks you to use external AGP choose "YES" note the default is "no" for those trigger happy users who just press the enter key without thinking much.

when you come to the the hsync (horizontal sync) and vsync (vertical sync) part choose the option which allows you to enter a custom range (the last option). Copy what is in your xorg.conf "monitor" section and paste it.

Save the file. Restart X, reboot, whatever u want.

type:

sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Make sure your Device section looks like this:

Section "Device"
Identifier "ATI Technologies, Inc. Radeon 9200 SE (RV280)"
Driver "fglrx"
BusID "PCI:2:0:0"
Option "backingstore" "true"
Option "UseInternalAGPGART" "no"
EndSection

Obviously if you don't have a radeon 9200 the identifier will be different. The important ones are Driver should be the same, Option 1 and Option 2

Now go to the Modules section:

Section "Module"
Load "bitmap"
Load "dbe"
Load "ddc"
Load "dri"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "record"
Load "type1"
Load "vbe"
EndSection

Note the Load "dri" if it's not there add it.

Now go to the "extensions" section, it should look like this:

Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "Disable"
EndSection


NOTE: It's either 3D accl graphics or composite effects such as fading and shadowns, not both. Make your choice. To me the choice is obvious. If it's important to you, then an NVIDIA card should be your next choice.

Ok, almost there!

type:

cd /lib/modules/fglrx/build_mod/

sudo sh make.sh

For the next command you need to be out of X. I press ctrl +alt+ F2

cd /lib/modules/fglrx

sh make_install.sh

startx

If sh make.sh give you errors then you'll need to apt-cache

Unfortunately it was late at night so I don't remember the command, I will try and find it and then edit thei HOWTO, if anyone else know what it is, please post it.

I deffinetaly needed it, so I'm sure others do too.

Hope this helped.

feel free to ask me.

[Shaggy]

It should be noted that you should try this method if using the normal packages does not work, which it does for some people(me included).

Normal method being download and install the xorg-driver-fglrx, fglrx-control, and most importantly linux-restricted-modules-<kernel type> using apt/synaptic.

And then changing the line in your xorg.conf file from reading

Driver "ati"

to reading

Driver "fglrx"

[PinGzor]

Thanks, it's working here now.

But i only get ~115 fps in glxgears. I got ~880 in slackware
Are you familiar to this problem?

[ChaperonNoir]

In glxgears, with MESA GL, i get like 350-400 fps.


With FGLRX i get 4000 FPS

[budge]

It should be noted that you should try this method if using the normal packages does not work, which it does for some people(me included).

Normal method being download and install the xorg-driver-fglrx, fglrx-control, and most importantly linux-restricted-modules-<kernel type> using apt/synaptic.

And then changing the line in your xorg.conf file from reading

Driver "ati"

to reading

Driver "fglrx"

Hi Did the above but now get this error message when I try to change screen resolution.
Any help appreiciated.

"The X Server does not support the XRandR extension. Runtime resolution changes to the display size are not available."

[bobmitch]

Hi Did the above but now get this error message when I try to change screen resolution.
Any help appreiciated.

"The X Server does not support the XRandR extension. Runtime resolution changes to the display size are not available."

When using the fglrx driver, you must configure your resolution in the xorg.conf file - resolution changes cannot be made on-the-fly.

Look for the Subsection "Display" in the "Screen" section - specifically the "Modes" line. The order of these modes is the order X will try them until it gets one that works - make sure you have your desired mode first.

[teumima]

The best indication for if your driver works is not the glgears test, but running an app.

After all if ur apps are running smooth, what do u care?

Try an app and see if it works slow. If you are still using mesa as your gl, that is a msitake and needs to be fixed. If you followed the steps exactly as I mentioned mesa should have been replaced with ati.

Sometimes I get 2000 sometimes 500 and yet I play half-life 2 and its always smooth.

[teumima]

Thanks, it's working here now.

But i only get ~115 fps in glxgears. I got ~880 in slackware
Are you familiar to this problem?

Seems to me that mesa is still in charge. Did you check?

type fglrxinfo

[PinGzor]

It's using Mesa and i have checked my xorg.conf and it looks fine

[Slavakion]

Tried this in Warty, and of course X didn't like it. Had to fix it from command line. (sorry, just proud of myself for fixing a linux problem)