AMD graphics driver contained in Lisa/Gnome3 .iso?

[RonC]

Some are having (severe!) problems with the Mint Lisa/Gnome3 LiveDVD .iso not booting all the way to a functional system.

My suggestion: make sure that -- at least -- version 12.2 (current as of this moment) of the AMD driver is being distributed on the Lisa/Gnome .iso.

There is strong suspicion of a conflict between previous AMD/ATI drivers, certain AMD/ATI graphics chipsets, and Gnome3. An Internet search shows many problems related to this combination. In my case, another Lisa version without Gnome3 (LXDE) boots straight-away, to a fully-functional live system.

If there are different builds of Gnome3 in circulation, that may also add to the problem. This I don't know, and is a question best answered by others in the Mint community with more knowledge than I have.

I see 12.1 was "supposed to have fixed" known incompatibilities along these lines, but I see no reports that it actually did. I would expect not, since 12.2 followed rather soon. If the Gnome/Lisa .iso currently in distribution contains drivers in the 11.xx series, likely it will give lots of folks problems, if they have the 'right' chipset to set this off.

It would be doing a service to Mint's reputation to prominently post somewhere (or is it already there?) that users with ATI/AMD chipsets, who have a Lisa/Gnome3 .iso that verifies but won't work, should just go directly to a Gnome3-free Mint version.

Continuing to burn one disc after another, hoping the next will work ... won't.

[remoulder]

make sure that -- at least -- version 12.2 (current as of this moment) of the AMD driver is being distributed on the Lisa/Gnome .iso.

If this was legally permitted it would probably already be done. Companies do not usually allow their proprietary drivers to be distributed by 3rd parties. There are also different laws in different parts of the world that affect distribution.

[TBABill]

What would be wonderful would be to have a script that can go out to various proprietary providers and pull in their latest drivers without having to know it's looking for 12.1, 12.2, etc. I first saw it done with the Flash Aid plugin where Ubuntu user LovingLinux created a plugin to always keep a user's Adobe Flash plugin using the latest version. Now we have a package in Ubuntu and Mint to do the same thing. I would imagine the same could be done for Broadcom, Nvidia, ATi, etc. as long as there is some logic on the provider end to keep the files in the same location and numbered logically so the script could compare versions and take action when an updated version is available.

If I had the skills and knowledge to create such a thing I surely would, but it's been done in a similar fashion so it may just be a matter of the right person taking a suggestion and the right skill set to make it happen.

Edit: yes, I know there is a big difference between adding Flash and adding a kernel module

[RonC]

I should point out my impression that Gnome and certain ATI/AMD graphics drivers, for certain of their graphics chips, won't 'play nice' together comes solely from my own detective work with collating forum posts, from various sources. Is it agreed this is a fact, or not?

I see nothing in the Mint documentation about this. Am I missing it, or is it not an 'officially accepted' explanation for problems being reported by some users, during the Lisa/Gnome installation?

The posts I came across fully describe the problems (seems it's not always exactly the same), but there's never a mention of which driver version, or which Gnome build/version was installed at the time. There's usually mention of a chip number, but in view of the other two variables, I wonder, how useful is that? Another variable: different board manufacturers may integrate the same chip, but the circuitry and components on the board varies.

So, in the meantime, while this is being 'sorted', what should be done?

Suggestion: If it's agreed this is for real, then perhaps there should be a warning on the Features page, so the naive user will not give the distro a 'black eye', by claiming the problem is "Mint" when it's actually "Gnome 3".

Right now, the Features page for Linux Mint 12 says only "The new technology in Gnome 3 is exciting ...". Perhaps that should be followed with the proviso, "... but may be incompatible with certain AMD graphics chips and/or their driver versions. If a verified LiveDVD repeatedly fails to load to completion, please turn to one of our Gnome-free versions, available on the download page."

And, the warning should be prominently displayed.

Wouldn't this be better that having people burn one DVD after another (the next one is sure to work ) and then making unflattering posts mentioning only the name of the distro, on this forum, and worse, on the rest of the web?

Bear in mind, those whose experience goes smoothly, though in the majority, aren't likely to publicize this on the Internet ...

[AlbertP]

Open-source graphics drivers are part of the Mint ISO's. There is no Catalyst at all in the ISO files - also no old versions. Most GPU's can run well enough this way to allow installation of Catalyst 12.2.