AMD/ATI owners read this before upgrading to 16.04

Thoughts & Feedback
#6

Thanks for the Heads up !! I’ll probably have ended up getting stuck as I have the A8 7600 GPU :frowning:

I came to Ubuntu Mate after having issues with Mint and was so glad Catalyst worked out of the box.

What options have I got ? - obviously moving away from Ubuntu to another flavour is one - but which and will Steam still work? Replacing the AMD mb is not an option as the PC is 8mths old. I fear reverting to W7 may be my only option (it will please my children as all the Steam games they like work on W7, unlike now).

Which AMD driver should I download for my A4-6210 APU?
#7

I predict PPAs to surface in the future.

#8

Wait until Ubuntu 16.10?

Summarizing the info online: (from Phoronix)

“The last release AMD did can not be used because it is incompatible with the newer x.org version 1.18 display server. Switching distros will be of no help. X.Org Server 1.18 does bump the video ABI so that means the proprietary graphics drivers will need to see new releases… If you’re using the NVIDIA Linux driver you’re in good shape while AMD Catalyst users will need to wait for a new release, which could be a while considering the upstream driver still doesn’t support the latest Linux 4.x kernel releases without third-party patches.”

"
AMD’s Tim Writer commented in our forums that Ubuntu 16.04 won’t be supported at all. “For those who don’t know, I manage AMD’s open source graphics team. We (AMD) are focusing our Linux graphics driver development on the amdgpu based open source and upcoming hybrid stacks; consequently, we are not supporting fglrx on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS. Users who require Pro-graphics or Workstation class features and performance can continue to use fglrx on Ubuntu 14.04 until the hybrid stack is available later this year.”
"

Problems with the new driver code:
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Massive-DAL-Driver-Woes

3 Likes
#9

The guess work has been eliminated.

Thank you Dave

#10

Thank You!!

I’ll stay on 15.10 then. No point in breaking something that works perfectly…

#11

take a look at this comment on OMG Ubuntu http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2016/03/ubuntu-drops-amd-catalyst-fglrx-driver-16-04#comment-2564386159.

I’m running AMD A8 in my laptop . Hoping that the opensource xorg-video-radeon driver will work with Compiz.

AMD E1-6010 APU with AMD Radeon R2 Graphics × 2
#12

I have an AMD A8 processor in my new laptop. Ubuntu Mate 16.04 works great on it.

2 Likes
#13

Hi,

Thanks for the info…
I’m glad I didn’t went on the experimental side of things and sticked to 15.10 !
So, if I want to upgrade to 16.04 (for what benefits ?), I will take that opportunity to change my old Radeon HD5870 GPU for an NVidia one. Prices on the GTX 750/950/960 lines are getting interesting.
So why not ?

Regards.

#14

As in @Dave_Barnes reply, drivers will be available later this year although it doesn’t specify a date!. :confused:

Users who require Pro-graphics or Workstation class features and performance can continue to use fglrx on Ubuntu 14.04 until the hybrid stack is available later this year.

#15

I have found that Nvidia is (seems to be) better supported than AMD/ATI but that might just be me!. :smiley:

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#16

Now I remember why I chose to go for Intel on-board graphics. Yes that choice does come with restrictions. I’m not a heavy graphics user, and of course UM is a perfect distro if you want to tread lightly on the graphics requirements. :slightly_smiling:

#17

I use UM and I am far from light on graphics. I do 3d modelling, photogrammetry, 3d game engine stuff and video editing. I am bound to say, I have found UM to be terrific on these.

1 Like
#18

Oh dear

So, the new open source AMD drivers are rubbish, they don’t support open GL and the propriety drivers due sometime later this year are predicted to be pretty poor into the bargain

Great…

#19

So it says that if you’re using the proprietary fglrx drivers, they will be deleted & the open source drivers will be used instead. Since my open source drivers seemed to be messed up when I tried the flgrx option in Additional Drivers, I’m hoping this might fix the problem when I choose the Upgrade option. :wink:

Still will download the 16.04 ISO in case it doesn’t. :wink:

#20

Actually, I have been using the open source drivers on 16.04. now. for about a fortnight. They appear to be working okay so far, especially with marco/compton window management.

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#21

Great, so do I!

I’m not a total geek, but I interpreted the warnings as applying mostly to gamers and people who do lots of graphics. Was this correct?

#22

Yea! Did the upgrade & the bad config file/open source drivers have been replaced. No more booting into 1400x1050 & no HTMI audio problems. Thank you Wimpy & the UM gang! :smiley:

Now if only one could get rid of Compiz without losing the ubuntu-mate-desktop package. :wink:

#23

The desktop package is a meta-package and synaptic says..

matr-desktop.png544×573 37.2 KB

Why are you removing compiz?

#24

I’m not a gamer, but I use Windows 7 for all my photo editing and I have the native driver from AMD for Windows and use the open source in UM 16 and have no problems.

#25

I know, but I thought removing the meta package would mess up updating everything that depends on it, like Libre Office and other packages that depend on that metapackage.

As for Compiz, I don’t use it, if I want Wobbly Windows, a couple of Buds will have the same effect. :wink:

Actually, Compiz doesn’t seem to want to play nice with my 10 year old AMD/ATI video card & even though Compiz probably doesn’t take up all that much space, every little bit helps. :slight_smile:

Whoops, meant this as a reply to v3xx.

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