Ubuntu Dapper Installation Guide

2006-05-01T20:27:55Z

84.160.156.208: /* Installing the new driver */

== Method 1: Installing Dapper's Included Driver (8.24.8) ==

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

=== 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 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 9700 Generic
OpenGL version string: 2.0.5755 (8.24.8)
</pre>

=== Troubleshooting ===

*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>

*You can force early loading of the fglrx module by adding it to /etc/modules

*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''

== Method 2: Generating/Installing Ubuntu packages for the 8.24.8 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-8.24.8-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-8.24.8-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-8.24.8-x86.run
./ati-driver-installer-8.24.8-x86.run --buildpkg Ubuntu/dapper
</pre>

''Install .deb packages:''

<pre>
sudo dpkg -i xorg-driver-fglrx_8.24.8-1_i386.deb
sudo dpkg -i fglrx-kernel-source_8.24.8-1_i386.deb
sudo dpkg -i fglrx-control_8.24.8-1_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
</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: 2.0.5755 (8.24.8)
</pre>

=== Troubleshooting ===

==== General ====

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

==== HP Notebook PC ====

If you have an HP Notebook Computer (or Compaq) such as the HP dv5029dvus 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.

==== 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.

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Ubuntu Dapper Installation Guide