HOWTO: compiz + aiglx + i915, the NEW guide

[reacocard]

This guide is designed for i915 graphics, but should work with any intel card that uses the i810 driver.

First, open your sources.list file

gksudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

and add these lines

## Compiz
deb http://xgl.compiz.info/ dapper main aiglx
deb http://www.beerorkid.com/compiz dapper main aiglx
deb http://ubuntu.compiz.net/ dapper main aiglx
deb http://media.blutkind.org/xgl/ dapper main aiglx
deb-src http://xgl.compiz.info/ dapper main aiglx
deb-src http://www.beerorkid.com/compiz dapper main aiglx
deb-src http://ubuntu.compiz.net/ dapper main aiglx
deb-src http://media.blutkind.org/xgl/ dapper main aiglx

now, make sure everything is up-to-date:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Install DRI:

sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-air-core linux-dri-modules-common linux-dri-modules-`uname -r`

now, there are two major kinds of compiz. quinn, and vanilla. vanilla is the generic compiz from cvs, and quinn includes quinnstorm's custom patches and plugins. You can only install one of the two. I reccommend quinn's.

For vanilla

sudo apt-get install compiz-vanilla compiz-vanilla-gnome

For quinn's you have the choice of several window decorators, the thing that draws the borders and titlebars of your windows. here are the apt-get lines for two of them.

for cgwd: (most advanced, supports lots of theming, has a few bugs. doesn't work on vanilla)

sudo apt-get install cgwd cgwd-themes compiz-core compiz-plugins csm

for gnome-window-decorator: (least advanced, no theming, but works very well. used by vanilla compiz as well.)

sudo apt-get install compiz-gnome compiz-core compiz-plugins csm

or for both:

sudo apt-get install cgwd cgwd-themes compiz-gnome compiz-core compiz-plugins csm

Edit your Xorg config:

sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.old
gksudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN EDITING THIS FILE

make sure the following sections/options are like this. the most important changes are highlighted in red.

Needs to be in the Screen section:

          DefaultDepth 24

Make sure these are all there, and GLcore is commented out:

    Section "Module"

    # Load "GLcore"

    Load "i2c"

    Load "bitmap"

    Load "ddc"

    Load "dbe"

    Load "dri"

    Load "extmod"

    Load "freetype"

    Load "glx"

    Load "int10″

    Load "type1″

    Load "vbe"

    EndSection

EXACTLY like this:

    Section "Device"

    Identifier "Intel Corporation Intel Default Card"

    Driver "i810″

    Option "XAANoOffscreenPixmaps"

    BusID "PCI:0:2:0″

    EndSection

MUST have this:

    Section "Extensions"

    Option "Composite" "Enable"

    EndSection

and this:

    Section "DRI"

    Mode 0666

    EndSection

Now modify gdm's config to use AIGLX:

gksudo gedit /etc/gdm/gdm.conf-custom

make it look like this:

    [servers]

    0=aiglx

    [server-aiglx]

    name=aiglx server

    command=/usr/bin/Xorg-air :0

    flexible=true

Now let's add a tray icon to simplify turning compiz on/off and configuring it. Grab compizswitch.tar.gz from the end of this guide and extract it somewhere. /opt works well if want to use it systemwide, but if its just for you you home directory also works (I use ~/Software/compizswitch)

Now let's make sure everything works. reboot the computer, then goto wherever you extracted compizswitch are run compizswitchicon.

Compiz will start. Notice the little red box on your panel? Click that and you'll get a menu letting you restart compiz, switch back to metacity, and change compiz's preferences or themes.

Now that that's working, let's add compiz to your startup so it'll launch automatically. Go to System -> Preferences -> Sessions, and under the Startup Programs tab, click add, browse to whereever you put compizswitch, and use compizswitchicon.

END

POST INSTALL TIPS:

Optimize Totem's video playback.

gksudo gedit ~/.gnome2/totem_config

replace this line

#video.driver:auto

with this:

video.driver:xshm

[MadCowBoy]

reacocard Thanks for the How To, I had couple questions,

Please Clarify the apt-get line in your post:
sudo apt-get install linux-dri-modules-common linux-dri-modules-`uname -r`

I did them seperatly, the first "linux-dri-modules-common" had no problems, and I tried variations on the linux-dri-modules-`uname -r` please clarify that line...

Also the Module section of my xorg.conf did not load "GLcore" but instead "i2c", should that be commented out in place of "GLcore" or left alone.

Regards,

[argash]

Something in the config files concked out my X when I rebooted and I had to revert them back to get back into gnome. I'm gonna try it again later when I get home but I wanted to thank you for all the work you put into this.

[reacocard]

Please Clarify the apt-get line in your post: sudo apt-get install linux-dri-modules-common linux-dri-modules-`uname -r` I did them seperatly, the first "linux-dri-modules-common" had no problems, and I tried variations on the linux-dri-modules-`uname -r` please clarify that line...

How should I clarify it? that's exactly what you need to type. "uname-r" will automaically be replaced with your kernel version. doing it this way saves me the trouble fo having to put "if you installed kernel-XX then you need YY" for each possibility.

Something in the config files concked out my X when I rebooted

Yeah, you have to be really careful with that part. make sure you have "Option "XAANoOffscreenPixmaps"", otherwise it won't work at all.

[kalbir]

I just went through this HOWTO on a fresh dapper install and the X server did not restart after my reboot. I got the following error:

X Server not found: /usr/bin/Xorg-air :0 :0 -auth /var/lib/gdm/ :0Xauth-nolistentep vt7 Error command could not be executed

(I think that's it- I scrawled it down and can't make out everything I wrote!)

Any ideas what went wrong?

Many Thanks,

Kalbir

[argash]

that sounds similar to what i was getting as well

[kalbir]

I sorted this out by using the tutorial here:

http://wiki.compiz.net/index.php/Aig...915_video_card

and mashing it in with bits and pieces from this one! Basically, I did the "union" of the two tutes. Everything is working now!

Kalbir