Time to change my graphics card?

[David1293]

Hi, all
Now that AMD have dropped support for Linux, I'm wondering if it would be better in the long term to change my graphics card.
ini -Fxzd gives me the following?

Code: Select all

david@Ancholme ~ $ inxi -Fxz
System:    Host: Ancholme Kernel: 4.4.0-21-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.3.1)
           Desktop: MATE 1.14.1 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.1)
           Distro: Linux Mint 18 Sarah
Machine:   Mobo: ASRock model: Z97 Anniversary
           Bios: American Megatrends v: P1.40 date: 01/16/2015
CPU:       Quad core Intel Core i7-4790 (-HT-MCP-) cache: 8192 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 28791
           clock speeds: max: 4000 MHz 1: 3999 MHz 2: 3998 MHz 3: 4000 MHz
           4: 3999 MHz 5: 3998 MHz 6: 3804 MHz 7: 3988 MHz 8: 3988 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Curacao PRO [Radeon R7 370 / R9 270/370 OEM]
           bus-ID: 01:00.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.3 drivers: ati,radeon (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1920x1080@60.00hz
           GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on AMD PITCAIRN (DRM 2.43.0, LLVM 3.8.0)
           GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 11.2.0 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card-1 Intel 9 Series Family HD Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Card-2 Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Cape Verde/Pitcairn HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 7700/7800 Series]
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 01:00.1
           Card-3 Logitech Webcam C270 driver: USB Audio usb-ID: 008-002
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.4.0-21-generic
Network:   Card: Intel Ethernet Connection (2) I218-V
           driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k port: f040 bus-ID: 00:19.0
           IF: enp0s25 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 10002.0GB (21.5% used)
           ID-1: USB /dev/sda model: Expansion_Desk size: 5001.0GB
           ID-2: /dev/sdb model: ST3000DM001 size: 3000.6GB
           ID-3: USB /dev/sdc model: External_USB_3.0 size: 2000.4GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 2.7T used: 30G (2%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdb2
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 17.13GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sdb3
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 36.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 43.0
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 258 Uptime: 11:23 Memory: 1131.5/15998.3MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.421) inxi: 2.2.35 
david@Ancholme ~ $ 

Would it be better to use Fglrx?
I have found that I much prefer Mint Mate edition. Any advice, please?
Regards
David

[richyrich]

Suggestion only; (so take it as you will)
Run Mint 17.3 Mate edition, it is very stable, and is supported until 2019, and you can use fglrx drivers for your graphics hardware.
AMD are working on new linux drivers (compatible with Mint 18).

[David1293]

Hi
Many thanks for taking the time to reply.
I hadn't heard that AMD were in fact going to update Linux drivers.
It may well be that your idea is the best solution.
Thanks, regards
David

[shawnhcorey]

AMD are working on new linux drivers (compatible with Mint 18).

But are they working on drivers for their older cards?

[richyrich]

But are they working on drivers for their older cards?

Please ask the developers at AMD . .

[OldTech]

This is the first thread I've read about graphics cards and I don't know anything about the AMD issue.

My problem is I have an Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] RS880 [Radeon HD 4200] and although it worked OK with Linux Mint 18 Cinnamon for a few days it is now coming up with a resolution of 1024x768 and the only other choice as 800x600. How can I correct this? The card works OK with Win 10.

Thanks!

OldTech

[OldTech]

OK

I found out about the AMD issue in the Release Notes (mint made a change that would require AMD to make a change that they weren't interested in making).

I guess I should have started a new thread also instead of jumping on someone else's. I apologize.

So now I guess I need a new graphic card. I guess this is not a version that supports older hardware.

[oldgranola]

I've spent a little time on this too. As I understand it, AMD is moving away from proprietary drivers (fglrx) for unix/linux and is working to produce open source drivers (which is a very good thing!) and is involved in kernel work. But only for newer cards. It is true that the old fglerx driver system is not supported in linux flavors starting with ubuntu 16 and all its descendants such as anything beyond LM17.3 (kernels after 4.2.x). I have encountered that myself trying to use 4.3.x and 4.4.x to no avail without performing a clean install. However, I am under the impression that one can indeed use the kernel drivers for LM18 with AMD cards. Am I correct? I'm sticking with LM17.3 for this system, my most used home entertainment rig, I don't fully trust the results of booting from the USB which did work nominally, but may soon try it on other builds. We'll see.

[OldTech]

I don't know how it did it, but when I first installed Linux Mint 18 Cinnamon 64 Bit recently, the screen resolution worked just the way I wanted it to, just the same as Win 10. Then one morning I booted up and the resolution had changed.

After further research after my last post, I came upon a thread that included this information: "If the graphics-card firmware and/or your operating system finds there to be a problem retrieving said EDID data, it assumes your monitor to be capable of a few old standard SVGA resolutions only such as 1024x768 (i.e., 4x256 by 3x256; 4:3 indeed)."

I am using a plain VGA cable because my monitor only has a VGA input. The graphics card does have DVI D plug but i have no cable or monitor that supports DVI D. I guess a new monitor and a cable should let me get the resolutions I want until the next changes, but I hate to have to spend $150.00 if everything is still functioning.

[shawnhcorey]

Then one morning I booted up and the resolution had changed.

Yes, this can happen if one of the libraries changes. The libc library is notorious for this.

[OldTech]

I started to order a new monitor but since it's so close to Black Friday, I think I'll wait until then to upgrade. I love Linux Mint 18 and I hope to get it back to an enjoyable screen resolution soon. The Acer monitor I'm using was purchased at WalMart on Black Friday back in 2007. It still works great but is just a little outdated, I guess. I think I got my money's worth on this one, though.

[David1293]

So,
Hi all.
Back to my question- as a comparative newbie, would I be simply be better getting an nVidia card?

If so, recommendations, please.
ini -Fxzd gives me the following:
david@Ancholme ~ $ inxi -Fxzd
System: Host: Ancholme Kernel: 4.4.0-21-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.3.1)
Desktop: MATE 1.14.1 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.1)
Distro: Linux Mint 18 Sarah
Machine: Mobo: ASRock model: Z97 Anniversary
Bios: American Megatrends v: P1.40 date: 01/16/2015
CPU: Quad core Intel Core i7-4790 (-HT-MCP-) cache: 8192 KB
flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 28789
clock speeds: max: 4000 MHz 1: 4000 MHz 2: 3977 MHz 3: 4000 MHz
4: 3909 MHz 5: 3992 MHz 6: 3998 MHz 7: 3998 MHz 8: 3981 MHz
Graphics: Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Curacao PRO [Radeon R7 370 / R9 270/370 OEM]
bus-ID: 01:00.0
Display Server: X.Org 1.18.3 drivers: ati,radeon (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: 1920x1080@60.00hz
GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on AMD PITCAIRN (DRM 2.43.0, LLVM 3.8.0)
GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 11.2.0 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card-1 Intel 9 Series Family HD Audio Controller
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
Card-2 Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Cape Verde/Pitcairn HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 7700/7800 Series]
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 01:00.1
Card-3 Logitech Webcam C270 driver: USB Audio usb-ID: 008-002
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.4.0-21-generic
Network: Card: Intel Ethernet Connection (2) I218-V
driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k port: f040 bus-ID: 00:19.0
IF: enp0s25 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 10002.0GB (17.7% used)
ID-1: USB /dev/sda model: Expansion_Desk size: 5001.0GB
ID-2: /dev/sdb model: ST3000DM001 size: 3000.6GB
ID-3: USB /dev/sdc model: External_USB_3.0 size: 2000.4GB
Optical-1: /dev/sr0 model: ASUS BC-12D2HT
rev: 1.00 dev-links: cdrom,cdrw
Features: speed: 1x multisession: yes
audio: yes dvd: yes rw: cd-r,cd-rw,dvd-r,dvd-ram state: running
Optical-2: /dev/sr1 model: ATAPI iHAS122 F
rev: EL04 dev-links: dvd,dvdrw
Features: speed: 48x multisession: yes
audio: yes dvd: yes rw: cd-r,cd-rw,dvd-r,dvd-ram state: running
Partition: ID-1: / size: 2.7T used: 30G (2%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdb2
ID-2: swap-1 size: 17.13GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sdb3
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 35.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 33.0
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 274 Uptime: 4 min Memory: 781.1/15998.3MB
Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
Client: Shell (bash 4.3.421) inxi: 2.2.35
david@Ancholme ~ $
I'm trying to read through the details of your reply now- I'm not very experiences at anything other than a Gui, perhaps a compliment to how user-friendly Mint has become.
By the way, I am in the UK.
I hope this gives you enough information to give me an informed choice.
Regards
David

[jimallyn]

There is a way to install new drivers for some AMD cards. See this page:

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=229229

[David1293]

Hi
Thanks for the reply. It's a bit late here, but I'll look into it.
I really appreciate you taking the time to reply.

Regards
David