This document is specific to proud owners of challenging ATI video cards and to the new release of Gutsy Gibbon 7.10. The guide has two sections: instructions for the fresh Gutsy install and instructions for Feisty upgrade.
Note for Hardy Heron 8.04 and Intrepid Ibex 8.10 users. The new ATI accelerated driver supports so called AIGLX so XGL is not required. However, XGL still works, and is apparently a working strategy to address some video playback (choppy video, video tearing) problems with Compiz Fusion.
This guide supersedes Feisty guide. The original location of this guide is here. I prefer that troubleshooting takes place on the "Desktop Effects" optimization forum in the original thread rather than here.
If you are doing fresh install of Gutsy
When using apt-get, please close Synaptic Package Manager or Update Manager.
- Enable fgrlx driver.
Install linux-restricted-modules and restricted-manager provided in the restricted repositories:
Open the restricted drivers manager in "System -> Administration -> Restricted Drivers Manager" and select "ATI accelerated graphics driver".Code:sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install linux-restricted-modules-generic restricted-manager
- Install xserver-xgl package
Code:sudo apt-get install xserver-xgl- Install compiz
Code:sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager compiz compiz-core compiz-fusion-plugins-main compiz-fusion-plugins-extra compiz-gnome compiz-plugins libcompizconfig-backend-gconf libcompizconfig0- Reboot
- Log in. 3D effects should be enabled!
If you are upgrading from Feisty 7.04 or earlier versions and you have run Xgl before.
When upgrading, you may experience blank screen, a screen with no windows and toolbars, a screen with only a background, or any other mess. It is caused by the customized scripts for Xgl which do not work with Gutsy. So, we need to clean up. We will end up wiping your custom Compiz settings -- but this may be required since some customizations applicable to early alpha versions of Compiz Fusion in Feisty are incompatible to more mature Compiz Fusion version in Gutsy.
If you really can't log into a working X session and open a terminal, simply press "Ctrl-Alt-F1" to get into the text prompt and follow the removal steps (1-4) from the text interface. After a reboot, the graphics should work better.
When using apt-get, please close Synaptic Package Manager or Update Manager.
- Remove compiz
Code:sudo echo "activate sudo" sudo apt-get --purge remove compiz* sudo apt-get --purge remove libcompiz* sudo apt-get --purge remove libdecoration0 sudo apt-get --purge remove compizconfig-settings-manager sudo apt-get --purge remove python-compizconfig- Remove Xgl
Code:sudo apt-get --purge remove xserver-xgl- Clean up
Code:sudo apt-get autoremove- Remove customizations
When asked to remove the files, type YES. If the files were present and you removed them, proceed to the next item. Otherwise, undo customizations to /etc/gdm/gdm.conf and /etc/gdm/gdm.conf-custom that you have made from this section of the guideCode:rm -rf ~/.compiz rm -rf ~/.config/compiz rm -rf ~/.gconf/apps/compiz sudo rm -i /usr/local/bin/startxgl.sh sudo rm -i /usr/share/xsessions/xgl.desktop- Reboot
- Login back in and find yourself in a 3D effect devoid session. You may not even be running a windows manager. If you can't move windows and don't see window decorations, press "Alt-F2" and type
Code:metacity --replace- Verify that everything else is working properly, e.g. Firefox opens, Wired and/or Wireless Network connects, etc. This is the best time to troubleshoot everything else until we enable 3D effects.
- Enable fgrlx driver.
Install linux-restricted-modules and restricted-manager provided in the restricted repositories:
Open the restricted drivers manager in "System -> Administration -> Restricted Drivers Manager" and select "ATI accelerated graphics driver".Code:sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install linux-restricted-modules-generic restricted-manager- Reboot if necessary.
- After reboot, log back in.
Open terminal and run
and verify that you see something like this:Code:fglrxinfo -display :0
Code:display: :0.0 screen: 0 OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc. OpenGL renderer string: ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 OpenGL version string: 2.0.6473 (8.37.6)If you don't have command fglrxinfo, you either don't have a supported ATI card or you missed a step or two. Go back through all steps. If unsure, post your /etc/X11/xorg.conf in this thread.
- =================================
- Are you ready to get back into the wobbly windows and Desktop Cube?
- =================================
- Install Xgl.
Code:sudo apt-get install xserver-xgl- Install compiz
Code:sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager compiz compiz-core compiz-fusion-plugins-main compiz-fusion-plugins-extra compiz-gnome compiz-plugins libcompizconfig-backend-gconf libcompizconfig0- Reboot
- Log in. 3D effects should be enabled! You no longer need to select a special Xgl session.
Troubleshooting
A common problem in step 10 is fgrlxinfo output like this:
.Code:# fglrxinfo -display :0 display: :0.0 screen: 0 OpenGL vendor string: Mesa project: www.mesa3d.org OpenGL renderer string: Mesa GLX Indirect OpenGL version string: 1.4 (2.1 Mesa 7.0.1)
That means you are not using the restricted driver. Enable it via Restricted Driver Manager -- see step 8. Just in case, run command
then reboot (that's step 9).Code:sudo aticonfig --initial
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If you have a laptop, suspect and hibernate will not work until ATI fixes a bug in the driver. More details at https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...22/+bug/121653
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If you have any questions, please post output of commands
fglrxinfo -display :0
fglrxinfo -display :1
as well as contents of your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file in the original thread
References
DO NOT FOLLOW THESE LINKS BLINDLY. MOST ARE WRITTEN FOR FEISTY AND THIS GUIDE UNDOES WHAT IS SUGGESTED IN THESE GUIDES.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...&postcount=217
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=488385
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BinaryDriverHowto/ATI
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedDrivers/ATI
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/CompositeManager/Xgl
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Originally Posted by accog
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