AMD APU Question

wizardfromoz

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This from @lekkerlinux

I have a AMD A10-5800k APU and had a graphics card with 2 GB RAM, which fan started action up by making noises and spinning erratically. I then removed the graphics card and play games with the APU only.

Does the APU use RAM, when I play games?
 


My previous post got to long and I just like to ad a line or two.

In Windows a AMD APU and Radeon Graphics card do something called crossfire. This only means they work together processing graphics. I read somewhere that this doesn't work in Linux for some reason. Is this true?
 
This from @lekkerlinux

I have a AMD A10-5800k APU and had a graphics card with 2 GB RAM, which fan started action up by making noises and spinning erratically. I then removed the graphics card and play games with the APU only.

Does the APU use RAM, when I play games?
Yes Wizard it does use system memory although if you are running 8.0 GB or more you will be fine.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMD_Accelerated_Processing_Unit


I have repaired many graphics cards by zip tying a standard 80mm fan to the heat sink although may be an unorthodox way of repair however it has proven to give reliable cooling results and that is the whole purpose.

Yes you may or may not have to remove the plastic cover to make this repair.
 
My previous post got to long and I just like to ad a line or two.

In Windows a AMD APU and Radeon Graphics card do something called crossfire. This only means they work together processing graphics. I read somewhere that this doesn't work in Linux for some reason. Is this true?
Crossfire has to do with the running of multiple graphics cards and is exclusive to AMD / ATI.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMD_CrossFireX


The Nvidia version is referred to as SLI.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scalable_Link_Interface
 
Crossfire has to do with the running of multiple graphics cards and is exclusive to AMD / ATI.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMD_CrossFireX


The Nvidia version is referred to as SLI.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scalable_Link_Interface

Yes, the way I understand it, is that my APU and my graphics card can work together with crossfire.

I am using the APU only now, if I get a replacement fan for my 2 GB graphics card, will Lubuntu get confused if I add the graphics card? I installed Lubuntu after my graphics card's fan broke and I removed the card.

I am sorry, what did you mean remove the plastic cover. I have a Ati Radeon R6670 graphics card with a heat sink and fan.

Thanks for the 80 mm fan solution,that will be the cheapest solution. The nearest PC shop from me stocks graphics card coolers from JetArt. Some have a aluminum heat sink and some a copper heat sink. Which material will conduct the heat the best? I am asking because your the expert on hardware.
 
Yes, the way I understand it, is that my APU and my graphics card can work together with crossfire.
Can't say for sure on that as it all depends on what settings can be made in the bios.

Some motherboards the PCIE slot will overide any integrated on board graphics but uncertain about an APU.
I am using the APU only now, if I get a replacement fan for my 2 GB graphics card, will Lubuntu get confused if I add the graphics card? I installed Lubuntu after my graphics card's fan broke and I removed the card.
Lubuntu should locate a driver for that graphics card if it is available and it will be an open source driver.
I am sorry, what did you mean remove the plastic cover. I have a Ati Radeon R6670 graphics card with a heat sink and fan.
Most graphics cards have a plastic shroud around the heat sink fan although some just mount a cheap fan into the heat sink.
The shroud needs to be removed so that the fan can be fitted onto the heat sink.
Thanks for the 80 mm fan solution,that will be the cheapest solution. The nearest PC shop from me stocks graphics card coolers from JetArt. Some have a aluminum heat sink and some a copper heat sink. Which material will conduct the heat the best? I am asking because your the expert on hardware.
I wouldn't replace the heat sink just replace the fan with a fan of the appropriate size of the heat sink.
 
Can't say for sure on that as it all depends on what settings can be made in the bios.

Some motherboards the PCIE slot will overide any integrated on board graphics but uncertain about an APU.

Lubuntu should locate a driver for that graphics card if it is available and it will be an open source driver.

Most graphics cards have a plastic shroud around the heat sink fan although some just mount a cheap fan into the heat sink.
The shroud needs to be removed so that the fan can be fitted onto the heat sink.

I wouldn't replace the heat sink just replace the fan with a fan of the appropriate size of the heat sink.

Thank you so much for all the useful information. Yes I have a cheap fan on my graphics card and it failed last month. At least I have many options thanks to you I can try.

Yes the open source drivers work the best for me. When the card I mentioned was still working and I was using Ubuntu 14.04, I tried to use the proprietary Ati Radeon driver and it changed the screen resolution to 5000x5000. Everything was very small and very crispy clear, but I could not change the resolution in the software that came with that driver, so I will just use the open source driver.

Thanks again for all the good advice.
 
Thank you so much for all the useful information.
You are welcome. :)
Yes the open source drivers work the best for me.
The open source drivers for AMD / ATI graphics cards really work well from my experience on my old computers.
Thanks again for all the good advice.
You are welcome. :)

P.S.
I'm no expert just own a lot of old junk computers which I piece together with parts from other computers or from my junk parts box.

Linux and old junk computers work well together and most of mine are from 2010 as is the example below.
Code:
root# inxi -Fxz
System:    Host: puppypc8191 Kernel: 4.19.23 x86_64 bits: 64 gcc: 7.3.0 Desktop: JWM 2.3.7
           Distro: bionicpup64 8.0
Machine:   Device: desktop System: Compaq-Presario product: BM411AA-ABA CQ5600F serial: <filter>
           Mobo: PEGATRON model: NARRA5 v: 5.00 serial: <filter> BIOS: Phoenix v: 5.59 date: 05/20/2010
CPU:       Dual core AMD Athlon II X2 B24 (-MCP-) arch: K10 rev.2 cache: 2048 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4a svm) bmips: 12060
           clock speeds: max: 3000 MHz 1: 1800 MHz 2: 2300 MHz
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA C61 [GeForce 6150SE nForce 430] bus-ID: 00:0d.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.19.6 drivers: nouveau (unloaded: modesetting,fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: [email protected]
           OpenGL: renderer: NV4C version: 2.1 Mesa 18.2.2 Direct Render: Yes
Audio:     Card NVIDIA MCP61 High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:05.0 Sound: ALSA v: k4.19.23
Network:   Card: NVIDIA MCP61 Ethernet driver: forcedeth port: fc00 bus-ID: 00:07.0
           IF: eth0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 160.0GB (0.7% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: Hitachi_HTS54321 size: 160.0GB
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 23.0C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 106 Uptime: 1:21 Memory: 757.8/3695.2MB Init: SysVinit runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: N/A
           Client: Shell (bash 4.4.191) inxi: 2.3.56
root#
 
I had the fan on my graphics card replaced with a CPU fan and it works well. I installed Lubuntu 18.04 without the graphics card while is was still out of action.

Today I popped in the graphics card and it is working right now as I type. The only little problem is I can't see where Lubuntu detected or identified it yet.

I went into the system profiler and can only see "unknown" under graphics. The same card used to be detected easily by Ubuntu 14.04. It's no big problem, I was only wondering.

Thanks again poorguy, for the splendid DIY trick about using a 80 mm fan on a GPU, is works well for me.
 
Today I popped in the graphics card and it is working right now as I type. The only little problem is I can't see where Lubuntu detected or identified it yet.

I went into the system profiler and can only see "unknown" under graphics. The same card used to be detected easily by Ubuntu 14.04. It's no big problem, I was only wondering.
Open command terminal and copy and paste this command and it should show the graphics card in use.

lspci | grep -i vga

or

inxi -Fxz

or

sudo lshw -sanitize > lshw.txt

The last one will create a lshw txt file in your Home Folder that will tell you everything about your computer.

Thanks again poorguy, for the splendid DIY trick about using a 80 mm fan on a GPU, is works well for me.
You are welcome and I'm glad it solved your problem.

I buy a lot of kick ass graphics cards with bad fans for a few dollars and replace the dead fan on them with the method I told you.

Just some good old American know how.;)
 

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