Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

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Monarch Black

Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

Post by Monarch Black »

Updated 4-7-2016
There are a few threads floating around with info on this, but some of it is just a little bit off due to some changes in some things. They have the info needed in there, but buried along with other stuff. Going to do a step-by-step from a fresh install for those that are having issues. The main issue appears to be that the newest drivers DO NOT like kernel 4.4, so updating to kernel 4.8 could be all you need to do if you are having issues. After spending the day troubleshooting getting my RX480 running, I wanted to spend a little time making a concise to-do list for the novice. This may not be the ONLY way to get it working, but it does work and I repeated it to make sure. From installation start to everything working takes about an hour on my mediocre CPU and a standard hard-drive, your mileage may vary.

**Much of this comes from LuckyDuck99's thread, but AMD changed some things that messed up some of the instructions. So, props and much credit to him.

1) Install Linux Mint 18.1 from install DVD. Let it use 3rd party drivers for mp3s and stuff when it asks. After it finishes it will kick out the DVD. Take out the DVD, then hit 'Enter' to reboot.

2) After initial reboot click on the "Drivers" module in the welcome pop-up. Enable drivers that may be there that you want to use. For me that is AMD microcode. Reboot. (Some people may not need this step).

3) After next boot, update everything. Click on the "Update Center" icon beside the clock. Choose the middle option (do not choose the top one) for update center behavior. Update everything it wants to update. For me this was about 3 batches of stuff. At first it was a couple items, after that it gave a large amount of items, after those updated it did firmware and the 4.4 kernel. (May not need to update the 4.4 kernel since we are going to replace it, but I went with better safe than sorry.) Restart after updates to make sure everything is locked in.

4) On this boot, install the 4.8 kernel. Click the "Update Center" icon beside clock. At the top of the Update Center window, choose "View", then "Linux kernels". Click "continue" on the warning popup. Click on "4.8" on the left side, then click on the bottom 4.8 kernel in the list, and install. At time of writing this is 4.8.0-45. Reboot. (Edit: it also appears to work installing the 4.10 kernel that is now available, instead of 4.8. Both worked in my testing.)

5) This boot, download and install AMD drivers. In Firefox, go to http://support.amd.com/en-us/download/linux and download the Ubuntu driver listed for your card. At time of writing this is version 17.10-401251. (If you use a different browser that saves somewhere other than "Downloads", you will need to go to that directory when you install.)

6) Open the terminal (little black & white box by Menu). Need to go where the downloaded file is and extract the driver. Then, move into the new folder. So, type these at the prompt to do that. (The file name and directory will change with future driver releases, this is for 17.10 driver.)
cd Downloads
tar -Jxvf amdgpu-pro-17.10-401251.tar.xz
cd amdgpu-pro-17.10-401251
7) Now, need to modify the install script slightly so it works on Mint instead of Ubuntu.
nano amdgpu-pro-install
Scroll down until you see "ubuntu" listed below a section "function os_release". Where it says "ubuntu", delete that and make it "linuxmint". (Do not change anything else but "ubuntu" to "linuxmint"!!)
Hit "CTRL+o" to save, "Enter" to confirm, then "CTRL+x" to exit. Keep the terminal open.

8 ) Install the AMD driver.
./amdgpu-pro-install -y
Edit: that is "period slash amdgpu-pro-install -y" Sort of hard to see.


9) The user needs in the "video" group.
sudo usermod -a -G video $LOGNAME
Close the terminal, almost there.

10) Finally, delete the old driver. Open up the "Software Manager". (Menu, Administration, Software Manager). Search for "Radeon" in the search bar. Scroll down to "Xserver-xorg-video-radeon" towards the bottom. Double-click it, then uninstall.

11) ***Your AMD video card should now be good to go! Reboot!

12) If you want Steam, don't download from the steampowered website. Open the "Software Manager" again. Search "Steam". Double-click and install the Steam application there. Works like a charm.
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 5 times in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
Mintster

Re: Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

Post by Mintster »

I thought AMD didn’t work with Mint 18
Monarch Black

Re: Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

Post by Monarch Black »

Technically, I guess it IS problematic, since Mint 18.1 ships with kernel 4.4 and the new AMD drivers really want 4.8, but this process worked for me with upgrading to 4.8. Not getting any more errors like I was early in the day before coming upon this repeatable sequence. My RX480 is running just fine, and had a play session of CS:GO through Steam that worked with no hitches, and no display or OS glitches thus far. Everything seems to be working smooth.

If anyone does this sequence and it works, please say so. If anyone follows it closely and it doesn't, please also say so. While it works for me on 18.1 Cinnamon 64-bit with my hardware repeatedly, it might not work for everyone. That would be good to know.
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Re: Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

Post by a.bowers »

Is this the official word on this?
Monarch Black

Re: Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

Post by Monarch Black »

I am in no way official. Honestly, I'm just coming back to Linux after about 5-6 years away myself. This is just what I found works by reading other threads along with trial and error. It works for me with zero complications on a RX480 following this sequence after a fresh install. I've played Arma 3, CS:GO and Mount & Blade Warband on Steam so far, and they all run great, as well as the normal desktop environment and streaming services like Netflix and Twitch.
Monarch Black

Re: Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

Post by Monarch Black »

Just reporting I did another fresh install after a Manjaro 17 Gnome distro I was messing with nuked the bootloader. Worked without a hitch once more on a RX 480. Also, much prefer Cinnamint 18.1 to Manjaro 17 Gnome. Much more intuitive.
Graybeard_EE_83

Re: Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

Post by Graybeard_EE_83 »

Hello Monarch, Your AMD driver and kernel fix procedure works perfectly—excellent solution! Previously ran Linux Mint 18.1 64-bit Cinnamon perfectly on my old XFX Radeon 7850 2 GB video card with 4 monitors, until video upgrade. Would not display more than 2 monitors and was running in degraded software mode. All good now. Software: Linux Kernel 4.8.0-45; Linux Mint 18.1 64-bit Cinnamon. Hardware configuration: XFX Radeon RX 480 8 GB; Intel Core i7-3770K; ASUS P8Z77-V motherboard (no wireless h/w installed); 16 GB G.Skill 1866 MHz RAM; and 4 Sceptre 1080P monitors. Thanks for sharing and publishing this needed fix. Keep up the great work—it is very much appreciated. Thank you!
Monarch Black

Re: Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

Post by Monarch Black »

Thanks Graybeard. I'm glad to hear it helped! If it helped at least 1 person get up and running properly, it was worth typing.
Any_Key

Re: Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

Post by Any_Key »

I followed these directions to the letter, booting into my 4.10 kernel with nomodeset to get into software rendering due to a black screen.
This did not work for me, I have a RX460
Monarch Black

Re: Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

Post by Monarch Black »

Ok, good to know. I haven't had any issue like this, and seem others don't either, but many hardware setups have different peculiarities. Did you let it do it's thing during the install? There were some long pauses while it compiled or did whatever it was doing. One of them was on the 1st reboot after the AMD driver install. It did what might look like a blackscreen, but eventually came up and everything was good.
110chi

Re: Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

Post by 110chi »

Followed this to the t, but I'm having X server segmentation faults at boot.

Code: Select all

[    11.786] (EE) 17: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/modesetting_drv.so (0x7f64678d9000+0x84bc) [0x7f64678e14bc]
[    11.786] (EE) 18: /usr/lib/xorg/Xorg (InitOutput+0xb0d) [0x55d3d48a2f0d]
[    11.786] (EE) 19: /usr/lib/xorg/Xorg (0x55d3d480a000+0x57be4) [0x55d3d4861be4]
[    11.787] (EE) 20: /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6 (__libc_start_main+0xf0) [0x7f646b1dc830]
[    11.787] (EE) 21: /usr/lib/xorg/Xorg (_start+0x29) [0x55d3d484c049]
[    11.787] (EE) 
[    11.787] (EE) Segmentation fault at address 0x110
Card is R9 290 on kernel 4.10.0-14.
Full log :https://pastebin.com/8GGZWsSY
Currently booting in recovery mode, any suggestions?
Any_Key

Re: Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

Post by Any_Key »

Monarch Black wrote:Ok, good to know. I haven't had any issue like this, and seem others don't either, but many hardware setups have different peculiarities. Did you let it do it's thing during the install? There were some long pauses while it compiled or did whatever it was doing. One of them was on the 1st reboot after the AMD driver install. It did what might look like a blackscreen, but eventually came up and everything was good.
I let everything run and do it's thing without issue and I've left the PC alone on the black screen and it never self resolved.
I'm going to try using 16.40, the only older version I could locate, to test.

I think my issue is some BIOS setting on an older motherboard so if the older driver doesn't fix it I'll go through the billion settings on my board and try them out.
LoudCat

Re: Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

Post by LoudCat »

Thanks for the post Monarch Black! Everything worked perfectly and progressed exactly as described.
NiksaVel
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Re: Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

Post by NiksaVel »

Hey guys, installed without a problem latest 18.1 with my AMD RX 480.

I have one question... how do I configure stuff with this new AMD driver? I have a 144hz ultrawide monitor and would like to get it to work properly.

Code: Select all

niksavel@VaderLin ~ $ inxi -Gx
Graphics:  Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Device 67df bus-ID: 01:00.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: amdgpu (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 2560x1080@59.94hz
           GLX Renderer: AMD Radeon RX 480 Graphics
           GLX Version: 4.5.13474 - CPC 17.10.2 Direct Rendering: Yes
niksavel@VaderLin ~ $ 
thanks for the help!
Windows is extremely fast after a fresh install. If you want to make it stay that way: - don't use it.
-Clem
Lennard brandkamp

Cinammon broken

Post by Lennard brandkamp »

I am unsure about step 9), as I am relatively new to Linux.
I typed in "sudo usermod -a -G video brandkamp" (as I am brandkamp on this PC).
Now the desktop environment does not work. To provide you guys some more information I ran inxi -Fxz and I'll post the (relevant) results below. The resolution was already detected wrongly before attempting this. I hope any of this will help. Thanks in advance.

Graphics: Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Device 67df bus-ID: 23:00.0
Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: fbdev,ati (unloaded: vesa,radeon)
Resolution: 1024x768@76.00hz
GLX Renderer: N/A GLX Version: N/A Direct Rendering: N/A
daxh

Re: Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

Post by daxh »

Hello to everyone. I have a PC with A10, R9 290, trying to install LM 18.2 Cinn. Trying to install amdgpu-pro drivers but with no luck. After system reboot I see a black screen with blincking cursor.

The following command

Code: Select all

inxi -Fx
gives me
...
Graphics: Display Server: X.org 1.18.4 drivers: (unloaded: fbdev, vesa) FAILED: amdgpu
...
All my actions based on the recommended threads:
viewtopic.php?f=59&t=248059

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=242474#p1346163

Any ideas will be great. Probably should I provide additional info.
briandh25

Re: Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

Post by briandh25 »

I managed to follow all the steps and there didn't seem to be any error while doing all that, but when I reboot I get a prompt telling me that Cinnamon crashed and asking me if I want to restart it, which doesn't do anything and "takes me" to Fallback mode.
Another thing to mention is that I don't see any drivers in the Drivers Manager after following all these steps and the video playback is the same as before, as if nothing changed.

Any thoughts on this?

Thank you for all your help!
angeluzsama

Re: Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

Post by angeluzsama »

It worked for me perfectly

AMD A12 9700P GPU RADEON R7

Linux Mint 18.1 Mate
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Re: Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

Post by mr_raider »

angeluzsama wrote:It worked for me perfectly

AMD A12 9700P GPU RADEON R7

Linux Mint 18.1 Mate
You were able to install amdgpu-pro on your APU? I tried with an a12-8800b which is virtually identical (carrizo-vs bristol ridge) and it crashed hard.
Image
isaaclee128

Re: Mint 18.1 Cinn: How To: AMD Driver install (RX480, R7, R9) + Steam

Post by isaaclee128 »

Hey I know this is kind of old but like seriously... THANK YOU SO MUCH
This was super straightforward and intuitive, thanks for sharing.
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