Radeon Graphics

[lenovoy460p]

Hi I am a new linux mint debian user, and I do not know how to properly download my drivers, I went to the radeon website and downloaded the drivers for my video card, and I have no idea what to do next? PLEASE HELP!

[Oscar799]

Moved here by Moderator

[HTD]

Let's say you have them in ~/Downloads .
Start console:

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cd ~/Downloads
chmod +x ati... (complete with tab)
sudo su
./ati...

Choose the first option, to just install drivers. If it complains you have previous version installed, read carefully error message and cat the file it created in /var/log.
You should get the path to conflicting file. Remove it with rm. Then try again.

Another error message? Well, try to find a clue in log.

Succeeded? We're not done here.

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aticonfig --initial

Error message again, about missing libgl.so.1 ? Oh, loads of fun here. There is a smarter way for it, but I don't have time to figure it out. You will have to use mc to do it fast. Start it as root. On the left open /usr/lib, on the right /usr/lib64. Now, all you see in /usr/lib64 should be in /usr/lib, so you will have to create symlinks. But you must not replace any directories, so you have to enter each one existing directory, and add links for each file found there. If you fast with keyboard, it takes about 5 minutes.

Try aticonfig --initial again. Passed? Good, almost done... Now reboot, and prepare for the worst

If you have xserver 1.10.x, you have just installed shiny new and fully operational AMD Catalyst 11.9 driver If newer - prepare for black screen.

To recover from black screen you will need to use hard reset, then start LMDE in emergency mode (no X). As soon as you log in do the following:

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cd ~/Downloads
sudo su
./ati... --uninstall
rm /etc/X11/xorg*
reboot

Oh, well, some chores left: remember the symlinks you've made? You should to remove them after uninstalling the driver. They can cause troubles later.

Then start synaptic. Search for glx and mesa in installed packages. Reinstall all. Done.

One last thing - when creating symlinks - do not overwrite any existing files. If you do (there is one file to be replaced) - backup the original one. You will need to restore it, if new driver fails to work. It will not be restored with apt for unknown reasons. And without this file you won't have RGBA support and transparency in software X.

[cecar]

I always use the sgfxi script to install my radeon drivers. It has always worked for me. You can read about it and get it here.
http://smxi.org/

[HTD]

SGFXI works, but I had the same issues as with plain driver - first - default LMDE installation keeps a file which blocks ATI installer (I think it's when fglrx form package is uninstalled without --purge option), and then - after installation is complete - all driver files are in /usr/lib64 instead of /usr/lib, my LMDE can't see those files and the driver doesn't work untill I create a symlink for each file.
(I know I should use --purge uninstalling fglrx packages, but they were uninstalled with other packages by system update).
Do you use LMDE x64?