radeonhd driver is not selected by the server

[rbmorse]

Binary package hint: xserver-xorg-video-radeonhd

Installing the radeonhd package from repositroy into Hardy Alpha1+. The package appears to install normally, but due to the lack of an X configuration file, the driver is not loaded when the X server restarts.

Workaround: After installing the xserver-xorg-video-radeonhd package from repository in the normal manner, open a terminal window and run

sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

and follow the prompts. When selecting a video driver, note that radeonhd is not presented as an option (bug filed separately) so select vesa here and complete the process. Then, using your root permission text editor of choice edit the file

/etc/X11/xorg.conf

to replace the argument "vesa" with "radeonhd" in the "Driver" line of the device section. Save and restart the X server <ctrl>+<alt>+<backspace> or reboot as desired.

When the machine restarts and after a normal log in, you can confirm the radeonhd driver is loaded by examining /var/logs/Xlog.0 in a text editor. Look about half-way through the log or search on radeonhd.

[Tormod Volden (tormodvolden)]

Yes, the vesa driver is still chosen for these cards. Note also that radeonhd is in universe and not yet in main, so it is not considered fully supported yet.

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

The -ati driver now supports r5/r6xx cards, and the server uses that by default.