# [VGASWITCHEROO] How can I use the radeon card?

## noobux

Hi everyone, before posting here I have posted on a lot of forums (12 times) and I haven't find yet the answer of the question.

It can be usefull for everyone so please help me, I have never seen someone who gets the dual gpu (intel/ATI nvidia/intel) works properly, if we find the answer on this topic I'll make a how-to for the intel/ati gpu switching.

    I have two gpu : an ATI Radeon HD 5470 (driver radeon) and an integrated intel graphics media accelerator HD (driver i915), Xorg works well with the intel gpu but it doesn't work with the radeon card, when i use startx or xdm I get a blank screen ... I want to use VGASWITCHEROO but too use it I must first get the radeon card works with the X server, then I will just have to follow the VGASWITCHEROO how-to on the gentoo-wiki.

First, here is my .config (from the gentoo wiki for the graphic section) : http://pastebin.com/18TeYqBB

Here is the ouput of dmesg : http://pastebin.com/Nd1M5HCy

And here is the Xorg.0.log : http://pastebin.com/8x3ENk4U

Please answer (especially if u get VGASWITCHEROO working),help and make this topic alive you can help many people (even if it don't resolve my problem) it is to get as many information as possible on the dual-gpu because it is realy a big issue when you use gentoo (and other linux/BSD distributions).                 

Iam french so iam sorry for the english ^^.

I will answer very quickly.

----------

## i13m

hi,

have you included the fireware for the radeon card.

```
Device Drivers --->

   Generic Driver Options --->

      [*]  Include in-kernel firmware blobs in kernel binary

      # RadeonHD 2000, 3000, and 4000 series cards:

      (radeon/R600_rlc.bin 

                 radeon/R700_rlc.bin) External firmware blobs

      # RadeonHD 5000 and above(Evergreen):

      (radeon/CEDAR_me.bin 

                 radeon/CEDAR_pfp.bin 

                 radeon/CEDAR_rlc.bin

                 radeon/CYPRESS_me.bin

                 radeon/CYPRESS_pfp.bin 

                 radeon/CYPRESS_rlc.bin 

                 radeon/JUNIPER_me.bin 

                 radeon/JUNIPER_pfp.bin 

                 radeon/JUNIPER_rlc.bin

       radeon/REDWOOD_me.bin 

                 radeon/REDWOOD_pfp.bin 

       radeon/REDWOOD_rlc.bin) External firmware blobs

      (/lib/firmware/) Firmware blobs root directory
```

I cant see it in your kernel config file.

And maybe this wiki can help you http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/Radeon

PS: I have make the switcheroo work for T400. But one thing that keeps me to stay with my intel card is the radeon power saving is not that good - always at the highest frequency, generate a lot of heat, and fan is running all the time

----------

## noobux

Firmware are already installed in the directory /lib/firmware (when I boot It loads the CEDAR MICROCODE sucessfully) but you're right, I might try another time with the config extra firmware. I had the same error with the extra firmware enabled (blank screen) ... 

The radeon wiki is good but it doesn't work at all for me ... I have a dual gpu so it's not the same, I have already try (many times) with the config shows in the radeon wiki, If I try to use only radeon in the graphics section (DRM) I can't even go to the console when I boot gentoo ... It freezes after loading modules ... (only the screen(s) are frozen because the keyboard is working so if I type my name, hit enter,  my password, hit enter again and then type reboot or shutdown, the machines reboot (or shutdown).  I have another computer with only a radeon card and it works well by following the gentoo wiki so I think the problem is about the intel integrated graphics.

Any Idea on how to desactivate the radeon card ? The acpi temperature is 75 celsius when I am using only console ... the radeon's sensors say the card is over 70 celsius ...

When i try to compile the kernel with the config extra firmware (CEDAR) I get the following  : (genkernel's compilation failed !) :

http://pastebin.com/T5LVjS8z

It's the first time I have this issue, any idea on how to fix it?

----------

## i13m

Are there any chances you can disable the radeon one in the bios

----------

## noobux

Sorry i've stop reading this topic for a while because I think it's just impossible to do ... It's impossible from the BIOS (it's not possible on laptop you can only do this from a Desktop computer), thks for trying to helping me but I think It won't work ...

If someone else have a thing to say about my problem I will answer.

----------

