Mint 13: Problem activating ATI/AMD proprietary FGLRX driver

[bradman334]

In response to my previous post the non post-release-updates version worked for me too.

I can report one significant advantage to activitating it too. I am running this machine primarily as an HTPC and therefore my monitor is a TV (Panasonic plasma bought 5 years ago). The desktop never fit the screen, it was partially outside the viewing area and that was very annoying because I could only partially see the panel! I had tried changing my TV settings as per some threads I had read but nothing worked. Happily, activiting this driver has fixed the problem and I can now see everthing, most importantly the whole "Panel"

Not only that but I can set a decent resolution and everything looks a whole lot nicer!

[Kreacher]

Here's what I did:

Using the command line (or synaptic):

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~$ sudo apt-get remove fglrx fglrx-amdcccle

Then:

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~$ sudo apt-get install fglrx-updates fglrx-amdcccle-updates

Then restart...

The "post release updates" should now be installed even though they won't show up under the "Additional Drivers" menu.

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sudo dpkg -l fgl*
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name             Version          Description
+++-================-================-================================================
un  fglrx            <none>           (no description available)
un  fglrx-amdcccle   <none>           (no description available)
ii  fglrx-amdcccle-u 2:8.960-0ubuntu1 Catalyst Control Center for the AMD graphics acc
un  fglrx-control    <none>           (no description available)
un  fglrx-control-qt <none>           (no description available)
un  fglrx-driver     <none>           (no description available)
un  fglrx-glx        <none>           (no description available)
un  fglrx-kernel-sou <none>           (no description available)
un  fglrx-modaliases <none>           (no description available)
ii  fglrx-updates    2:8.960-0ubuntu1 Video driver for the AMD graphics accelerators


I'm running on a Thinkpad:
- Mint Maya Cinnamon
- Release 13 (maya) 64-bit)
- Kernel Linux 3.2.0-23-generic
- Intel® Core™2 Duo CPU P8700 @ 2.53GHz × 2
- ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3400 Series

I haven't noticed a great deal of improvement on screen in terms of graphics over the Ubuntu/Mint/Linux ATI drivers, and there are even the very occassional few flickers etc. with the proprietary ATI drivers (as well as the documented issues with "screen shot" not working, and a problem with killing the X-Server using CTRL+ALT+BKSP... but not when selecting "Log Out" from the menu).

For me, however, the big advantage was the reduction in power consumption and CPU tolling which dropped dramatically.

-flugmint

Thank you very much for thsi tip, it worked great!

[sagarthegreat1]

Guys it seems that the drivers get downloaded, but do not get root privileges while installing.
manually starting installation works.
enter this command in terminal

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nautilus /var/cache/apt/archives/

in the window that opens, double click on the file starting with fglrx-... (around 39 mb in size)
It will open in package installer.
Choose either Install or reinstall(whichever one is present), enter the root passwor and you are good to go!

[infoleather]

I installed from the AMD website and run in a terminal, what not to do, until the restart, then wow, I can see the way of the mint, I think.

[darknight44]

sudo dpkg -l fgl* is the key..if you get 'nothing found' you arent running it.

SOMEONE needs to STICKY this in an AMD/ATI forum area.
Restart from the top if you get that.

I noticed something from when I initially installed(posted on a SUSE forum page). ANY NON-ZERO erro means your kernel and sources DO NOT MATCH.
You need to install as appropriate and try these steps again. I had serious VirtualBox issue due to installing a optimized RT kernel due to this. So a heads up if using different than the stock kernel installed by default. (I like bleeding edge from kernel.org, but cant use it.)

If you can build the FGLRX sources from /usr/src with ZERO as an exit code, you should be fine.

this is the correct line:

sudo dpkg -l fglrx
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name Version Architecture Description
+++-==============-============-============-=================================
rc fglrx 2:12.100~bet i386 Video driver for the AMD graphics