fglrx issues

[bosko]

I've searched the web and this forum and tried everything, but still can't get fglrx to work on my Acer Ferrari One (ati mobile 3200 graphics). When fglrx is active, I can't boot into X. The opensource ati driver works, but desktop effects in KDE are a no go. I know fglrx is tricky to get working, but other distros are ok with it (I won't mention which ones unless asked... though one is closely related to PCLOS). Any ideas?

BTW,next time I buy a laptop, it's nvidia for sure!

bosko

[djohnston]

You'll probably want to install Ati's latest proprietary driver (Jan 25 2012) for that chipset. If you install it, uninstall fglrx first.

The AMD Support & Drivers site is here.

[7272andy]

Boot into safe mode
Setup your video card with drakconf
then enter aticonfig --initial -f
reboot

or at least that's the way I do it

Regards

[bosko]

Just downloaded the new driver from AMD's site. I'll try it when I get home, although isn't this way of doing it frowned upon? I've tried it before with no luck, but maybe this time...

I've also tried safe mode and aticonfig --initial, both with the repo files and vendor supplied, again with no luck. I appreciate the responses though. I still have hope that this can work no matter how crappy AMD's drivers are!

bosko

[djohnston]

Just downloaded the new driver from AMD's site. I'll try it when I get home, although isn't this way of doing it frowned upon? I've tried it before with no luck, but maybe this time...

I've also tried safe mode and aticonfig --initial, both with the repo files and vendor supplied, again with no luck. I appreciate the responses though. I still have hope that this can work no matter how crappy AMD's drivers are!

bosko

Yes, installing outside the repos is highly discouraged. Sometimes, the best (current) option is using the manufacturer's Linux-specific hardware drivers. Generally applies to printers, scanners, video cards, etc. As you're probably aware, hardware drivers are a different animal than applications.

[bosko]

Well, just to close this thread out (I guess), tried the new AMD driver with no luck. Then uninstalled it and went back to the opensource ati driver.

Interestingly, XFdrake now still offers to use the proprietary driver, but reports a "problem with the installation" or words to that effect. I'll try reinstalling that driver yet again when I'm back on that machine, but I have little hope 

bosko

[bosko]

Ok, I'll let this thread die after one last attempt earlier today to get it working. Noticed there was a new fglrx driver available so I purged the old, rebooted, installed the new, rebooted to runlevel 3, ran XFdrake and said yes to "use the proprietary driver", rebooted yet again and..... wait for it.... still nothing but black screen with no way out but pressing the power button (same as every other attempt). I'm officially giving up (for now)  . I just wish I could get desktop effects working with the non-proprietary driver, like several other distros allow. I won't name names though.