Can't install AMD Radeon R7 260X Graphics Driver on 13.10

[jweiner]

I was finally able to download, extract a package from the AMD site that seems to be a version of the catalyst software that actually works with 13.10.


Installing Catalyst Manually (from AMD/ATI's site) BETA/EXPERIMENTAL

[edit]Download the latest Catalyst package

This package contains both the 32-bit and 64-bit driver.
mkdir catalyst-13.11beta9.4 && cd catalyst-13.11beta9.4
wget --referer='http://support.amd.com/en-us/download/desktop?os=Linux+x86' http://www2.ati.com/drivers/beta/amd...x86_64.run.zip
unzip amd-catalyst-13.11-beta-v9.4-linux-x86.x86_64.run.zip
chmod +x amd-catalyst-13.11-beta\ V9.4-linux-x86.x86_64.run
[edit]Create and install .deb packages

sudo ./amd-catalyst-13.11-beta\ V9.4-linux-x86.x86_64.run --buildpkg Ubuntu/saucy
sudo dpkg -i fglrx*.deb

When I carry out these instructions, and then type

fglrxinfo

I see

display: :0 screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: AMD Radeon R7 200 Series
OpenGL version string: 4.3.12614 Compatibility Profile Context 13.25.18

So apparently the fglrx software recognizes the hardware adapter board.

I don't know if I am actually using the driver because if I click on "about this computer" from the pull-down menu in the upper right corner of the GUI, I see in the Graphics rubric,

VESA: BONAIRE

which is not what I would have expected.

The command

fgl_glxgears

also works...it opens a window where one sees the habitual glxgears rotating rapidly around in a 3D box that is rotating along many different axes.

So the point is that the "normal" fglrx that is installed from the open repositories does not work in 13.10...it crashes the the system with a segmentation fault error. The bug has been reported many times now.
The latest "stable" version of the proprietary drivers from the AMD web site does not work either.
The experimental "beta" version, however, seems to do the job. At least fglrxinfo gives the right answer without crashing.

I still don't know whether or not my video screen is being driven by a VESA software or the fglrx. I have the impression that despite all this happy news, I still have not reached home base.

Last problem...on reboot the "flash" entry on the linux line of Grub leads to a purple screen and no system boot. This line has to be edited to replace "flash" with "nomodeset". Then, and only then, does the boot proceed to completion.

Every time I reboot I have to edit this line...there must be a simpler, better was of updating Grub permanently. Is "nomodeset" the new normal for the boot loader?

But I suppose that is the subject of another post.

[squakie]

Assuming you mean making nomodeset permanent, it's pretty easy process. rather than rehash it, I'll just post a link to the one of hundreds of posts on how to do:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1675337

[jweiner]

Thanks for the link...I found how to edit the grub file and now my system boots up without human intervention. The driver is being recognized but I am not sure it is really being used. Anyway, I understand things a little now than I did a week ago. Let us hope that next week will bring even greater understanding.

Did I ever mention that I think your cat does look quite attractive with the Christmas reindeer antlers?

[squakie]

You know what's really funny? He didn't mind those a bit - just sat around and walked around like nothing was different. I had a matching red cloth collar with bells on it, but when I put it on him he was scared of the bells so he started running. Needless to say, the more he ran the more the bells ran, the more scared he got, the more he ran..... Well, it took me 10 minutes to catch him because he kept just going nuts - running into walls, etc.. Once I got the collar off of him he settled back down. I'd say it was funny, but the poor little guy was REALLY scared! Oh well.....

Glad to hear you have gotten your problem solved.