I am trying to install a graphics card driver for my Radeon 9550. When using the ubuntu one that is installed my video playback is awful, very stuttery and jumpy. I am currently using 8.10 Intrepid.

When I type the lspci command I get this regarding my video card:

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV350 AS [Radeon 9550]
01:00.1 Display controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV350 AS [Radeon 9550] (Secondary)

I was trying to follow this Installation guide (there does not seem to be many out there for Intrepid).
http://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Ubu...allation_Guide

Everything appears to go fine up until number 3 installing the debs, I get this error and cannot continue.

(Reading database ... 148551 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace xorg-driver-fglrx 2:8.582-0ubuntu1 (using xorg-driver-fglrx_8.582-0ubuntu1_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement xorg-driver-fglrx ...
Preparing to replace fglrx-kernel-source 2:8.582-0ubuntu1 (using fglrx-kernel-source_8.582-0ubuntu1_i386.deb) ...
Removing all DKMS Modules
Done.
Unpacking replacement fglrx-kernel-source ...
Preparing to replace fglrx-amdcccle 2:8.582-0ubuntu1 (using fglrx-amdcccle_8.582-0ubuntu1_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement fglrx-amdcccle ...
Setting up fglrx-kernel-source (2:8.582-0ubuntu1) ...
Adding Module to DKMS build system
Doing initial module build

Error! Your kernel source for kernel 2.6.24-19-generic cannot be found at
/lib/modules/2.6.24-19-generic/build or /lib/modules/2.6.24-19-generic/source.
Installing initial module

Error! Could not locate fglrx.ko for module fglrx in the DKMS tree.
You must run a dkms build for kernel 2.6.24-19-generic (i686) first.
Done.

Setting up xorg-driver-fglrx (2:8.582-0ubuntu1) ...

Processing triggers for man-db ...
Setting up fglrx-amdcccle (2:8.582-0ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for libc6 ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place

I have gone into Synaptic and made sure that dkms is up to date. I am now stuck.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The error does say what you need. You need to install the source code of the kernel version that you are using.

Try using the radeon X11 driver instead of the fglrx. The radeon X11 driver is more reliable.

YAY
FINALLY. I'm using exactly the same video card. 1st question: do you want to be able to use your 3D acceleration? I have only been able to get that to work by using ATI's drivers that I get from their website. Just go there and from the main page select Drivers and then the correct specs for our card: Radeon, Linux32 or 64, 9550. Be sure you have version 9.2 which is the latest one. Download the ati-driver-installer which you will need to run as root or sudo. If the rest of the procedure is non-obvious and you get stuck come back to this thread with your questions. ATI releases a new driver just about every month and I am obsessive enough to keep up so I have the routine down pat.
Cheers,
jdk

jdkaye, thanks very much for that response. I went to the ATI website and downloaded the driver. I then followed the instructions in the pdf they supplied, I uninstalled my current driver using synaptic. However when I loaded it up and restarted the computer I still have the same issues I have before, terrible graphic quality on the games (but this is a secondary issue) but the choppy / flickery video playback is driving me nuts. Did I maybe leave any remnants of the old driver on???? I simply went to the Synaptic package manager input "ATI" and then removed them, should I have done anything else?

I had this card running fine for video playback until about a month ago when I had to reinstall Ubuntu so I know that I had it working.

I would like to get the games working, I have no real desire to load the 3d effects on the desktop though.

I'm sorry for the rookie mistakes here but I have only been using linux for the last 6 months.

Don't be sorry! You're doing great. Just to be safe do the following and note that a lot of stuff has to be done as root or using sudo, ok?
0. Run this command and you should see a load of output. If you don't then the driver you built was never used by xorg which explains why things haven't changed.
1. Go to the /usr/src/modules folder. There should be a subfolder called "fglrx". If there is delete it like this I am not sure that this gets overwritten so it's safer to get rid of it. Your installation procedure will put in another one for you.
2. In the /usr/src/ you may see a file called something like Delete that file 3. Find all the fglrx packages already installed on your system and remove them. will find them all for you if the line begins with an "i" (for installed).
4. Now your system should be uncontaminated by earlier rogue drivers. Try running the ati-install-driver program again.
5. When it's finished polish things off with . If there's no error messages at this point then stop and restart your x-server and see if there's an improvement.
6. If there is then please send one bottle of Lagavulin single malt whiskey to the address I will supply otherwise report back. Have no fear, there is a plan C!
Good luck in your mission.
cheers,
jdk

I'm a little stuck on part 3

I entered the command aptitude search fglrx and received this message:

i A fglrx-amdcccle - Catalyst Control Center for the ATI graphics accelerators
i A fglrx-kernel-source - Kernel module source for the ATI graphics accelerators
i A fglrx-modaliases - Identifiers supported by the ATI graphics driver
i xorg-driver-fglrx - Video driver for the ATI graphics accelerators
i xorg-driver-fglrx-dev - Video driver for the ATI graphics accelerators (devel files)

My question is how do I delete these? It does not say where they are.

Right I deleted these using Synaptic. I followed all the instructions to load the new driver however this message appeared on the command line at the end of the installation:

DKMS part of installation failed. Please refer to /usr/share/ati/fglrx-install.log for details
Removing temporary directory: fglrx-install.Eg9865

I looked in the fglrx-install.log and it contained this info:


Creating symlink /var/lib/dkms/fglrx/8.582/source ->
/usr/src/fglrx-8.582

DKMS: add Completed.
You can use the --kernelsourcedir option to tell DKMS where it's located.
[Error] Kernel Module : Failed to build fglrx-8.582 with DKMS
[Error] Kernel Module : Removing fglrx-8.582 from DKMS

Modprob gives me the line:

FATAL: Module fglrx not found.

OK, no worries. Let's try this run your ati-driver-installer again but this time add the switch --listpkg It will give you a list of distros and versions it supports. Pick the one that most closely resembles your system. The Ubuntu choices are this:
Now run the ati-driver-installer again (as root) with the switch If all goes well it should create 4 or 5 ubuntu deb packages for you.
Try that and report back.
Cheers,
jdk

If all the packages are nicely built now you need to install them. As root you need to run this command This command will install all the debs it finds in the current directory. So now all your fresh fglrx packages are installed again.

The next step is to build the fglrx module that will make your radeon 9550 card run to perfection. To do this you need module-assistant (which can be abbreviated m-a). Once your packages are all nicely installed you run as root
this is will open up as a command-line type gui where you will see a menu that you can navigate through with your cursor arrow keys. You'll want to go through the "Update", "Prepare" and "Select" steps. At the "Select" section you'll get a large number of choices. If you hit the "F" key that will take you straight to all the choices beginning with "f". There you should see "fglrx" as a choice. Navigate to it with your cursor arrow key and when you've highlighted it, hit the space bar. An asterisk will appear before it. Then hit return and things will start happening.

Once again you'll see a menu. Go to the "Get" item and hit return. This will get you any needed packages to build your module. After that is the crucial step "Build". Cross your fingers and hit return on the Build item. If all goes well, you get to the Install section. It will ask you if you want to install your module and you agree.

When that's done and you're back to your menu hit the esc key and then you'll see the Exit item which you can now do. If no error have stopped the process then you have your command prompt back and (still as root) you can try your command.
If it just returns a prompt or gives a series of files, this is a good thing. Again stop and start your X-server and you should have a perfectly running Radeon 9550 card.

Oh, one more thing, you'll have to do this again every time you upgrade your kernel or every time you upgrade your video driver so please save these instructions where you can find them again.
Best of luck,
jdk

You don't have to know where these are; aptitude knows where they are. Synaptic is way too complicated for me. Just say (as root) That's it they're history.
cheers,
jdk

After all the debian packages were created I ran the command dpkg -i *.deb this message came up:

Selecting previously deselected package fglrx-amdcccle.
(Reading database ... 148063 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking fglrx-amdcccle (from fglrx-amdcccle_8.582-0ubuntu1_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package fglrx-kernel-source.
Unpacking fglrx-kernel-source (from fglrx-kernel-source_8.582-0ubuntu1_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package fglrx-modaliases.
Unpacking fglrx-modaliases (from fglrx-modaliases_8.582-0ubuntu1_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libamdxvba1.
Unpacking libamdxvba1 (from libamdxvba1_8.582-0ubuntu1_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package xorg-driver-fglrx.
Unpacking xorg-driver-fglrx (from xorg-driver-fglrx_8.582-0ubuntu1_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package xorg-driver-fglrx-dev.
Unpacking xorg-driver-fglrx-dev (from xorg-driver-fglrx-dev_8.582-0ubuntu1_i386.deb) ...
Setting up fglrx-kernel-source (2:8.582-0ubuntu1) ...
Adding Module to DKMS build system

Error! DKMS tree already contains: fglrx-8.582
You cannot add the same module/version combo more than once.
Doing initial module build

Error! Your kernel source for kernel 2.6.24-19-generic cannot be found at
/lib/modules/2.6.24-19-generic/build or /lib/modules/2.6.24-19-generic/source.
Installing initial module

Error! Could not locate fglrx.ko for module fglrx in the DKMS tree.
You must run a dkms build for kernel 2.6.24-19-generic (i686) first.
Done.

Setting up fglrx-modaliases (2:8.582-0ubuntu1) ...
Setting up libamdxvba1 (2:8.582-0ubuntu1) ...

Setting up xorg-driver-fglrx (2:8.582-0ubuntu1) ...

Processing triggers for man-db ...
Setting up xorg-driver-fglrx-dev (2:8.582-0ubuntu1) ...
Setting up fglrx-amdcccle (2:8.582-0ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for libc6 ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place

Is this as norm (I don't like the word error!), did I remove too much when I took out fglrx using synaptic earlier?

I repeated the process, removed the driver and removed the files using the aptitude remove command, however I still get exactly the same outcome as in my previous post.

what exactly does this line mean?:

You must run a dkms build for kernel 2.6.24-19-generic (i686) first

How do I do that?

Do you have any idea what this dkms thing is that keeps screwing things up? I have made building modules on debian for years and never come across it before. Can you do some googling and find out? That's all that I would do to try to see what's going on. Obviously it's been screwing around with your package stuff. This is why I hate these gui type package managers. If you stick with aptitude, things stay simple.
Sorry about the hassle but all this is soooo simple in Debian.

P.S. Curiosity got the better of me and I googled dkms. It appears to be some sort of ubuntu thing. It's not used, AFAIK, in Debian so I have zero experience with it. Maybe you can rip dkms (Dynamic Kernel Module Support) out and we can sort this thing out, our some Ubuntu guru can help you out.
Cheers,
jdk

jdk, thanks for all your help.

I have been trawling through the net, via google, most of last night and at work today. This seems to be a bit of a problem with Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid. I have picked up a few commands to try when I get home (I'm not taking my desktop into work). However if this does not work then I think I will stop wasting my time fiddling around with this, I will either install Ubuntu 8.04 or consider switching distros. I was thinking about Mint or Debian, what can you tell me about Debian, would you recommend it, from what I have read today it seems to be mainly aimed at the server client rather than stand alone PCs. Anyway, just a thought if that solution I saw today doesn't work.

Distros are such a personal thing. Everyone has their own favourite and since people have different tastes this is normal and good. Of course, I would recommend Debian for me because I think like Debian and Debian thinks like me. It is a distro that makes sense to me and that I can run and do (just about) anything I want. But that's me not you. And ... I have my Radeon 9550 working

Any specific questions about Debian you might have I'll be happy to try to answer.
Cheers,
jdk