AMD driver stuff

[J V]

Hi guys. It's been years since I needed advice or help with something graphics related, but it's also the first time in my life that I'm using an AMD gpu. (I'd heard the drivers were better. They are.)

So I have a few questions/issues/etcetera I'm just going to list out here.

Software
I'm running on xfce 4.12, with kernel 4.18 in debian unstable. I think I'm using mesa, but I'm a total noob when it comes to AMD so I couldn't swear on it. Compositing works since I have translucent windows, and GL works too. I can play games, but the performance isn't much better than before when eyeballing it. Unfortunately, I can't check my GPU's performance compared to my old card, because glxgears is locked to the refresh rate. (It wasn't under nvidia)

Code: Select all

$ xfce4-about -V
xfce4-about 4.12.1 (Xfce 4.12)

Copyright (c) 2008-2015
	The Xfce development team. All rights reserved.

Please report bugs to <http://bugzilla.xfce.org/>.
Translators list from 2015-03-15 16:44:46.
$ uname -a
Linux xxxxxxx 4.18.0-2-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 4.18.10-2 (2018-10-07) x86_64 GNU/Linux

Control panel
There isn't one. Things are working better out of the box than nvidia did with tweaking, but I'd still like to tweak things if I can. If there isn't a control panel, is there a reference of options for xorg.conf or something?

Tearing Fixed by head on a stick here
One of the biggest advantages of AMD was supposed to be no tearing. I'm getting tearing. On nvidia there was an option buried in the control panel to 'Force full composition pipeline' which did the trick nicely. (Even if you did have to turn it on manually every time you booted/woke your machine) Is there a way to fix the tearing in AMD, or does that only work under wayland? (I'd rather not leave xfce if possible)

Freesync
I have a freesync compatible monitor and card, but no freesync in `xrandr --prop` which the amd website says is where to check. Of course, if I can't fix the tearing, freesync isn't going to be worth much to begin with.

Refresh rate
Displayport 1.2 is supposed to go up to 144hz at 1440p, but I can only go up to 120hz (Or 144hz at 1080) It's a vega 64 and I've heard of people using them 144@1440 but I don't know why I don't have that option

Thanks for reading, I hope someone can answer!

[Head_on_a_Stick]

Tearing

I think the amdgpu driver has a TearFree option, have you tried that?

Compositors can mask tearing but XFCE's version is rubbish (IMO) so perhaps try compton instead. Or GNOME.

EDIT: have you installed the non-free firmware that you need?

[J V]

Tearing

I think the amdgpu driver has a TearFree option, have you tried that?

Compositors can mask tearing but XFCE's version is rubbish (IMO) so perhaps try compton instead. Or GNOME.

EDIT: have you installed the non-free firmware that you need?

I haven't tried the tearfree option, because I literally just installed this GPU a few hours ago and don't know how to set AMD options. I've rescued botched nvidia drivers a dozen times, but I'm really a complete beginner for anything amd.

A quick google shows an article on archwiki about an xorg TearFree option. Is there a mesa version of nvidia-xconfig? I've never built an xorg.conf from the ground up myself, so I don't know what it should look like.

I also haven't installed any firmware (To my knowledge) - is there a specific package I'm looking for? "firmware-amd-graphics is already the newest version" if that's the one I need

[Head_on_a_Stick]

I've never built an xorg.conf from the ground up myself, so I don't know what it should look like.

Here's my Intel version:

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empty@buster:~ $ cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf                            
Section "Device"
        Identifier "Intel Graphics"
        Driver "intel"
        Option "TearFree" "yes"
EndSection
empty@buster:~ $

So try that and substitute in "AMD Graphics" & "amdgpu", that might work

EDIT: firmware-amd-graphics is the one you need, I think.

[J V]

Woo hoo! That actually worked first try! Tearing is fixed now thanks!

Now I just have to get freesync and full refresh rate working. Trying to enable it left me with this:

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$ xrandr --output DisplayPort-1 --set "freesync" 1
X Error of failed request:  BadName (named color or font does not exist)
  Major opcode of failed request:  140 (RANDR)
  Minor opcode of failed request:  11 (RRQueryOutputProperty)
  Serial number of failed request:  43
  Current serial number in output stream:  43

[milomak]

ou of interest where did you most experience tearing?

[cronoik]

I'm using an AMD gpu.

Which one?

is there a specific package I'm looking for? "firmware-amd-graphics is already the newest version" if that's the one I need

That's fine.

[J V]

ou of interest where did you most experience tearing?

I have a specific video file I use with a horizontal scroll - it tears up a storm when tearfree/composite pipeline isn't on.

Which one?

A sapphire nitro+ Vega 64.

[fender0107401]

I really hope someone can run AMD GPU with a 4K screen under a Linux desktop system.

[milomak]

I really hope someone can run AMD GPU with a 4K screen under a Linux desktop system.

i'm running the amdgpu driver on a late-2015 imac 27" 5k retina