[SOLVED] Visual Effects problems

[handsomeDave]

Before switching to 8.04 I had compiz working great. Now whenever I try to turn on visual effects (System->Preferences->Appearance->Visual Effects) The screen just goes white, and I have to restart. I have the proprietary driver turned on in the Hardware Drivers for my video card. I'm running an X1900XT. I'd really like to get compiz working again.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Dave

[pietjanjaap]

Do this then compiz won't start on boot, and you don't get a white screen.

Monday, April 14, 2008
Stop Compiz-Fusion From Loading Automatically

This guide will show you how to stop Compiz-Fusion from loading automatically on startup in Hardy Heron and how to setup a shortcut for launching Compiz when you want.

Step 1: Run gconf-edit
Start Run Application by pressing Alt+F2

Screenshot-Run Application

Enter gconf-editor into the box, hit enter


Step 2: Set Metacity as your default start up window manager
Once in gconf-editor navigate to desktop>gnome>applications>window_manager

Screenshot-Configuration Editor - window_manager

under current and default replace each instance of:
/usr/bin/compiz with /usr/bin/metacity
it should like this when you're done:

Screenshot-Configuration Editor - window_manager-1



Step 3: Create a shortcut for starting Compiz-Fusion
right click the Applications Places System Menu
select the Edit Menu option

Screenshot-Main Menu

pick a location for your shortcut and select New Item box

Screenshot-Launcher Properties
Type: Application
Name: Compiz
Command: compiz --replace
COmment compiz window manager

Then try this:

First edit the launcher for Compiz Fusion:

gksudo gedit /usr/bin/compiz

Near the top, add the line

SKIP_CHECKS="yes"

I added it under VERBOSE="yes"

You may also need to install the Compiz settings manager program that you can access from System->Preferences->Advanced Desktop Effect Settings | 1-click install or:

sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager

You can now load Compiz Fusion with

compiz --replace

and revert to Metacity (the basic window manager) with

metacity --replace

I suggest making launchers in a panel for this.

Remember that this is a workaround and may not work for everybody. If you have further problems, you should consider running a forum search and then posting on one of the main support forums if you still need help.
For the record, my card is an ATI Mobility Radeon 9000.

your videocard is blackisted, maybe after this it wil work.

[handsomeDave]

metacity was already my defaults, and when I run compiz --replace even after i added the SKIP_CHECKS="yes" line, the screen goes white

[handsomeDave]

ok so I compiz-check gives me this..

Distribution: Ubuntu 8.04
Desktop environment: GNOME
Graphics chip: ATI Technologies Inc R580 [Radeon X1900 XT] (Primary)
Driver in use: fglrx
Rendering method: AIGLX

Checking if it's possible to run Compiz on your system...

Checking for texture_from_pixmap... [ OK ]
Checking for non power of two support... [ OK ]
Checking for composite extension... [ OK ]
Checking for FBConfig... [ OK ]
Checking for hardware/setup problems... [FAIL]

There has been (at least) one error detected with your setup:
Error: Fglrx driver not properly installed, you are using the Mesa driver.

And my xorg.conf

# xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by failsafeDexconf, using
# values from the debconf database and some overrides to use vesa mode.
#
# You should use dexconf or another such tool for creating a "real" xorg.conf
# For example:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Failsafe Device"
Monitor "Failsafe Monitor"
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Virtual 1600 1200
Modes "1280x1024@60" "1280x960@75" "1280x960@60" "1400x1050@60" "1280x1024@75" "1600x1200@65" "1152x864@75" "1600x1200@60" "1024x768@60" "1024x768@70" "1024x768@75" "832x624@75" "800x600@60" "800x600@75" "800x600@72" "800x600@56" "640x480@75" "640x480@72" "640x480@60"
EndSubSection
Defaultdepth 24
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "screen1"
Device "device1"
Monitor "monitor1"
Defaultdepth 24
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "device1"
Boardname "ATI Radeon (fglrx)"
Busid "PCI:1:0:0"
Driver "fglrx"
Screen 1
Vendorname "ATI"
Option "MergedFB" "off"
Option "VideoOverlay" "on"
Option "OpenGLOverlay" "off"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
screen 0 "Default Screen" 0 0
Inputdevice "Generic Keyboard"
Inputdevice "Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dri"
Load "v4l"
Load "glx"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Failsafe Monitor"
Vendorname "Samsung"
Modelname "Samsung SyncMaster 730B (Analog)"
Horizsync 30-81
Vertrefresh 56-75
modeline "640x480@60" 25.2 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -vsync -hsync
modeline "640x480@72" 31.5 640 664 704 832 480 489 491 520 -vsync -hsync
modeline "640x480@75" 31.5 640 656 720 840 480 481 484 500 -vsync -hsync
modeline "800x600@56" 36.0 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync
modeline "800x600@72" 50.0 800 856 976 1040 600 637 643 666 +hsync +vsync
modeline "800x600@75" 49.5 800 816 896 1056 600 601 604 625 +hsync +vsync
modeline "800x600@60" 40.0 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
modeline "832x624@75" 57.284 832 864 928 1152 624 625 628 667 -vsync -hsync
modeline "1024x768@75" 78.8 1024 1040 1136 1312 768 769 772 800 +hsync +vsync
modeline "1024x768@70" 75.0 1024 1048 1184 1328 768 771 777 806 -vsync -hsync
modeline "1024x768@60" 65.0 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -vsync -hsync
modeline "1152x864@75" 108.0 1152 1216 1344 1600 864 865 868 900 +hsync +vsync
modeline "1280x1024@75" 135.0 1280 1296 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
modeline "1280x960@60" 102.1 1280 1360 1496 1712 960 961 964 994 -hsync +vsync
modeline "1280x1024@60" 108.0 1280 1328 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
modeline "1280x960@75" 129.86 1280 1368 1504 1728 960 961 964 1002 -hsync +vsync
modeline "1400x1050@60" 122.61 1400 1488 1640 1880 1050 1051 1054 1087 -hsync +vsync
modeline "1600x1200@65" 175.5 1600 1664 1856 2160 1200 1201 1204 1250 +hsync +vsync
modeline "1600x1200@60" 162.0 1600 1664 1856 2160 1200 1201 1204 1250 +hsync +vsync
Gamma 1.0
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "monitor1"
Gamma 1.0
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "blank time" "0"
Option "standby time" "0"
Option "suspend time" "0"
Option "off time" "0"
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "Enable"
EndSection


Anybody have any ideas?

[webarchitect]

Hmmmm..I just saved the info on my PC. Will get back to this later in the morning.

too sleepy

[handsomeDave]

I uninstalled the fglrx drivers, and installed the ati drivers, now when I try to turn on effects I get "Desktop effects could not be enabled". When I run compiz-check I get

Distribution: Ubuntu 8.04
Desktop environment: GNOME
Graphics chip: ATI Technologies Inc R580 [Radeon X1900 XT] (Primary)
Driver in use: radeon
Rendering method: AIGLX

Checking if it's possible to run Compiz on your system...

Checking for texture_from_pixmap... [ OK ]
Checking for non power of two support... [ OK ]
Checking for composite extension... [ OK ]
Checking for FBConfig... [ OK ]
Checking for hardware/setup problems... [ OK ]


Which I think is a step-up

I reverted to a basic xorg.conf
# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
EndSection

And I don't have any proprietary drivers listed in the hardware drivers.

glxinfo | grep vendor gives me
server glx vendor string: SGI
client glx vendor string: SGI
OpenGL vendor string: Mesa project: www.mesa3d.org


Any Ideas?

If I install xserver-xgl, everything runs very slow, but I can now turn on visual effects. Which leads me to believe that I'm using software rendering when I should be using the ATI card and hardware rendering

[handsomeDave]

I updated the kernel, and installed the drivers from ATI, uninstalled the Mesa Drivers, and now it works... Finally after more than a month of this I got desktop effects.

I think the big thing was updated the kernel.