How to get AMD Catalyst working on Arch x86_64

gh403 · 2012-12-12 22:57:25

I've got a Dell Inspiron 15R 7520 with AMD's hybrid "PowerXpress" graphics. The integrated graphics card is (if I understand it correctly) integrated with the i7-3612QM processor, and the discrete graphics card is a "Southern Islands" Radeon HD 7730M. The integrated graphics work perfectly under Arch.

However, the discrete graphics don't. I have tried several different methods, and the one that seems to get me the farthest with the least effort is the AUR package catalyst-total-pxp. After installing, rebooting, and issuing the commands

# aticonfig --initial
# pxp_switch_catalyst amd
# X

X completely fails to start. The X log can be found at http://codepad.org/jh71XuKC. I don't understand what is failing; potentially, it has something to do with the way my card is hooked up--I think it's muxless, but I really don't know. What is the matter here? How can I get hybrid graphics working on Arch? Any help would be appreciated.

Note: the pxp_switch_catalyst command is just a script that moves special Xorg config files into place, switches libGL to the discrete version, etc. If you download the tarball from the AUR link, you can read the script.

P.S. In the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that I cross-posted this from http://superuser.com/questions/516545/h … rch-x86-64. If you want the bounty, you're welcome to answer over there instead.

xeekei · 2012-12-12 23:05:37

Have you added the fglrx module in /etc/modules-load.d/ ? You also need to disable KMS.

gh403 · 2012-12-12 23:28:36

The package adds the fglrx module to that directory on its own.

With nomodeset on the command line as you suggested, I get a really weird problem. I booted to the command line, and manually set the display drivers to amd. Then when I do 'systemctl start kdm', the screen just hangs. Things are still going on in the background, because the key combo Ctrl-Alt-Del still reboots the computer (that's how bad it was), but it's like the output of the graphics card was going somewhere else entirely. What is the issue here?

xeekei · 2012-12-12 23:38:52

Okay, I've never used PowerXpress, but Vi0L0 himself is talking somewhat about it here: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 66#p937766
Maybe you can make something out of it.

mannemerak · 2013-01-14 19:08:34

Hi,
I have the exact same problem. Did you get anything in https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 66#p937766 from Vi0L0 that helped?

gh403 · 2013-01-15 01:29:51

mannemerak, nope, see the SuperUser link and read my answer.

mannemerak · 2013-01-15 09:12:50

Thing is, I had fglrx working at some point. Barely, because I had to load the module manually after boot and then start KDM (having it load automatically on boot resulted in the fglrx crash). Then after an Arch update (keeping xorg and intel back as per wiki) no luck any more.
I will try and go through the bbs.arch forum link (300+ pages

ackt1c · 2013-01-15 23:50:44

Utils

Last edited by ackt1c (2022-11-05 15:27:58)

dragos240 · 2013-01-16 02:35:36

Hello,

I use AMD Catalyst drivers (with intel integrated graphics) on an x86_64 platform too. I had a lot of trouble getting this to work. Finally I found an AUR package that finally let X start. 3D Acceleration is working just fine. This package was the only one that worked for me and solved my problem:
https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/catalyst-total-pxp/

Hope I helped,
Dragos240

mannemerak · 2013-02-21 07:37:13

Hi,

Finally I have Catalyst working from AUR catalyst-total-pxp. (Vostro 3560, Intel + 7600M muxed)

[probably not exactly the step-by-step, but close]
1. I went back to "virgin" pacman.conf
2. removed everything video (intel, catalyst, mesa)
3. system update and reboot (xorg-server 1.13.2-1, linux 3.7.9-1)
4. installed intel, ati, mesa and reboot (xf86-video-intel 2.21.2-1, mesa 9.0.2-1)
5. have working X with intel
6. makepkg aur catalyst-total-pxp (ATI 13.1), installed (removed ati and libgl as instructed) and reboot
7. aticonfig --initial complain about libGL, installed mesa again, still issues but xorg.conf created (??? no idea what is going on there)
8. X not working, lib64 issues, linked /usr/lib to /usr/lib64, re-did catalyst-total-pxp
9. X not working, added "nomodeset" to kernel params
10. Success, X working, KDE (less desktop effects) working, Steam working, finally playing TF2
aticonfig --initial still giving "aticonfig: error while loading shared libraries: libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory", but I don't care, will look at that after I get bored with TF2
(cannot switch yet between Intel and Catalyst, but I am too afraid to fiddle and break X)

gh403 · 2013-02-21 15:46:24

Hmmm. Interesting. Why are steps 1 thru 5 necessary?

Also, are you sure that you are using your discrete card?

Last edited by gh403 (2013-02-22 05:10:24)

mannemerak · 2013-02-22 13:54:11

Hi,
Its not if you haven't tried before. I had weeks of failure trying many things - self compile catalyst, [catalyst] repo, catalyst-total-pxp with old xf86-video-intel and intel-git.
Just decided to clean everything, do basic update and install catalyst-total-pxp (no special old Intel drivers or old xorg-servers as per Arch Wiki).

I tried switching, and it works, just have to issue the aticonfig switch command and swop xorg.conf files.

Last edited by mannemerak (2013-02-22 13:54:56)

Arch Linux

#1 2012-12-12 22:57:25

How to get AMD Catalyst working on Arch x86_64

#2 2012-12-12 23:05:37

Re: How to get AMD Catalyst working on Arch x86_64

#3 2012-12-12 23:28:36

Re: How to get AMD Catalyst working on Arch x86_64

#4 2012-12-12 23:38:52

Re: How to get AMD Catalyst working on Arch x86_64

#5 2013-01-14 19:08:34

Re: How to get AMD Catalyst working on Arch x86_64

#6 2013-01-15 01:29:51

Re: How to get AMD Catalyst working on Arch x86_64

#7 2013-01-15 09:12:50

Re: How to get AMD Catalyst working on Arch x86_64

#8 2013-01-15 23:50:44

Re: How to get AMD Catalyst working on Arch x86_64

#9 2013-01-16 02:35:36

Re: How to get AMD Catalyst working on Arch x86_64

#10 2013-02-21 07:37:13

Re: How to get AMD Catalyst working on Arch x86_64

#11 2013-02-21 15:46:24

Re: How to get AMD Catalyst working on Arch x86_64

#12 2013-02-22 13:54:11

Re: How to get AMD Catalyst working on Arch x86_64

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