Xorg-server 1.5RC6 and fglrx [SOLVED]

whaler · 2008-09-03 15:15:44

An announcement on Arch's homepage says:

"Xorg-server 1.5RC6 (1.4.99.906) enters tesing. (...)
Note that this version requires an upgrade of all videodrivers.
All videodrivers shipped with X.Org have been rebuilt to reflect this change. Nvidia drivers don't seem to need a rebuild, while AMD's catalyst drivers don't support the new X.Org version. Fglrx users should not upgrade to this version."

How do I determine which videodriver I am using?

If I am using fglrx, as I suspect, must I in the future be careful not to install any upgrades of the Xorg server? I.e. in effect selecting/installing upgrades one by one?

Does this mean that the new Xorg server does not support Radeon cards at all?

Last edited by whaler (2008-09-03 16:02:52)

Cerebral · 2008-09-03 15:22:58

It's the other way around; the proprietary AMD/ATI drivers (Catalyst/fglrx) do not support the new xorg server. They will support it in the next couple of releases, I'd bet, but for now the current offering from AMD/ATI doesn't work with the new xorg.

To check which driver you're using, look in /etc/X11/xorg.conf and see if 'fglrx' is being used as your driver.

whaler · 2008-09-03 15:39:37

There is no instance of "fglrx" in my xorg.conf (not sure which section/line is informing about the driver). So my suspicion seems to have been wrong.

This being the case, I assume from your reply that I can let pacman do its business as usual and stop worrying about Radeon video driver trouble(?).

Last edited by whaler (2008-09-03 15:55:47)

patroclo7 · 2008-09-03 15:53:35

Just to be sure: if you do not use testing you have not to care about anything. Xorg 1.5 will not enter the extra repo any time soon and by that time there will be probably a fglrx driver supporting it.
In order to identify the driver look in xoirg.conf for the video device and the Driver option it: perhaps radeon or radeonhd, or vesa?

whaler · 2008-09-03 16:02:24

patroclo7 wrote:

Just to be sure: if you do not use testing you have not to care about anything. Xorg 1.5 will not enter the extra repo any time soon and by that time there will be probably a fglrx driver supporting it.
In order to identify the driver look in xoirg.conf for the video device and the Driver option it: perhaps radeon or radeonhd, or vesa?

Ah, I found it!

It is: "Driver "radeon" "

Thanks a lot to you and Cerebral. I feel at peace again

patroclo7 · 2008-09-03 16:07:04

Then you are using an open source driver developed in parallel with the xserver and, if you have time to spend and the will to help the developers, you can also upgrade to the testing repo and see how it goes with xorg 1.5. But you can also stay with extra and wait until it is ready
Consider that in any case the arch testing repo is small, so that upgrading to testing and redowngrading to extra are in most cases fast and brainless operations.

whaler · 2008-09-04 02:05:28

Hi patroclo7,

I am not sure if I really have the time... However, I assume that all I need to do to be current with the testing repo is to activate it, but how do I (easily) downgrade to extra?

patroclo7 · 2008-09-04 06:53:50

To upgrade to testing add the testing repo in pacman.conf BEFORE base and extra and run 'pacman -Syu'. To downgrade back to current and extra remove the testing repo (or move it AFTER base and extra in pacman.conf): when you now run 'pacman -Syu', pacman tells you that the version of some packages in the repo is lower than the versions installed. Now you can for example run 'pacman -S <listofthepackagespacmantoldyouaboutrightnow>'. Since the testing repo is usually small (let us say that 20-30 packages will be installed in your system), this will be relatively simple.
The important thing - I guess - is to do the upgrade and the downgrade globally and not package by package, because mixing testing packages with base and extra ones is discouraged.

Anyway if you are new to arch I would suggest to stay with base and extra for now.

Arch Linux

#1 2008-09-03 15:15:44

Xorg-server 1.5RC6 and fglrx [SOLVED]

#2 2008-09-03 15:22:58

Re: Xorg-server 1.5RC6 and fglrx [SOLVED]

#3 2008-09-03 15:39:37

Re: Xorg-server 1.5RC6 and fglrx [SOLVED]

#4 2008-09-03 15:53:35

Re: Xorg-server 1.5RC6 and fglrx [SOLVED]

#5 2008-09-03 16:02:24

Re: Xorg-server 1.5RC6 and fglrx [SOLVED]

#6 2008-09-03 16:07:04

Re: Xorg-server 1.5RC6 and fglrx [SOLVED]

#7 2008-09-04 02:05:28

Re: Xorg-server 1.5RC6 and fglrx [SOLVED]

#8 2008-09-04 06:53:50

Re: Xorg-server 1.5RC6 and fglrx [SOLVED]

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