Ubuntu
xserver-xorg-video-amd package

Ubuntu + Catalyst = frozen

Asked by Michael

Hello!
Sorry for my bad english, I'm russian:)
I have problem with AMD Catalyst 12.6 Legacy driver (from official site). I installed this driver in Ubuntu 12.04 according to instruction from help.ubuntu.com (I created deb packeges). Driver was installed successfully:
~$ fglrxinfo
display: :0.0 screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics
OpenGL version string: 3.3.11653 Compatibility Profile Context

Fan begins to change speed from fast to slow good.
But Unity after install this driver works slow, frozen, with artefacts.
With opensource driver ati (installed by defaults) system works faster, smoothly and without artefacts. But fan speed changes very little and laptop heats.
Later I tried to install this driver in Ubuntu 12.10 with ppa:makson-96/fglrx. It was installed good, but I still have the same problem.
I tried to turn off 'synch to vblan' in CompizConfigSettingManager, but it didn't help.
Please, tell me what should I do to solve this problem?

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Ubuntu xserver-xorg-video-amd Edit question
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Michael
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Revision history for this message
N1ck 7h0m4d4k15 (nicktux) said : 		#1

If the closed source driver (fglrx) not working for you , then uninstall the driver and stay with open source (radeon).

If you have a temperature problem with radeon driver , then try below commands

sudo -i
echo low > /sys/class/drm/card0/device/power_profile
exit

wait 1 minute and check the temperatures again , probably fan will slow down now.

If above commands works good , then add the command below to rc.local file. Execute with order

gksudo gedit /etc/rc.local

BEFORE exit 0 , add the following line

(sleep 30 ; echo low > /sys/class/drm/card0/device/power_profile) &

save the document and reboot. The command will be executed at each boot (or reboot) and will take place after 30 seconds.

Thanks

Revision history for this message
Michael (drekorig89) said : 		#2

Thank you for the reply!
But I forgot to write, that I tried to use open sourse driver and command that you advise (from www.x.org/wiki/RadeonFeature#KMS_Power_Management_Options). But it doesn't work for me. "cat /sys/class/drm/card0/device/power_profile" displeys "low" or "mid", but fan speed changes very little (I can't compare temperature before commands and after, because "sensors" doesn't display temperature of GPU - only CPU and HDD).
No, Catalyst is work! Power management is very well with Catalyst, but Unity works bad with it. I installed Kubuntu 12.04 and Xubuntu 12.04 and these distrs work very good with Catalyst legacy, quietly and without frozen. I have problems only with standart Ubuntu.

Revision history for this message
zvacet (ivicakolic) said : 		#3

It is strange that fglrx driver make you problems.I have same graphic card and in 12.04 I just installed fglrx from additional drivers.Unity was working well.Nothing much to add.Just surprised that fglrx doesn´t work in 12.04 with ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics.

Revision history for this message
Michael (drekorig89) said : 		#4

Thank you, zvacet! But my laptop is broken now, and i can't testing. I close this question.