Howto use AMD GPU

sherif8 · 2015-09-13 03:01:19

While installing Arch, I (Correct me, if wrong) installed xf86-video-inetl & xf86-video-ati, because I've a laptop with Intel & AMD GPU. In KInfoCenter, it says that OpenGL vendor is Intel & OpenGL version's 3.0, so it seems that the AMD GPU isn't used. If it's used I'd have OpenGL 3.3 & 4.1, after Mesa 11 is released. What should I do to use AMD GPU?

Note: I tried to install FGLRX, but Linux didn't even load.

Mr.Elendig · 2015-09-13 09:43:11

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Hy … e_Graphics

sherif8 · 2015-09-13 20:26:33

Will removing Intel driver force the use of AMD's one? I want to play games, but I don't want to leave Arch.

Xabre · 2015-09-13 22:43:55

No, it won't.

Radeon chip does not have a direct output to display. It has to offload to intel DGP, which is reponsible for displaying the picture on screen. No matter which driver you use (free or non-free), you absolutely need the intel driver too.

If you wish to use free driver, check the Wiki article for PRIME.
If you wish to use non-free driver, check the Wiki article for AMD Catalyst.

And that's all.

sherif8 · 2015-09-18 23:17:11

Xabre wrote:

No, it won't.
Radeon chip does not have a direct output to display. It has to offload to intel DGP, which is reponsible for displaying the picture on screen. No matter which driver you use (free or non-free), you absolutely need the intel driver too.
If you wish to use free driver, check the Wiki article for PRIME.
If you wish to use non-free driver, check the Wiki article for AMD Catalyst.
And that's all.

I used

xrandr --setprovideroffloadsink radeon Intel

as normal user & root, but it didn't change what I see in KInfoCenter. What is the problem?

sherif8 · 2015-09-18 23:43:36

I forgot to run

DRI_PRIME=1 glxinfo | grep "OpenGL renderer"

It gave the output, I wanted, but why

glxinfo | grep "OpenGL renderer"

shows "OpenGL renderer string: Mesa DRI Intel(R) Ivybridge Mobile" in addition to KInfoCenter & chrome://gpu?

Xabre · 2015-09-19 02:44:18

Think about it.
If you want an application to use discrete radeon card, you add the DRI_PRIME=1 prefix.
Session is started without that prefix, so session uses integrated gpu.
Kinfocenter is started without that prefix, so Kinfocenter uses integrated gpu.
Chrome is started without that prefix, so Chrome uses integrated gpu.
Glxinfo is started without that prefix, so glxinfo uses integrated gpu.

I mean, it is so logical that I am unsure what are you asking?

You have to tell the application which GPU to use.

sherif8 · 2015-09-19 03:00:55

Xabre wrote:

Think about it.
If you want an application to use discrete radeon card, you add the DRI_PRIME=1 prefix.
Session is started without that prefix, so session uses integrated gpu.
Kinfocenter is started without that prefix, so Kinfocenter uses integrated gpu.
Chrome is started without that prefix, so Chrome uses integrated gpu.
Glxinfo is started without that prefix, so glxinfo uses integrated gpu.
I mean, it is so logical that I am unsure what are you asking?
You have to tell the application which GPU to use.

Do you mean something like $ DRI_PRIME=1 kinfocenter? It crashed, after I had clicked OpenGL.
I tried $ DRI_PRIME=1 glxgears & got much better FPS, but the screen was black. With Chrome, nothing is rendered, but the window existed & I was able to click buttons.
It seems I've this problem with prime. Was it solved?

Will this problem exist with Wayland. How'd I configure which GPU to use with it?

Last edited by sherif8 (2015-09-19 03:03:48)

Xabre · 2015-09-19 12:36:10

Well, problem obviously occurs on X with X applications. Wayland is irrelevant there. When applications start using Wayland instead of X, we can discuss that, in the meantime it's pointless, and applications will use Xwayland (X on Wayland).

Black screen is still an issue. You have two options, either use some Xrender based compositor, like xcompmgr or compton, or compile Intel driver with DRI3 support. I opted for using the mesa-git unofficial repository because of DRI3 and OpenGL improvements in upcoming Mesa, but Mesa 11 is in [testing] now, and will be in [extra] within a day or two. Once it's there, there will be no reason to use git repo, at least not at this moment. You will still have to compile Intel driver with DRI3 enabled.

sherif8 · 2015-09-21 19:57:01

Xabre wrote:

Well, problem obviously occurs on X with X applications. Wayland is irrelevant there. When applications start using Wayland instead of X, we can discuss that, in the meantime it's pointless, and applications will use Xwayland (X on Wayland).
Black screen is still an issue. You have two options, either use some Xrender based compositor, like xcompmgr or compton, or compile Intel driver with DRI3 support. I opted for using the mesa-git unofficial repository because of DRI3 and OpenGL improvements in upcoming Mesa, but Mesa 11 is in [testing] now, and will be in [extra] within a day or two. Once it's there, there will be no reason to use git repo, at least not at this moment. You will still have to compile Intel driver with DRI3 enabled.

Is compiling Intel driver better than switching KDE compositor backend to XRender? If yes, how to compile it?
What's the relation between Intel driver and Mesa? What would Mesa 11 do? Will Mesa 11 make it work without comiling the driver or using XRender?

Last edited by sherif8 (2015-09-21 19:57:40)

Xabre · 2015-09-21 20:10:11

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_Rendering_Extension
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenGL

No, DRI (Direct Rendering Interface) version 3 is something that a driver itself has to support in order to be able to use it. DRI3 is not enabled in xf86-video-intel that Arch provides, but you may recompile it and enable DRI3 with --enable-dri3 switch.

Arch Linux

#1 2015-09-13 03:01:19

Howto use AMD GPU

#2 2015-09-13 09:43:11

Re: Howto use AMD GPU

#3 2015-09-13 20:26:33

Re: Howto use AMD GPU

#4 2015-09-13 22:43:55

Re: Howto use AMD GPU

#5 2015-09-18 23:17:11

Re: Howto use AMD GPU

#6 2015-09-18 23:43:36

Re: Howto use AMD GPU

#7 2015-09-19 02:44:18

Re: Howto use AMD GPU

#8 2015-09-19 03:00:55

Re: Howto use AMD GPU

#9 2015-09-19 12:36:10

Re: Howto use AMD GPU

#10 2015-09-21 19:57:01

Re: Howto use AMD GPU

#11 2015-09-21 20:10:11

Re: Howto use AMD GPU

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