ATI Catalyst fglrx driver manual install on Fedora 12

[Jeff72]

ATI Catalyst fglrx driver manual install on Fedora 12

Updated 2010-0510

I removed the Catalyst driver below and am now using the Fedora 12 mesa experimental drivers for the basic desktop effects. To install run:
yum install mesa-dri-drivers-experimental compiz-gnome gnome-shell
Reboot then just click System - Preferences - Desktop Effects
Compiz-gnome includes the wobbly windows and the cube effect.
gnome-shell is pretty interesting too.
Plus, I assume this will work with Fedora 13 when it comes out soon. I also assume the Catalyst driver will not work with Fedora 13 right away.

Packages are also available here: Howto for fglrx / catalyst (Ati driver) and Compiz-fusion
However, the packages option did not work for me on Fedora 12 32-bit (my system would lockup when trying to load X).



I was able to install ATI Catalyst 10.4 fglrx driver on my Fedora 12 system using the following manual method.
################################################## ################################################## ##########

# This is what I used:
######################
ATI driver file: ati-driver-installer-10-4-x86.x86_64.run found here: http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx
Fedora version : 12 (32-bit version) (I have not tried the 64-bit version but it should work too?)
Kernel : 2.6.32.11-99.fc12.i686
Video Card : ATI 4850

# Documentation:
################
See if your graphics card is supported by the ATI Catalyst driver by reading the PDF release notes here: https://a248.e.akamai.net/f/674/9206..._104_linux.pdf
Read the "linux_cat104-inst.pdf" install document for ATI Catalyst requirements found here: https://a248.e.akamai.net/f/674/9206...at104-inst.pdf

# Install example:
##################
# open a terminal session and switch to the root userID and run the below commands

# Install the kernel-devel package.
yum install kernel-devel

# backup /etc/X11/xorg.conf file, if there is one (I had no /etc/X11/xorg.conf file before doing this install)
cd /etc/X11
mv xorg.conf xorg.conf-old

# copy driver to /tmp/ati and then install
mkdir /tmp/ati
cp /path/to/ati-driver-installer-10-4-x86.x86_64.run /tmp/ati
cd /tmp/ati
sh ./ati-driver-installer-10-4-x86.x86_64.run
# If you agree to License Agreement, click "I Agree"
# Automatic
# Exit

# Verify if your install worked by looking at the install log file:
cat /usr/share/ati/fglrx-install.log

# If log file looks ok, then create new initial ramdisk image:
cd /boot
mv initramfs-`uname -r`.img initramfs-`uname -r`.img-original
dracut -v /boot/initramfs-`uname -r`.img `uname -r`

# Reboot your computer to use the new ATI fglrx driver
init 6

# To change your resolution using ATI Catalyst Control Center, run this as the "root" userID:
amdcccle


# Compiz-fusion effects
###################
# Install compiz-fusion if you would like (run this as root):
yum install ccsm emerald-themes compizconfig-backend-kconfig compizconfig-backend-gconf fusion-icon* emerald compiz-fusion-unsupported-gnome compiz-fusion-gnome libcompizconfig compiz-gnome compiz-bcop compiz compizconfig-python compiz-fusion-extras-gnome compiz-kde compiz-manager
# click Applications - System Tools - Compiz Fusion Icon
# Right-click Compiz Fusion Icon on top right of screen - Select Window Decorator - Emerald
# Right-click Compiz Fusion Icon on top right of screen - Emerald Theme Manager - SlateHorn_Green (or any theme you like)
# Right-click Compiz Fusion Icon on top right of screen - Settings Manager - Effects - Wobbly Windows (or any other settings you would like)
# If you reboot, you will need to re-run the Compiz Fusion Icon to activate it each boot (click Applications - System Tools - Compiz Fusion Icon)
# To have compiz-fusion start automatically on login:
# System - Preferences - Startup Applications - Add - Name:fusion-icon Command:fusion-icon


# If you upgrade your kernel, you may need to remake the initial ramdisk:
################################################## #######################
(This part should be updated when a newer Fedora 12 kernel package comes out)
If you upgrade your kernel, you need to recompile the Catalyst fglrx.ko driver module and remake /boot/initramfs or uninstall then reinstall the fglrx driver package.
NEED TO TEST THIS:
# After kernel update, reboot system into single user mode using newest kernel (See: http://dailypackage.fedorabook.com/i...user-mode.html):
init 6
# Remake Catalyst fglrx,ko driver module for use with new kernel:
cd /lib/modules/fglrx/build_mod
./make.sh
# Create new initial ramdisk image:
cd /boot
mv initramfs-`uname -r`.img initramfs-`uname -r`.img-original
dracut -v /boot/initramfs-`uname -r`.img `uname -r`
# reboot
init 6

# Other notes:
##############
# ATI Catalyst driver files location:
/usr/share/ati


# aticonfig command options:
############################
# help:
aticonfig -h
# GPU temperature:
aticonfig --od-gettemperature
# GPU clocks:
aticonfig --od-getclocks
# GPU fanspeed:
aticonfig --pplib-cmd "get fanspeed 0"
# to generate an initial basic ATI /etc/X11/xorg.conf file
aticonfig --initial -f


# Troubleshooting:
##################
If your system locks up on boot, you can rename the new fglrx xorg.conf file to something else to boot up with the original default driver:
Example:
boot into single user mode (See: http://dailypackage.fedorabook.com/i...user-mode.html)
cd /etc/X11
mv xorg.conf xorg.conf-fglrx-original
init 5

If you get the following in the install log, then you did not install the kernel-devel package (uninstall fglrx driver, install kernel-devel, then reinstall fglrx driver):
# cat /usr/share/ati/fglrx-install.log
Unloading radeon module...
Unloading drm module...
[Message] Kernel Module : Trying to install a precompiled kernel module.
[Message] Kernel Module : Precompiled kernel module version mismatched.
[Error] Kernel Module : Kernel module build environment not found - please consult readme.

If you uninstalled and get to the login screen, then login, then get an all blank white screen, then you need to remove compiz-fusion:
boot into single user mode (See: http://dailypackage.fedorabook.com/i...user-mode.html)
yum remove ccsm emerald-themes compizconfig-backend-kconfig compizconfig-backend-gconf fusion-icon* emerald compiz-fusion-unsupported-gnome compiz-fusion-gnome libcompizconfig compiz-gnome compiz-bcop compiz compizconfig-python compiz-fusion-extras-gnome compiz-kde compiz-manager


# To UNINSTALL the manually installed fglrx driver (if you have issues with it):
################################################## ##############################
cd /usr/share/ati
sh ./fglrx-uninstall.sh
cd /boot
mv initramfs-`uname -r`.img initramfs-`uname -r`.img-fglrx
dracut -v /boot/initramfs-`uname -r`.img `uname -r`
# Remove compiz-fusion if you installed it
yum remove ccsm emerald-themes compizconfig-backend-kconfig compizconfig-backend-gconf fusion-icon* emerald compiz-fusion-unsupported-gnome compiz-fusion-gnome libcompizconfig compiz-gnome compiz-bcop compiz compizconfig-python compiz-fusion-extras-gnome compiz-kde compiz-manager
# Verify if mesa-libGL is original
rpm -V mesa-libGL
# if mesa-libGL shows some libraries are not original, then re-install original mesa-libGL library:
yum reinstall mesa-libGL
# Note: When I ran fglrx-uninstall.sh, my original mesa-libGL libraries were restored automatically so I did not have to reinstall mesa-libGL,

[Fenrin]

Nice. This works on my notebook with mobility radeon 3200 and Fedora 12 (kernel 2.6.32.11-99.fc12.x86_64) too

[windsea]

I just try to install the ati driver according to the official manual, but fail. Then I got your post, I find that you remake initramfs file after the install, which is not mentioned in the install guide. This is interesting. I will try this method later.


Do you know why remaking initramfs is not mentioned in the official install guide ?

[ajamison]

The issue here with installing manually is that there are a few Library files replaced by ATI which can cause issues when you update your system and something needs to update that Lib you can see the full list of reasons not to use the ATI installer

Both ATI and Nvidia's proprietary video driver installation utilities currently (as of May 2009) replace the Red Hat supplied libGL library with their own libGL. Nvidia's driver additionally installs a replacement libglx.a X server module, removing the Red Hat supplied X.Org module in the process. ATI's driver may or may not replace libglx.a. (if anyone can confirm that, please edit it in).

as pulled from this article http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Xorg/3rdPartyVideoDrivers

Now the one packaged on rpmfusion would be considered Sanely packaged according to the article as it does not replace redhat or fedora supplied key files

[Jeff72]

The issue here with installing manually is that there are a few Library files replaced by ATI which can cause issues when you update your system and something needs to update that Lib you can see the full list of reasons not to use the ATI installer



as pulled from this article http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Xorg/3rdPartyVideoDrivers

Now the one packaged on rpmfusion would be considered Sanely packaged according to the article as it does not replace redhat or fedora supplied key files

You can always uninstall the driver and then reinstall the original libraries if needed:

Example:
# Re-install original mesa-libGL library:
yum reinstall mesa-libGL

See first post for full uninstall instructions.

If/when there is a package made for Fedora 12 Catalyst, then i'll recommend that instead of the manual method. But for now, as far as I know, there is no package install.

[leigh123linux]

I rebuilt the f11 srpms, but I don't have any ati card to test it.


catalyst-10.4-1.fc12.i686.tar.bz2

[hellknight]

Works beautifully with my Radeon 4870 1 GB.. thanks.. no more high-speed fan noise now..

[del_diablo]

This does not work with my Mobility Radeon 3460 on a faulty fujitsu computer.

[Jeff72]

I rebuilt the f11 srpms, but I don't have any ati card to test it.


catalyst-10.4-1.fc12.i686.tar.bz2

Leigh123linux,

I could not get your packages to work. The error I got in /var/log/Xorg.0.log after install was this:

(II) LoadModule: "fglrx"
(II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/fglrx_drv.so
dlopen: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/fglrx_drv.so: undefined symbol: resVgaShared
(EE) Failed to load /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/fglrx_drv.so
(II) UnloadModule: "fglrx"
(EE) Failed to load module "fglrx" (loader failed, 7)

This is how I installed it:
yum --nogpgcheck localinstall akmod-catalyst-10.4-1.fc12.i686.rpm xorg-x11-drv-catalyst-10.4-1.fc12.i686.rpm xorg-x11-drv-catalyst-libs-10.4-1.fc12.i686.rpm
aticonfig --initial

I also tried installing this way, but had the same error above:
yum --nogpgcheck localinstall kmod-catalyst-10.4-1.fc12.i686.rpm kmod-catalyst-2.6.32.11-99.fc12.i686-10.4-1.fc12.i686.rpm xorg-x11-drv-catalyst-10.4-1.fc12.i686.rpm xorg-x11-drv-catalyst-libs-10.4-1.fc12.i686.rpm

Any ideas?

[Firewing1]

I could not get your packages to work. The error I got in /var/log/Xorg.0.log after install was this:

(II) LoadModule: "fglrx"
(II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/fglrx_drv.so
dlopen: /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/fglrx_drv.so: undefined symbol: resVgaShared
(EE) Failed to load /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/fglrx_drv.so
(II) UnloadModule: "fglrx"
(EE) Failed to load module "fglrx" (loader failed, 7)

Rebuilding the F11 RPMs won't work because the F11 and F12 have different drivers (different X server versions)...

The permissions problem at RPM Fusion was cleared up today (I didn't have access to F-12 branch in CVS, so I couldn't submit any builds) so F12 packages should be arriving in rpmfusion-nonfree-updates-testing shortly.

From my testing, they work very well except the system may fail to power down correctly if modesetting is enabled (drives spindown, screen blanks, etc but the system doesn't actually power off). The solution is do simply add "nomodeset" to the kernel options in /etc/grub.conf.

[leigh123linux]

Rebuilding the F11 RPMs won't work because the F11 and F12 have different drivers (different X server versions)...

The permissions problem at RPM Fusion was cleared up today (I didn't have access to F-12 branch in CVS, so I couldn't submit any builds) so F12 packages should be arriving in rpmfusion-nonfree-updates-testing shortly.

From my testing, they work very well except the system may fail to power down correctly if modesetting is enabled (drives spindown, screen blanks, etc but the system doesn't actually power off). The solution is do simply add "nomodeset" to the kernel options in /etc/grub.conf.

I can't see any reason why a F11 srpm can't be rebuilt for F12 , There are no xorg defines in the spec.

http://cvs.rpmfusion.org/viewvc/rpms...ee&view=markup


P.S you will need to edit your spec as F12 is i686

   
  %if 0%{?fedora} >= 11
  ExclusiveArch: i586  x86_64
  %else
  ExclusiveArch: i386 x86_64
  %endif

Edit: Now I see the difference

 mkdir fglrxpkg
 %ifarch %{ix86}
-cp -r fglrx/common/* fglrx/x740/* fglrx/arch/x86/* fglrxpkg/
+cp -r fglrx/common/* fglrx/x750/* fglrx/arch/x86/* fglrxpkg/
 %endif
 
 %ifarch x86_64
-cp -r fglrx/common/* fglrx/x740_64a/* fglrx/arch/x86_64/* fglrxpkg/
+cp -r fglrx/common/* fglrx/x750_64a/* fglrx/arch/x86_64/* fglrxpkg/
 %endif

[Jeff72]

The permissions problem at RPM Fusion was cleared up today (I didn't have access to F-12 branch in CVS, so I couldn't submit any builds) so F12 packages should be arriving in rpmfusion-nonfree-updates-testing shortly.

Firewing,

I see the kmod and akmod packages on testing but not the xorg-x11-drv-catalyst and xorg-x11-drv-catalyst-libs packages. Will those be up soon also?

Thanks,

Jeff

[Firewing1]

P.S you will need to edit your spec as F12 is i686

Thanks for the heads up! I'll submit new builds tomorrow.

Edit: Now I see the difference

 mkdir fglrxpkg
 %ifarch %{ix86}
-cp -r fglrx/common/* fglrx/x740/* fglrx/arch/x86/* fglrxpkg/
+cp -r fglrx/common/* fglrx/x750/* fglrx/arch/x86/* fglrxpkg/
 %endif
 
 %ifarch x86_64
-cp -r fglrx/common/* fglrx/x740_64a/* fglrx/arch/x86_64/* fglrxpkg/
+cp -r fglrx/common/* fglrx/x750_64a/* fglrx/arch/x86_64/* fglrxpkg/
 %endif

That's the one, if the x740/* files are used then the resVgaShared symbol error posted earlier occurs.

[lordshao]

Thank you all for all the info, i managed to install all the driver after many atempts, (excuse my english, 5:30 in the morning),
i have reinstalled fc12 3 times before managing not to mess it up, the actual thing I wanted to say is that after the installing,
it still would not work, found the problem, in System-> Administration->Display, or somewhere I selected the fglrx vendor driver from a list, after that the control center started managed to make my 2 display run

the only problem is the message in the right down corner saying AMD Unsupported hardware, I have a Asus 3850X2
I played for testing Quake 3 demo and it's working

PM me if you can tell me how to remove that message, it's annoying

[PGHammer]

Thank you all for all the info, i managed to install all the driver after many atempts, (excuse my english, 5:30 in the morning),
i have reinstalled fc12 3 times before managing not to mess it up, the actual thing I wanted to say is that after the installing,
it still would not work, found the problem, in System-> Administration->Display, or somewhere I selected the fglrx vendor driver from a list, after that the control center started managed to make my 2 display run

the only problem is the message in the right down corner saying AMD Unsupported hardware, I have a Asus 3850X2
I played for testing Quake 3 demo and it's working

PM me if you can tell me how to remove that message, it's annoying

Linux Catalyst 10.6 can be used with most kernels available for Fedora 12 (it won't work for Fedora 13 due to the Xorg being too new) and there is a modified RPM set avilable in RPMFusion (also for Fedora 12); either should banish your issue.

Unless you require a feature that is only in Fedora 13 (highly unlikely, while possible), I'd suggest that AMD graphics card owners (especially HD5xxx) go no higher than Fedora 12.