Acer Timeline 4810TG on Jaunty - ATI Driver

[anandharaj]

Hi,

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Laptop Model: Acel Timeline 4810TG
BIOS version: 1.23
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo SU9400
Graphic: Intel and ATI Radeon HD4330
OS: Ubuntu Jaunty 32bit
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Does anyone successfuly install the ATI driver on Acer Timeline 4810TG? Today i notice that my graphic driver that active is Intel not ATI. Then i decided to install the ATI driver from System -> Administration -> Hardware Driver. Upon reboot, there is no display - looks like the system is hang. Then install the driver from ATI/AMD website - also same thing happen, no display. Based on Xorg log (attached), it seems like related to BIOS. Then i change the "Switchable graphic" from "Switchable" to "Discrete". This changes make the system boot as normal. Looks like its working perfectly until i discover some wired color problem in facebook (attached). Finally, i decided to remove all and use the Intel driver.

question, what actually mean by "Switchable" and "Discrete" graphic property in BIOS?

I take further steps to try install ATI driver again. Below is the steps.

sudo dpkg --purge xorg-driver-fglrx

sudo rm -r /etc/ati

sudo reboot

After the reboot, ATI Driver get disappear in System -> Administration -> Hardware Driver. So, i have no choice to install from terminal.

sudo apt-get install xorg-driver-fglrx xorg-driver-fglrx-dev

sudo aticonfig --initial

sudo reboot

This time the color in facebook looks as normal - no more the gray format. But checking System -> Administration -> Hardware Driver, it saying the driver version is not the latest (attached). Clicking the "Activate" button -> reboot -> Same problem in facebook. So, i repeated the same process above without activating in "Hardware Driver"

question, what actually being install from "Hardware Driver" even there is no changes in version after install. (ATI Info attached)

Besides the graphic problem, im facing problem with Brightness control. After done changes as per in forum (code below), Fn + brightness key is working. But, every reboot the brightness is back to default which is full. How to make the brightness setting is saved and use it upon reboot?

xrandr --output LVDS --set BACKLIGHT_CONTROL native

[miegiel]

what actually mean by "Switchable" and "Discrete" graphic property in BIOS?

Ok, I don't have the ATI card in my 3810T, but I did read a bit about it before I decided not to get the 3810TG.

In switchable mode (in vista anyway) the ATI card gets switched off in battery mode and switched on when the power is connected. I'm not sure how ubuntu handles this. But I faintly recall a post somewhere saying the ATI card is always on in this mode.

In discrete mode I believe the ATI card is turned off and you're using the intel card.

Oh ... and don't take my word for it verify what happens with both BIOS settings.

Something to be aware of: The ATI card sucks alot more power and under normal circumstances you don't really need it. maybe when you're playing a 3D game. Compiz runs fine on the intel card (in case you're wondering).

[anandharaj]

Hi, Thanks for the reply. I can confirm that "discrete mode" will disable the Intel card. This is the different i see in Xorg log file - no Intel card.

Actually i dont mind use Intel card as i dont play game much, except FarmVille in Facebook. Playing this game in full-screen more, the graphic is not stable (something like flickering)

[khelben1979]

Have you tried to install the latest driver directly from the ATI/AMD homepage?

[csipuka]

Hi,

========================================
Laptop Model: Acel Timeline 4810TG
BIOS version: 1.23
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo SU9400
Graphic: Intel and ATI Radeon HD4330
OS: Ubuntu Jaunty 32bit
========================================

Hi,

I have the same configuration, but th BIOS only 1.20
I can confirm the Discrete means the ATI card will be active.
Currently the X does not support the dynamic card usage change.
When I have used the Intel card, the laptop was so hot, so I have changed to the discrete card. It is definetly cooler.
Additionally I use the proprietary ATI driver (9.7), and here is the link howto install:
http://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Ubu...allation_Guide
Csipu

[markbuntu]

The driver that hardware manager offers is the 9.3 driver which does not fully support the 4330. The 4300 series came out after this driver was released. So, you really do need a newer driver from ati.

[anandharaj]

Hi Guys, Thanks for the reply.

@khelben1979
Yes, i did install the latest driver from ATI/AMD website. Also same issue in Facebook (I think PNG images). But now it seems like browser related issue (Firefix 3.5). Rebooting second time, the image color become gray in facebook. Then i decided to try in Firefox 3.0 and its seems to be fine.

So, Firefox 3.5 with Intel dont have issue but problem with ATI card. Can someone confirm this?

[yawie]

Hello,

I would like to stay in switchable mode in the bios and only use the intel card (or at least the card providing the longest power time).

You think in switchable mode the ati card is completly turned off ?

[jacktow]

I just purchased an Acer Timeline 8371 with discrete ATI graphics and I'm not quite liking it.

I was under the impression that one could choose which graphics card to use by changing a BIOS option. Turns out I was wrong. The switchable graphics option seems to keep both cards on and thus my machine runs hot and my battery, based on my estimate, would not even last 2 hours!

I'm currently using Karmic alpha 6 and by default, it loads both i915 and radeon drivers. I blacklisted radeon driver and further did the following which I thought would turn off the bus on which ATI sits:

echo 1 > /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:01:00.0/remove

NOTE: I got the device id by looking at the output of "lspci"

Doing that caused the ATI card to no longer show up on lspci and its traces vanished everywhere, and YET, no changes in the temperature nor the pathetic battery life.

Any ideas? or else I might end up exchanging this unit with the non-discrete version (which would be very difficult, considering I've unpacked everything and pulled out all the stickers, etc. )

NOTE: I've attached the output of "lshw" and "lspci" for those who can make use of it

[jacktow]

OK, so I ended up setting the BIOS graphics option to "Discrete" mode and installing ATI's proprietary driver and using its Low Power mode. I get about 4 hours of battery life. NOT GOOD ENOUGH!

It's at least usable now. Here's my thought on the issue. The only problem here is a crappy BIOS. All we need is an option in the BIOS to allow switching to Integrated graphics just like Lenovo T400 does (http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/si...=MIGR-70495#g5).

Now, we can either wait and hope for such an option to show up in future BIOS updates from acer, or we can ask acer to consider it. I'm yet to find an email address where I can contact acer!