HowTo: Ati FGLRX 8.14.13

[Jesus Franco]

This is my first how to.

I wanted better performance out of my ati video card, and I know we all do. ATI is working *hard* to imporve thier drivers. The latest ones released on 05/09/05 is version 8.14.13, I belive these are the ones that the next version of Ubuntu will use. Unless of course ATI makes a newer one. Anyway the ones in the repository are version 8.8.25 witch is pretty behind. I think ATI wont release a newer version unless they had a good reson. I think the newest ones have improved performance for OpenGL etc. I tried to make it as simple and n00b friendly as possible. It looks like alot but it really isnt. It can be done in about 5 mins tops. It just that I talk alot of jiberish. Excuse me

NOTE: These drivers require Linux-Kernel-Headers for your running kernel. Open up Synaptic and make sure they are installed.

Step 1: Open up a terminal window (Applications>System Tools>Terminal)

Step 2: In the terminal windows type the following

# wget http://www2.ati.com/drivers/linux/ati-driver-installer-8.14.13.run 
# sudo sh ./ati-driver-installer-8.14.13.run

Press enter. Pick Install Driver. Then Click the Automatic Installation.When it is finished exit.

Step 3: Now type

# sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

In your xorg.conf file make sure that under Section "Module" the following lines are listed

 
 Load "dri"
 Load "glx"

Now look for Section "Device" And make sure that it looks like the following

 
 Identifier  "Radeon"
 Driver  "fglrx"
 Option  "UseInternalAGPGART" "no" 
 BusID  "PCI:3:0:0"

Its okay if your Identifier is different and if your BusID is different aswell. But make sure your Driver says "fglrx" and that you have the "Option "UseInternalAGPGART" "no" " Right below it.

Now look for another section. Most of the time this is the last one listed.

 
Section "DRI"
 Mode 0666
EndSection

If it is not on your config Make Sure You Add It.

Reboot and it should work!

If it does not work make sure you check out this post HERE
Enjoy

Links:
Original how to by teumima
My website

[Petrush]

Somehow i don't get it to work, have been trying to get these to work before your howto but no success.

Following your steps, i get an warning at the make.sh script:
Warning: could not find /lib/modules/fglrx/build_mod/2.6.x/.libfglrx_ip.a.GCC3.cmd for /lib/modules/fglrx/build_mod/2.6.x/libfglrx_ip.a.GCC3
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.10-5-686'
build succeeded with return value 0

It seems to succeed to make some kind of .ko file that is installable, but when i try to use it, it only ends up using the mesa drivers (according to fglrxinfo).

regards,

[Jesus Franco]

Do not know if this helps man. But tell me if it does.

sudo apt-get install build-essential

I think it should help. After all the error is during compiling

[twigsby]

I get the same error as Petrush

ATI module generator V 2.0
==========================
initializing...
cleaning...
patching 'highmem.h'...
assuming new VMA API since we do have kernel 2.6.x...
doing Makefile based build for kernel 2.6.x and higher
make -C /lib/modules/2.6.10-5-k7/build SUBDIRS=/lib/modules/fglrx/build_mod/2.6. x modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.10-5-k7'
  Building modules, stage 2.
  MODPOST
Warning: could not find /lib/modules/fglrx/build_mod/2.6.x/.libfglrx_ip.a.GCC3.c md for /lib/modules/fglrx/build_mod/2.6.x/libfglrx_ip.a.GCC3
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.10-5-k7'
build succeeded with return value 0
duplicating results into driver repository...
done.

There is no hidden .libfglrx_ip.a.GCC3.cmd file in the 2.6.x folder.

[clb137]

hi there can you help I get to the end and i get this message

clinton@ubuntu:/lib/modules/fglrx$ sudo sh make_install.sh
- creating symlink
- recreating module dependency list
- trying a sample load of the kernel module
FATAL: Error inserting fglrx (/lib/modules/2.6.10-5-686/kernel/drivers/video/fglrx.ko): Operation not permitted
failed.


thanks


clinton

[atze]

Hi
I have finde out how to resolve the problem:

check this url:

http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-24763.html

6. sudo mv /lib/modules/YOURKERNELVRSIONHERE/kernel/drivers/video/fglrx.ko $HOME and it works

[twigsby]

Hi
I have finde out how to resolve the problem:

check this url:

http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-24763.html

6. sudo mv /lib/modules/YOURKERNELVRSIONHERE/kernel/drivers/video/fglrx.ko $HOME and it works

Excellent, although I still got the error message when makeing the modules, the drivers installed properly and 3d Acceleration works.

My glxgears score went up from around 1800 to 2500 and UT2004 Onslaught doesn't pause anymore.

[ZarathustraDK]

Hey, absolute newbie here.

I've tried this howto and it didn't work, then I figured I would try downloading the packages with synaptic (for the "easiest, but not so certain, way; ie. downloading the xorg-driver-fglrx+fglrx-control(I think that was their names)+something else that I already had (from other ATI-howto's if you wonder

BUT!

I get an error message saying :

(Translated from danish)
E: /var/cache/apt/archives/xorg-driver-fglrx_6.8.0-8.8.25-0ubuntu11_i386.deb: tries to overwrite '/usr/X11R6/bin/fgl_glxgears', which also is in the package fglrx-6-8-0

So how do you get synaptic to force an overwrite? The part of the package mentioned is already there, but there's some other crucial thing it need to install in order to install the xorg-driver-fglrx.

He...seems stupid to be derailed by such a simplicity after I managed to recover from an X-related commandline crash (*COUGH* with some memorized help from this howto*COUGH*).

Any ideas?

EDIT : It seems whatever action that should make the /lib/modules/2.6.10-5-386/kernel/video directory didn't work (the dir isn't there). Which action is responsible for making that dir?

EDIT 2 : Nevermind, did the commandline thing. Basically removing all of the fglrx-packages with synaptic, and thereafter installing all the "linux-restricted-modules-2.6.10-5-386" and "xorg-driver-fglrx" modules from the commandline as described.

Finally! very nice with 1800-2000 FPS

Next stop "Gaming on Hoary", to try and find out where the sound went

[Petrush]

ok!

added the build-essentials,
followed http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-24763.html
i.e. removed old fglrx before (beware X not starting!)
moved the kernelfile to home (i find this a bit strange)

it gave same error when bulding (the *.cmd file missing), but the drivers seems to work (using it now), get the new version from fglrxinfo.

Thanks!

[Jesus Franco]

I wish I could help you guys.
But I am not a guru nor do i now what exactly those problems are. It works for me. And all I did was explain how I did it in a easy way. Sorry. Maybe someone else here knows how to fix those problems.