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  • Mobility HD 5xxx series linux driver

    Is there a set date / catalyst version when this will be supported under Linux? A lot of notebooks are sold with these latest cards and no sign of any support for them.

    This is the same old boat I was in years ago when I owned a 9600xt. Crappy driver...but currently worse: NO DRIVER!
    No OSS no closed source. Screw it.

    ---
    UPDATE: 10.1 is working with the card! It adds an transparent Unsupported HW icon in the bottom-left corner, but works on my Arch Linux. I had to edit the xorg.conf manually, aticonfig is saying no supported device present. Look below for details in the replies.


    If you happen to run it successfully on your Mobility hd 5xxx drop a reply, I will append this list:

    Code:
    10.1 runs on the following HD 5xxx mobility config:
    
    
    [B]Mobility HD 5650[/B] - arch linux 64bit, 2.6.32 kernel, downgraded X to 1.6, 10.1 catalyst from AUR repository. Supsend-To-Ram and opengl games work too.
    Last edited by krionius; 28 January 2010, 04:31 AM.

  • #2
    I'm in the same boat. Now that I found out that my still in transit HP Envy 15 doesn't have switchable graphics, I am seriously considering returning it. I was hoping to use the Core i5 igp in linux but doesn't look like that is going to be an option.

    Its kind of sad that I have to avoid any notebook that has an Ati graphics card. Its hard to believe ATI/AMD don't take their reputation more seriously and budget for more software engineers.

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    • #3
      Yeah, i wasnt sure about how it works in my Acer Aspire 5740g, but yep, no way, the intel vga is not enabled in this notebook. So I'm stuck with an unusable ATi card in vesa mode... better be fixed soon or the specifications handled out for the OSS devs who might fix this problem with a working 2D driver.

      So, any date or version number, insiders, ati affiliates?

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      • #4
        I'll find out.

        Note that our OEM customers tell us repeatedly that there is no requirement for Linux support on these products, and that none of their customers need Linux support.

        If you are buying a Windows laptop with the intention of running Linux on it, either you (customers) are not communicating that message to the HW manufacturers or the message is not getting through to the people who deal with us. It would be good if we could find some "civilized" way to make sure that the message goes through the right people.

        IMO you need to be asking loud and clear for preloaded Linux, and making a point to buy preloaded products when they are offered. In the meantime, if you buy a Windows system with the intention of putting Linux on it, let's find a way to make sure HW manufacturers understand this.

        I'll see if we can arrange a separate posting for the launch drivers, assuming that at least one vendor asked for Linux support at launch.
        Last edited by bridgman; 27 January 2010, 06:01 PM.
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        • #5
          Not to start a flamefest, but somehow nvidia manages to support all the chips they currently sell in their binary driver. It would be nice if vendors would integration test for Linux, but it's simply not going to happen. We're lucky to find a laptop with a combination of good screen, cpu and GPU. Adding OS (never mind distribution) to the requirements list is unthinkable.

          The OP is not asking for official vendor support for ATI products. He's merely asking for the same level of end user driver support nv customers get.

          Sounds like unless customers pressure vendors and they in turn pressure ATI that's not happening. Considering how little weight Linux users have on vendor decisions the message to take away is: if you want mobile GPU support on Linux avoid ATI hardware.

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          • #6
            Thanks, bridgman!

            off

            Well, i was thinking about purchasing an nvidia gt 240m which is already reported to be working on notebooks. Dont know how. I guess no customer is pressuring the vendors to pressure nvidia. They just know that supporting means more buy even if vendors are not pushing it. It's a question of egg and chicken. Honestly, Linux is such a good system, many people dual-boot it. Those people will think twice before buying ATi product if they listen to those techsavvy people who tell the word about good nvidia support. So while it seems that inside it needs vendor pressure, i would say it should be there without vendor pressure. Selling numbers after a while will show who is wiser. Honestly, anyone who asks me (im an IT engineer) i would advice buy Nvidia or Intel.

            In my case i was going with head against the wall. Hoping for an ati wonder... if that happens, i will think about my advices - who knows even recommending ATi some day.

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            • #7
              I agree with v8envy.

              The times that I have seen customers voice their need for Linux on OEM laptops, the OEMs say, "if you need linux support then you should buy from the business division." Ironically, you almost never find ATI on business laptops. As Arsenio would say, "things that make you go hmmmm."

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              • #8
                Sorry, had to run off to a conf call; obviously a bad time to be away from the thread

                Two different issues are getting mixed here - one is making drivers available at launch, the other is messaging. You guys took my comment about messaging as if it applied to driver availability and ran with it.

                Let's run back for a minute.

                There's obviously a lot of interest in laptops with the new generation of GPUs, but that interest is *not* getting through to the OEMs, apparently.

                We *are* going to provide driver support anyways (I figured it would be in the 10.1 release) but these systems are getting more complex every year, DRM is creeping further into the hardware stack, and there's going to be a point where the quality of Linux support from all of the GPU vendors is likely to decline unless the OEMs understand that they at least need to *consider* other OSes during design and qual.

                I see constant complaints here that nobody takes Linux seriously, but when I point out the disconnect between what you post here and what the OEM manufacturers are hearing your response is to threaten to buy someone else's GPU instead ?

                For better or for worse, we *do* listen to our OEM customers (as do application developers, by the way), and if you want to see improvements in the way Linux is treated across the supply chain they you really do need to think about this.

                We already invest more in Linux than our customers feel is appropriate (outside of the workstation market), in part because we know that the market data and communication is imperfect, but the end solution has to be fixing the perception and communication problems, unless you want the current state of Linux to be as good as it ever gets.
                Last edited by bridgman; 27 January 2010, 08:26 PM.
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                • #9
                  Thanks for responding.

                  Once again, I must bring up the competition. I don't know how much ATI invests in Linux compared to nv -- nor, as an end customer, do I really care.

                  Perception and reality is: nv existing closed driver support is worlds beyond what ATI currently offers in terms of functionality. Maybe because they have better or more upscale OEMs like Sony. Maybe because their market intelligence is better. All I know is it's better.

                  But as a potential customer I've got a choice of 3 vendors.

                  Vendor A: good Linux support for all end customers (including working with the latest kernels and releases of X), good performance for Windows games both native and Wine, HD video acceleration, power management, support for cards older than 3 years.
                  Vendor B: Professional and embedded Linux. Perfectly capable hardware unsupported. Rudimentary HD video acceleration through unsupported "here kid, have some leftover scraps from the embedded development" means.
                  Vendor C: Great Linux support, buggy and not very capable hardware.

                  The rational behavior is not to threaten to buy vendor A hardware but to simply do it. It's not rational to demand vendors B or C meet various needs after buying their hardware.

                  You are right, there is a disconnect. And also a vicious cycle -- nv's hardware & software stack is functional, so it gets used. Which reinforces ATI decision maker belief of zero demand for their products on Linux.

                  I don't know how to fix that, but somehow NV managed. The real fix is to figure out how they made Linux support a priority and copy that approach with ATI's decision makers.

                  Windows users have a choice of which hardware to buy. I *WANT* a 5870. But part of the cost is giving up Linux. I'm not ready to do that just yet, so instead of handing ATI at least one sale last quarter I have to wait and see what NV wants to sell me. As I look around my office I see 7 machines with nv hardware and one decommissioned one in a corner with an ATI card. That's a potential several thousand dollars of lost revenue from one customer alone over ~3-4 years!

                  In my opinion, not having mobility chipset drivers at launch is a bad idea. Once again, NV drivers support mobility chips on Windows as well as Linux. Anyone buying an ATI laptop will bitch to all within earshot about how crappy their laptop video is for the entire time they own it, as opposed to a desktop user who can simply give up, ebay their card and buy a working one.

                  Open source drivers, while great for legacy hardware, will never meet my (or most power user) needs. I prefer to run new, expensive, high performance hardware. By the time open source drivers appear for it the hardware is no longer enthusiast and more budget level.
                  Last edited by v8envy; 27 January 2010, 11:08 PM.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by v8envy View Post
                    Thanks for responding.

                    Once again, I must bring up the competition. I don't know how much ATI invests in Linux compared to nv -- nor, as an end customer, do I really care.

                    Perception and reality is: nv existing closed driver support is worlds beyond what ATI currently offers in terms of functionality. Maybe because they have better or more upscale OEMs like Sony. Maybe because their market intelligence is better. All I know is it's better.

                    But as a potential customer I've got a choice of 3 vendors.

                    Vendor A: good Linux support for all end customers (including working with the latest kernels and releases of X), good performance for Windows games both native and Wine, HD video acceleration, power management, support for cards older than 3 years.
                    Vendor B: Professional and embedded Linux. Perfectly capable hardware unsupported. Rudimentary HD video acceleration through unsupported "here kid, have some leftover scraps from the embedded development" means.
                    Vendor C: Great Linux support, buggy and not very capable hardware.

                    The rational behavior is not to threaten to buy vendor A hardware but to simply do it. It's not rational to demand vendors B or C meet various needs after buying their hardware.

                    You are right, there is a disconnect. And also a vicious cycle -- nv's hardware & software stack is functional, so it gets used. Which reinforces ATI decision maker belief of zero demand for their products on Linux.

                    I don't know how to fix that, but somehow NV managed. The real fix is to figure out how they made Linux support a priority and copy that approach with ATI's decision makers.

                    Windows users have a choice of which hardware to buy. I *WANT* a 5870. But part of the cost is giving up Linux. I'm not ready to do that just yet, so instead of handing ATI at least one sale last quarter I have to wait and see what NV wants to sell me. As I look around my office I see 7 machines with nv hardware and one decommissioned one in a corner with an ATI card. That's a potential several thousand dollars of lost revenue from one customer alone over ~3-4 years!

                    In my opinion, not having mobility chipset drivers at launch is a bad idea. Once again, NV drivers support mobility chips on Windows as well as Linux. Anyone buying an ATI laptop will bitch to all within earshot about how crappy their laptop video is for the entire time they own it, as opposed to a desktop user who can simply give up, ebay their card and buy a working one.

                    Open source drivers, while great for legacy hardware, will never meet my (or most power user) needs. I prefer to run new, expensive, high performance hardware. By the time open source drivers appear for it the hardware is no longer enthusiast and more budget level.
                    Again, I agree 10000%
                    Bridgman, I could see where you are coming from if both of your main competitors didn't have great Linux support.

                    Btw Bridgman, What do you do at AMD/ATI? I'm just curious; I don't have an ulterior motive.
                    Last edited by dalingrin; 28 January 2010, 12:25 AM.

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