Are my graphics card drivers working?

[hnugz]

I just installed the new knoppix 4 dvd.  I was assuming my Radeon 9800 pro was not setup for 3d gaming, so I did some searching and found http://www.alexandern.com/3D_ATI_RADEON_on_Linux.html.  I followed the instructions, downloaded the rpm, did the alien command to convert it, and ran the dpkg -i from the console.  It seemed to work ok.  Then I ran the fglrxconfig command and went through that setup.  That also seemed to work fine.  So how do I know if this is setup properly or not to run my games?

I found another page http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/tip/15375.html and ran the glxinfo | grep render which gave me:
direct rendering: No
    GLX_ATI_render_texture
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa GLX Indirect

So I guess this means it isn't working properly.  I tried 3Ddiag but the command isn't found.  Is there something else I should be doing?  Thanks.

[MarathoN]

I had hell getting ATI drivers installed back when I had my Radeon 9200LE, that's the reason I binned it.

[worker201]

My Radeon 9500 Pro works just fine in Fedora Core 4, with no proprietary drivers installed.

Of course I don't do any 3d gaming, so I couldn't tell you if any of the useless bells and whistles of this graphics card are working or not.

[WMD]

Run "glxgears" and note the framerate.

Try going into /etc/X11/xorg.conf and see if the dri and glx modules are getting loaded.

[Pathos]

I got 242 on my fx5200, would that prove that hw acceleration is all on?

[piratePenguin]

I got 242 on my fx5200, would that prove that hw acceleration is all on?

No chance. With hardware acceleration, you should be getting a few thousand.

[skyman8081]

I don't think you fully realise the suckiness of a fx 5200.

[Pathos]

I don't think you fully realise the suckiness of a fx 5200.

lol. a 9800 is over four times as powerful.

Fx5200:
1325 frames in 5.0 seconds = 265.000 FPS
1549 frames in 5.0 seconds = 309.800 FPS
1400 frames in 5.0 seconds = 280.000 FPS
1540 frames in 5.0 seconds = 308.000 FPS
1400 frames in 5.0 seconds = 280.000 FPS
1540 frames in 5.0 seconds = 308.000 FPS
1400 frames in 5.0 seconds = 280.000 FPS
1540 frames in 5.0 seconds = 308.000 FPS
1400 frames in 5.0 seconds = 280.000 FPS
1540 frames in 5.0 seconds = 308.000 FPS

s3 trio 2mg (no 3d acceleration):
700 frames in 5.0 seconds = 140.000 FPS
840 frames in 5.0 seconds = 168.000 FPS
700 frames in 5.0 seconds = 140.000 FPS
700 frames in 5.0 seconds = 140.000 FPS
700 frames in 5.0 seconds = 140.000 FPS
840 frames in 5.0 seconds = 168.000 FPS
700 frames in 5.0 seconds = 140.000 FPS


lmao.

I get 20 when the window is maximised so I think I have some drivers to install. I get 30 on CS.

[WMD]

I don't think you fully realise the suckiness of a fx 5200.

I've seen 900fps on an MX 440...how does that compare to FX5200?

My example:

bash-2.05b$ glxinfo | grep render
direct rendering: Yes
OpenGL renderer string: GeForce FX 5700/AGP/SSE2
bash-2.05b$ glxgears
13628 frames in 5.0 seconds = 2725.600 FPS
16164 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3232.800 FPS

[Commander]

ahh the pain of owning a ati.  all i had to do to install my nvidia card was to check 2 extra checkboxes and say yes to a ok/cancel dialog box.
and look what it can do

Code: [Select]

cii@linux:~> glxinfo | grep render
direct rendering: Yes
OpenGL renderer string: GeForce 6600 GT/AGP/SSE2
    GL_NVX_conditional_render, GL_SGIS_generate_mipmap, GL_SGIS_texture_lod,
cii@linux:~> glxgears
50588 frames in 5.0 seconds = 10117.600 FPS
54761 frames in 5.0 seconds = 10952.200 FPS
56227 frames in 5.0 seconds = 11245.400 FPS
56236 frames in 5.0 seconds = 11247.200 FPS
56254 frames in 5.0 seconds = 11250.800 FPS
56155 frames in 5.0 seconds = 11231.000 FPS
56250 frames in 5.0 seconds = 11250.000 FPS
56272 frames in 5.0 seconds = 11254.400 FPS

cii@linux:~>

[mobrien_12]

glxinfo | grep render which gave me:
direct rendering: No
    GLX_ATI_render_texture
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa GLX Indirect

So I guess this means it isn't working properly.

You guess correcty.  No need to run GLXgears.  "Direct rendering:no" means no hardware acceleration.  "Mesa GLX Indirect" means OpenGL is being software rendered.  

Wish I could help, but I've stayed away from ATI cards because of the bad rep they have for drivers.

[worker201]

ATI has driver issues, nVidia has driver issues.  What's left?

[hnugz]

You guess correcty.  No need to run GLXgears.  "Direct rendering:no" means no hardware acceleration.  "Mesa GLX Indirect" means OpenGL is being software rendered.  

Wish I could help, but I've stayed away from ATI cards because of the bad rep they have for drivers.

::sigh::, I'm getting around 90fps or so with glxgears.  guess i'll have to do some more fiddling.

[mobrien_12]

ATI has driver issues, nVidia has driver issues.  What's left?

I havn't had problems with nVidia's proprietary drivers.  Many years ago, they used to crash my box repeatedly, but that all turned around in one release when they became very stable and still had excellent performance.  

But as for what's left... there are several cards and chipsets out there that have opengl acceleration via MESA built into stock XF86/X.org distributions with standard linux kernels.... no additional downloads.

http://dri.freedesktop.org/wiki/

Chipsets include many produced by ATI (including Radeons up to 9200), Matrox, almost all of Intel's chipsets, and 3dFX boards (Voodoo 3, 4, 5).

As for the performance, it would be good to get some feedback from others here.  I've only tried to run my Voodoo 5 board with games under MESA-based DRI drivers.  It worked, and had acceleration, but the performance was dissapointing compared to windows... That may not be the best comparison though, because the V5 in Linux could use only one of the two VSA1000 chips (essentially it ran as a V4).  Also, MESA drivers for 3dFX cards worked by translating OpenGL into Glide, which probably also caused a performance hit.  Stock 3dFX drivers for windows did the same thing, but the WickedGL 3rd party OpenGL ICD was available, and yielded a serious performance boost in Windows.    

If you will permit me to opine momentarily, I really miss 3dFX.

[mobrien_12]

::sigh::, I'm getting around 90fps or so with glxgears.  guess i'll have to do some more fiddling.

Make sure you have the ATI-proprietary kernel module loaded before you start the X Windowing System.  Also double check your X configuration file... make sure the package made the appropriate changes.