# ati-drivers on AMD64 kernel

## Qnight

Hi I'm trying to get my Radeon 9800 Pro card running under the amd64 kernel.

It seems like there are no supported drivers yet for it, but i wonder if there is any way to install the currently released drivers somehow.

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## riprjak

 *Qnight wrote:*   

> Hi I'm trying to get my Radeon 9800 Pro card running under the amd64 kernel.
> 
> It seems like there are no supported drivers yet for it, but i wonder if there is any way to install the currently released drivers somehow.

 

I'll let you know if I get anywhere (I have a radeon9600SE, same problems with drivers).  Im currently using the "vesa" driver to get X functional; and diddling around with trying to manually install the binary module...  I have also regularly requested that ATi rebuild the drivers for more appropriate architectures; pentium4, athlonXP AND x86_64; since Im certain that architecture specific builds will yield driver speed improvements.

PLEASE join in requesting ATI to release drivers that support modern architectures (or the source code so we can do it ourselves).

err!

jak.

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## Qnight

Ye, I'm also using vesa drivers in X atm.

U said something about "join in requesting ATI to release..." 

Id like to have more information about that. I've checked their pages, mailed them and so on, but only answer i've got is "What are u talking about?" and "We dont know". So i guess i've been in contact with wrong persons. So if u could give a hand there I'd like to join your "team"  :Wink: 

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## riprjak

 *Qnight wrote:*   

> Ye, I'm also using vesa drivers in X atm.
> 
> U said something about "join in requesting ATI to release..." 
> 
> Id like to have more information about that. I've checked their pages, mailed them and so on, but only answer i've got is "What are u talking about?" and "We dont know". So i guess i've been in contact with wrong persons. So if u could give a hand there I'd like to join your "team" 

 

No, I've been getting the same response... Im trying to drill through the stupidity of tech support until someone gives me the name of a developer on the "fireGL driver" team; Im assuming *SOMEONE* actually writes these drivers...

Just keep drilling; ask to be put in contact with a driver developer and keep asking until you do...

err!

jak.

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## Qnight

Okelidokeli.  :Smile:  Let's drill!

Btw, do u got VGA-mode working in the prompt? I tried with VGA=792 and 795, but i get black screen.

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## riprjak

 *Qnight wrote:*   

> Okelidokeli.  Let's drill!
> 
> Btw, do u got VGA-mode working in the prompt? I tried with VGA=792 and 795, but i get black screen.

 

I havent tried yet... but since the latest livecd that Brad produced has a purty bootspalsh and is 1024x768; Im assuming its possible.

err!

jak.

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## Qnight

okay, I just go start working with it then I guess.  :Smile: 

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## riprjak

Ok ladies, gentlemen and sundry others...

Lets flood them with requests for drivers built against x86_64.

http://apps.ati.com/linuxDfeedback/index.asp

Driver feedback form, fill it out (I selected opteron as cpu and then noted later that I actually had an athlon64).

I selected "issue type" as "installation"

Then, type this in the issue box:

 *Quote:*   

> FireGL drivers not built for x86_64 architecture so wont function in a 64bit environment..
> 
> Please build your binary modules against x86_64 architecture so we 64bit users can install them.
> 
> 

 

This *might* help.  Hell, Pentium 3/4 users and athlonXP users might want to make a similar request for their own architectures...  after all, one would assume that a graphics driver would benefit from architecture specific optimisations (such as sse2, 3dnow etc...).

err!

jak.

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## sneakerski

yeah, i tried this about 2 weeks ago, even though i don't even have an Opteron/Athlon64...they simply have to support it, whether intel/M$ likes it or not. However, the reply i got when i even asked if they supplied it or would build it was dissapointing: Only what's on the linux page is supported, and there are no immediate plans for non rpm releases or archictures other than i586. 

oh well. the more we bombard them, the more they'll get the idea they need to pass a few extra options to GCC and host that extra whopping 5MBs of stuff.

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## Qnight

I heard rumors about that ATI are working on the drivers but since there are only beta platforms they wont have any rush with it. I still hope for a beta driver.

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## riprjak

 *Qnight wrote:*   

> I heard rumors about that ATI are working on the drivers but since there are only beta platforms they wont have any rush with it. I still hope for a beta driver.

 

Since ATI have travelled far down the path to the dark side, microserfdom, it stands to reason that they are mostly transformed into marketroids now.

What does this babble mean, well, marketroids listen to one thing, the loudest common denominator; so, the more people who politely request a function, the more likely they are to support it on the assumption that is is good business.

Of course, we could all just give up and go buy nvidia.  Except of course that I spent all my spare money on a radeon 9600 and an athlon64  :Smile: 

err!

jak

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## krogoth

The alternate OS support chart (http://www.ati.com/developer/altoschart.pdf) mentions AMD64 support on the last page... but they don't seem to have any downloads for it. I'll look at the distributions listed tomorrow and see if they have anything useful.

The link to this chart said that it was maintained by ATi developer relations (http://www.ati.com/developer/index.html) -- maybe this would be a better way to contact them than customer support?

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## eikketk

Any news on this?

I have to install Gentoo on a dual Opteron - ATi Radeon 9800...

How about Xfree 4.3.99 (the beta thing)? I read somewhere that would work or something alike, not shure tough...

And how about Xfree-DRM?

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## riprjak

 *eikketk wrote:*   

> Any news on this?
> 
> I have to install Gentoo on a dual Opteron - ATi Radeon 9800...
> 
> How about Xfree 4.3.99 (the beta thing)? I read somewhere that would work or something alike, not shure tough...
> ...

 

Xfree DRM *wont* work. 

4.3.99 should allow use of the "radeon" native driver (2D accelerated functions); I was using the vesa driver for my 9600; now Ive swapped to an Nvidia 5900 and use their glx drivers.  I did this since ATI were dicking around and gave no indication of living up to their april 2003 promise of supporting the amd64 platform on both windows and linux (to date they support neiter).  Since Nvidia are years behind in image quality, you have no idea how pissed off this has made me...

If you are patient, keep the ati and use the vesa driver; if you want (need) glx, swap to an nvidia...  

EDIT : AFAIK, the problem with ATI radeons *ONLY* relates to new tech (9600/9800/9600XP/9800XP); ie: the cards which only work with ATI's binary-only drivers in 32 bit.  *IF* your radeon is supported by xfree-DRM then it will work in 64bit; however, I have not succeeded in getting a 9600 to work with acceleration on a k8t800 in 32bit mode and, not having drivers, they wont work on a 64bit kernel (you need to use VESA drivers or xfree 4.3.99 to get 2D working at all).

err!

jak.

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## molander

 *eikketk wrote:*   

> Any news on this?
> 
> I have to install Gentoo on a dual Opteron - ATi Radeon 9800...
> 
> How about Xfree 4.3.99 (the beta thing)? I read somewhere that would work or something alike, not shure tough...
> ...

 

My 9500Pro and 9200 work just fine in 64bit. I didnt use the ati-drivers, just used DRM from the kernel. The 9200 gives me 1200fps in glxgears. It aint great but its better than vesa.

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