How to install the ATI graphics card drivers in linux

Recently, all ATI graphic card drivers can only be installed by downloading th relevant drivers from ATI and installing them by hand - some time ago they were available through YaST. So, here's a quick guide - it worked for a x86 box with SuSE 9.3 (no x86_64 here, sorry):
  1. Download the ATI Driver Installer (~61MB) from ATI’s site or the relevant RPM (~11MB) - I used the RPM for X.Org 6.8.
  2. If you downloaded the RPM skip this step, if not check out this blog.
  3. Use Ctrl+Alt+F1 to go to the first console (tty1). (Note: if you want to return to your graphical environment press Ctrl+F7)
  4. Login as root.
  5. Switch to init 3, issuing 
    #init 3
  6. Go to the directory where you have your RPM and run
    rpm -Uhv fglrx_6_8_0-8.xx.xx-1.i386.rpm
    where xx is the version of the driver.
  7. If rpm states that all is ok, then you are done and you may proceed. Otherwise, it means that you have an older version and you should remove it. This can be done either with YaST or by hand using 
    rpm -e fglrx
    and 
    rpm -e km_fglrx
    Contact me if you have more problems.
  8. Run 
    #sax2 -r -m 0=fglrx -b /usr/share/doc/packages/fglrx/sax2-profile
    to configure the driver. Else, look my configuration below and change the relevant parts in your /etc/X11/xorg.conf
  9. Switch to init 5, issuing 
    init 5
If you follow the above, your new 3D-accelerated graphical environment should be presented. To verify everything is OK, run flgrxinfo in a terminal. Mine returns 
ipapadop@fistiki:~> fglrxinfo
display: :0.0  screen: 0

OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: RADEON 9600 XT Generic
OpenGL version string: 1.3.5461 (X4.3.0-8.19.10)
Likewise, if you run fgl_glxgears you should see a nice OpenGL hardware-accelerated and advanced version of glxgears. Have fun!

dop's xorg.conf

This is a part of my X.Org configuration. Use it at your own risk - it works for me. 
Section "Device"
  BoardName    "RV350 AR"
  BusID        "1:0:0"
  Driver       "fglrx"
  Identifier   "Device[0]"
  Option       "TVColorAdj" "0"
  Option       "TVStandard" "PAL-D"
  Option       "FSAACustomizeMSPos" "no"
  Option       "MonitorLayout" "AUTO"
  Option       "BlockSignalsOnLock" "on"
  Option       "no_accel" "no"
  Option       "FSAAMSPosX3" "0.000000"
  Option       "FSAAEnable" "no"
  Option       "IgnoreEDID" "off"
  Option       "UseInternalAGPGART" "no"
  Option       "mtrr" "off"
  Option       "TVVPosAdj" "0"
  Option       "FSAAMSPosX0" "0.000000"
  Option       "NoTV" "yes"
  Option       "VRefresh2" "unspecified"
  Option       "no_dri "  "no "
  Option       "FSAAMSPosY1 "  "0.000000 "
  Option       "CenterMode "  "off "
  Option       "GammaCorrectionI "  "0x06419064 "
  Option       "FSAAMSPosY3 "  "0.000000 "
  Option       "VideoOverlay "  "on "
  Option       "Stereo "  "off "
  Option       "TVHPosAdj "  "0 "
  Option       "FSAAMSPosX4 "  "0.000000 "
  Option       "FSAAMSPosX2 "  "0.000000 "
  Option       "ForceGenericCPU "  "no "
  Option       "TVVSizeAdj "  "0 "
  Option       "FSAAMSPosY5 "  "0.000000 "
  Option       "OpenGLOverlay "  "off "
  Option       "ScreenOverlap "  "0 "
  Option       "FSAADisableGamma "  "no "
  Option       "FSAAMSPosY4 "  "0.000000 "
  Option       "FSAAMSPosY2 "  "0.000000 "
  Option       "TVHSizeAdj "  "0 "
  Option       "FSAAMSPosX1 "  "0.000000 "
  Option       "TVHStartAdj "  "0 "
  Option       "PseudoColorVisuals "  "off "
  Option       "FSAAScale "  "1 "
  Option       "FSAAMSPosX5 "  "0.000000 "
  Option       "StereoSyncEnable" "1"
  Option       "HSync2" "unspecified"
  Option       "Capabilities" "0x00000000"
  Screen       0
  VendorName    "ATI"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
    Group      "video"
    Mode       0660
EndSection

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