Hey everyone! I have an Alienware X51 R3 with an AMD Radeon R9 370 running Ubuntu version 6.11.0-29-generic. I used to use it with Windows 10 for years, but it started slowing down recently, prompting me to revive it for parts or scrapping. However, I noticed it performed better when I booted it up again recently.
I've made several upgrades: I replaced the HDD with a bigger 4TB one, upgraded the RAM from 8GB to 16GB, and swapped out the CMOS battery. But now, I'm facing issues with the GPU. Initially, it worked for a bit, but then it stopped, and even cleaning the fan didn't help. I tried to switch to Ubuntu and wiped the HDD, but I'm still getting black screens just like I did with Windows.
I attempted to install the AMD GPU drivers via the terminal, following the steps I found, but now I don't know how to run the installed program. I've been using the terminal commands but can't seem to find anything in the GUI or run commands from the terminal either. I feel lost and really want this to work! I would appreciate any help or guidance on how to troubleshoot this GPU issue effectively, especially since I'm on a tight budget and can't afford a new GPU. Thanks!
2 Answers
I sympathize with your situation, but it sounds like your GPU is having some serious issues. If it’s failing in Windows too, that’s a red flag. Linux support for AMD cards is generally solid, but if the GPU isn't functioning on Windows, it's unlikely Ubuntu will remedy that. It might just be time for a hardware upgrade, unfortunately.
It looks like you're on the right track with trying to install the amdgpu drivers! According to the Arch Wiki, your GPU does indeed need those drivers since the open-source ones might not cut it. Check out this link [here](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/AMDGPU#Enable_Southern_Islands_(SI)_and_Sea_Islands_(CIK)_support) for detailed steps on enabling those drivers. It might be a bit tricky, but I believe you can get it sorted! Just ask if you hit any snags along the way.
I appreciate the tips! How can I access the terminal if the GUI isn't loading? Can I use grep to help with this?
Thanks for the advice! I did get it to run a little in Windows initially, but it black screened after some updates. I'm hesitant to give up on Ubuntu, though, and just want to explore every possible fix before considering replacement.