Ubuntu Dapper Installation Guide

2006-06-30T18:18:33Z

70.95.226.87: /* HP Notebook dv5029us / zv6000 */ /* Compaq Notebook R4000 */

== Method 1: Installing Dapper's Included Driver (8.25.18) ==

The included fglrx driver supports Radeon 8500+ and the X-series cards up to X1900.

Unfortunately OpenGL seems to be broken for R200 cards (everything below Radeon 9500) in this driver version. This may be fixed by replacing ''/usr/lib/libGL.so.1.2'' with ''libGL.so.1.2'' from the previous driver version (8.24.8).

=== Installing the driver ===

Make sure the ''restricted'' repository is enabled in ''/etc/apt/sources.list'' or this guide will not work!

<pre>
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install linux-restricted-modules-$(uname -r) #Okay if it is already installed
sudo apt-get install xorg-driver-fglrx
sudo depmod -a
sudo aticonfig --initial
sudo aticonfig --overlay-type=Xv
</pre>

Reboot.

An '''alternative''' to the '''aticonfig --initial''' command is to edit ''/etc/X11/xorg.conf'' and replace the string "ati" with "fglrx" in the "Device" section. This way you won't lose your old "Screen" and "Monitor" settings. Afterwards you can use aticonfig for setting overlay etc.

=== Confirm that it works ===
<pre>
fglrxinfo
display: :0.0 screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: RADEON 9600 Generic
OpenGL version string: 2.0.5814 (8.25.18)
</pre>

=== Troubleshooting for Method 1 ===

*The output of '''dmesg | grep fglrx''' and /var/log/Xorg.0.log are most useful when looking for errors. You should really include this when you are asking for help somewhere.

*It might be necessary to create a symlink to get accelerated OpenGL:
:<pre>sudo ln -s /usr/lib/dri /usr/lib/xorg/modules/dri</pre>

*AMD64 users: It may also be necessary to update /etc/profile if using GDM. Update the $LIBGL_DRIVERS_PATH variable to point to the dri path above.

*To ensure you automatically get the current ''linux-restricted-modules'' package with kernel updates, you should install the linux-restricted-modules-??? package matching your kernel-type (without version numer), e.g. ''linux-restricted-modules-386'', ''linux-restricted-modules-686'' or ''linux-restricted-modules-k7''.

*If you used Method 2 before, you have to unblacklist fglrx again by editing ''/etc/default/linux-restricted-modules-common''

*See [[#Troubleshooting for both Methods|Troubleshooting for both Methods]]

<br /><br />

== Method 2: Generating/Installing Ubuntu packages for the 8.26.18 drivers in Ubuntu Dapper Manually ==

'''Important Change:''' Installation of this driver '''no longer requires''' removing the linux-restricted-modules package in order to work. There is a new blacklist feature in Ubuntu Dapper that you can use to go around this.

=== blacklist old fglrx module from linux-restricted-modules ===

<pre>sudo gedit /etc/default/linux-restricted-modules-common</pre>
Edit ''DISABLED_MODULES'' to include fglrx
{{Box File|/etc/default/linux-restricted-modules-common|
<pre>DISABLED_MODULES="fglrx"</pre>
}}

=== Installing the new driver ===

Download the ATI driver installer: [http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/674/9206/0/www2.ati.com/drivers/linux/ati-driver-installer-8.26.18-x86.run 32bit Installer]

This guide refers to the 32bit version of the driver. If you are using a x86_64 System you need the [http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/674/9206/0/www2.ati.com/drivers/linux/64bit/ati-driver-installer-8.26.18-x86_64.run 64bit Installer]. The installation procedure should be the same as for 32bit, except some filenames will differ slightly.

Change to the download directory. Make sure that you have the ''universe'' and ''multiverse'' repositories enabled in ''/etc/apt/sources.list'' before doing these steps.

''Install necessary tools:''

<pre>
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install module-assistant build-essential
sudo apt-get install fakeroot dh-make debconf libstdc++5 gcc-3.3-base
</pre>

''Create .deb packages:''

<pre>
chmod +x ati-driver-installer-8.26.18-x86.run
./ati-driver-installer-8.26.18-x86.run --buildpkg Ubuntu/dapper
</pre>

''Install .deb packages:''

<pre>
sudo dpkg -i xorg-driver-fglrx_8.26.18-1_i386.deb
sudo dpkg -i fglrx-kernel-source_8.26.18-1_i386.deb
sudo dpkg -i fglrx-control_8.26.18-1_i386.deb
</pre>

''Remove any old fglrx deb's from /usr/src/:''

<pre>
sudo rm /usr/src/fglrx-kernel*.deb
</pre>

''Compile the kernel module:''

<pre>
sudo module-assistant prepare,update
sudo module-assistant build,install fglrx
sudo depmod -a
</pre>

'''Note''': You have to recompile the kernel module after each kernel update!

''Update the xorg.conf file:''

<pre>
sudo aticonfig --initial
sudo aticonfig --overlay-type=Xv
</pre>

Reboot.

=== Confirm that it worked ===

<pre>
$ fglrxinfo
display: :0.0 screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: RADEON 9700 Generic
OpenGL version string: 2.0.5879 (8.26.18)
</pre>

=== Troubleshooting for Method 2===

==== Upgrade from Breezy ====
If method 2 doesn't work first time round, and you have upgraded from a Breezy installation, try this:

Remove previous versions of the fglrx driver:
<pre>
sudo dpkg -r fglrx-control
sudo dpkg -r fglrx-kernel-source
sudo dpkg -r xorg-driver-fglrx
</pre>

dpkg will list dependencies for xorg-driver-fglrx which will need up be removed, for example:

<pre>
sudo dpkg -r fglrx-kernel
sudo dpkg -r fglrx-kernel-2.6.12-10-686-smp
sudo dpkg -r xorg-driver-fglrx
</pre>

Proceed with method 2

<br /><br />
== Troubleshooting for both Methods ==

=== General ===

The output of '''dmesg | grep fglrx''' and /var/log/Xorg.0.log are most useful when looking for errors.

=== 2D speed ===

If you suffer from slow 2D speed it might help to set
Option "XaaNoOffscreenPixmaps"
in the fglrx section of ''/etc/X11/xorg.conf''

=== HP Notebook dv5029us / zv6000 ===

If you have an HP Notebook Computer (or Compaq) such as the HP dv5029us or zv6000 series, it is needed to modify the BIOS configuration. It seems for some reason using sideport memory (the card's onboard memory only) leads to an apparent system crash although the logs show successful initialization of DRI. It is needed to run the BIOS setup screen, go to memory options, and select UMA+Sideport memory and assign a value to it (I assigned an extra 128M from the system RAM). Boot the computer and the fglrx driver will work. FGLRX version is 8.24.8 on an i386 Ubuntu Dapper install.

* Ubuntu FGLRX drivers 8.25.18, do not work properly on the dv5029us (Radeon Xpress 200M) as of this writing (5/30/2006). It is needed to revert to 8.24.8 for this specific computer in order to get proper 3D acceleration, and 2D with no tearing off.

** ATI Driver 8.26.18, does not work with the Radeon Express 200M. Some HP/Compaq laptops only have working 3D support with ONLY UMA video memory( Sideport+UMA won't work ). This is due to a 1 year old flaw in the ATI driver. If you want to use your onboard/Sideport memory, you can only get 2D support by adding [ Option "no_dri" "yes"] to the fglrx driver section of /etc/X11/xorg.conf

=== HP zt3000 / Compaq nx7000 ===
Beginning with ATI driver version 8.19, the drivers fail to properly detect modelines that are compatible with the LCD screen of the HP zt3000 (and equivalent Compaq nx7000 model), and they must be inserted into xorg.conf manually. For the 1680x1050 LCD screen, inserting the following modelines into the "Monitor" section works:
Modeline "640x350" 119.12 640 1728 1760 1840 350 1052 1058 1080
Modeline "640x400" 119.12 640 1728 1760 1840 400 1052 1058 1080
Modeline "720x400" 119.12 720 1728 1760 1840 400 1052 1058 1080
Modeline "640x480" 119.12 640 1728 1760 1840 480 1052 1058 1080
Modeline "800x600" 119.12 800 1728 1760 1840 600 1052 1058 1080
Modeline "1024x768" 119.12 1024 1728 1760 1840 768 1052 1058 1080
Modeline "1152x864" 119.12 1152 1728 1760 1840 864 1052 1058 1080
Modeline "1280x960" 119.12 1280 1728 1760 1840 960 1052 1058 1080
Modeline "1280x1024" 119.12 1280 1728 1760 1840 1024 1052 1058 1080
Modeline "832x624" 119.12 832 1728 1760 1840 624 1052 1058 1080
Modeline "1280x768" 119.12 1280 1728 1760 1840 768 1052 1058 1080
Modeline "1280x800" 119.12 1280 1728 1760 1840 800 1052 1058 1080
Modeline "1152x768" 119.12 1152 1728 1760 1840 768 1052 1058 1080
Modeline "1400x1050" 119.12 1400 1728 1760 1840 1050 1052 1058 1080
Modeline "1440x900" 119.12 1440 1728 1760 1840 900 1052 1058 1080
Modeline "1600x1024" 119.12 1600 1728 1760 1840 1024 1052 1058 1080
Modeline "1680x1050" 119.12 1680 1728 1760 1840 1050 1052 1058 1080

If you have the "1920x1200" version of the HP zt3000 the Modeline is:
Modeline "1920x1200" 150.75 1920 2016 2048 2185 1200 1202 1208 1235

=== Revert to Xorg driver ===

If (for any reason) the fglrx install fails, you can revert to the Xorg driver by executing
<pre>sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg</pre>
and selecting the "ati" driver, or simply restoring the previous /etc/X11/xorg.conf file, if you made a backup.

You also need to remove the xorg-driver-fglrx or your manually installed drivers to get the 3D acceleration back, since it is provided by file /usr/lib/libGL.so.1.2 which belongs to libgl1-mesa package and which is moved to backup and replaced at the installation of xorg-driver-fglrx (or the manually built) package. In case the removal of the fglrx drivers fails to restore the file from libgl1-mesa, you have to reinstall the package by running:

<pre>sudo apt-get install --reinstall libgl1-mesa</pre>

[[Category:Installation Documentation]]

Talk:Ubuntu Dapper Installation Guide

2006-06-20T00:37:32Z

70.95.226.87: try using ONLY 128MB of UMA memory instead of Sideport+UMA

Wow, I followed this and it doesn't work, either method......

Now what? nobody to turn to, no more help available. Is it an ATI problem or a Dapper one?

I would have never believed that as "advanced" as this O/S is that it is this difficult to get a display driver to work.

This is absolutely incredible....

the problem is the driver, not the operating system.. ATI should take a lesson from nVidia.

[UBfusion reporting]: Many ATI chipsets suffer from this, due to faulty libGl.so.1.2 in the new ATI drivers - use the old file from old drivers, read http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=185033

== try using ONLY 128MB of UMA memory instead of Sideport+UMA ==

This is a really strange problem with the HP/Compaq R4000/zv6000:

Once upon a time, ATI driver fglrx_6_8_0-8.13.4-1.i386.rpm provided full DRI and 3D support on Ubuntu 5.04 kernel 2.6.10.
( wget http://www2.ati.com/drivers/linux/fglrx_6_8_0-8.13.4-1.i386.rpm )

Then, ATI's new releases only worked if we used 128MB of shared/system/UMA memory along with the 128MB of onboard video
memory many of these laptop models have.

Now, after installing Ubuntu 6.0.6 kernel 2.6.15, the ATI driver will only work with full DRI and 3D support if I
totally disable the 128MB of onboard video memory and use ONLY shared/system/UMA memory( 128MB )....

Now, with my fully functioning Ubuntu 5.0.4 installation, when I go from only Sideport to only UMA, the glxgears
output goes from ~1200fps to ~500fps

With the new kernel and Xorg server of Ubuntu 6.0.6 running only UMA video memory and the 5.0.4 version of glxgears,
output from that program is ~800fps. Still a 30% decrease in performance from using the 128MB of onboard/Sideport
video memory.

IMO, running like this is not a fix but a crippled hack and it would be really nice if HP/Compaq or ATI would tell us
what the problem is, why it exists, how it is to be fixed. So try just 128M of UMA in your BIOS and see if that enables
you to get DRI/Direct Rendering working with the ATI/fglrx driver.

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Ubuntu Dapper Installation Guide

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