Mint 13: Problem activating ATI/AMD proprietary FGLRX driver

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bradman334

Re: Mint 13: Problem activating ATI/AMD proprietary FGLRX dr

Post by 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" :D

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

Re: Mint 13: Problem activating ATI/AMD proprietary FGLRX dr

Post by Kreacher »

flugmint wrote:Here's what I did:

Using the command line (or synaptic):

Code: Select all

~$ 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

Re: Mint 13: Problem activating ATI/AMD proprietary FGLRX dr

Post by 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

Re: Mint 13: Problem activating ATI/AMD proprietary FGLRX dr

Post by 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

Re: Mint 13: Problem activating ATI/AMD proprietary FGLRX dr

Post by 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
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