Entwurf Catalyst

Installation

Catalyst was once a precompiled package offered by Arch in the extra repository, but as of March 2009, official support has been dropped because of dissatisfaction with the quality and speed of development of the proprietary driver. The catalyst driver is available on AUR.

Acquiring the driver

The catalyst driver is available on AUR.

Catalyst was once available in the extra repository, but as of March 2009, official support has been dropped because of dissatisfaction with the quality of the proprietary driver. The driver wasn't compatible with other software delivered by Arch Linux.

Stock and Custom Kernels

You can build AUR's catalyst package via makepkg (recommended) or by using popular AUR's packages manager like bauerbill/yaourt.

Note: You may get an error about the Catalyst package conflicting with libgl. In that case, run the following code to remove libgl without checking dependencies (Catalyst provides libgl package, so this is safe):

# pacman -Rd libgl

After doing this you can install catalyst package using ie. # pacman -U /patch/to/builded/catalyst_package.tar.xz

After installing package you probably need to configure xorg. Using provided aticonfig tool is recommended:

# aticonfig --initial
 (or for Dual Head: # aticonfig --initial=dual-head)
# aticonfig -v

And add nomodeset to your kernel line in /boot/grub/menu.lst , ie.:

kernel /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/sda1 ro nomodeset

Plus add fglrx to the MODULES list in /etc/rc.conf."

You may now reboot your system, or just load fglrx module with:

# modprobe fglrx

and restart/start X.

Now if you have got x86_64 architecture system and want to use some 32-bit opengl programs or wine games you will have to install AUR's lib32-catalyst-utils

Since version 10.6 arch's catalyst package is providing simple script/command called catalyst_build_module which is able to compile and install fglrx module for every kernel you are using. This command is called with every catalyst's package install/update. You may also run it manually as root to build fglrx module for kernel you are currently running.

If you are using more than one kernel - you can simply build fglrx module for whatever kernel you've got without even booting that kernel, do it as root with this command:

# catalyst_build_module kernel_version

where kernel_version is version of kernel for which you want to build fglrx module, more precise example:

# catalyst_build_module 2.6.35-rc4-rc

You may also use this command:

# catalyst_build_module all

to build fglrx module for every working system's kernel.

Use catalyst_build_module remove command to remove every unused fglrx module:

# catalyst_build_module remove

catalyst_build_module is storing all informations about compilling/installig fglrx module in log file placed in /var/log/catalys-install.log. But you don't need to remember it, you will be informed about that fact whenever installation fails.

If you aren't using stock kernel (kernel26) at all - you can remove it from dependency array (depends=) in catalyst's PKGBUILD.

If you need more information on catalyst, visit this thread or create a new one, and ask there.

Automatic re-compilation of fglrx module with every kernel update (important)

Since version 10.7-3 catalyst is optionally providing 'automatic re-compilation of fglrx module with every kernel update' functionality. It is done by a fglrx hook on mkinitcpio with combination of forcing to update package kernel26-headers in first place.

The hook will call catalyst_build_module command to update fglrx module for the version of your new kernel, and additionally it will call catalyst_build_module remove command to remove unneeded flgrx module(s).

This auto re-compilation functionality is bypassing Arch Way by making entries in system's config files (adding fglrx to HOOKS list of /etc/mkinitcpio.conf and adding kernel26-headers to SyncFirst list of /etc/pacman.conf) so it cannot be enabled by default. Although it's recommended to use this feature - especially for people who like comfort or for those who aren't sure will they remember to run 'catalyst_build_module new_kernel_version' after every main kernel update.

It's very easy to enable this functionality, just run this command as root:

# catalyst_build_module auto

You can also turn it off with:

# catalyst_build_module autooff

Note: If you are using this functionality it's important to look at the installation process of kernel26 (or any other kernel) package. fglrx hook will tell you is everything all right.

Note: If your custom kernel is using some non-standard mkinitcpio configuration file (ie. kernel26-zen is using /etc/mkinitcpio-zen.conf) you'll have to manually add fglrx to HOOKS array so it can be auto-recompiled with kernel's update.

Note: If you aren't using stock kernel26 at all and still wanna use auto recompilation you should remove kernel26-headers from SyncFirst list of /etc/pacman.conf after running 'catalyst_build_module auto'.

Troubleshooting

There is some disadvantage of using automatic re-compilation - but should exist only with catalyst < 10.7-2 when kernel26 got some main update (ie. 2.6.34->2.6.35, not 2.6.34.1->2.6.34.2) because package kernel26-headers is installed after kernel26 installation, and so fglrx hook have no headers to build fglrx module. In that situation run:

# catalyst_build_module new_kernel_version

ie. # catalyst_build_module 2.6.35-ARCH just after main kernel26/kernel26-headers update.

Catalyst's repositories

There are some unofficial repositories containing the newest (or older) catalyst packages along with the appropriate libs and software in order to use the driver.

Note: If you want to know what packages are inside any given repository you need to first add repository to pacman.conf and then list repository with pacman -Sl command, ie.:

# pacman -Sl catalyst

[xorg18] repository

Catalyst isn't working with current xorg-server 1.9 (checked also with IgnoreAbi flag) which has just landed in [testing] repository and will be moved to mainline in some short time - that's the reason why [xorg18] repo with xserver 1.8 and some additional packages arrived. To use it you need edit /etc/pacman.conf and add those lines above all other repositories:

For i686 systems:

   [xorg18]
   Server = http://catalyst.apocalypsus.net/repo/xorg18/i686

For x86_64 systems:

   [xorg18]
   Server = http://catalyst.apocalypsus.net/repo/xorg18/x86_64

After doing it use this command:

   pacman -Suu

Main repository

There is a repository called [catalyst] which contains newest stable catalyst driver and some additional packages like patched xorg-server. This repository should now work with any kernel and with multiple-kernels systems (read Stock and Custom Kernels section) and it is updated most frequently. To use it you need as root:

1) Edit /etc/pacman.conf and add those lines above all other repositories:

For i686 systems:

   [catalyst]
   Server = http://catalyst.apocalypsus.net/repo/catalyst/i686

For x86_64 systems:

   [catalyst]
   Server = http://catalyst.apocalypsus.net/repo/catalyst/x86_64

ie. for x86_64 systems pacman.conf should look like:

   (...)
   [catalyst]
   Server = http://catalyst.apocalypsus.net/repo/catalyst/x86_64
   [core]
   # Add your preferred servers here, they will be used first
   Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
   [extra]
   # Add your preferred servers here, they will be used first
   Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
   (...)

2) Update repositories and packages with:

# pacman -Syy
# pacman -Suu

3) Remove libgl package and install catalyst:

# pacman -Rd libgl
# pacman -S catalyst

4) Don't forget to prepare your /etc/X11/xorg.conf for catalyst. Use aticonfig --initial if you don't have prepared xorg.conf. Also add fglrx module to MODULES array in /etc/rc.conf

5) Reboot

[catalyst] repo brings package called catalyst-module-only which provides working fglrx module for stock ARCH kernel. It is directed to people who are getting problems with compilation. Note versioning of this package - ie. 10.7-34 is telling with which catalyst (here 10.7) it is working and which ARCH stock kernel (here 2.6.34-ARCH) it supports.

For x86_64 users [catalyst] provides lib32-catalyst-utils package needed to run 32-bit opengl applications and wine games.

Repository also contains xvba-video package so you may easily use video acceleration described below.

Troubleshooting

Black/grey/white boxes/artifacts mainly in firefox/thunderbird

With catalyst 10.6 AMD/ATi announce new method of 2D acceleration for radeons, that funcionality has fixed problems with maximizing/resizing windows. Unfortunately this step causes bugs for some users. To turn on old (slower xaa) method of 2d rendering please kill your desktop environment and Xserver and type this command as root:

aticonfig --set-pcs-str=DDX,ForceXAA,TRUE

If you do that it's better to use one of patched xorg-server packages delivered by [catalyst] repository.

[catalyst] repository contains xorg-server-backclear (patched with backclear patch) and xorg-server-1.8-catalyst-maximize-fix (patched with fedora patch) packages. Both this patches are fixing problems with maximizing/resizing but they are doing it in different way - you may choose which patched xserver is best for you. To remove xorg-server and install xorg-server-backclear just type:

# pacman -Rd xorg-server
# pacman -S xorg-server-backclear

Similar with xorg-server-1.8-catalyst-maximize-fix.

Xserver segmentation fault

Rebuild your xorg.conf with:

aticonfig --initial

or:

aticonfig --initial --force

(if its still not woking then remove /etc/X11/xorg.conf and use one of these two commands mentioned above)

Keyboard/mouse not working

Please remember that old hal's input config doesn't work with new xorg-server.

Well it should work out of the box with provided with xorg-server 1.8 package files: /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/10-evdev.conf and /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/10-quirks.conf but it could happen that's not working / fitting to you so read more here Arch's Xorg wiki or here Fedora's wiki for Input device configuration but don't forget that in archlinux we are using /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d directory instead of fedora's /etc/xorg.conf.d

Warning: Do not add any new xserver Section into your /etc/X11/xorg.conf - this file is still used by catalyst - i mean ie dont add any Section "InputClass" into xorg.conf because when you do this both aticonfig and amdcccle wont start cause of parsing xorg.conf error (just use /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d directory for it)

Archive repositories

[catalyst-10.7] repository works fine with any kernel<=2.6.36-rc3 and with multiple-kernels systems (read Stock and Custom Kernels section).

For x86_64 users [catalyst-10.7] provides lib32-catalyst-utils package (which should work fine with [multilib] repository) needed to run 32-bit opengl applications and wine games.

For i686:

   [catalyst-10.7]
   Server = http://catalyst.apocalypsus.net/repo/catalyst/i686

For x86_64:

   [catalyst-10.7]
   Server = http://catalyst.apocalypsus.net/repo/catalyst/x86_64

Repository also contains xvba-video package so you may easily use video acceleration described below.

Troubleshooting for this repository is the same as for main one.

[catalyst-10.5] repository works fine with 2.6.34-ARCH kernel and xserver 1.8. xorg-server package here is patched with backclear patch, and xorg-server-1.8-catalyst-maximize-fix package is patched with fedora's backfill patch.

For i686:

   [catalyst-10.5]
   Server = http://catalyst.apocalypsus.net/repo/catalyst/i686

For x86_64:

   [catalyst-10.5]
   Server = http://catalyst.apocalypsus.net/repo/catalyst/x86_64

Note: Archive repositories listed below work only with kernel 2.6.33-ARCH and xserver 1.7. You may find xserver 1.7 packages in [xorg17] repository mentioned below. If you are using kernel other than 2.6.33-ARCH please use one of archive tarballs to build catalyst for your kernel.

[xorg17] repository contains xserver 1.7 packages, use it only if you are experiencing problems with newer xserver 1.8.

[xorg17] repository contains xorg-server-backclear (patched with backclear patch) and xorg-server-1.7-catalyst-maximize-fix (patched with fedora patch) packages. Both this patches fix problems with maximizing/resizing but they are doing it in different way - you may choose which patched xserver is best for you. To remove xorg-server and install xorg-server-backclear just type:

# pacman -Rd xorg-server
# pacman -S xorg-server-backclear

Similar with xorg-server-1.7-catalyst-maximize-fix

To use [xorg17] repo please put those lines at the top of all other repositories in /etc/pacman.conf:

For i686:

   [xorg17]
   Server = http://catalyst.apocalypsus.net/repo/xorg17/i686

For x86_64:

   [xorg17]
   Server = http://catalyst.apocalypsus.net/repo/xorg17/x86_64

catalyst-10.6 works well with xserver-1.7, got opengl 3.3/4 support, brings new 2D acceleration support, got some problems with gamma, wine games, and texturing in basing on q3a engine games:

For i686:

   [catalyst-10.6]
   Server = http://catalyst.apocalypsus.net/repo/catalyst-archive/i686

For x86_64:

   [catalyst-10.6]
   Server = http://catalyst.apocalypsus.net/repo/catalyst-archive/x86_64

If you are experiencing known bugs/errors (ie. lots of artifacts) with catalyst 10.6 you may still use older catalyst-10.5 or catalyst-10.4 or catalyst-10.3 repositories.

catalyst-10.5 and catalyst-10.4 repositories contain xorg-server (for this repositories patched with backclear patch) and xorg-server-1.7-catalyst-maximize-fix (patched with fedora patch) packages. Both this patches fix problems with maximizing/resizing but they are doing it in different way - you may choose which patched xserver is best for you. To remove xorg-server and install xorg-server-1.7-catalyst-maximize-fix just type:

# pacman -Rd xorg-server
# pacman -S xorg-server-1.7-catalyst-maximize-fix

catalyst-10.5 works well with xserver-1.7, got opengl 3.3/4 support, but still got some problems with gamma, wine games, and texturing in basing on q3a engine games:

For i686:

   [catalyst-10.5]
   Server = http://catalyst.apocalypsus.net/repo/catalyst-archive/i686

For x86_64:

   [catalyst-10.5]
   Server = http://catalyst.apocalypsus.net/repo/catalyst-archive/x86_64

catalyst-10.5 repository also contains libva-sds, mplayer-vaapi and xvba-video packages so you may easily use video acceleration described below.

If you don't like catalyst-10.5 you may still use older catalyst 10.4 which work well with xserver-1.7, but still got some problems with gamma and wine games:

For i686:

   [catalyst-10.4]
   Server = http://catalyst.apocalypsus.net/repo/catalyst-archive/i686

For x86_64:

   [catalyst-10.4]
   Server = http://catalyst.apocalypsus.net/repo/catalyst-archive/x86_64

Or catalyst-10.3. Catalyst 10.3 is still using old xserver 1.6, which is also provided by [catalyst-10.3] repository.

To use catalyst-10.3 you need as root:

1) Edit /etc/pacman.conf and add those lines above all other repositories: For i686:

   [catalyst-10.3]
   Server = http://catalyst.apocalypsus.net/repo/catalyst-archive/i686

For x86_64:

   [catalyst-10.3]
   Server = http://catalyst.apocalypsus.net/repo/catalyst-archive/x86_64

2) Sync and downgrade packages with this commands

# pacman -Syy
# pacman -Suu

3) Remove xf86-video-ati and ati-dri packages if you have them installed.

4) (Recommended) If you dont like speed of xorg-server - remove it:

# pacman -Rd xorg-server

and try xorg-server-catalyst-maximize-fix:

# pacman -S xorg-server-catalyst-maximize-fix

5) Remove libgl and install catalyst:

# pacman -Rd libgl
# pacman -S catalyst

6) Don't forget to prepare your /etc/X11/xorg.conf for catalyst. Use aticonfig --initial if you don't have prepared xorg.conf. Also add fglrx module to MODULES array in /etc/rc.conf

7) Reboot

ATI/AMD Installer

Warning: Using the installer from ati.com/amd.com is NOT recommended for inexperienced users! Doing so may cause file conflicts and X failures. The packages available through pacman are configured specifically for Arch Linux and so should be used instead.

If you have attempted a manual install from the official installer, and are finding that nothing works correctly anymore, there should be an uninstall script placed at /usr/share/ati - run that, then try the pacman packages.

If you must use the installer from ATI/AMD for some reason, the following steps might work for you:

Download AMD/ATI driver installer from the official site only.
Make it executable.
Execute a terminal emulator (e.g Konsole) and be root.
Install mesa package

   pacman -S mesa

(Re)Install Xorg
Check for other required things for ATI/AMD installer listed on their website

   #pacman -Q | grep NameOfPackage

Use aticonfig as described below to update xorg.conf
Add ModulesPath into xorg.conf pointing at fglrx.so module if necessary

Notizen Gaming with MythTV

Before starting the game, trigger "xset s off; xset -dpms" seperated by ";", and after closing the game turn it on with "xset s on; xset +dpms"