[lug] AMD Catalyst Display Driver - Resolved

[Steven Hart]

  OK, I think I have this one licked.

The problem was partially me being stupid and partially how the scripts 
are written.

Here's the process that works for me:

1.  Download the latest driver from ATI - 
http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx

2.  unpack the archive and run the main installer 
"ati-driver-installer-XXXX.x86_64.run"
Follow the GUI prompts and do the automatic install.  This will install 
software needed to create the kernel modules used when new kernels come out.
This was my first mistake, the above run file is NOT used to install the 
module when the new kernel is booted.  That's why it was aborting on me.

3.  Once the above step is complete, you need to fix an error in the 
code for it to run correctly:
vi /lib/modules/fglrx/build_mod/kcl_ioctl.c

Go to line #197 and change to line to read:
return arch_compat_alloc_user_space(size);

4. now update the kernel to the latest version (or update once they are 
released)  and reboot into single user

5.  Now build the fglrx kernel modules for the new kernel:
cd /lib/modules/fglrx/build_mod
sh make.sh

6.  Now Install the fglrx kernel module:
cd /lib/modules/fglrx
sh make_install.sh

7.  exit into the normal multi-user mode.  Accelerated graphics should 
be running.

Now I can automate this.  Thanks for the ideas today everyone.

Steve

On 06/24/2011 09:13 AM, Maxwell Spangler wrote:
> I run the ATI Catalyst drivers on Fedora and they work pretty good.
>
> 1) Boot to multi-user mode
>
> 2) Login as root
>
> 3) Run the installer
>
> 4) Reboot
>
> is the simplest way to do things.
>
> I'm doing this on Fedora and my only complaint is that if I upgrade the
> kernel, after rebooting the kernel, I'll often get a black screen
> because the driver's compiled modules don't match up with what the new
> kernel wants.  The solution to this is to simply go to an alternate
> console (ALT-F3, etc), login as root in text mode, resinstall the driver
> (in text mode) then reboot again and all is fixed.
>
> Try again and give us more information. You should be able to get this
> working without buying new cards.
>
> Moving away from RHEL5 would be a really good start.
>
>
>
> On Thu, 2011-06-23 at 16:53 -0600, Steven Hart wrote:
>> Well I thought I had it figured out until the latest kernel was
>> updated.
>>
>> I know you have to reload the kernel modules each time a new kernel is
>> loaded but now the ati install won't run right.
>>
>> On first boot, I brought the system up in single user mode and ran the
>> installer.  It ran normally and finished.  I then let the system come
>> up fully and had accelerated graphics running normally.  Proceeded to
>> fully update the box  (which included a new kernel).  On reboot, I
>> went into single user again and tried to run the installer to make the
>> new kernel module but it's complaining about permissions in the bin
>> directory.
>>
>> So right now I'm frustrated and don't want to deal with this anymore.
>> Why does ATI make this such a pain in the ass while nvidia makes it
>> relatively easy?
>>
>> I'm tempted to buy 20 cheap nvidia cards and forget this ATI mess.
>>
>> Any suggestions for making these ATI cards work from kernel to kernel
>> would be greatly appreciated.
>>
>> Steve
>>
>> On 06/23/2011 04:46 PM, Collins Richey wrote:
>>> On Thu, Jun 23, 2011 at 3:04 PM, Steven Hart<shart at colorado.edu>  wrote:
>>>> Please disregard.  I figured it out.
>>>>
>>>> sorry to bother everyone, it's been one of those days!
>>>>
>>> It's always helpful if you tell "the rest of the story".
>>>
>> -- 
>> Steve Hart
>> Systems Administrator
>> Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research
>> University of Colorado Boulder
>> Steven.Hart at colorado.edu
>> (303)492-8109
>> _______________________________________________
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>

-- 
Steve Hart
Systems Administrator
Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research
University of Colorado Boulder
Steven.Hart at colorado.edu
(303)492-8109
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