Is there a linux driver supporting AMD Radeon HD 6490M in switchable graphics mode?

[trenthawkins]

Hi folks,

I am thinking of buying the latest Dell Vostro 3350 with AMD Radeontm HD 6490M GDDR5, 512MB, which can switch to the onboard Intel graphics card.

However i use Linux (Linux Mint Debian Edition & Mepis) and want to be sure that there is a version of the proprietary fglrx driver that can allow me to enable the switching capability.

I have read on Phoronix that the latest drivers can enable a manual switch via rebooting X, however i haven't seen anywhere that lists this particular graphics card as being supported.

Can someone please help.

[dogsleg]

Sorry for little off-topic

I don't know about switching between integrated Intel and discrete Radeon. But switching between integrated Radeon 4250 and discrete Radeon 6650M works on my HP Pavilion dv6-6030er with fglrx 11.7.

And yes, it's a manual switching via restarting X, which is not very comfortable, but there's no any other option.

[yell]

Hi folks,

I am thinking of buying the latest Dell Vostro 3350 with AMD Radeontm HD 6490M GDDR5, 512MB, which can switch to the onboard Intel graphics card.

However i use Linux (Linux Mint Debian Edition & Mepis) and want to be sure that there is a version of the proprietary fglrx driver that can allow me to enable the switching capability.

I have read on Phoronix that the latest drivers can enable a manual switch via rebooting X, however i haven't seen anywhere that lists this particular graphics card as being supported.

Can someone please help.

I don't know how is the ubuntu-based distros situation but I can tell you that on archlinux it is possible. If I am not wrong, there is a package with a script to change xorg.conf settings: that permits use of intel integrated or ati dedicated.
Rebooting X is necessary.
In my opinion if you are going to use linux at full time and do not want issues, I suggest you to buy a laptop with integrated only graphics:
no problems at all
no crappy scripts
less energy consumption
Obviously take my opinion in consideration ONLY IF you don't need a dedicated graphic chipset (office work and no games at all. Integrated graphics chipset can handle 720p HD movies well, in my opinion).

Or get an nvidia-based one when Optimus drivers for linux will be ready.

Sorry for little off-topic

I don't know about switching between integrated Intel and discrete Radeon. But switching between integrated Radeon 4250 and discrete Radeon 6650M works on my HP Pavilion dv6-6030er with fglrx 11.7.

And yes, it's a manual switching via restarting X, which is not very comfortable, but there's no any other option.

I have a dv6-3000 series with Ati HD4250 (integrated) + Ati HD5470 (dedicated)
How you can switch? from AMDCCLE?
Thanks

[trenthawkins]

Thanks for the advise yell, unfortunately given my budget range and the limited freedom Dell gives you to vary the specs on their laptops i ended up buying the Vostro 3350 with switchable graphics.

Sad to say that unfortunately i do not have properly functioning graphics on linux (and windows for that matter) and i am stumped as to how to make it work.

11.6 does not support my card, and 11.7 returned installation error.

I am running LMDE and i even switched to Debian Sid to see if i could install Fglrx 11.8 via the standard approach for Debian (wiki.debian.org/ATIProprietary) did not work. Doing it this way gave me an error saying that it could not find SwitchLibGl1 and the installation aborted.

In the end i downloaded the installer from AMD's website and ran the GUI and the driver and controller installed fine. Unfortunately my screen flickers regularly (any help here would be appreciated) and i cannot use PowerXpress to change cards. If i use the GUI it just returns an error, if i enter aticonfig --px-igpu the intel card activates but the screen hangs on X reboot.

Obviously things might improve as the fglrx moves into the official repositories, but for now i'm stuck.

Nonetheless i suspect VGA Switcheroo should work fine, however i haven't taken the time to investigate. Moreover i have a problem when running the OSS Radeon driver - the fan on the CPU runs continously and my battery drains rapidly (i am getting ~8 hrs on Windows).

If i don't get any responses here i will add this to the Catalyst 11.8 thread.

[dogsleg]

I have a dv6-3000 series with Ati HD4250 (integrated) + Ati HD5470 (dedicated)
How you can switch? from AMDCCLE?
Thanks

Yes, via AMDCCLE.

Switching didn't work for me with 11.6 (only integrated graphics was available, but there was an option in AMDCCLE to switch), but when I installed 11.7 it switched to discrete graphics by default. When I want to use integrated graphics I run AMDCCLE and choose it, then restart X. Switching to discrete graphics need the same steps.

I confirm that switching is working with 11.8.

[yell]

Thanks for the advise yell, unfortunately given my budget range and the limited freedom Dell gives you to vary the specs on their laptops i ended up buying the Vostro 3350 with switchable graphics.

Sad to say that unfortunately i do not have properly functioning graphics on linux (and windows for that matter) and i am stumped as to how to make it work.

11.6 does not support my card, and 11.7 returned installation error.

I am running LMDE and i even switched to Debian Sid to see if i could install Fglrx 11.8 via the standard approach for Debian (wiki.debian.org/ATIProprietary) did not work. Doing it this way gave me an error saying that it could not find SwitchLibGl1 and the installation aborted.

In the end i downloaded the installer from AMD's website and ran the GUI and the driver and controller installed fine. Unfortunately my screen flickers regularly (any help here would be appreciated) and i cannot use PowerXpress to change cards. If i use the GUI it just returns an error, if i enter aticonfig --px-igpu the intel card activates but the screen hangs on X reboot.

Obviously things might improve as the fglrx moves into the official repositories, but for now i'm stuck.

Nonetheless i suspect VGA Switcheroo should work fine, however i haven't taken the time to investigate. Moreover i have a problem when running the OSS Radeon driver - the fan on the CPU runs continously and my battery drains rapidly (i am getting ~8 hrs on Windows).

If i don't get any responses here i will add this to the Catalyst 11.8 thread.

try with vga switcheroo
i do not know debian systems
ensure that exists /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/10-monitor.conf (xorg.conf is deprecated)
Look at Device section. Driver fglrx must be in if you want to use dedicated graphics. Intel for integrated graphics.
If you use intel, I think that you have to load fglrx kernel module at startup for enery saving.

I had your problems, like head and fan at 100%, because the drivers where not correctly loaded.
Now they are loaded when X starts.

my 10-monitor.conf:

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier "Monitor0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier "Device0"
	Driver "fglrx"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen0"
	Device "Device0"
	Monitor "Monitor0"
	DefaultDepth 24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth 24
		Modes "1366x736"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

[yell]

the only way is trying
I'm a noob in linux so I cannot say if it works on every linux distro.
I can only report my experience with my archlinux distro.

I prefer to use 10-monitor.conf file, but the xorg.conf syntax is the same.

I don't have intel graphics.
I have ATI integrated + dedicated (fusion technology on a laptop computer), so it semplify the problem because I have only to load fglrx driver.
I never tried vga switcheroo (cause I do not need it).

In archlinux I can't switch from integrated to dedicated with AMDCCLE, yet. Catalyst 11.8 installed, but AMDCCCLE reports 11.5 (my first catalyst install).
I'm too noob to debug it.

NB: fglrx driver is the catalyst proprietary driver. Make sure you installed it.

I had your problems, like heaT and fan at 100%, because the drivers where not correctly loaded.

heat, not head. Sorry. I didn't see it.