AMD Drivers?

[GuRu Asaki]

I've got a:

ASUS ROG Maximus Motherboard
Intel I7 CPU
Linux Mint 20.1 Ulyssa Cinnamon
AMD R9 290X (Overclocked)

Anyone Got A GPU Driver Install Guide For This Setup?

[AndyMcDandyCDN]

Look at this page.

https://linuxconfig.org/amd-radeon-ubuntu-20-04-driver-installation

[GuRu Asaki]

Originally posted by AndyMcDandyCDN:

Look at this page.

https://linuxconfig.org/amd-radeon-ubuntu-20-04-driver-installation

Yes, but I have Linux Mint, I don't have Ubuntu...

Is this still relevant to my situation?

[AndyMcDandyCDN]

Mint is based on Ubuntu.

[vengador42]

Given that Linux Mint 20.1 is based on Ubuntu (<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_Mint_version_history>) and that the AMD R9 290X is an older card (<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radeon_Rx_200_series>), the OS has probably already installed the best driver available, which is probably Mesa. I have a box with a loosely similar generation AMD GPU that I've run on Mesa for a number of years now. It's been a bit since I looked, but as I recall, the Mesa driver for your and my GPU is fairly mature and definitely better than the last proprietary one provided by AMD. You may be able to get a bit "extra" from running bleeding edge drivers rather than the latest one provided by Ubuntu/Mint, but it's probably not generally worth the hassle like it might have been a few years ago.

Perhaps someone else will provide something else, but the page provided by @AndyMcDandyCDN is probably in the right direction based on a quick glance and based on Linux Mint 20.1 being based on Ubuntu 20.04.

[GuRu Asaki]

Originally posted by AndyMcDandyCDN:

Mint is based on Ubuntu.

Alright... I know that Ubuntu is a separate thing from Linux Mint,
but I also know a few things on Linux Mint actually uses Ubuntu in their Names,
so i'm usually confused by what to look under when trying to Install Something
on Linux Mint...

So i'm usually looking for Linux Mint specific things that I Install...

I've only had Linux for a short time now...

I wasn't aware GPU Drivers for Ubuntu would work for Linux Mint...

Do you know how far back these Drivers go?
I've been avoiding the 2020 Drivers... (Don't Like The Drivers)


PS: On Windows 10? My GPU supports 2 different Driver Softwares...
It supports both Gigabyte & AMD... So I dunno
which is likely installed for Linux By Default.

I get no Sound from it at all, though. Is this Normal for Linux?

[vengador42]

AFAIK, the latest Mesa drivers provided with the OS (presumably from Ubuntu since I don't think the Mint project would want to change them) should be what you want unless there are known issues for your graphics card that are in the latest, but not in older ones, which I doubt.

[GuRu Asaki]

Originally posted by vengador42:

AFAIK, the latest Mesa drivers provided with the OS (presumably from Ubuntu since I don't think the Mint project would want to change them) should be what you want unless there are known issues for your graphics card that are in the latest, but not in older ones, which I doubt.

Well, there is known issues... Sound doesn't work, no software was present in Linux,
Nothing in terms of Configuring... Also, mostly just there is no Sound from the GPU,
i'm still working out the Sound issue with my ASUS Sound Card, but for now it seemed
that Sound from the GPU might be a good Temporary Fix. Scept it hasn't been working
either.

My Desktop doesn't Display Wallpapers correctly either. Their Blurry, Dim Lighting,
Blended looking, & strangely worst looking then on Windows 10 Pro, even the
Back Lighting isn't working. Could this be a GPU Driver issue?

[vengador42]

The GPU shouldn't be all that involved with sound unless you're getting sound through an HDMI port on your GPU or something. I suspect your issue is with something other than the GPU drivers. They may only be tied together in the sense that the kernel has modules for both the GPU and sound, but it seems like this might be an issue more related to the sound driver or its configuration.

I'm unclear on what you mean by "no software was present in Linux". Maybe you meant something different than I'm thinking of by "2020 Drivers" in your previous comment.

[vengador42]

Generally speaking, "driver" issues on Linux are more about choosing the correct kernel module to load and configuring it. Once that's done successfully, Linux usually "just works" when comes to drivers. An distribution like Ubuntu/Mint is more likely to do that for you, with success, especially for hardware that's been out there awhile. I'm assuming your motherboard is of a similar vintage to your GPU.

[GuRu Asaki]

Originally posted by vengador42:

The GPU shouldn't be all that involved with sound unless you're getting sound through an HDMI port on your GPU or something. I suspect your issue is with something other than the GPU drivers. They may only be tied together in the sense that the kernel has modules for both the GPU and sound, but it seems like this might be an issue more related to the sound driver or its configuration.

I'm unclear on what you mean by "no software was present in Linux". Maybe you meant something different than I'm thinking of by "2020 Drivers" in your previous comment.

AMD Adrenaline GPU Software
---------------------------------
Sharpness
Gamma
Video Enhancing
AMD ReLive - For Twitch & OBS Streaming
GPU Scaling
Anti-Aliasing
Super Resolution
G-Sync, A-Sync, Radeon Chill, Frame Rate Control & Such


Things like this come with the Software on Windows 10...

I'm aware Linux is different, but nothing for Configuring at all? o_@

My GPU uses both HDMI & DVI for Video, so I was hoping the HDMI
from my GPU would provide Sound as a Temporary Work Around for
my ASUS Sound Card not providing any Sound from Surround Speakers.



I'm assuming your motherboard is of a similar vintage to your GPU.

Yes, I had to Upgrade in Dec. 2019 for a New PC Setup, but had
to Delay the Upgrade due to 2020 & such, & such problems got
in the way... I was going with a Fresh New Top of the line PC, guess
that will have to wait for a later time, if I ever get it at all...

[vengador42]

I'll let someone else more familiar with such things comment on the type of settings that might be available on Linux that are similar to those provided by that part of AMD's software on Windows.

As for the sound issue, now that you mention multiple outputs, perhaps it's a matter of selecting the desired output in Pulseaudio, which I assume Linux Mint also inherits from Ubuntu.

Look for "PulseAudio Volume Control" in the GUI or the /usr/bin/pavucontrol command at a command prompt, both should refer to the same GUI-based app. Install the package if it's missing:

sudo apt install pavucontrol

Once there, check for a chosen audio-playing app, such as your favorite web browser playing a Youtube video you know has sound, in the Playback tab, then select you chosen audio output device in the drop-down box. (The list of those currently known as "live" are also in the Output Devices tab.) The sound level meter of your chosen app should be able to demonstrate that sound is currently available from that app.

If no apps are listed when you know at least have sound currently playing (I assume either Applications or All streams is selected in the "Show" drop-down box in the lower right of the Playback tab), then perhaps Mint doesn't use Pulseaudio.

[AbedsBrother]

Originally posted by GuRu Asaki:

Originally posted by vengador42:

The GPU shouldn't be all that involved with sound unless you're getting sound through an HDMI port on your GPU or something. I suspect your issue is with something other than the GPU drivers. They may only be tied together in the sense that the kernel has modules for both the GPU and sound, but it seems like this might be an issue more related to the sound driver or its configuration.

I'm unclear on what you mean by "no software was present in Linux". Maybe you meant something different than I'm thinking of by "2020 Drivers" in your previous comment.

AMD Adrenaline GPU Software
---------------------------------
Sharpness
Gamma
Video Enhancing
AMD ReLive - For Twitch & OBS Streaming
GPU Scaling
Anti-Aliasing
Super Resolution
G-Sync, A-Sync, Radeon Chill, Frame Rate Control & Such


Things like this come with the Software on Windows 10...

I'm aware Linux is different, but nothing for Configuring at all? o_@

There is no official software suite from Radeon from Linux.

- If you want simple overclocking and fan control, use Corectrl or Radeon-profile.
- For video game enhancement (sharpness, gamma, post-process anti-aliasing etc) use vkBasalt.
- For video recording and streaming, use OBS. If the ffmpeg-vaapi plugin works (it can be fussy), system usage while recording is comparable to ReLive (meaning it uses very few resources).
- To limit frame-rate, you can use Mangohud.
- Super Resolution, Chill etc are not implemented on Linux afaik

There is something else you may need to do, as well: the R9 290X is GCN2 iirc. This defaults to the older radeon driver in Linux, not the vulkan-compatible amdgpu. You'll need to edit the os boot parameters so that Mint chooses the correct driver when booting. Haven't needed to do it myself, but I've heard it's not too hard.
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1306279/how-to-switch-radeon-to-amdgpu

[xdshot]

Should work out of box

[vengador42]

Originally posted by AbedsBrother:

There is something else you may need to do, as well: the R9 290X is GCN2 iirc. This defaults to the older radeon driver in Linux, not the vulkan-compatible amdgpu. You'll need to edit the os boot parameters so that Mint chooses the correct driver when booting. Haven't needed to do it myself, but I've heard it's not too hard.
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1306279/how-to-switch-radeon-to-amdgpu

Good point. I had forgotten about this and had done this on my own box with a GPU of that era.

[GuRu Asaki]

@vengador42
- You & Some Other People Mentioned "PulseAudio" Before.
- How Compatible Is PulseAudio With Different Drivers?
- Does Pulse Audio Fix Driver Issues In AMD Audio?
- Does Pulse Audio Fix Driver Issues In RealTek Audio?
- What About ASUS Sound Card Related Audio Issues?
- Are There Any Other Solutions Besides Pulse Audio? (?Any Other Options?)
- Does Pulse Audio Work With 7.1 or 7.2 & Higher Surround?
- Does Pulse Audio Conflict With The Default Linux PulseAudio Or Update It Or No?

@AbedsBrother
- This Was Actually A Big Help, Thank You...
(I'll Report Back If This Fixes Things)

@xdshot
- AGREED (But For Now, This Is A Work Around)
- I Tend To Find It Hard To Work With Things (That Don't Work Out Of Box)
- Things Like This Should Really Be Updated By Devs, & Not Fixed by General Users
- Luckely, We Got At Least Some Users Who Know A Bit Of The Subject To Help

@vengador42
- Yes, The GPU I Have Is Not New
- Problem Is? How Will This Change Effect My PC?
- Newest Windows Drivers From 2019 / 2020 Edition Seem To Be Broken
- Hopefully, The Same Result Won't Happen With Linux Mint 20.1 BETA