I upgraded just about all of my packages for Slackware, but I'm holding off for XFree. Does anyone here know if you can install the drivers for ATI Radeon video cards from the 4.3 built driver patch and get the card to function properly with 4.4? Almost all of my apps are complaining about libXinerama not being installed, and that comes with 4.4, not 4.3. And so, since I've upgraded so many packages, I think that the only practical choices I have are to reformat and reinstall Slackware or upgrade XFree to 4.4. The option all depends on whether or not the drivers work for XFree4.4 or only 4.3....

well...if you have two choises, either to format or to upgrade XFree, wouldn't it be a good idea to first try to upgrade XFree and only if it doesn't work, format?

anyway, here's my answer to your question. I'm running XFree 4.4 with my Radeon 7000, and:

1) software runs ok. X runs ok. everything one usually needs works ok. so no problem..
2) hardware (3d) does not run ok, I guess...I don't have that much games or stuff to test this, but at least glxgears and ViceCity won't run on 3d...still, I get no errors and X tells me I'm running 3d nicely (but I really disagree on that)...

the second problem isn't because of XFree 4.4, because I've had this problem on 4.3 too, and this is mainly because I haven't found drivers for my card newer Radeons, 8000-9000 series, do have drivers from Ati itself (and others?) but mine doesn't...the thing I've tried is DRI, and it seems to work properly, but just isn't. Perhaps I just should dig deeper..

anyway, I would say XFree 4.4 works with Radeon, especially if you do have newer card.. and once more: try XFree 4.4 to see if it works with you, before formatting..

the main difference between you and me, though, bouncer, is that I have an 8500, which is the lowest model that ATI shows it's making drivers for. I got drivers to work with my Rage128 by using GPL drivers, but the Rage128 is such a crappy card compared to the Radeon. The only reason why I have my rage 128 in my box is because I sent my 8500 to be serviced because the fan was grinding. I'm hoping that UPS will just "lose" my package and give me the $200 that I got the thing insured for....

alright, I kind of suspected that... 7000 is somewhat old, and people seem to have new cards these days. anyway, I still don't think you have problems, install XFree and get the drivers. If they're from ATI, they should work should they? at least I've heard they do.

I just got mine working with ATI Radeon 9000 Pro, Xorg (which is basically XF 4.4) and the fglrx-3.7.0 drivers from ATI.

They say they're for 4.3 but they work fine for 4.4. I posted in the slackware forum with details.
linky:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=177572

Good luck!

--Shade