Arch Linux

pmunizg

Member

Registered: 2020-04-18

Posts: 3

Easy way to swich between propietary and opensource AMD GPU drivers.

Hi,

Unfortunately I need to use the proprietary Catalyst driver for Blender. It is really a step down compared to the open source version I had before.

Is there an easy way to switch between the two without having to reinstall?

Thanks in advance

headkase

Member

Registered: 2011-12-06

Posts: 1,986

Re: Easy way to swich between propietary and opensource AMD GPU drivers.

If you switch to Catalyst you need to downgrade X.  If you downgrade X you have to hold back those package updates.  If you hold back updates, you are in a partial upgrade situation.  Partial upgrades aren't supported for the fact that things will eventually break if you do that.

What is your graphics hardware and what driver are you using now?  Exactly why, a link, do you need Catalyst for Blender?

pmunizg

Member

Registered: 2020-04-18

Posts: 3

Re: Easy way to swich between propietary and opensource AMD GPU drivers.

GPU rendering in Blender is only supported with AMD's drivers.

Radeon 560.

I am not following you completely headkase. If I use wayland will I be able to do this?

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 25,230

Re: Easy way to swich between propietary and opensource AMD GPU drivers.

No, we are wondering why you are talking about catalyst. A radeon 560 should not need the catalyst driver. If you are just switching to amdgpu-pro (which isn't catalyst and not the be confused with it) then the situation is entirely different. If that is the case I'd assume the only proprietary component you'd really "need" would be https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/opencl-amd which will not change your libgl/vulkan implementation.

Maybe elaborate on your setup. What is the error message in blender if you use "just" the opensource drivers? Which packages did you install to "switch to catalyst"?

Last edited by V1del (2020-04-19 10:18:00)

pmunizg

Member

Registered: 2020-04-18

Posts: 3

Re: Easy way to swich between propietary and opensource AMD GPU drivers.

Hey V1del thanks for your reply!

Yes I got it wrong. I installed the amdgpu-pro drivers. Tought it was the same.

If one try using Cycles (native rendering engine in Blender) and change CPU to GPU it will crash if the aforementioned drivers are not in use, that is the expected behavior according to Blender developers.

I have both opencl-amd and amdgpu-pro-libgl installed in my system.

Can I change the gl libs and still use the cl libs??

Sorry for sounding confused but the graphic stack is something I really struggle with

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 25,230

Re: Easy way to swich between propietary and opensource AMD GPU drivers.

yes you should be able to remove the pro GL libs and just use the cl libs.

Lone_Wolf

Administrator

From: Netherlands, Europe

Registered: 2005-10-04

Posts: 15,086

Re: Easy way to swich between propietary and opensource AMD GPU drivers.

https://www.reddit.com/r/archlinux/comm … m/djsc8at/

Which OpenCL using applications do you run besides blender ?
Some of them (like darktable) may not work unless you run full amdgpu-pro and none of the opensource drivers.

---

Disliking systemd intensely, but not satisfied with alternatives so focusing on taming systemd.

clean chroot building not flexible enough ?
Try clean chroot manager by graysky

Pse

Member

Registered: 2008-03-15

Posts: 415

Re: Easy way to swich between propietary and opensource AMD GPU drivers.

GPU rendering in Blender is only supported with AMD's drivers.

Radeon 560.

I am not following you completely headkase. If I use wayland will I be able to do this?

Catalyst? Why are you using that? Isn't the Radeon 560 supported by AMDGPU-PRO? Switching between AMDGPU-PRO and AMDGPU is much simpler, so if you can use AMDGPU-PRO it would solve all of your problems.

Edit: doh! should have read the full thread before replying, do what V1del says.

Last edited by Pse (2020-04-20 19:11:26)