How To Install AMD Radeon Driver on Rocky Linux 10

Rocky Linux 10 has emerged as a leading enterprise-grade operating system, offering unparalleled stability and modern hardware compatibility. For users running AMD Radeon graphics cards, proper driver installation is crucial for optimal performance and functionality. This comprehensive guide provides detailed instructions for installing AMD Radeon drivers on Rocky Linux 10, covering multiple installation methods, troubleshooting solutions, and optimization techniques.

Whether you’re a system administrator managing enterprise workstations or a Linux enthusiast seeking graphics performance, this article delivers practical solutions. You’ll learn three distinct installation approaches, from official AMD installers to manual configuration methods. Additionally, we’ll explore driver verification, performance optimization, and common issue resolution to ensure your AMD graphics hardware operates at peak efficiency.

Rocky Linux 10’s enterprise focus, combined with its strict hardware requirements and modern kernel support, creates an ideal environment for AMD Radeon graphics. The operating system’s x86_64-v3 architecture requirement ensures compatibility with contemporary AMD GPU generations while maintaining system stability and security.

Understanding Rocky Linux 10 and AMD Driver Ecosystem

Rocky Linux 10 System Requirements

Rocky Linux 10 introduces stringent hardware requirements that directly impact AMD Radeon driver compatibility. The operating system mandates x86_64-v3 architecture support, requiring Intel Haswell or AMD Excavator processors or newer generations. This architectural requirement ensures optimal performance with modern graphics hardware.

CPU feature requirements include AVX, AVX2, BMI1/2, and FMA instruction set support. These features are mandatory for system operation and significantly benefit graphics processing workloads. For AMD Radeon graphics cards, these CPU capabilities enable enhanced driver performance and improved graphics rendering efficiency.

The minimum hardware specifications include a 1 GHz 64-bit processor, though multi-core configurations are strongly recommended for graphics-intensive applications. Memory requirements vary based on intended usage, with 4GB RAM being the absolute minimum and 8GB or more recommended for professional graphics work or gaming applications.

AMD Driver Types Available

AMD provides multiple driver options for Rocky Linux 10, each serving different use cases and performance requirements. The AMDGPU open-source driver represents the primary graphics driver built directly into the Linux kernel, offering excellent compatibility and stability for most users.

The AMDGPU open-source driver utilizes Mesa userspace components for OpenGL and Vulkan rendering. This combination provides robust graphics support without requiring proprietary software installation. Mesa drivers receive regular updates through standard system repositories, ensuring security patches and performance improvements arrive automatically.

AMDGPU-PRO represents AMD’s proprietary driver stack, designed specifically for professional workloads requiring certified performance and advanced features. This driver package includes proprietary userspace components optimized for workstation applications, content creation software, and professional visualization tools.

ROCm integration provides high-performance computing capabilities for AI, machine learning, and scientific computing applications. ROCm drivers enable GPU compute functionality through OpenCL and HIP programming interfaces, making Rocky Linux 10 suitable for computational workloads requiring AMD GPU acceleration.

Understanding the kernel versus userspace architecture is crucial for proper driver installation. Kernel-space components handle low-level hardware communication, while userspace components provide application programming interfaces for graphics applications and games.

Prerequisites and System Preparation

System Requirements Check

Before beginning AMD Radeon driver installation, verify your hardware compatibility and system configuration. Use the lspci command to detect your AMD graphics card and confirm proper hardware recognition:

lspci | grep -i amd
lspci | grep -i radeon
lspci | grep -i vga

These commands display installed AMD graphics hardware, including specific GPU models and PCI bus information. Proper hardware detection is essential for successful driver installation and operation.

Confirm your Rocky Linux 10 installation by checking the system version and ensuring all available updates are installed. Run the following commands to verify system status:

cat /etc/rocky-release
uname -r
dnf check-update

Kernel version verification is particularly important for AMD Radeon drivers. Rocky Linux 10 typically ships with kernel version 6.13 or newer, providing optimal support for RDNA3 and RDNA4 graphics architectures. Older kernel versions may require updates for proper driver functionality.

Pre-Installation Tasks

Complete system updates ensure compatibility and security before driver installation. Execute a full system update using DNF package manager:

sudo dnf update -y
sudo dnf install kernel-headers kernel-devel -y
sudo dnf groupinstall "Development Tools" -y

Development tools installation provides necessary components for driver compilation and installation. Kernel headers and development packages are required for proper driver integration with the Rocky Linux 10 kernel.

Repository management preparation includes cleaning DNF cache and ensuring proper repository access:

sudo dnf clean all
sudo dnf makecache

Creating system restore points or configuration backups protects against potential installation issues. While Rocky Linux 10 includes rollback capabilities, manual backups provide additional security:

sudo cp -r /etc/X11 /etc/X11.backup
sudo cp /etc/default/grub /etc/default/grub.backup

Remove conflicting graphics drivers to prevent installation conflicts. Check for existing proprietary drivers or conflicting packages:

dnf list installed | grep -i nvidia
dnf list installed | grep -i nouveau

SELinux considerations require understanding security contexts for driver installation. While SELinux typically allows proper driver operation, custom policies may require adjustment for optimal functionality.

Method 1: Official AMD AMDGPU Installer

Downloading AMD Installer Package

The official AMD AMDGPU installer provides the most straightforward installation method for Rocky Linux 10. Navigate to AMD’s official repository at repo.radeon.com to access current driver packages.

AMD maintains specific packages for RHEL-based distributions, making Rocky Linux 10 fully compatible with official driver releases. Download the appropriate installer package using wget:

cd /tmp
wget https://repo.radeon.com/amdgpu-install/22.40.5/rhel/9.2/amdgpu-install-22.40.50200-1.el9.noarch.rpm

Package verification ensures download integrity and authenticity. AMD provides checksums and digital signatures for all driver packages:

sha256sum amdgpu-install-22.40.50200-1.el9.noarch.rpm

Compare the computed checksum with AMD’s published values to verify package integrity. This step prevents installation of corrupted or tampered packages.

Installation Process

Install the AMDGPU installer package using DNF package manager. This package automatically configures AMD repositories and provides installation tools:

sudo dnf install ./amdgpu-install-22.40.50200-1.el9.noarch.rpm -y

The installer automatically configures AMD repositories in /etc/yum.repos.d/, enabling access to official AMD driver packages. Repository configuration includes GPG keys and package priorities for secure installation.

Execute the AMDGPU installation with appropriate use case flags:

sudo amdgpu-install -y --usecase=graphics,rocm

The --usecase parameter specifies which components to install. Graphics use case includes standard desktop graphics drivers, while ROCm enables compute functionality. Additional options include opencl for legacy OpenCL support.

User group management ensures proper permissions for graphics hardware access:

sudo usermod -a -G render,video $USER

Adding users to render and video groups provides necessary permissions for direct hardware access and optimal performance.

Post-Installation Configuration

System reboot is required for proper driver loading and configuration. The reboot ensures kernel modules load correctly and user group changes take effect:

sudo reboot

After reboot, verify driver loading using kernel module information:

lsmod | grep amdgpu
lsmod | grep drm

Proper module loading indicates successful driver installation. The amdgpu module should appear in the loaded module list along with supporting DRM modules.

Confirm repository status and package installation:

dnf repolist | grep amd
dnf list installed | grep amdgpu

These commands verify repository activation and installed package status.

Method 2: Manual Driver Installation

Package Download and Extraction

Manual driver installation provides greater control over the installation process and component selection. Begin by navigating to AMD’s official driver download portal and selecting appropriate drivers for your hardware configuration.

Download compressed driver packages directly from AMD’s support website. Ensure you select drivers compatible with your specific Radeon graphics card model and Rocky Linux 10:

cd ~/Downloads
wget https://drivers.amd.com/drivers/linux/amdgpu-pro-22.40.5-1674842.el9.tar.xz

Extract driver archives using tar with appropriate compression options:

tar -xf amdgpu-pro-22.40.5-1674842.el9.tar.xz
cd amdgpu-pro-22.40.5-1674842.el9

Examine the extracted directory structure to understand available components and installation options. Manual installation packages typically include separate components for different functionality areas.

Dependency Management

Manual installation requires careful dependency management to ensure proper driver functionality. Install required packages using DNF:

sudo dnf install libdrm-devel libpciaccess-devel xorg-x11-server-devel -y
sudo dnf install mesa-libGL-devel mesa-libEGL-devel -y

Development libraries provide necessary components for driver compilation and integration. These packages ensure compatibility with Rocky Linux 10’s graphics stack.

Check package dependencies using DNF’s dependency resolution capabilities:

sudo dnf deplist amdgpu-dkms

This command displays all dependencies required for specific driver components, helping identify missing packages before installation.

Installation Execution

Execute the manual installation script with appropriate parameters:

sudo ./amdgpu-pro-install -y --opencl=legacy,rocr

The installation script handles package installation, dependency resolution, and system configuration. Monitor installation progress and address any error messages promptly.

OpenCL configuration for legacy applications requires specific package selection:

sudo ./amdgpu-pro-install -y --opencl=legacy --headless

The headless option installs drivers without desktop environment dependencies, suitable for server configurations or compute-focused installations.

Method 3: Repository-Based Installation

Repository Configuration

Repository-based installation leverages DNF package management for automated driver installation and updates. Create custom repository configuration files for AMD driver packages:

sudo tee /etc/yum.repos.d/amdgpu.repo > /dev/null <<EOF
[amdgpu]
name=amdgpu
baseurl=https://repo.radeon.com/amdgpu/22.40.5/rhel/9.2/main/x86_64/
enabled=1
priority=50
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=https://repo.radeon.com/rocm/rocm.gpg.key
EOF

Repository priority settings ensure AMD packages receive appropriate precedence during package resolution. Lower priority values indicate higher precedence.

Install AMD GPG keys for package verification:

sudo rpm --import https://repo.radeon.com/rocm/rocm.gpg.key

GPG key installation enables automatic package signature verification, ensuring security and authenticity of installed packages.

Package Installation

List available AMD GPU packages from configured repositories:

dnf search amdgpu
dnf info amdgpu-dkms

These commands display available packages and detailed information about specific components.

Install selected packages using DNF with automatic dependency resolution:

sudo dnf install amdgpu-dkms amdgpu-lib32 amdgpu-pro-core -y

DNF automatically resolves dependencies and installs required supporting packages. This approach simplifies installation while maintaining package management integration.

Configure automatic updates for AMD drivers:

sudo dnf config-manager --set-enabled amdgpu
sudo dnf makecache

Automatic update configuration ensures driver packages receive security updates and performance improvements through standard system update procedures.

Driver Verification and Testing

Installation Verification

Verify successful driver installation using multiple diagnostic tools. Hardware detection confirmation uses PCI utilities:

lspci -k | grep -A 3 VGA
lshw -c display

These commands display graphics hardware information and associated kernel drivers, confirming proper driver loading and hardware recognition.

Check loaded kernel modules for AMD graphics components:

lsmod | grep -E "(amdgpu|radeon|drm)"
dmesg | grep -i amdgpu

Kernel module verification ensures drivers loaded successfully during system boot. System messages provide detailed information about driver initialization and any potential issues.

ROCm functionality verification for compute workloads:

rocminfo
rocm-smi

These tools display ROCm installation status, available compute devices, and current GPU status information.

OpenGL functionality testing using Mesa utilities:

glxinfo | grep -E "(OpenGL|direct rendering)"
glxgears

OpenGL verification confirms graphics rendering functionality and hardware acceleration status.

Performance Testing

GPU benchmark testing provides quantitative performance measurements. Install benchmark utilities:

sudo dnf install mesa-demos glmark2 -y

Execute graphics performance benchmarks:

glmark2
glxgears -info

These benchmarks test various graphics capabilities and provide performance scores for comparison purposes.

Video acceleration testing confirms hardware-accelerated video processing:

vainfo
vdpauinfo

Hardware video acceleration reduces CPU usage during video playback and encoding operations.

Temperature monitoring ensures proper thermal management:

sensors
sudo dnf install lm_sensors -y
sudo sensors-detect

Thermal monitoring prevents overheating and ensures stable long-term operation.

Configuration and Optimization

Xorg Configuration

Custom Xorg configuration provides advanced graphics settings and multi-GPU support. Create configuration files in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/:

sudo tee /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-amdgpu.conf > /dev/null <<EOF
Section "Device"
    Identifier "AMD Radeon"
    Driver "amdgpu"
    Option "TearFree" "true"
    Option "DRI" "3"
EndSection
EOF

TearFree option eliminates screen tearing during graphics rendering, improving visual quality for desktop applications and media playback.

Multi-GPU configuration requires specific device identification and output routing:

sudo tee /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/21-amdgpu-multi.conf > /dev/null <<EOF
Section "Device"
    Identifier "GPU0"
    Driver "amdgpu"
    BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection
EOF

Display settings optimization includes resolution and refresh rate configuration for optimal visual performance.

Performance Tuning

GPU power profile configuration affects performance and power consumption:

echo "performance" | sudo tee /sys/class/drm/card0/device/power_dpm_force_performance_level

Performance profiles include auto, low, high, manual, and performance modes, each optimizing different aspects of GPU operation.

Clock settings management provides control over GPU and memory frequencies:

sudo cat /sys/class/drm/card0/device/pp_od_clk_voltage

Custom fan curves ensure proper cooling while minimizing noise:

echo "1" | sudo tee /sys/class/drm/card0/device/hwmon/hwmon*/pwm1_enable

Performance monitoring tools provide ongoing system health assessment and optimization opportunities.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Installation Problems

Repository access errors commonly occur due to network connectivity or configuration issues. Verify repository URLs and network connectivity:

curl -I https://repo.radeon.com/amdgpu/
ping repo.radeon.com

DNS resolution problems may require alternative repository mirrors or DNS server configuration.

Dependency conflicts arise when multiple graphics driver packages compete for system resources:

sudo dnf remove xorg-x11-drv-nouveau
sudo dnf autoremove

Remove conflicting packages before AMD driver installation to prevent conflicts.

Permission issues prevent proper driver installation or operation:

sudo chmod +x /usr/bin/amdgpu-install
sudo semanage fcontext -a -t bin_t /usr/bin/amdgpu-install

SELinux policy conflicts require context adjustments for proper driver operation.

Runtime Issues

Display resolution problems often result from incorrect monitor detection or configuration:

xrandr --listproviders
xrandr --output DisplayPort-0 --mode 1920x1080 --rate 60

Manual display configuration resolves automatic detection failures.

Performance degradation may indicate thermal throttling or power management issues:

sudo cat /sys/class/drm/card0/device/gpu_busy_percent
watch -n 1 cat /sys/class/drm/card0/device/power_dpm_state

Performance monitoring identifies bottlenecks and optimization opportunities.

Application compatibility issues require specific configuration adjustments:

export MESA_GL_VERSION_OVERRIDE=4.5
export MESA_GLSL_VERSION_OVERRIDE=450

Environment variables provide compatibility workarounds for specific applications.

Maintenance and Updates

Driver Updates

Regular driver updates ensure optimal performance, security, and compatibility. AMD releases driver updates quarterly, addressing bug fixes and performance improvements:

sudo dnf update amdgpu-dkms amdgpu-lib32
sudo dnf update rocm-dev rocm-libs

Automated update configuration through DNF ensures timely security patches:

sudo dnf install dnf-automatic -y
sudo systemctl enable dnf-automatic-install.timer

Version management allows rollback to previous driver versions if issues arise:

dnf history list amdgpu
sudo dnf history rollback <transaction_id>

System Maintenance

Regular monitoring prevents issues and ensures optimal performance:

sudo journalctl -u display-manager | grep -i error
sudo dmesg | grep -i amdgpu | tail -20

Log management prevents storage issues while maintaining diagnostic information:

sudo logrotate /etc/logrotate.d/amdgpu

Performance monitoring identifies trends and optimization opportunities through ongoing assessment of system metrics and user experience.

Advanced Topics

Enterprise Considerations

Large-scale deployment requires automation and standardization. Ansible playbooks provide consistent driver installation across multiple systems:

- name: Install AMD GPU drivers
  dnf:
    name: amdgpu-dkms
    state: present
  become: yes

Configuration management ensures consistent settings and compliance with organizational policies.

Support considerations include vendor relationships, warranty implications, and technical support channels for enterprise environments.

Development and Computing

ROCm configuration for high-performance computing enables GPU acceleration for scientific and AI workloads:

sudo dnf install rocm-dev hip-dev -y
export ROCM_PATH=/opt/rocm

Container integration allows GPU acceleration within containerized applications:

sudo dnf install podman-docker -y
podman run --device=/dev/dri --device=/dev/kfd rocm/tensorflow

Development frameworks provide tools and libraries for GPU-accelerated application development.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed AMD Radeon Driver. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing the AMD Radeon Driver on Rocky Linux 10 system. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the official AMD website.