Unity does not load - 11.10 upgrade

[psyopper]

Help. Please.

I just completed the upgrade from 11.04 to 11.10. Unity does not load and is not falling back to 2d. I get no side bar, nor a top panel. I have to manually navigate to my Firefox.bin to launch the browser. Opening a terminal with Ctl Alt T trying to launch unity there fails.

I presume this is because I'm running an AMD/ATI 5700 series card and need to load updated drivers to get compositing to work correctly. How do I update the drivers?

brad@ubuntu-desktop:/usr/lib$ unity
unity-panel-service: no process found
Checking if settings need to be migrated ...no
Checking if internal files need to be migrated ...no
Backend     : gconf
Integration : true
Profile     : unity
Adding plugins
Skipping upgrade com.canonical.unity.unity.01.upgrade
Skipping upgrade com.canonical.unity.unity.02.upgrade
Initializing core options...done
Initializing bailer options...done
Initializing detection options...done
Initializing composite options...done
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin '/usr/lib/compiz/libopengl.so' : libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'opengl'
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin '/usr/lib/compiz/libdecor.so' : libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'decor'
Initializing mousepoll options...done
Initializing gnomecompat options...done
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin '/usr/lib/compiz/libmove.so' : libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'move'
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin '/usr/lib/compiz/libresize.so' : libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'resize'
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin '/usr/lib/compiz/libgrid.so' : libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'grid'
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin '/usr/lib/compiz/libwall.so' : libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'wall'
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin '/usr/lib/compiz/libwobbly.so' : libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'wobbly'
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin '/usr/lib/compiz/libobs.so' : libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'obs'
Initializing vpswitch options...done
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin '/usr/lib/compiz/libcompiztoolbox.so' : libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'compiztoolbox'
Initializing place options...done
Initializing session options...done
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin '/usr/lib/compiz/libunitymtgrabhandles.so' : libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'unitymtgrabhandles'
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin '/usr/lib/compiz/libanimation.so' : libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'animation'
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin '/usr/lib/compiz/libscreenshot.so' : libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'screenshot'
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin '/usr/lib/compiz/libexpo.so' : libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'expo'
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin '/usr/lib/compiz/libfade.so' : libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'fade'
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin '/usr/lib/compiz/libezoom.so' : libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'ezoom'
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin '/usr/lib/compiz/libworkarounds.so' : libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'workarounds'
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin '/usr/lib/compiz/libscale.so' : libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'scale'
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin '/usr/lib/compiz/libunityshell.so' : libGL.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'unityshell'
Setting Update "main_menu_key"
Setting Update "run_key"
Setting Update "run_command_terminal_key"

[effenberg0x0]

Hey, try to follow the procedures I described in this thread, post 5 and on.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1857059

Regards,
Effenberg

[zemadz]

While you have not resolved this problem, can you not login with "Ubuntu 2D" mode? Top right icon near the user name in the login screen allows you to access that.

BTW, I am also having a problem with missing panels. The hardware is older though and maybe not exactly the same reason, but who knows.

[psyopper]

Hey, try to follow the procedures I described in this thread, post 5 and on.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1857059

Regards,
Effenberg

Thanks, that was a big help.

1. FGLRX wasn't installed
2. I downloaded the driver and created the packages
3. I installed the packages named fglrx*.deb, not amd*.deb
4. They failed to install because I was missing dkms
5. I did an apt-get install of DKMS which then triggered completing the install of FGLRX

Reboot and now it works as it should. My fear at this point is reliance on the ATI proprietary drivers. Every time the kernel upgrades am I going to have to go through this again?

[effenberg0x0]

Have a read on this:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BinaryDriverHowto/ATI

Summary: Not necessarily.

Regards,
Effenberg

[Stewinashoe]

I am having the same problem. When I get the ati proprietary drivers installed, unity works but I can't get my dual monitors working. I change the settings in catalyst and when I click apply, catalyst just closes. If I remove fglrx, my dual monitors work fine but unity doesn't load! Any suggestions? If I can't figure it out then tomorrow I'm just going to reinstall.

[BluSpoon]

I've had the same issue.

I've re installed the ati drivers and did the following:
Ctrl alt T

Jockey-gtk and installed the ati again.
rebooted.
In Terminal ran:
sudo aticonfig --initial=dual-head
Rebooted
Ran catalyst admin to set up xinerama.

No idea if the reboots are all needed but its working for me so far.

Ps, sorry poor formatting and apelling as I'm having to post from my phone.

[Cynical]

I am having the same problem. When I get the ati proprietary drivers installed, unity works but I can't get my dual monitors working. I change the settings in catalyst and when I click apply, catalyst just closes. If I remove fglrx, my dual monitors work fine but unity doesn't load! Any suggestions? If I can't figure it out then tomorrow I'm just going to reinstall.

The reason unity doesn't load is because Ubuntu is still trying to load the fglrx driver even though it is uninstalled. Follow my instructions here in order to return your system to using the open source radeon driver.

[Stewinashoe]

Worked! Thank you so much!

[Rebootkid]

How about some love for those of us seeing this problem with Nvida cards?
I tried to adapt the directions to work, and clearly screwed something up, because this didn't work for me.