Installing Ubuntu 7.04: ATI X**** Cards

Posted 1 year, 5 months ago at 3:42 pm. 32 comments

Many people are having problems installing Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty Fawn) on machine with ATI X**** series video cards. This is caused by this bug that unfortunately could not fixed before the release of Ubuntu 7.04.

This quick guide will get Feisty installed and X.org 7.2 up and running.

  1. Boot using PC (Intel x86) alternate install CD for Ubuntu or Kubuntu.
  2. Start text mode installer and install Ubuntu/Kubuntu.
  3. Finish Install and reboot.
  4. Update package list and upgrade any packages needed.
    sudo apt-get update
    sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
  5. Install fglrx closed source driver for ATI video cards.
    sudo apt-get install xorg-driver-fglrx
  6. Update loaded modules.
    sudo depmod -a
  7. Configure /etc/X11/xorg.conf
    sudo aticonfig --initial
    sudo aticonfig --overlay-type=Xv
  8. Reboot

Ubuntu 7.04 should now boot into GDM/KDM.

Links:
Bug Report: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xorg-server/+bug/89853
Forum Thread: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=414194

32 Replies

  1. Hi,

    and thanks for this blog entry.

    Do you know if 7.04 now also works with the screen resolution: 1440×900?
    I have a Thinkpad with ATI X1300.

    – frankps

  2. Paolo M. Apr 20th 2007

    Mike: do you know how this bug affects a system upgrading from 6.10 where the ATI Driver has already been installed and configured?

    I’d like to upgrade, but I’m not sure whether I would have this problem.

    Thanks in advance.

  3. Frank: My Macbook Pro uses 1440×900 just fine.

    Paolo: I have only have had the problem with the installer.

  4. rockstar Apr 21st 2007

    does this also allow it to work with desktop effects? I have an x1400

  5. You will have to install XGL for desktop effects.

  6. Can you suggest a similar solution for the ATI Mobility Radeon 9100 card (mounted on an hp zv5000)?

    With all versions of Ubuntu I tried (6.06, 6.10, 7.04), it is possible to load GDM only 1 over 3 times approximately in the 6.06 version, and never with the others, it freezes always.

    I tried your code, but in my case I cannot even login the Xorg server anymore. There is a message like “the Screen is missing”. I got to the same point also following other people guidelines for installing Ubuntu on ATI chipsets.

  7. i use now 6.1 and x700 works fine….do u thing i will have problems?any who tried with x700 ati mobility?
    thanks!

  8. I did a clean install on a machine with a X1650pro and did not have a problem. It used the vesa driver for the install and I used Synaptic to install fglrx. Checked fglrxinfo and xvinfo and both are correctly installed. MSI pcie motherboard with AMD X2 3800 . So it is not always a problem.

  9. Thanks Greg, good to know.

  10. myself May 3rd 2007

    hi~
    my notebook’s card is X1300
    and I cann’t collect to internet if I cannot get into the Gnome
    so I cannot use:
    sudo apt-get update
    sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

    is there any way?
    thanks!

  11. Andreas Warberg May 9th 2007

    Thank you for this guide. Works fine with ubuntu-7.04-alternate-amd64.iso.

  12. Alvin May 9th 2007

    I’ve just tried with ubuntu-7.04-alternate-amd64.iso, and before follow this instructions desktop effects works, and after The system tells me that i can’t activate Desktop Effects (like cube desktops or wobbly windows).

    Whats the problem?

  13. Install xserver-xgl and search the wiki for configuration instructions.

  14. I’ve got an ATI IGP 345M and this doesn’t work. found no help on the internet, any help here? thanks a lot

  15. dghost1 May 13th 2007

    I upgraded from 6.10 to 7.04, after the update got the error described in the bug.
    Logged in via the text mode (command line) and then entered:
    sudo apt-get install xorg-driver-fglrx
    sudo depmod -a
    sudo aticonfig –initial
    sudo aticonfig –overlay-type=Xv

    The last one did not take effect according to the message I got but I rebooted and the error was gone. I did not use the alternate CD.

  16. Hei dimitris just to inform that on X700 it doesn’t work I’ve tried on mine but with no success

  17. I’ve been trying for 3 days now to enable OpenGL in Feisty (with an ATI Radeon Mobility X700), but still get:

    jj@hydra:~$ fglrxinfo
    Xlib: extension “XFree86-DRI” missing on display “:0.0″.
    display: :0.0 screen: 0
    OpenGL vendor string: Mesa project: http://www.mesa3d.org
    OpenGL renderer string: Mesa GLX Indirect
    OpenGL version string: 1.4 (1.5 Mesa 6.5.2)

    :(

  18. Thanks for the detailed post. I have a new Gateway E265M laptop. This solution worked flawlessly. It also helped me get around the dreaded “can’t access tty: job control turned off” error by using the alternate install CD. I have an ATI 2300 HD card in the laptop and this fix worked perfectly! I’ll be linking to it in the Ubuntu forums again. It feels great to have my Ubuntu back… :) Especially on my new laptop.

  19. Kassy Sep 5th 2007

    Hello, I’m new in Ubunut “business”… So my problem is the following, I have an Asus A6JE (Ati x1450 videocard), and when I put the new Ubuntu 7.04 CD, and start the install, I got an error message there is no screen. (My hard drive have an empty unformatted partition, so I can’t do anything). I don’t have an internet connection for a long (I’m using my notebook at internet cafe, etc…). So please help me, what should I do… But please simply, I don’t know too much about Ubuntu (Linux), I want to try, if it better than Windows… Thanks.

  20. Thanks for this man!! Greatly appreciated! Works like a charm on a Dell e7105 with an ATI X1400.

  21. Michael Feb 26th 2008

    michael@Ubuntu:~$ sudo depmod -a
    michael@Ubuntu:~$ Configure /etc/X11/xorg.conf
    bash: Configure: command not found
    michael@Ubuntu:~$ sudo aticonfig –initial
    Warning: Could not find configuration file
    Please copy configuration file template to /etc/X11
    michael@Ubuntu:~$ sudo aticonfig –overlay-type=Xv
    Warning: Could not find configuration file
    Please copy configuration file template to /etc/X11
    michael@Ubuntu:~$
    michael@Ubuntu:~$
    michael@Ubuntu:~$ Configure /etc/X11/xorg.conf
    bash: Configure: command not found
    michael@Ubuntu:~$ sudo aticonfig –initial
    Warning: Could not find configuration file
    Please copy configuration file template to /etc/X11

  22. Hallo thanks for your help,
    I’ve got a X700 and ubuntu 7.10 and
    sudo aticonfig –initial
    goes in core dump

    Uninitialised file found, configuring.
    Using /etc/X11/xorg.conf
    Saved back-up to /etc/X11/xorg.conf.original-1
    *** glibc detected *** aticonfig: munmap_chunk(): invalid pointer: 0xbfe569f0 ***
    ======= Backtrace: =========
    /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6(cfree+0×1bb)[0xb7d1192b]
    aticonfig[0x805c5c7]
    aticonfig[0x805c875]
    aticonfig[0x8054528]
    aticonfig[0x804985e]
    aticonfig[0x80496cb]
    /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6(__libc_start_main+0xe0)[0xb7cba050]
    aticonfig[0x8049601]
    ======= Memory map: ========
    08048000-08067000 r-xp 00000000 08:03 163160 /usr/bin/aticonfig
    08067000-0806a000 rw-p 0001e000 08:03 163160 /usr/bin/aticonfig
    0806a000-0808b000 rw-p 0806a000 00:00 0 [heap]
    b7c96000-b7c97000 rw-p b7c96000 00:00 0
    b7c97000-b7c99000 r-xp 00000000 08:03 34150 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libdl-2.6.1.so
    b7c99000-b7c9b000 rw-p 00001000 08:03 34150 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libdl-2.6.1.so
    b7c9b000-b7c9c000 rw-p b7c9b000 00:00 0
    b7c9c000-b7ca0000 r-xp 00000000 08:03 164211 /usr/lib/libXdmcp.so.6.0.0
    b7ca0000-b7ca1000 rw-p 00003000 08:03 164211 /usr/lib/libXdmcp.so.6.0.0
    b7ca1000-b7ca3000 r-xp 00000000 08:03 164200 /usr/lib/libXau.so.6.0.0
    b7ca3000-b7ca4000 rw-p 00001000 08:03 164200 /usr/lib/libXau.so.6.0.0
    b7ca4000-b7de8000 r-xp 00000000 08:03 34062 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc-2.6.1.so
    b7de8000-b7de9000 r–p 00143000 08:03 34062 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc-2.6.1.so
    b7de9000-b7deb000 rw-p 00144000 08:03 34062 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc-2.6.1.so
    b7deb000-b7dee000 rw-p b7deb000 00:00 0
    b7dee000-b7e11000 r-xp 00000000 08:03 34324 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libm-2.6.1.so
    b7e11000-b7e13000 rw-p 00023000 08:03 34324 /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libm-2.6.1.so
    b7e13000-b7f00000 r-xp 00000000 08:03 164194 /usr/lib/libX11.so.6.2.0
    b7f00000-b7f04000 rw-p 000ed000 08:03 164194 /usr/lib/libX11.so.6.2.0
    b7f04000-b7f11000 r-xp 00000000 08:03 164215 /usr/lib/libXext.so.6.4.0
    b7f11000-b7f12000 rw-p 0000d000 08:03 164215 /usr/lib/libXext.so.6.4.0
    b7f12000-b7f13000 rw-p b7f12000 00:00 0
    b7f13000-b7f1a000 r-xp 00000000 08:03 164237 /usr/lib/libXrender.so.1.3.0
    b7f1a000-b7f1b000 rw-p 00006000 08:03 164237 /usr/lib/libXrender.so.1.3.0
    b7f1b000-b7f20000 r-xp 00000000 08:03 164235 /usr/lib/libXrandr.so.2.1.0
    b7f20000-b7f21000 rw-p 00005000 08:03 164235 /usr/lib/libXrandr.so.2.1.0
    b7f24000-b7f2e000 r-xp 00000000 08:03 15345 /lib/libgcc_s.so.1
    b7f2e000-b7f2f000 rw-p 0000a000 08:03 15345 /lib/libgcc_s.so.1
    b7f2f000-b7f32000 rw-p b7f2f000 00:00 0
    b7f32000-b7f4c000 r-xp 00000000 08:03 15291 /lib/ld-2.6.1.so
    b7f4c000-b7f4e000 rw-p 00019000 08:03 15291 /lib/ld-2.6.1.so
    bfe42000-bfe57000 rw-p bfe42000 00:00 0 [stack]
    ffffe000-fffff000 r-xp 00000000 00:00 0 [vdso]
    Aborted (core dumped)

    any ideas?

  23. Dr Nolez May 18th 2008

    why doenst this work out of the box

    why is there 100,000,000 web pages dedicated to support ATI & Nvidia graphics cards… what kinda graphics card works ootb? friggn s3trio? this is crap

    linux heads listen up… write an os that detects hardware and installs whatever is needed to be installed or typed or enabled or apt-get install friggn *.* … the internet is clogged with *nix support with answers that DONT work…


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