Where can I get a legacy driver for a HD 4870 Graphics card for Ubuntu 12.04 64 bit?

[sir_robert007]

So after trying to install the proprietary drivers for my HD 4870 cards and twice breaking my system I learned the hard way that AMD no longer supports the HD 4870 in Linux. Does anyone know where I can get a legacy driver that will work the the 4870? I tried using the Additional Drivers app but that ended up breaking my system. Reverted back to open source drivers. If I cant find a legacy driver will Team Fortress 2 still work with the open source drivers?

Comp Specs:

OS: Ubuntu 12.04 64 bit
Graphics: HD 4870 1GB (Crossfire)
RAM: 4GB
Processor: AMD Phenom X4 2.6 GHZ

[Mark Phelps]

The link below should work (but ONLY if you are using 12.04.1):

http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownloa...eon_linux.aspx

If you are using 12.04.2, you're out of luck because that uses a new X-server version that is incompatible with the drivers from this link.

[Yellow Pasque]

If you are using 12.04.2, you're out of luck because that uses a new X-server version that is incompatible with the drivers from this link.

False, 12.04.2 users can easily revert back to the 3.2.x kernel and Xserver 1.11.x

sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-lts-precise
sudo apt-get purge xserver-xorg-lts-quantal xserver-xorg-lts-raring linux-generic-lts-quantal linux-generic-lts-raring

Reboot and install driver.

[Mark Phelps]

False, 12.04.2 users can easily revert back to the 3.2.x kernel and Xserver 1.11.x

sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-lts-precise
sudo apt-get purge xserver-xorg-lts-quantal xserver-xorg-lts-raring linux-generic-lts-quantal linux-generic-lts-raring

Reboot and install driver.

Right ... and what do they do when they get kernel upgrades after that?

[Yellow Pasque]

They don't if they remove the packages listed... (they'll only get 3.2.x updates).

[Mark Phelps]

They don't if they remove the packages listed... (they'll only get 3.2.x updates).

OK, so if this is so simple and they are not faced with problems related from un-asked-for kernel upgrades, why do others so strongly recommend against doing this kind of driver installation? Any ideas? (Asking because I'm in a similar situation and would like do this -- but have held off).

[Yellow Pasque]

OK, so if this is so simple and they are not faced with problems related from un-asked-for kernel upgrades, why do others so strongly recommend against doing this kind of driver installation? Any ideas? (Asking because I'm in a similar situation and would like do this -- but have held off).

Probably because it's a lot easier just to tell people that they can't use 12.04.2 with the legacy driver. Quite frankly, I'm not sure the commands I've offered will completely preclude future kernel/X upgrades (from Ubuntu 13.10/saucy for example). There may be some metapackage that I'm not aware of that pulls these things in (I only run precise in a VM) or Ubuntu 12.04.2 may not come with the 3.2 kernel at all. However, I like to think that most of the users I'm giving this advice to can figure these things out for themselves ("Hmm, maybe I shouldn't install that xserver-xorg-lts-saucy package...")

[snafu006]

go to here and download driver: http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownloa...eon_linux.aspx

after download unzip driver and place on desktop
open terminal ctrl-alt-t

sudo amdconfig --uninstall
(just so there is nothing to mess this up)

just drag and drop unzip ati driver into terminal will look like this

example:'/home/YOUR-USER-NAME/Desktop/amd-driver-installer-catalyst-13.1-legacy-linux-x86.x86_64.run'

BUT change to this:

sudo sh '/home/YOUR-USER-NAME/Desktop/amd-driver-installer-catalyst-13.1-legacy-linux-x86.x86_64.run' --force
hit enter
enter password

And ever tho the two guys above me are fight over what kernel you are on. They are right you should be on kernal 3.2.0.41 anything like 3.5.0.? the driver will not work

command for terminal: uname -a

OOOOOO AND P.S this computer i am on can run steam and will play all steam linux game ATI 4250 HD Good luck

[QIII]

I have the two following reasons I do not recommend the scripts that downgrade X Server, patch the kernel and install the legacy driver:

1. None of us knows for certain what will happen in future upgrades or updates that will conflict with or cause dependency problems with the changes.

2. 12.04 and 12.04.1 are supported for another 4 years. In that time, a user can enjoy Ubuntu without risking a fatal crash due to the changes.

Just my two cents.

[QIII]

go to here and download driver: http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownloa...eon_linux.aspx

after download unzip driver and place on desktop
open terminal ctrl-alt-t

sudo amdconfig --uninstall
(just so there is nothing to mess this up)

just drag and drop unzip ati driver into terminal will lokk like this

example:'/home/YOUR-USER-NAME/Desktop/amd-driver-installer-catalyst-13.1-legacy-linux-x86.x86_64.run'

BUT change to this:

sudo sh '/home/YOUR-USER-NAME/Desktop/amd-driver-installer-catalyst-13.1-legacy-linux-x86.x86_64.run' --force
hit enter
enter password

And ever tho the two guys above me are fight over what kernel you are on. They are right you should be on kernal 3.2.0.41 anything like 3.5.0.? the driver will not work

command for terminal: uname -a

Unfortunately, this will not work for 12.04.2 and beyond without downgrading X Server and replacing the kernel.