Please, Help with ATI Radeon Xpress X200M

[Voltron]

Hello, xenopeek & fellow Linux Minters:

Xenopeek, as requested from your previous post (http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=122257), I am including a new topic here, for my specific issue. Yes, this is another ATI video card-related issue, unfortunately. I have been a Windows person all my life, but, I have been playing with Linux and Linux Mint for about a year, now. I love the idea behind Linux and Linux Mint and I really like what I have seen with Linux Mint and the Mint community. I hope we can get this system working (fingers crossed).

My nephew purchased a Toshiba notebook computer and I reinstalled Windows XP on it, for him. With the demise of XP, I would love to install Linux Mint 17 (32-bit), Cinnamon Edition on it. Using a DVD, I am able to install Linux Mint 17 (32-bit), Cinnamon Edition on it, with some finagling. I am able to use your steps, from this post, http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=122257, and get to these steps:

1. Add the boot parameters "nomodeset xforcevesa" (without the quotes, see red box in the screenshot). As you type, it will wrap to the next line on the screen and show a backslash character at the end of the previous line. That's fine. Press Ctrl+X or F10 to continue to boot.

2. If you followed these steps, but you are still unable to boot successfully, please make a new topic for that and ask for help.

This is where I am. By using "nomodeset xforcevesa," I can get the system to boot up; however, within Linux Mint 17, under “Driver Manager,” no additional graphics drivers are being offered. So, I am creating this post, specifically, for this system, as suggested. Thank you ahead of time. Here are the specifics of this particular system:

Brand: Toshiba Satellite notebook computer
CPU: Intel Celeron M 390 (1.70 GHz) (without Hyper Threading)
Chipset: ATI Radeon XPRESS 200M
Integrated GPU: ATI Radeon Xpress X200M (64 MB shared memory)
Monitor: 15.4-inch TrueBrite (WXGA) TFT Active Matrix LCD, with a native resolution of 1280 x 800

So, is this going to be possible? Please, let me know if you need anything else from me. Needless to say, I look forward to hearing from you and again, thank you!

[Mark Phelps]

within Linux Mint 17, under “Driver Manager,” no additional graphics drivers are being offered.

That's because there are NO fglrx drivers available for that Radeon card -- and have not been for YEARS.

Any drivers you find from AMD will not work with any Mint version newer than 13, and maybe, not even then.

[Voltron]

Hi, Mark:

Unfortunately, that is what I thought I was finding, during my research. When I first started looking at Linux and Linux Mint, nearly one year ago, I tried Linux Mint 13 (Cinnamon Edition), on this same machine. I experienced the same graphics-based issues, unfortunately. So, I was hoping that Linux Mint 17 would produce a better result. Now, one year later, having researched this issue more, I have been surprised finding this to be the case.

Just for clarification, as I understand it, this will be the case for, essentially, any Linux-based distribution, newer than Linux Mint 13, as the drivers were pulled by AMD? Is that correct? So, Debian, Ubuntu, any Ubuntu-based distribution, etc. will have this same issue, since the drivers no longer exist? If so, this means this machine is finished.

[Mark Phelps]

Just for clarification, as I understand it, this will be the case for, essentially, any Linux-based distribution, newer than Linux Mint 13, as the drivers were pulled by AMD? Is that correct?

Not exactly ...

What happened is that, starting with Ubuntu 12.04.2, the X-server was upgraded from the existing version -- and the new version required changes to existing AMD restricted drivers for them to continue to work. But at that time, AMD ceased development on their Linux drivers for their HD 2x/3xd/4x-series cards. Thus, any Ubuntu version newer than 12.04.1, and any Mint version newer than 13, will not work with the AMD restricted drivers for those cards due to incompatibility with the newer X-server versions.

It's not that the drivers were "pulled"; instead, it's that AMD decided to stop development on the drivers, thus rendering them obsolete.

The same thing happened years ago when AMD dropped support for its X-series cards.

On the other hand, the open-source drivers DO work with older cards and recent Ubuntu and Mint versions, they just don't offer all the features of the AMD restricted drivers.

[Voltron]

Hello, again, Mark:

Thank you for your very informative post; it is greatly helpful to this Linux Mint newbie. So, if I understand what you are saying and since I have not and would rather not attempt to install any restricted or proprietary drivers from AMD, by using the open-source drivers that are already included in Linux Mint, what should my ATI Radeon Xpress X200M GPU be able to do, in a new Linux Mint 17 (Cinnamon Edition) 32-bit installation? Again, if I understand what you are saying, my "X-series" card should work, with the open-source/built-in driver, correct? Is it a matter of to what degree it will work? Would I be better off trying an installation of Linux Mint 17, only with the MATE or Xfce desktop, instead? If I understand the differences here, the GPU requirements for these desktop installations are a little more forgiving? So, I might see a better desktop performance, with the open-source/built-in drivers, using Mint 17, with the MATE or Xfce desktop?

Or, going back to my original attempt, nearly a year ago, would I be better off trying Linux Mint 13, again, with either the Cinnamon, MATE, or Xfce desktop? Preferably, I would rather use Linux Mint 17, if that is going to be possible. I hope I am not beating a "dead horse" here; I'm trying to wrap my head around these "new" issues to me, in this new environment. Your help and patience are greatly appreciated, Mark...and everyone else.

Thanks!

[Mark Phelps]

You will get a more responsive desktop using Mate, since it does not expect a hardware accelerated video card/chipset. Just don't expect miracles.

As to going back to Mint 13, you could do that but understand that you'll also be going backwared in app versions to those available years ago.

[Voltron]

Hi, Mark:

Yes, that was pretty much what I was thinking. Thank you for the confirmation.

[Voltron]

Hello, everyone:

I am happy to report that by using Linux Mint 17.1 (32-bit), with the MATE desktop, this older notebook computer is working well, once again. Thanks to everyone for their assistance; it is greatly appreciated.

[Mark Phelps]

Glad to see you got it working!