HOWTO: Jaunty Intel Graphics Performance Guide

[psyke83]

First off I want to give big thanks to psyke for this excellent howto!!

I do want to point out though that there have been two point updates to the stable 2.6.30 kernel. It might be good to update the howto to the new 2.6.30.2 kernel packages. I have already downloaded and installed them to my laptop and they work a treat.

Honestly couldn't tell you whether they're quicker or whether they contain any further graphics improvements, but since they're bug fix releases it shouldn't hurt to update, right?

Treris

Guide updated, thanks!

[LifeTheHound]

I just want to point out that a new stable Intel video driver, xf86[xserver-xorg]-video-intel 2.8.0, has landed and will be hitting the x updates ppa shortly.

Please be advised that if you are using EXA, your system might be in trouble if the update occurs, since all EXA code has been removed in this update and will no longer be supported by Intel.

The guide would also benefit from a rewrite of the section pertaining to EXA-specific migration heuristics and memory allotment mode.

One more point of interest, "unsupported" though it may be: the new 2.8.0 driver was written specifically for the latest development 2.6.31 kernel, which includes highly updated kernel modules for the i915, along with other revamped intel-specific components.

Please be advised.

[zevans]

The guide would also benefit from a rewrite of the section pertaining to EXA-specific migration heuristics and memory allotment mode.

Meaning it's wrong? Or...?

It was Canonical that took the decision NOT to fix UXA bugs in Jaunty, and make EXA the supported configuration.

One more point of interest, "unsupported" though it may be: the new 2.8.0 driver was written specifically for the latest development 2.6.31 kernel, which includes highly updated kernel modules for the i915, along with other revamped intel-specific components.

Sigh. How can it be "stable" if it relies on an unreleased kernel?

Please be advised.

Your post reads as if everyone should get rid of EXA immediately, otherwise everything will break. Let me emphasise this is only true if you are using xorg-edgers.

[pepeng]

how to install driver for VGA intel GMA 950 ???

[treesurf]

First off I want to give big thanks to psyke for this excellent howto!!

I do want to point out though that there have been two point updates to the stable 2.6.30 kernel. It might be good to update the howto to the new 2.6.30.2 kernel packages. I have already downloaded and installed them to my laptop and they work a treat.

Honestly couldn't tell you whether they're quicker or whether they contain any further graphics improvements, but since they're bug fix releases it shouldn't hurt to update, right?

Treris

A small warning: this kernel update has killed suspend to RAM on my laptop. Otherwise, no noticeable difference.

[snssswc]

I have Intel GMA3100 integrated to my motherboard (Asus P5KPL-CM).
And I'm using Xubuntu 9.04.

Please could you advise how did you make xserver work please?
I have tried to install the package provided above, but got the errors below:
----
Unpacking replacement xserver-xorg-video-intel ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of xserver-xorg-video-intel:
xserver-xorg-video-intel depends on libdrm-intel1 (>= 2.4.11+git20090519.f355ad89); however:
Version of libdrm-intel1 on system is 2.4.9-1ubuntu1~xup~1.
xserver-xorg-video-intel depends on libdrm2 (>= 2.4.11+git20090519.f355ad89); however:
Version of libdrm2 on system is 2.4.9-1ubuntu1~xup~1.
dpkg: error processing xserver-xorg-video-intel (--install):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
xserver-xorg-video-intel

[LifeTheHound]

Meaning it's wrong? Or...?

It was Canonical that took the decision NOT to fix UXA bugs in Jaunty, and make EXA the supported configuration.

EXA has been fully deprecated upon stable driver update to 2.8.0. This will very soon be the driver found in xorg-updates PPA as well.

Sigh. How can it be "stable" if it relies on an unreleased kernel?

It isn't; I am simply pointing out that the driver is made for this kernel and its updated modules. Perhaps when the kernel is officially released (a few weeks' time), it will be more so, but I am not one to say.

Your post reads as if everyone should get rid of EXA immediately, otherwise everything will break. Let me emphasise this is only true if you are using xorg-edgers.

This is incorrect. There will be absolutely no EXA support, even in x-updates PPA, very soon. This is because the pre-release driver touted in xorg-edgers has been completed and has now been pushed to 'stable' and will make it to x-updates very soon. Users will be rid of their EXA support whether they like it or not, no matter which of the two PPA's they use. This is the purpose of my post, to give fair warning.

[Browser_ice]

The office desktop I installed Kubuntu 9.04 on simply do not have any section in xorg.conf related to the intel video card this PC has. So do I don't think I need to do all the steps in your tutorials. I simply want xorg.conf to have intel infos and see from there how it acts.

lspci | grep -i intel
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82915G/P/GV/GL/PL/910GL Memory Controller Hub (rev 04)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 82915G/GV/910GL Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 04)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #1 (rev 03)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #2 (rev 03)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #3 (rev 03)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #4 (rev 03)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 03)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev d3)
00:1e.2 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) AC'97 Audio Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FR (ICH6/ICH6R) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 03)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FW (ICH6/ICH6W) SATA Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 03)

dpkg -l | grep intel
ii libdrm-intel1 2.4.5-0ubuntu4 Userspace interface to intel-specific kernel
ii xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.6.3-0ubuntu9.3 X.Org X server -- Intel i8xx, i9xx display d

glxinfo|grep render
Error: unable to open display

lsmod
Module Size Used by
i915 65540 2
drm 96296 3 i915
bridge 56340 0
stp 10500 1 bridge
bnep 20224 2
input_polldev 11912 0
video 25360 0
output 11008 1 video
lp 17156 0
snd_intel8x0 37532 2
snd_ac97_codec 112292 1 snd_intel8x0
ac97_bus 9856 1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_pcm_oss 46336 0
snd_mixer_oss 22656 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm 82948 3 snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_seq_dummy 10756 0
snd_seq_oss 37760 0
snd_seq_midi 14336 0
snd_rawmidi 29696 1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event 15104 2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq 56880 6 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_mid i_event
snd_timer 29704 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device 14988 5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi ,snd_seq
iTCO_wdt 19108 0
iTCO_vendor_support 11652 1 iTCO_wdt
snd 62628 14 snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_ oss,snd_pcm,snd_seq_oss,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_ti mer,snd_seq_device
ppdev 15620 0
pcspkr 10496 0
soundcore 15200 1 snd
snd_page_alloc 16904 2 snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm
parport_pc 40100 1
parport 42220 3 lp,ppdev,parport_pc
intel_agp 34108 1
agpgart 42696 3 drm,intel_agp
usbhid 42336 0
usb_storage 82880 1
tg3 131204 0
floppy 64324 0
fbcon 46112 0
tileblit 10752 1 fbcon
font 16384 1 fbcon
bitblit 13824 1 fbcon
softcursor 9984 1 bitblit

/etc/X11$ cat 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.
#
# Note that some configuration settings that could be done previously
# in this file, now are automatically configured by the server and settings
# here are ignored.
#
# 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 "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

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

Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "DontZap" "False"
EndSection

[thezood]

I have an Eee pc 900, and the graphics were terrible, but doing the bleeding edge configuration has improved a little, but installing the .31 rc3 kernel has seriously improved my preformance (but everything comes with a catch, my webcam doesnt work) but i bet a later release would fix that

here is the URL:

http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/

go to the bottom one (2.6.31-rc3)

install image first (22 MB), then the headers (9.1 MB)

I went for 2.6.31-rc4 and it increased my Planet Penguin FPS from 5-10 to ~25! Let's just hope it's stable as well because I really love being able to use my little netbook for a wee bit of gaming...

Thanks Psyke83 and Richard9795 for your tips!

[Orographic]

I just want to point out that a new stable Intel video driver, xf86[xserver-xorg]-video-intel 2.8.0, has landed and will be hitting the x updates ppa shortly.

Please be advised that if you are using EXA, your system might be in trouble if the update occurs, since all EXA code has been removed in this update and will no longer be supported by Intel.

The guide would also benefit from a rewrite of the section pertaining to EXA-specific migration heuristics and memory allotment mode.

One more point of interest, "unsupported" though it may be: the new 2.8.0 driver was written specifically for the latest development 2.6.31 kernel, which includes highly updated kernel modules for the i915, along with other revamped intel-specific components.

Please be advised.

So, if someone has used say the Safe Config setup here, do we need to do anything in preparation for this? I have a Clonezilla image though, without any changes from this thread, that I can use is needs be.