How to Install ATI Driver
Contents |
Things to have
In order to install the AMD/ATI official driver you will require the following:
- The latest driver from AMD found on this page: [1].
- You need to have the kernel-source and kernel-headers packages installed.
kernel-source is not installed with the default OS. You will need to run 'slapt-get -i kernel-source' from a root terminal to install it.
Installation
In a root terminal run the following command
# sh ati-driver-installer-XX.X-XXX.run --buildpkg Slackware/All
That should create two standard Slackware packages, one for the kernel module and another for the binary driver, install both of them using installpkg
# installpkg fglrx-module-XXXXX_kernel_XXXX.tgz #the kernel module # installpkg fglrx-xXXXXX.tgz #the driver itself
Just to be sure the driver is going to work check the /etc/fstab file to see if this line is present, if it's not add it
tmpfs /dev/shm tmpfs defaults 0 0
Configuring your system
To make the driver work you'll need an xorg.conf file. In order to create a minimal working xorg.conf file run the following command
# aticonfig --initial
And you're ready to go, just reboot your computer and enjoy your 3D acceleration.
Upgrading your Kernel or mesa version
If you upgrade your kernel version after installing the driver, you have to rebuild the kernel module, you can do so with this command
# sh ati-driver-installer-XX.X-XXX.run --buildpkg Slackware/Only_Module
Then install the new package as usual
# installpkg fglrx-module-XXXXX_kernel_XXXX.tgz
Be sure that the kernel, kernel-sources and kernel-header versions match or you'll have a big mess.
If you upgrade your mesa libraries version you have to rebuild or just reinstall the driver --depending if you changed kernel versions too-- in order to use the ATI's OpenGL libraries needed by the driver
# sh ati-driver-installer-XX.X-XXX.run --buildpkg Slackware/Only_X
And the install the package new package with installpkg
# installpkg fglrx-xXXXXX.tgz
Uninstalling the Drivers
If for whatever reason you don't want no use the drivers anymore and want to remove them just use removepkg to uninstall the kernel-module and the driver packages If you uninstall the drivers make sure to reinstall the 'mesa' package, because the ATI driver override mesa's OpenGL libraries with it's own.
