Gutsy Gibbon 7.10 + Xgl + ATI fglrx + Compiz Fusion

If you are doing fresh install of Gutsy

When using apt-get, please close Synaptic Package Manager or Update Manager.

  1. Enable fgrlx driver.Install linux-restricted-modules and restricted-manager provided in the restricted repositories:

    Code:

    sudo apt-get updatesudo apt-get install linux-restricted-modules-generic restricted-manager

    Open the restricted drivers manager in “System -> Administration -> Restricted Drivers Manager” and select “ATI accelerated graphics driver”.

  2. Install xserver-xgl package

    Code:

    sudo apt-get install xserver-xgl
  3. 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
  4. Reboot
  5. 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.

  1. 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
  2. Remove Xgl

    Code:

    sudo apt-get --purge remove xserver-xgl
  3. Clean up

    Code:

    sudo apt-get autoremove
  4. Remove customizations

    Code:

    rm -rf ~/.compizrm -rf ~/.config/compizrm -rf ~/.gconf/apps/compizsudo rm -i /usr/local/bin/startxgl.sh
    
    sudo rm -i /usr/share/xsessions/xgl.desktop

    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 guide

  5. Reboot
  6. 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
  7. 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.
  8. Enable fgrlx driver.Install linux-restricted-modules and restricted-manager provided in the restricted repositories:

    Code:

    sudo apt-get updatesudo apt-get install linux-restricted-modules-generic restricted-manager

    Open the restricted drivers manager in “System -> Administration -> Restricted Drivers Manager” and select “ATI accelerated graphics driver”.

  9. Reboot if necessary.
  10. After reboot, log back in.
    Open terminal and run

    Code:

    fglrxinfo -display :0

    and verify that you see something like this:

    Code:

    display: :0.0  screen: 0OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.OpenGL renderer string: ATI Mobility Radeon X1400OpenGL 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.

  11. =================================
  12. Are you ready to get back into the wobbly windows and Desktop Cube?
  13. =================================
  14. Install Xgl.

    Code:

    sudo apt-get install xserver-xgl
  15. 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
  16. Reboot
  17. 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 :0display: :0.0 screen: 0OpenGL vendor string: Mesa project: www.mesa3d.orgOpenGL 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

Code:

sudo aticonfig --initial

then reboot (that’s step 9).


http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=580748

5 comments so far

  1. ShamZ on

    thank dude , i forgot how lol. now where i can get a good theme ?

  2. kendon on

    thx a lot for this tutorial. i tried to install compiz or beryl for days ’cause a friend was bugging me because he wanted to have the effects. then i tried to use the restricted driver from ubuntu (according to ati the version ubuntu knows does NOT support his graphics card…), and then i installed xgl and compiz after this tutorial (actually it is pretty easy and obvious what to do, don’t know why i didn’t figure this out earlier), and everything works like a charm. tried the same procedure for my own laptop (after seeing all the plugins i didn’t have in beryl), works like a charm! thx man

  3. Martin on

    The following is my xorg.conf from my etc/x11 folder. I have tried everything to install the 3d effects, but the advance desktop effects setting has been loaded. I don’t what I am doing wrong.

    Thanks for your help

    Section “InputDevice”
    Driver “wacom”
    Identifier “eraser”
    Option “Device” “/dev/input/wacom”
    Option “Type” “eraser”
    Option “ForceDevice” “ISDV4″# Tablet PC ONLY
    EndSection

    Section “InputDevice”
    Driver “wacom”
    Identifier “cursor”
    Option “Device” “/dev/input/wacom”
    Option “Type” “cursor”
    Option “ForceDevice” “ISDV4″# Tablet PC ONLY
    EndSection

    Section “Device”
    Identifier “ATI Technologies Inc RV380 [Radeon X600 (PCIE)]”
    Driver “fglrx”
    Busid “PCI:1:0:0″
    EndSection

    Section “Monitor”
    Identifier “PL150″
    Option “DPMS”
    EndSection

    Section “Screen”
    Identifier “Default Screen”
    Device “ATI Technologies Inc RV380 [Radeon X600 (PCIE)]”
    Monitor “PL150″
    Defaultdepth 24
    SubSection “Display”
    Modes “1280×1024″ “1024×768″ “832×624″ “800×600″ “720×400″ “640×480″
    EndSubSection
    EndSection

    Section “ServerLayout”
    Identifier “Default Layout”
    screen “Default Screen”
    Inputdevice “Generic Keyboard”
    Inputdevice “Configured Mouse”

    # Uncomment if you have a wacom tablet
    # InputDevice “stylus” “SendCoreEvents”
    # InputDevice “cursor” “SendCoreEvents”
    # InputDevice “eraser” “SendCoreEvents”
    EndSection
    Section “Module”
    Load “glx”
    EndSection
    Section “Extensions”
    Option “Composite” “0″
    EndSection

  4. aric on

    Since I am a bit lazy to search for themes, I use gnome-art to grab icons, themes, wallpapers, etc..

    sudo apt-get install gnome-art

  5. aric on

    Hi Martin,

    did you edit your xorg.conf on your own? Your subsection under the monitor section seem a bit off.. take a look at my xorg.conf

    Below is part of my xorg.conf

    Section “Device”
    Identifier “ATI Technologies Inc M22 [Mobility Radeon X300]”
    Boardname “ati”
    Busid “PCI:1:0:0″
    Driver “fglrx”
    Screen 0
    EndSection

    Section “Monitor”
    Identifier “Generic Monitor”
    Vendorname “Plug ‘n’ Play”
    Modelname “Plug ‘n’ Play”
    modeline “640×480@60″ 25.2 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -vsync -hsync
    Gamma 1.0
    EndSection

    Section “Screen”
    Identifier “Default Screen”
    Device “ATI Technologies Inc M22 [Mobility Radeon X300]”
    Monitor “Generic Monitor”
    Defaultdepth 24
    SubSection “Display”
    Depth 24
    Virtual 640 480
    Modes “1400×1050@60″
    EndSubSection
    EndSection


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