Ubuntu – ATI/AMD proprietary FGLRX graphics install fails, how can I resolve the problem?

jockeysoftware installation

I want to activate ATI/AMD proprietary FGLRX graphics driver (post-release update), but there is a problem during installation. It says:

Sorry, installation of this driver failed.

Please have a look at the log file for details: /var/log/jockey.log

How can I install this driver?

Best Answer

Remove and purge the current version, then install the updates:

sudo apt-get --purge remove fglrx*
sudo apt-get install fglrx-updates fglrx-amdcccle-updates
Reboot

Making sure fglrx is fully removed is an important step. It didn't work for me the first time I tried to install the updates and in the end I removed each fglrx package individually, purged each one individually, removed no longer dependencies sudo apt-get autoremove, rebooted, then installed the updates sudo apt-get install fglrx-updates fglrx-amdcccle-updates, rebooted, and (as of writing) I got catalyst version 11.11 (which still doesn't work with gnome3).

12.10

21 Oct 2012 - fglrx is not working in 12.10, see bug report.
4 Jan 2013 - no fix yet, bug reports are on fire,
27 July 2013 - Still no fix sigh

12.10 Troubleshooting

If you have problems with graphics after installing or updating to 12.10, you will need to remove fglrx and use open source drivers:

    $ sudo apt-get remove fglrx*

If you get stuck on a warning about "low graphics":

Open the terminal Ctrl+Alt+F1
Remove fglrx: sudo apt-get remove fglrx*
Reboot: sudo reboot

For more see the SO question Can't install ATI proprietary drivers in 12.10.

13.04

27 July 2013 - fglrx does not work. sigh

Notes

What packages are currently installed? dpkg -l fglrx*

$ dpkg -l fglrx*
un  fglrx          <none>         (no description available)
un  fglrx-amdcccle <none>         (no description available)
ii  fglrx-amdcccle 2:8.911-0ubunt Catalyst Control Center for the AMD graphics
un  fglrx-control  <none>         (no description available)
un  fglrx-control- <none>         (no description available)
un  fglrx-driver   <none>         (no description available)
un  fglrx-kernel-s <none>         (no description available)
un  fglrx-modalias <none>         (no description available)
ii  fglrx-updates  2:8.911-0ubunt Video driver for the AMD graphics accelerato

What do the various dpkg flags like 'ii' 'rc' mean?

Confirm the drivers are working fglrxinfo

$ fglrxinfo 
display: :0  screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: AMD Radeon HD 6300M Series
OpenGL version string: 4.2.11733 Compatibility Profile Context

For Catalyst <=11.11 with gnome <=3.2 Expect screen flickering and system hangs.
AMD Catalyst Proprietary Display Driver - Linux x86 & Linux x86_64
Get device information: lspci or verbose lspci -vv

Related Solutions

Ubuntu – Upgrade ATI Catalyst Control Center

I know when I have reinstalled fglrx I have usually done what you have done but slightly differently as I have usually had to go back to the open source versions for a while.

I found this guide to be really helpful

Ati Ubuntu Wiki

However this worked for me last time and got rid of pretty much all of the ati/fglrx stuff left on my pc

sudo /usr/share/ati/fglrx-uninstall.sh  # (if it exists)


sudo apt-get remove --purge fglrx*

As a further measure I also check what else is left

dpkg -l '*fglrx*'

and

locate fglrx

I also make sure I have a correct set of open source drviers installed

sudo apt-get remove --purge xserver-xorg-video-ati xserver-xorg-video-radeon 
sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-video-ati
sudo apt-get install --reinstall libgl1-mesa-glx libgl1-mesa-dri xserver-xorg-core
sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

I then rebuild the the proprietary fglrx/Catalyst driver to be installable through the Restricted Hardware Driver Manager (a.k.a. jockey)

 sudo apt-get install fglrx-modaliases

After these have all been completed I reboot and now the open source drviers are working AND xserver-xorg has bene rebuilt I reinstall fglrx

sudo apt-get install fglrx

That seemed to do the trick last time.

Let us know how you get on

Ubuntu – Ati Radeon HD 3200 Graphics driver – Installation Problem

This line is tricky..

debconf libstdc++6 dkms libqtgui4 wget execstack libelfg0 dh-modaliases

is actually a continuation on for the previous line. So it should be

sudo apt-get install build-essential cdbs fakeroot dh-make debhelper debconf libstdc++6 dkms libqtgui4 wget execstack libelfg0 dh-modaliases

in one line