New ATI fglrx Driver 8.42

I, like many of you, was really excited that ATI released a new driver that allowed AIGLX support. AIGLX allows you to run Beryl, Compiz or Compiz-Fusion without XGL. Intel and NVIDEA users have been able to do this for over a year. I have an EVGA 7600GT in my desktop and AIGLX is a pleasure to run. Unfortunately, the driver came out too late to be included as the default ATI driver in Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon. You can compile the driver yourself.

I couldn't get the 8.42 driver to work for me after multiple attempts. I was willing to keep on trying until I get this e-mail from a reader named Christopher:

"hibernate/suspend does not work with the new 8.42.3 ati driver. Andfor anyone reading this, i've installed the new driver and though it isa great step forward, i'd stick with the xgl setup in gutsy. The newdriver does eliminate the need for xgl, but its much slower, and notworth it. I eventually took it out, and reverted back to the old setup,trust me its dog slow, you dont want it just yet. Give these guysanother 6 months and maybe well have a decent ati driver by then."

I think I'm going to use the repo ATI driver this release. XGL isn't pretty, but it's relatively fast and does work. I'd love to hear if any of you got the 8.42 driver working and any impressions you have regarding it's performance. For now, I'm going to use XGL for my Compiz-Fusion needs.

edited by pHreaksYcle

Compiz Fusion in Feisty with Xgl

This is the guide everyone has been waiting for, this not only works for the Dell Inspiron 1501 but works for any computer running an ATI card using Xgl.

Check ATI Driver
In a terminal type:
fglrxinfo

You should see this output in your terminal window:
display: :0.0 screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: RADEON XPRESS Series
OpenGL version string: 2.0.6334 (8.34.8)

If you get something different make sure you enable the proprietary ATI driver via the Restricted Driver Manager. You can find it in the top left menu bar under System>Administration>Restricted Drivers.
(This is what you get when using the Dell Inspiron 1501, other users can check for enabled 3D by using the command glxgears, you should see spinning gears)

Install Xgl
In a terminal type:
sudo apt-get install xserver-xgl

Setting Up XGL
In a terminal type:
sudo gedit /usr/local/bin/startxgl.sh

and this to the file:
#!/bin/sh
Xgl :1 -fullscreen -ac -accel xv:pbuffer -accel glx:pbuffer &
DISPLAY=:1
cookie="$(xauth -i nextract - :0 | cut -d ' ' -f 9)"
xauth -i add :1 . "$cookie"
exec dbus-launch --exit-with-session gnome-session
save and close file

Then make the xgl script executable by entering this into a terminal:
sudo chmod a+x /usr/local/bin/startxgl.sh

Creating a XGL Login
Make the script, by typing this into a terminal:
sudo gedit /usr/share/xsessions/xgl.desktop

add this text to the file:
[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=Xgl
Comment=Start an Xgl Session
Exec=/usr/local/bin/startxgl.sh
Icon=
Type=Application
save and close file

Remove Compiz & Desktop Effects
sudo apt-get remove compiz-core desktop-effects

If you have Beryl Installed Remove Beryl Too
In a terminal type:
sudo apt-get remove beryl-ubuntu beryl-manager emerald

If you want to use emerald as your decorator for Compiz Fusion do not remove the emerald package.

Add the Compiz Fusion Repository
In a terminal type:
sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

Add this to the end of your your source list:
deb http://download.tuxfamily.org/3v1deb feisty eyecandy
deb-src http://download.tuxfamily.org/3v1deb feisty eyecandy
save and close file

Add the tuxfamily Repository Key
In a terminal type:
sudo wget http://download.tuxfamily.org/3v1deb/DD800CD9.gpg -O- | sudo apt-key add -

Update Your System
In a terminal type:
sudo apt-get update

Install Compiz Fusion
In a terminal type:
sudo apt-get install compiz compizconfig-settings-manager compiz-plugins compiz-gnome compiz-fusion-plugins-extra compiz-fusion-plugins-unofficial libcompizconfig-backend-gconf

Now you just have to log off, log into your Xgl session and run Compiz Fusion.

To run Compiz Fusion:
compiz --replace

To run the Compiz Setting Manager:
ccsm

I find Compiz Fusion to be faster and more responsive then Beryl. I don't use Beryl's window manger, Emerald. If you want to use Emerald with Compiz Fusion, it's as easy as sudo apt-get emerald and to launch it's emerald --replace. I didn't mention it in my guide because I prefer Compiz's gtk-window-decorator, and don't want to put up with the hassle of people asking my questions about software I don't use.

Troubleshooting
Q: Compiz Fusion doesn't load/work?
A: Make sure you are you logged onto your Xgl session. Select it at startup from sessions.

Q: I don't have windows decorations.
A: Did you run ccsm (compiz setting manager) and enable Window Decorations

Q: I don't have a cube.
A: Did you run ccsm (compiz setting manager) and enable 3D cube

Q: I get error: E: Couldn't find package ******, can you help?
A: You have to add the repository correctly and then update it. Do those steps over again.

Q: How do I get Compiz Fusion to load when I log in?
A: You have to add compiz --replace to your startup session. First, go to System>Preferences>Session. Then click on the New button on the right hand side of the menu. Add compiz --replace to your startup.

Hope you guys like the guide.
redDEADresolve

edited by pHreaksYcle

Fix for Shift+Backspace Restarting X

There is a annoying glitch with Beryl that has been around since Compiz. It causes x to restart when you hit the shift and back space keys at the same time. This is how to fix it:

Open up a Terminal:
sudo gedit /usr/local/bin/x_restart_fix.sh

Add this line to the script:
xmodmap -e "keycode 22 = BackSpace BackSpace Terminate_Server"
Save and close the text file.

Make it executable:
sudo chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/x_restart_fix.sh

Go to System>Preferences>Sessions> Startup Programs and then add to your Startup Programs:
/usr/local/bin/x_restart_fix.sh

Now shift+backspace doesn't ruin your fun. Enjoy!

edited by pHreaksYcle

Beryl 2.0 Out, I Remove Shoe from Mouth

I posted last week about how much I thought Beryl sucked. I didn't like the fact that neither my desktop nor Dell Inspiron 1501 could run it without complicated fixes/silly hacks. I even went as far to switch over to Compiz. Now I'm going to have to eat a little crow. Beryl works again. Wednesday's stable release marks a huge step forward for the Beryl Project. It no longer sucks. Beryl 2.0 worked on both my machines, ran smoothly, and most importantly works really well on the Dell Inspiron 1501.

• Beryl Settings Manager has been cleaned up and everything is a logical place.

• New window animations

• New plugins (I like thumbnails but have it turned off)

The best part of this whole ordeal is that I learned you can combine Compiz and Beryl. Compiz's window manager is so much better then Beryl's Emerald. It's a simple gtk window decorator that allows you to use any gtk theme. I love it and without it working in Beryl I would have never left Compiz.

edited by pHreaksYcle

Compiz with ATI Graphic Card and XGL (For Edgy Eft)

This guide just isn't for the Dell Inspiron 1501, it is also for any computer running the ATI drivers. The first seven steps will show you how to properly install the ATI Drivers in Ubuntu.

Compiz does have issues on the Dell Inspiron 1501, opening programs causes the screen to go black and white. It goes away after moving objects on the desktop. So far this is the only issue I've had.

Step 1: Install and Configure the ATI Driver.
Enable Restricted Repository
Go to your System Menu > Administration > Software Sources. Place a check next to "Proprietary drivers for devices (restricted) The Option Highlighted in Red," click Close, click Reload, and let the application update the package list.


Step 2: Update Your System
Open up a Terminal Window, Then:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Step 3: Edit Your xorg.config File

sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Find Section "Extensions" add this lines to the section

Section "Extensions"
Option  "Composite" "Disable"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option  "AIGLX" "off"
EndSection

Step 4: Install Driver
Use Method 2 from the Unofficial ATI Driver Wiki, I couldn't write a better or more straight forward guide.


Step 5: Verifying Proper Installation

fglrxinfo

You should see this:

red@red-laptop:~$ fglrxinfo
display: :0.0  screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: RADEON XPRESS Series
OpenGL version string: 2.0.6334 (8.34.8)

Step 6: Setting up XGL

sudo apt-get install xserver-xgl

Step 7: Make an XGL Session

sudo gedit /usr/bin/startxgl.sh

Add this to the text file:

#!/bin/sh
Xgl :1 -fullscreen -ac -accel xv:pbuffer -accel glx:pbuffer &
DISPLAY=:1
cookie="$(xauth -i nextract - :0 | cut -d ' ' -f 9)"
xauth -i add :1 . "$cookie"
dbus-launch --exit-with-session gnome-session

SAVE AND CLOSE
For Different Windows Manager (KDE/XFCE) Check Here

Then make the script executable:

sudo chmod +x /usr/bin/startxgl.sh

Step 8: Add XGL Option to the Gnome Login Manager

sudo gedit /usr/share/xsessions/xgl.desktop

[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=XGL
Comment=Start an Xgl Session
Exec=/usr/bin/startxgl.sh
Icon=
Type=Application

SAVE AND CLOSE
To log into XGL, logout of your current session, and from the login screen click "Options" and "Session chooser".
Select "Xgl" from the Session menu.
DON'T DO IT NOW, Continue with guide

Step 9: Edit Your Source List
Add the following line to the bottom:

sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

Add:

deb http://gandalfn.club.fr/ubuntu edgy dev

SAVE AND CLOSE

Download the gpg key:

gpg --keyserver hkp://wwwkeys.eu.pgp.net --recv-keys 0x483170E9 ; gpg --export -a 0x483170E9 | sudo apt-key add -

Step 10: Install Compiz

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install compiz compiz-plugins compiz-extra compiz-extra-plugins compiz-extra-gnome gnome-compiz-manager

Optional But Recommended:
Download the Compiz Settings Manager, gives you complete control over Compiz settings.

Last:
Turn off gtk-window-decorator, if not Compiz tries to load even when not in XGL session.
Go to "System>Preferences>Sessions"
Click gtk-window-decorator (Highlighted in red) and click the disable button

edited by pHreaksYcle

Beryl with XGL on DELL 1501 (For Edgy Eft)

This guide is going to show you how to install Beryl using Compiz's gtk window manager. Beryl allows you to change managers on the fly so you can install both, use Compiz, or Beryl's Emerald window manager or switch at your leisure. If you don't want to install Compiz's gtk window manager skip all Compiz steps. Beryl will install properly either way.

Beryl's 2.0 release is impressive, it runs extremely well on the Dell Inspiron 1501. This guide is straight forward and easy. Don't be afraid, remember blue text is what you put into your terminal window, red text is import information that you should pay extra attention to.


Install the ATI Proprietary Driver:
Using The Unofficial Linux ATI Driver guide

This is the most important step, without doing this right you can't run Beryl. Installing your ATI driver is easy, follow the guide and you won't go wrong. Use Method 2

Now, check to see if you installed the driver right!
fglrxinfo

You should see this ouputed on your terminal window:
display: :0.0 screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: RADEON XPRESS Series
OpenGL version string: 2.0.6334 (8.34.8)

Now test this:
fgl_glxgears

if you see these gears spinning you know you did it right and you've enabled 3D.

Setting Up Beryl & Compiz Repositories:
Add the Beryl & Compiz repositories to your source list, this will bring up your source list.
sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

The you will add the line to the bottom of your source list for Beryl:
deb http://ubuntu.beryl-project.org/ edgy main

And add this line for to the bottom of your source list below Beryl's:
deb http://gandalfn.club.fr/ubuntu edgy dev

Now you have to add the key so you can download from the Beryl Repo:
wget http://ubuntu.beryl-project.org/root@lupine.me.uk.gpg -O- | sudo apt-key add -

Then add the key so you can download from the Compiz Repo:
gpg --keyserver hkp://wwwkeys.eu.pgp.net --recv-keys 0x483170E9 ; gpg --export -a 0x483170E9 | sudo apt-key add -

Update your repositories.
sudo apt-get update

You are now able to download from the Beryl and Compiz repos

Setting Up XGL:
Download your xserver-xgl: (can't run an xgl session without it)
sudo apt-get install xserver-xgl

Adding an XGL login session:
Do this by creating this script:
sudo gedit /usr/local/bin/startxgl.sh

and this to the file:
#!/bin/sh

Xgl -fullscreen :1 -ac -br -accel glx:pbuffer -accel xv:pbuffer &
sleep 4
export DISPLAY=:1
cookie="$(xauth -i nextract - :0 | cut -d ' ' -f 9)"
xauth -i add :1 . "$cookie"
exec gnome-session
now please SAVE IT, and do not add this line only the blue text.

Then make it executable:
sudo chmod a+x /usr/local/bin/startxgl.sh

Creating a XGL Login:
Make the script.
gedit /usr/share/xsessions/xgl.desktop

add this to the file:
[Desktop Entry]

Encoding=UTF-8
Name=Xgl
Comment=Start an Xgl Session
Exec=/usr/local/bin/startxgl.sh
Icon=
Type=Application
now please SAVE IT, and do not add this line only the blue text.

Install Compiz Window Manger:
sudo apt-get install compiz-core compiz-gnome

Install Beryl:
sudo apt-get install beryl emerald-themes

Now You are technically done, but you have to login into your XGL session before you can run Beryl. On the Ubuntu login screen choose sessions and then choose XGL.

To use Compiz Window manager which allows you to use any gtk theme as your window skin, including Ubuntu own gtk human theme. Simple run Beryl Manager from Applications>System Tools>.
Then right click the red emerald>Select Window Decorator>GTK Window Decorator. Now you can use your gtk theme with Beryl.

Have Fun!