Ubuntu 11.10 Gnome shell

[richard9090]

I just installed ubuntu 11.10. I switch to gnome shell, my display is tearing, flickering. I have made adjustments in ati catalyst control center but no improvement. I really want to use gnome instead of unity. Any suggestion to solve the problem. Thanks

[waynefoutz]

you need to remove the fglrx driver and install the open source Radeon driver.

use this as a guide:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RadeonDriver


You'll probably have to click on the link under "Removing the proprietary fglrx driver." Tha'ts what you need to do. Also ignore the part about adding the xorg-edgers PPA, because that doesn't work with Gnome-shell either.

Read up on it first, but for me, these terminal commands and a reboot got me going:

sudo /usr/share/ati/fglrx-uninstall.sh  # (if it exists)
  sudo apt-get remove --purge fglrx*

  sudo apt-get remove --purge xserver-xorg-video-ati xserver-xorg-video-radeon
 
  sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-video-ati

  sudo apt-get install --reinstall libgl1-mesa-glx libgl1-mesa-dri xserver-xorg-core

  sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

Once you get it running to your liking, to change it so you automatically boot up into gnome-shell instead of Unity run this command in the terminal:

sudo /usr/lib/lightdm/lightdm-set-defaults -s gnome-shell

to undo that so it boots back into Unity by default:

sudo /usr/lib/lightdm/lightdm-set-defaults -s ubuntu

this will get gnome-shell working. The open source drivers are pretty good, but you will take a performance hit if you play 3d games like Urban Terror or Oil Rush. So if you don't care about that, the open source drivers are the way to go.

[randywilharm]

try this:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg


Don't forget -phigh

[waynefoutz]

try this:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg


Don't forget -phigh

When I did it, I forgot the phigh.....What did I miss when I forgot the phigh?

[Zalbor]

Does this mean that if I install Ubuntu 11.10 on my iMac (which doesn't work with the open-source driver and needs one downloaded from ATI/AMD's website) I won't be able to use gnome-shell??

[t_ras]

You will be able to use classic gnome (with much less custimability) but not the new gnome 3

[Zalbor]

Totally not what I wanted to hear...
Is there more information about what causes this somewhere? Why gnome-shell won't work with the driver?

EDIT: According to this, AMD said the issue would be fixed in the 11.9 version of the driver. I see that this driver is already out, at least for newer graphics cards.

[richard9090]

waynefouts, thanks a lot. I followed your instructions, I could get gnome shell working well now, no more tearing, but some flickering still there on and off. Still have to try 3D games and see.

[Zalbor]

waynefouts, thanks a lot. I followed your instructions, I could get gnome shell working well now, no more tearing, but some flickering still there on and off. Still have to try 3D games and see.

If I were you, I'd see if my graphics card was supported by the driver I mentioned above and give it a try.
I can't test it yet myself though, because I'd have to reinstall and I'm waiting for Mint 12.

EDIT: It's a bit risky though, I've had trouble removing a driver from their website before.

[Flymo]

Thanks for the helpful info folks....