AMD/Intel Hybrid Graphics works

[carlocb]

I'm decided to understand this better that I can: I'll try installing ubuntu precise now and see how it works with OP instructions...

[eug89]

Couple of days ago I did exactly what you described on the first post thanks to Niccola's help, now everything's working fine on my hp dv6 6178sl.
You can add this to the first page:
HP DV6-6178sl, i7 2670QM, Intel HD 3000, AMD 6770m, igpu<->dgpu switch: working, Unity3D/Gnome shell on Intel: working, HDMI Intel/AMD: working/working, VGA Intel/AMD: working/working
Ubuntu 12.04 beta 2 + catalyst 12.3 + 3.3.1-030301-generic
To improve power consumption I added these lines

pcie_aspm=force i915.i915_enable_rc6=1 i915.i915_enable_fbc=1 i915.lvds_downclock=1

On GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT in the /etc/default/grub file as described in this article http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pag...15_power&num=1(I also added acpi_backlight=vendor in order to get the backlight controls to work on this laptop).
Thanks again for this useful thread!

[carlocb]

Ok...ubuntu 12.04 beta2 definitely works as written by the OP. This is great! Still can't figure out why is this, but I will...I hope!
Interesting thing to note (don't know if it's the same for you)...when I'm using discrete graphics if I go under "System Settings" > "Details" > "Overview" or "Graphics" show "unknown driver". Intel one is correctly recognized when using discrete instead.
All the other non-working distros I tried (fedora, linux mint 12, archlinux) all showed correctly the fglrx driver when using discrete graphics...it was impossible however to switch to discrete...so this is definitely the best solution so far!

EDIT: Actually now (after reboot which keeps the integrated enabled...WOW!) I tried switching to discrete...it's very nice and flawless and radeon hd6700 series gets correctly recognized in unity "system settings"...

EDIT: Been testing a little more...with java, vbox (things I had real troubles using with ati&fglrx in other distros)...it is working WONDERFULLY!! XD
So far no crashes _whatsoever_ of the Xorg server or gnome...of course I'm using unity (which I hate)...I would like to try out gnome-shell to see if something changes (like the crashes)...but I'm a little reluctant now that everything is finally working properly (been trying for a week to get this working).
OK...did that...gnome-shell 3.4 WORKS and is STABLE with both cards!

EDIT --- IMPORTANT!!!
Have you tried suspend / hibernate using the fglrx driver on both cards??
This is what I'm observing: using the "suspend" from gnome (or unity) results in a system freeze or kernel panic (visible) *before* the actual suspension takes place and with *both* cards (fglrx is supposed to have problems with suspend from what I've read).
Using pm-suspend command from a root terminal (inside X) works fine on the intel, I'll try the discrete tomorrow I guess.
It is interesting if this means that gnome "suspend" feature doesn't use the well-tested and stable pm-utils (since using pm-suspend directly doesn't result in a crash). It should be possible to bypass gnome controls completely (like closing lid, pressing button, etc.) and just write the appropriate acpid script calling pm-utils (which provide also the hibernate, that is not available in my ubuntu for some misterious reasons)...

[sarathsnair]

Is the hybrid graphics problem is over ?? !!! Can i install ubuntu 12.04 beta 2 in my laptop with switchable graphics intel hd3000/ati redeon 6770m ? unuty 3d/gnome 3 shel works well with Integrated gpu ?

[Tinek]

Hi all!

I'm a french Ubuntu user trying to fix these switching problems too
('scuse for the poor english level)
First of all thanks for your work (I mean all of you trying and trying, and other www contributors).

I found this thread yesterday and I hoped I could add my config in the hardware supported list today. I hoped!.. But something went wrong. I'm always stuck with a "running on low graphic mode" at the beginning. And this time any way to choose reconfigure graphics or anything, I'm sent on tty1. So I think I'll wait a little more (still waiting and trying since 10.04lts ).
But I'd like to help a little if I can!

I also have a few questions about Mux(ed/less) :

-I read that muxless cards are powerXpress >=4.0 ati cards (so then all cards newer than HD6xxx series) can we conclude that every card under hd6xxx is muxed?! That could explain the fact I didn't see that any HD 5xxx/4xxx user was able to run Catalyst drivers properly
-Could Catalysts Drivers can run on muxed configs? In the page 3 it's told that no, but later on the topic someone say that it works.

One more last thing : while trying to solve my problems I tried a "dsmeg | grep VGA" and then found a
"[Firmware Bug] : Duplicate ACPI video bus devices for the same VGA controller, plesae try module parameter "video.allow_duplicates=1" if the current driver doesn't work"
Maybe it can help

Keep it up!
Tinek

[aeronutt]

Is the hybrid graphics problem is over ?? !!! Can i install ubuntu 12.04 beta 2 in my laptop with switchable graphics intel hd3000/ati redeon 6770m ? unuty 3d/gnome 3 shel works well with Integrated gpu ?

I'd say you have a good chance of it working with your configuration. But, there's only one way to know for sure. And remember, this IS still beta.

[Alexislavie]

Ok...ubuntu 12.04 beta2 definitely works as written by the OP. This is great! Still can't figure out why is this, but I will...I hope!
Interesting thing to note (don't know if it's the same for you)...when I'm using discrete graphics if I go under "System Settings" > "Details" > "Overview" or "Graphics" show "unknown driver". Intel one is correctly recognized when using discrete instead.
All the other non-working distros I tried (fedora, linux mint 12, archlinux) all showed correctly the fglrx driver when using discrete graphics...it was impossible however to switch to discrete...so this is definitely the best solution so far!

EDIT: Actually now (after reboot which keeps the integrated enabled...WOW!) I tried switching to discrete...it's very nice and flawless and radeon hd6700 series gets correctly recognized in unity "system settings"...

EDIT: Been testing a little more...with java, vbox (things I had real troubles using with ati&fglrx in other distros)...it is working WONDERFULLY!! XD
So far no crashes _whatsoever_ of the Xorg server or gnome...of course I'm using unity (which I hate)...I would like to try out gnome-shell to see if something changes (like the crashes)...but I'm a little reluctant now that everything is finally working properly (been trying for a week to get this working).
OK...did that...gnome-shell 3.4 WORKS and is STABLE with both cards!

EDIT --- IMPORTANT!!!
Have you tried suspend / hibernate using the fglrx driver on both cards??
This is what I'm observing: using the "suspend" from gnome (or unity) results in a system freeze or kernel panic (visible) *before* the actual suspension takes place and with *both* cards (fglrx is supposed to have problems with suspend from what I've read).
Using pm-suspend command from a root terminal (inside X) works fine on the intel, I'll try the discrete tomorrow I guess.
It is interesting if this means that gnome "suspend" feature doesn't use the well-tested and stable pm-utils (since using pm-suspend directly doesn't result in a crash). It should be possible to bypass gnome controls completely (like closing lid, pressing button, etc.) and just write the appropriate acpid script calling pm-utils (which provide also the hibernate, that is not available in my ubuntu for some misterious reasons)...

Hibernation doesn't work yes, I didn't test suspend.

[sarathsnair]

I'd say you have a good chance of it working with your configuration. But, there's only one way to know for sure. And remember, this IS still beta.

i just want to know that is the switchable graphics work well on bete 2 ?

[Alexislavie]

Well I discovered some little bugs, they are not related with my solution. If someone has any idea how to correct them, please tell me.
- On Gnome Classic (gnome-panel), when playing fullscreen flash videos on the AMD graphic, the top and bottom defaults panels doesn't hide, this do not happen when using the Intel graphic. This may be an aticonfig or compiz problem.
- I experience screen tearing when playing fullscreen videos (Unity, Gnome Classic or Gnome Shell), I tried many settings, nothing worked. In Catalyst Control Center on my precedent computer they were a "Tear Free Desktop" option, I had to tick it, and deactivate Sync to VBlank on compiz and screen tearing disappeared. Problem : there is no such option in Catalyst Control Center for hybrid graphics cards. Do someone knows the aticonfig equivalent command ? Maybe it can be activated via command line ?

Can someone help me and confirm those two bugs ?

[Alexislavie]

i just want to know that is the switchable graphics work well on bete 2 ?

Yep it works well, just a few screen tearing problems when playing fullscreen videos.
What is your configuration ?