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Thread: HOW-TO: ATI Radeon driver install

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    HOW-TO: ATI Radeon driver (fglrx)

    The first thing that you should try is the driver that came with your distribution. The Hoary driver is an older 8.8.25 version and Breezy comes with 8.16.20.

    Only use this how-to for Hoary because many things have changed in Breezy. Check here for the Breezy how-to's.

    Trying the included drivers (Hoary ONLY)

    In your terminal:

    Code:
    su
    apt-get install fglrx-control
    apt-get install xorg-driver-fglrx
    apt-get install linux-restricted-modules-$(uname -r)
    fglrxconfig
    If you aren't sure about other answers then just take the defaults--they are read from your existing file.

    When you are ready you can press Ctrl-Alt-Backspace to restart your desktop and refer to the Testing if it worked section below. If you can't get back into your desktop then you'll need run dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg from the command-line and go back to the ATI driver.

    Upgrading to the 8.16.20 drivers (Hoary ONLY)

    If you use KDE then substitute kate for gedit in the commands (command-line junkies can use nano or vi). The how-to was written primarily with Hoary 32-bit users in mind. 64-bit users will need to change the filenames when appropriate.

    Deleting the included drivers

    Remove everything related to the fglrx driver (if currently installed). Go into Synaptic and search on fglrx and linux-restricted. Right-click on each package and perform a complete removal.

    The following find command will delete the remaining files on your hard disk that have fglrx in its name (contributed by nuk130n).

    In your terminal:

    Code:
    xhost local:
    su
    find / -iname '*fglrx*' -exec rm '{}' -r ';'
    The rest of the how-to assumes that this terminal window was left open.

    Downloading components for compiling

    Download the 32-bit or 64-bit driver source from ATI. You'll want the Xorg 6.8 package in RPM format.

    amd64:

    Code:
    apt-get install alien
    All versions:

    Change to the directory that you downloaded the file to.

    Code:
    apt-get build-dep fglrx-kernel-source
    alien -d fglrx_6_8_0-8.16.20-1.i386.rpm
    ls #look for the name of the .deb for the next command
    dpkg -i --force-overwrite fglrx-6-8-0-8.16.20-2.i386.deb
    cd /lib/modules/fglrx/build_mod
    sh make.sh
    cd ..
    sh make_install.sh
    Backup your current configuration

    In your terminal:

    Code:
    cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.bak
    Go to this website to create a new xorg.conf file. (As an alternative you may type fglrxconfig in your terminal, but the website creates a file that is easier to read.)

    In your terminal:


    Code:
    gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf
    Paste the output from the online generator into the file and save it (you're replacing what was in there).

    Restart your machine.

    Testing if it worked

    If you get to your desktop successfully, then type fglrxinfo to see if the driver is loaded.

    If you see this, then it isn't working:


    Output from fglrxinfo
    display: :0.0 screen: 0
    OpenGL vendor string: Mesa project: www.mesa3d.org
    OpenGL renderer string: Mesa GLX Indirect
    OpenGL version string: 1.3 Mesa 4.0.4


    You want to see something like this:


    root@mlomkernote:/etc/X11 # fglrxinfo
    display: :0.0 screen: 0
    OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.
    OpenGL renderer string: MOBILITY RADEON 9700 Generic
    OpenGL version string: 1.3.5140 (X4.3.0-8.14.13)


    Then you can run glxgears (Breezy users have to type glxgears -iacknowledgethatthistoolisnotabenchmark). The output should be well over 1000 FPS.


    root@mlomkernote:/etc/X11 # glxgears
    10514 frames in 5.0 seconds = 2102.800 FPS
    11332 frames in 5.0 seconds = 2266.400 FPS
    12600 frames in 5.0 seconds = 2520.000 FPS


    Troubleshooting

    If for some reason you can't get to your graphical login then log in as root and copy your backup xorg.conf file back over the one we just made using the cp /etc/X11/xorg.bak /etc/X11/xorg.conf command (or run the reconfigure command mentioned previously).

    At this point you'll need to make a post to the hardware forum with relevant error messages for help (not in this thread, please). Feel free to send me a private message with a link to your post.

    You should paste the output of the following commands into your post.

    In your terminal:

    Code:
    fglrxinfo
    dmesg | grep fglrx
    cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf | grep Driver
    You can also search for your error(s) and/or make a post on the ATI user's forum.


    Where is the ATI Control Panel? Why won't it run?

    KDE users will automatically get the ATI control panel in their menus, but I've been told that gnome users do not. The filename is /usr/X11R6/bin/fireglcontrolpanel and you can create your own icon if you wish.

    amd64 users may find that it won't run. This is because it is looking at the wrong shared library. Download the attached (bottom of message) fireglcontrol script to fix that. Save the script to /usr/bin and rename it fireglcontrol. chmod +x /usr/bin/fireglcontrol will make it executable. You should then be able to run it using the fireglcontrol command in a terminal (or create an icon if you prefer).



    Fglrxinfo looks right but I'm stuck at 1024x768!

    The 8.16.20 driver has a bug with certain monitors (laptops with Samsung LCD's are one) that causes the resolution to be misdetected. If you cannot increase your resolution (after the driver is properly installed) then you can try the older driver if you are still on Hoary.32-bit, 64-bit . There is a thread about this on the rage3d forum. Hopefully it'll be fixed in a future version.


    Future updates to the operating system

    Whenever they decide to update the xlibmesa-gl package (usually in a security update for Xorg) you will get an error that it cannot overwrite the /usr/X11R6/lib/libGL.so.1.2 file. This file was overwritten by the new ATI package and we need to keep it.

    In your terminal:

    Code:
    cp /usr/X11R6/lib/libGL.so.1.2 /usr/X11R6/lib/libGL.so.1.2-ATI
    apt-get upgrade --force-overwrite #or apt-get install --force-overwrite packagename for one package
    cp /usr/X11R6/lib/libGL.so.1.2-ATI /usr/X11R6/lib/libGL.so.1.2
    Errors related to DRI
    (Thanks to Jormagand for this section)

    Some breezy users see the following error in their /var/log/Xorg.0.log file:

    Code:
    (EE) fglrx(0): DRIScreenInit failed!
    (WW) fglrx(0): ***********************************************
    (WW) fglrx(0): * DRI initialization failed!                  *
    (WW) fglrx(0): * (maybe driver kernel module missing or bad) *
    (WW) fglrx(0): * 2D acceleraton available (MMIO)             *
    (WW) fglrx(0): * no 3D acceleration available                *
    (WW) fglrx(0): ********************************************* *
    Download the updated libdri.a (i386 only) and from the directory that you downloaded the file to:

    Code:
    mv /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/extensions/libdri.a /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/extensions/libdri.a_old
    cp libdri.a /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/extensions/libdri.a
    Attached Files Attached Files
    Last edited by mlomker; October 15th, 2005 at 12:06 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
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    Re: HOW-TO: ATI Radeon driver install

    great tutorial man...but one thing though
    apt-get install alien
    alien -D fglrx_4_3_0-8.16.20-1.i386.rpm
    the alien -D should be alien -d !!!

    thx again!

  3. #3
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    Re: HOW-TO: ATI Radeon driver install

    Also u need to have Xfree86 installed for the driver to install...xorg is installed by default

  4. #4
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    5

    Re: HOW-TO: ATI Radeon driver install

    Hi

    I tried that earlier today with no success (same instructions from another thread). However, at that point my system was such a mess from this ATI business I am not at all surprised.

    My dillema is there are so many ways of trying this. There is this method, the ATI installer Xorg method, the ATI installer ubuntu package method etc. This is going to take me a long time to get working.

    I'm going to reinstall Ubuntu and try your method first though. Thank you for this thread.

    Koba

    Edit: I figured out the -d bit instead of -D. But I DIDN'T know I needed XFree86! Can someone tell me which package exactly I need and whether I need to change anything xorg.
    Last edited by [Koba]; September 13th, 2005 at 09:46 PM.

  5. #5
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    Re: HOW-TO: ATI Radeon driver install

    Nah, it works perfectly with X.org, I just followed the guide an hour ago and I most definetely run X.org.
    Good guide...

  6. #6
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    Re: HOW-TO: ATI Radeon driver install

    Quote Originally Posted by AtomixPain
    Also u need to have Xfree86 installed for the driver to install...xorg is installed by default
    The driver that I've linked to is for Xorg 4.3. Hoary actually uses Xorg 4.2--perhaps some of you noticed the 60+ file security update that was pushed out today? The 4.3 driver works fine, though.

    I have to warn you guys that after installing this package you will start getting errors about MESA not being able to update itself when you go to update. That's because the ATI driver needs to overwrite one of MESA's key files in order to function. Indeed, that's why most methods of installing this driver fail to work. I'm personally happy to ignore the errors and enjoy the performance--the MESA driver isn't needed.
    Last edited by mlomker; September 14th, 2005 at 12:48 AM.

  7. #7
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    Re: HOW-TO: ATI Radeon driver install

    Quote Originally Posted by AtomixPain
    the alien -D should be alien -d !!!
    Thanks, I fixed the typo. I probably spent 1.5 hours typing this thing up--it's a lot of work. It took me over a day to figure out how to get the drivers to work consistently, though, and I didn't want that time to go to waste.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Guilford, NY, U
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    Distro
    Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat

    Cool Re: HOW-TO: ATI Radeon driver install

    Quote Originally Posted by mlomker
    I probably spent 1.5 hours typing this thing up--it's a lot of work. It took me over a day to figure out how to get the drivers to work consistently, though, and I didn't want that time to go to waste.
    That is the Hacker philosophy, "every problem should only be solved once"

    One thing, I had to change dpkg -i fglrx_4_3_0-8.16.20-1.i386.deb

    to dpkg -i --force- fglrx-4-3-0_8.16.20-2_i386.deb

    so that /usr/X11R6/lib/libGL.so.1.2 could be over written.

    I still got this error:

    root@lucy:/lib/modules/fglrx # sh make_install.sh
    - creating symlink
    - recreating module dependency list
    - trying a sample load of the kernel module
    FATAL: Error inserting fglrx (/lib/modules/2.6.10-5-k7/kernel/drivers/char/drm/fglrx.ko): No such device
    failed.

    I believe it is due to My K7 Kernel, I may go back to 386 and try again.

    Thanks again for the great Tut.


    Paul

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
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    2

    Re: HOW-TO: ATI Radeon driver install

    i get to the: sudo dpkg -i fglrx64-4-3-0_8.16.20-2_amd64.deb

    Then o joy dependancy error. I was one of the trigger happy bunnies who updated to breezy

    Selecting previously deselected package fglrx64-4-3-0.
    (Reading database ... 87045 files and directories currently installed.)
    Unpacking fglrx64-4-3-0 (from fglrx64-4-3-0_8.16.20-2_amd64.deb) ...
    dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of fglrx64-4-3-0:
    fglrx64-4-3-0 depends on lib32gcc1 (>= 1:4.0.1); however:
    Version of lib32gcc1 on system is 4.0.1-4ubuntu6.
    dpkg: error processing fglrx64-4-3-0 (--install):
    dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
    Errors were encountered while processing:
    fglrx64-4-3-0

    Help PLEASE... hehehe

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
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    20

    Re: HOW-TO: ATI Radeon driver install

    When I run:
    *****
    apt-get install alien
    alien -d fglrx_4_3_0-8.16.20-1.i386.rpm
    dpkg -i fglrx_4_3_0-8.16.20-1.i386.deb
    cd /lib/modules/fglrx/build_mod
    sh make.sh
    cd ..
    sh make_install.sh
    gedit /etc/modules
    *****
    I got

    *****benzima@ubuntu:~$ cd /home/benzima
    benzima@ubuntu:~$ apt-get install alien
    E: Could not open lock file /var/lib/dpkg/lock - open (13 Permission denied)
    E: Unable to lock the administration directory (/var/lib/dpkg/), are you root?
    benzima@ubuntu:~$ su
    Password:
    root@ubuntu:/home/benzima # apt-get install alien
    Reading package lists... Done
    Building dependency tree... Done
    alien is already the newest version.
    0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 28 not upgraded.
    root@ubuntu:/home/benzima # alien -d fglrx_4_3_0-8.16.20-1.i386.rpm
    fglrx-4-3-0_8.16.20-2_i386.deb generated
    root@ubuntu:/home/benzima # dpkg -i fglrx_4_3_0-8.16.20-1.i386.deb
    dpkg: error processing fglrx_4_3_0-8.16.20-1.i386.deb (--install):
    cannot access archive: No such file or directory
    Errors were encountered while processing:
    fglrx_4_3_0-8.16.20-1.i386.deb
    root@ubuntu:/home/benzima # cd /lib/modules/fglrx/build_mod
    bash: cd: /lib/modules/fglrx/build_mod: No such file or directory
    root@ubuntu:/home/benzima # sh make.sh
    sh: make.sh: No such file or directory
    root@ubuntu:/home/benzima # cd ..
    root@ubuntu:/home # sh make_install.sh
    sh: make_install.sh: No such file or directory
    root@ubuntu:/home # gedit /etc/modules

    (gedit:13559): GnomeUI-WARNING **: While connecting to session manager:
    Authentication Rejected, reason : None of the authentication protocols specified are supported and host-based authentication failed.
    *****
    What should I do or is that normal?

    If I just press enter, gedit opens modules (/etc) and I have:

    *****
    # /etc/modules: kernel modules to load at boot time.
    #
    # This file contains the names of kernel modules that should be loaded
    # at boot time, one per line. Lines beginning with "#" are ignored.

    ide-cd
    ide-disk
    ide-generic
    lp
    mousedev
    psmouse
    sbp2
    sr_mod
    *****

    So I just added the line flgrx so it reads

    *****
    # /etc/modules: kernel modules to load at boot time.
    #
    # This file contains the names of kernel modules that should be loaded
    # at boot time, one per line. Lines beginning with "#" are ignored.

    ide-cd
    ide-disk
    ide-generic
    lp
    mousedev
    psmouse
    sbp2
    sr_mod
    fglrx
    ******
    And saved it
    Is that right? I will wait for instructions before I proceed.

    Thanxxx in advance.

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