AMD and FGLRX ATI Radeon

Message
Author
User avatar
KBD
Posts: 959
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 7:52 pm

AMD and FGLRX ATI Radeon

#1 Post by KBD »

Against my better judgement I went ahead and bought a Thinkpad X100e with AMD CPU and ATI Radeon driver. And it is hot garbage on Linux since the FGLRX driver is no longer available.
I can run Windows 10 at a crawl or try something else. I've tried MX 18 and Mint 19 XFCE. But the machine will not suspend on that open source Radeon driver. So I'm contemplating putting MX 16 on it based on Jesse with the FGLRX driver which is still available there I understand. I know it only has 1 year long term support left, but this machine will mostly be used for word processing anyway.
First, where do I find a MX 16 ISO?
Secondly, if anyone has any ideas or suggestions how to get Linux with suspend working on a newer version I'd love to hear it.
Thanks for any help.

Here is the specs when I was trying Mint on it:

Code: Select all

inxi -Fxz
System:
  Host: viking-ThinkPad-X100e Kernel: 4.15.0-50-generic x86_64 bits: 64 
  compiler: gcc v: 7.3.0 Desktop: Xfce 4.12.3 Distro: Linux Mint 19.1 Tessa 
  base: Ubuntu 18.04 bionic 
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 28762JU v: ThinkPad X100e 
  serial: <filter> 
  Mobo: LENOVO model: 28762JU serial: <filter> BIOS: LENOVO 
  v: 6XET49WW (1.32 ) date: 06/13/2011 
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT1 charge: 30.1 Wh condition: 30.4/56.2 Wh (54%) 
  model: SONY 42T4787 status: Unknown 
CPU:
  Topology: Single Core model: AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 bits: 64 type: UP 
  arch: K8 rev.F+ rev: 2 L2 cache: 512 KiB 
  flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 svm bogomips: 3192 
  Speed: 1600 MHz min/max: 800/1600 MHz Core speed (MHz): 1: 1600 
Graphics:
  Device-1: AMD RS780M [Mobility Radeon HD 3200] vendor: Lenovo 
  driver: radeon v: kernel bus ID: 01:05.0 
  Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.19.6 driver: ati,radeon 
  unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa resolution: 1366x768~60Hz 
  OpenGL: renderer: AMD RS780 (DRM 2.50.0 / 4.15.0-50-generic LLVM 7.0.0) 
  v: 3.3 Mesa 18.2.8 direct render: Yes 
Audio:
  Device-1: AMD SBx00 Azalia vendor: Lenovo driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel 
  bus ID: 00:14.2 
  Sound Server: ALSA v: k4.15.0-50-generic 
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet 
  driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: a000 bus ID: 02:00.0 
  IF: enp2s0 state: down mac: <filter> 
  Device-2: Realtek RTL8191SEvB Wireless LAN driver: rtl8192se v: kernel 
  port: b000 bus ID: 03:00.0 
  IF: wlp3s0 state: up mac: <filter> 
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 149.05 GiB used: 9.11 GiB (6.1%) 
  ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Hitachi model: HTS543216L9SA00 size: 149.05 GiB 
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 145.71 GiB used: 9.11 GiB (6.3%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1 
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 60.0 C mobo: 60.0 C 
  Fan Speeds (RPM): cpu: 366 
Info:
  Processes: 160 Uptime: 15m Memory: 3.61 GiB used: 606.5 MiB (16.4%) 
  Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 7.4.0 Shell: bash v: 4.4.19 
  inxi: 3.0.27 
Here it is booted into MX 18:

Code: Select all

inxi -Fxz
System:    Host: mx Kernel: 4.19.0-1-amd64 x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 6.3.0 
           Desktop: Xfce 4.12.3 Distro: MX-18.2_x64 Continuum Apr 7  2019 
           base: Debian GNU/Linux 9 (stretch) 
Machine:   Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 28762JU v: ThinkPad X100e serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: LENOVO model: 28762JU serial: <filter> BIOS: LENOVO v: 6XET49WW (1.32 ) 
           date: 06/13/2011 
Battery:   ID-1: BAT1 charge: 29.9 Wh condition: 30.4/56.2 Wh (54%) model: SONY 42T4787 
           status: Unknown 
CPU:       Topology: Single Core model: AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 bits: 64 type: UP arch: K8 rev.F+ 
           rev: 2 L2 cache: 512 KiB 
           flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 svm bogomips: 3191 
           Speed: 1600 MHz min/max: 800/1600 MHz Core speed (MHz): 1: 800 
Graphics:  Device-1: AMD RS780M [Mobility Radeon HD 3200] vendor: Lenovo driver: radeon 
           v: kernel bus ID: 01:05.0 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.19.2 driver: ati,radeon unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa 
           resolution: 1366x768~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: AMD RS780 (DRM 2.50.0 / 4.19.0-1-amd64 LLVM 7.0.0) 
           v: 3.3 Mesa 18.2.6 direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: AMD SBx00 Azalia vendor: Lenovo driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel 
           bus ID: 00:14.2 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k4.19.0-1-amd64 
Network:   Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet driver: r8169 
           v: kernel port: a000 bus ID: 02:00.0 
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter> 
           Device-2: Realtek RTL8191SEvB Wireless LAN driver: rtl8192se v: kernel port: b000 
           bus ID: 03:00.0 
           IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter> 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 178.86 GiB used: 5.73 GiB (3.2%) 
           ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Western Digital model: WD1600BEVT-08A23T1 size: 149.05 GiB 
           ID-2: /dev/sdb type: USB vendor: SanDisk model: Cruzer Glide size: 29.81 GiB 
Partition: ID-1: / size: 27.22 GiB used: 5.73 GiB (21.0%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdb1 
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 2.00 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sdb2 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 54.0 C mobo: 0.0 C 
           Fan Speeds (RPM): fan-1: 472 
Info:      Processes: 153 Uptime: 1m Memory: 3.61 GiB used: 379.7 MiB (10.3%) Init: SysVinit 
           runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 6.3.0 Shell: bash v: 4.4.12 inxi: 3.0.33 
viking@mx:~
$ 

User avatar
timkb4cq
Developer
Posts: 3186
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 4:05 pm

Re: AMD and FGLRX ATI Radeon

#2 Post by timkb4cq »

KBD wrote: Wed May 22, 2019 11:01 amFirst, where do I find a MX 16 ISO?
http://mxrepo.com/Final/MX-16.1/
or for a later snapshot
http://mxrepo.com/snapshots/
You may have to downgrade the kernel to get the catalyst kernel modules to build. I believe the last kernel AMD tested FGLRX on was 3.19
The debian Jessie kernel is 3.16 so it's available in the repos - but MX-16 shipped with 4.2 IIRC.
HP Pavillion TP01, AMD Ryzen 3 5300G (quad core), Crucial 500GB SSD, Toshiba 6TB 7200rpm
Dell Inspiron 15, AMD Ryzen 7 2700u (quad core). Sabrent 500GB nvme, Seagate 1TB

User avatar
KBD
Posts: 959
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 7:52 pm

Re: AMD and FGLRX ATI Radeon

#3 Post by KBD »

timkb4cq wrote: Wed May 22, 2019 11:18 am
KBD wrote: Wed May 22, 2019 11:01 amFirst, where do I find a MX 16 ISO?
http://mxrepo.com/Final/MX-16.1/
or for a later snapshot
http://mxrepo.com/snapshots/
You may have to downgrade the kernel to get the catalyst kernel modules to build. I believe the last kernel AMD tested FGLRX on was 3.19
The debian Jessie kernel is 3.16 so it's available in the repos - but MX-16 shipped with 4.2 IIRC.
Thanks! I finally did find it, and booted into the live environment. It will suspend and loads the flgrx driver, but good point about it using a newer kernel. Will that mess me up with an update after I install it?
Thanks.
Edit: I'll use grub customizer to stick with the 4.7 kernel.
Question--how do I get rid of the nag screensaver that says it's out of date and to upgrade?

User avatar
timkb4cq
Developer
Posts: 3186
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 4:05 pm

Re: AMD and FGLRX ATI Radeon

#4 Post by timkb4cq »

Kernels do not automatically update to different versions, only to patched updates of the same version.
If you do your updates, a new version of xscreensaver for MX-15/16 should be installed. We updated it in the MX repos in 2018.
HP Pavillion TP01, AMD Ryzen 3 5300G (quad core), Crucial 500GB SSD, Toshiba 6TB 7200rpm
Dell Inspiron 15, AMD Ryzen 7 2700u (quad core). Sabrent 500GB nvme, Seagate 1TB

User avatar
KBD
Posts: 959
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 7:52 pm

Re: AMD and FGLRX ATI Radeon

#5 Post by KBD »

timkb4cq wrote: Wed May 22, 2019 12:34 pm Kernels do not automatically update to different versions, only to patched updates of the same version.
If you do your updates, a new version of xscreensaver for MX-15/16 should be installed. We updated it in the MX repos in 2018.
Right. Brain freeze for a minute there. The iso I found for MX 16 updates with the 4.9 kernel. Thanks for the info about the screensaver.
If I get a year of use out of this before the support ends I will have my money's worth. Maybe after a year AMD will have a better Radeon driver as well.
Edit: The X100e Thinkpad runs well with MX 16 and suspend works. It idles at 54 C which is the best I've seen on this machine, probably because of the fglrx driver. MX 16 at boot up uses 292 mb ram, that was an impressive release.

User avatar
Stevo
Developer
Posts: 12776
Joined: Fri Dec 15, 2006 8:07 pm

Re: AMD and FGLRX ATI Radeon

#6 Post by Stevo »

The fglrx-driver in the main MX 15/16 repo is patched to build on the 4.12 and older kernels.

Debian is providing backports of the Stretch 4.9 kernel in the Jessie security repo (4.9.168-1+deb9u2~deb8u1), so I'd suggest that MX 15/16 users install and use that kernel for its security fixes.

User avatar
KBD
Posts: 959
Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 7:52 pm

Re: AMD and FGLRX ATI Radeon

#7 Post by KBD »

Stevo wrote: Wed May 22, 2019 5:44 pm The fglrx-driver in the main MX 15/16 repo is patched to build on the 4.12 and older kernels.

Debian is providing backports of the Stretch 4.9 kernel in the Jessie security repo (4.9.168-1+deb9u2~deb8u1), so I'd suggest that MX 15/16 users install and use that kernel for its security fixes.
Thanks Stevo. I noticed it was running the 4.9 kernel. I'll double check which repos are enabled.

User avatar
dreamer
Posts: 738
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2017 11:34 am

Re: AMD and FGLRX ATI Radeon

#8 Post by dreamer »

KBD wrote: Wed May 22, 2019 11:01 am Against my better judgement I went ahead and bought a Thinkpad X100e with AMD CPU and ATI Radeon driver. And it is hot garbage on Linux since the FGLRX driver is no longer available.
I too noticed that the radeon driver runs warm when idling. I have a dual-core passively cooled AMD "net-top" for surfing the web. It uses the radeon driver and idles at 60 C. When I put both cores under full load for an extended period the CPU reaches about 90 C.

So the problem is not the power draw under full load. The problem is the power draw when idling. It seems the radeon driver doesn't reach low power states when idling.

My CPU has a 18w TDP and it's possible it uses 10w when idling which is of course too much.

I too miss the fglrx driver. It was nice for a computer connected to a TV. It could display full RGB and my plasma TV supports full RGB PC input. It gives the same "punch" to the picture that I get with Windows. fglrx also had a nice settings UI albeit old.

I don't know if amdgpu-pro is a good successor. When Crimson replaced Catalyst on Windows things became a mess I think. I don't want to go with Nvidia so I'll go with Intel in the future. Maybe the amdgpu (new open source driver) is better than the radeon driver?

User avatar
richb
Administrator
Posts: 10323
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:17 pm

Re: AMD and FGLRX ATI Radeon

#9 Post by richb »

I see no temperature difference between the radeon driver and the amdgpu driver on the listed machine. The graphics are integrated in the CPU.

Code: Select all

Device-1: AMD Kaveri [Radeon R7 Graphics] driver: radeon v: kernel 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.19.2 driver: ati,radeon unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa 
           resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: AMD KAVERI (DRM 2.50.0 4.19.0-5-amd64 LLVM 7.0.0) 
           v: 4.5 Mesa 18.2.6 
Forum Rules
Guide - How to Ask for Help

richb Administrator
System: MX 23 KDE
AMD A8 7600 FM2+ CPU R7 Graphics, 16 GIG Mem. Three Samsung EVO SSD's 250 GB

User avatar
dreamer
Posts: 738
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2017 11:34 am

Re: AMD and FGLRX ATI Radeon

#10 Post by dreamer »

richb wrote: Thu May 23, 2019 1:38 pm I see no temperature difference between the radeon driver and the amdgpu driver on the listed machine. The graphics are integrated in the CPU.

Code: Select all

Device-1: AMD Kaveri [Radeon R7 Graphics] driver: radeon v: kernel 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.19.2 driver: ati,radeon unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa 
           resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: AMD KAVERI (DRM 2.50.0 4.19.0-5-amd64 LLVM 7.0.0) 
           v: 4.5 Mesa 18.2.6 
So how high is your idle CPU temp? It's listed in MX Quick System Info.

Post Reply

Return to “Older Versions”