Video drivers on laptop with ATI card.

[Charles Tuckey]

On 12/13/06, Phil Meyer <pmeyer at themeyerfarm.com> wrote:
> Dotan Cohen wrote:
> > On 13/12/06, Phil Meyer <pmeyer at themeyerfarm.com> wrote:
> >> Dotan Cohen wrote:
> >> > What drivers will I need to install on a Dell laptop with this video
> >> > card:
> >> > Part#320-4655: 256MB ATI MOBILITY RADEON X1400 HyperMemory, for
> >> > Inspiron 6400/E1505
> >> >
> >> > I understand that there are open source drivers and proprietary
> >> > drivers- what are the advantages and disadvantages of them? One of
> >> > them has suspend problems and the other has drawing problems, no? Do I
> >> > need to compile my own kernels?
> >> >
> >> > Dotan Cohen
> >> >
> >> > http://lyricslist.com/lyrics/artist_albums/616/yukmouth.php
> >> > http://what-is-what.com/what_is/voip.html
> >> >
> >>
> >> Tricky, that one.
> >>
> >> The radeon drivers don't know about that card.  Its fairly new.
> >> It will default to the vesa driver which does not like the newer wide
> >> screen resolutions.  You will get a graphical display, but probably not
> >> the correct resolution.
> >>
> >> The ATI drivers do work.  The downloadable drivers from ATI are capable
> >> of generating an appropriate rpm for FC6.
> >>
> >> no need to compile a kernel
> >>
> >> See the redblog at phoronix.com
> >
> > Well, I don't see any mention of my card.
> The ATI X1400 is your card
> > Does that mean that it won't
> > be supported but will be usable, or that it won't be usable.
> It is not supported in the open source radeon driver (yet).  The vesa
> driver will work, kinda.
> > Can't I
> > just update the X config file with the correct screen resolution?
> > Should I be asking these questions on the X list?
> The vesa driver cannot do the wide screen resolutions as mentioned, ie:
> 1920x1200, 1920,1080, 1600x1200, 1600x1080, or 1280x800.
>
> Not knowing what specific display you ordered, we can only guess what
> will happen.  My guess it that you will get 1280x1024, or 1024x768, and
> that it will look 'funny' but usable.  That is what vesa is for -- it
> just works when nothing else will.
> >

I have a Dell Inspiron 9400 with the ATI X1400 card. You will need to
install the ATI  driver to use it properly but the vesa driver will do
until you can do that. You might want to
look at http://inspironlinux.blogspot.com where I'm documenting
setting up my laptop with FC6. It's not a "how-to" by any stretch of
the imagination but you might find something useful. I haven't posted
how to actually do the driver install yet. That's the next post,
should be up in a couple days. As the other poster said, phoronix.com
is a good site too.

charlie