2009: Compiz broken on 2 laptops (Gnome) [solved]

[theYinYeti]

My wife and I both had Compiz working right on Mandriva 2008.1.

 

Now on Mandriva 2009, neither can run Compiz. Her Dell is a clean install with a clean home directory. My Samsung is an upgrade and my old home directory was kept.

 

— 3D works fine: direct rendering: Yes; Metisse runs without problems.

— Transparency works too: Metacity as a Compositing manager allows real transparency on Gnome-terminal.

— Compiz almost works with XGL, except the screen gets corrupted at the first window manager action.

 

But Compiz in native mode (as it was with 2008.1) does not work. I log-in, and wait, and wait, and wait… The mouse cursor is whirling infinitely and nothing happens.

 

Yves.

 

[EDIT:] Well, it seems the Samsung can deal with XGL after all… Could it be due to a different Compiz/Solutions setting for "Fix screen update in XGL with fglrx"? I'll have to check that on the Dell.

 

Still, I'd prefer native support!

 

 

[moved from Software by spinynorman]

Edited November 25, 2008 by theYinYeti

[Guest coccolino_dbro]

Hello!

 

I have the same problem on my laptop (Olidata Stainer W2800). The video card is an Ati Xpress X200M, which is seen corectly and 3D acceleration and Metisse run good. But with compiz-fusion enabled the system just hangs on a blue screen with just the cursor indicator rotating.

 

Can you provide some ideas to what it might be happening? I'm just starting with Linux, with Mandriva (tested the 2008 version a few days ago and all was working perfectly), so please be patient with me...

 

Thank you.

[scarecrow]

The latest proprietary ATi driver is simply half-broken with xorg 1.4.2, and completely broken with xorg 1.5.X

Solution: switch to the opensource driver, until ATi issues the next driver revision (maybe next week). Rolling back your xorg-server just because ATi is unable to issue a good driver should be out of the question.

[theYinYeti]

Update… to the worse…

 

I saw a new fglrx driver was available from backports. Given the previous post by scarecrow, I thought they had at last corrected the bug. I installed the new fglrx.

And then login failed with FFP1 (Fglrx Failure Pattern #1):

— Drak3D configured to “native†makes login at gdm stall, ie. the mouse cursor is infinitely whirling and nothing happens however long you wait.

— Drak3D configured to “XGL†makes login at gdm crash, and you're back to the login screen.

 

I saw the kernel had not been updated. I had a look and I saw a new kernel was indeed available, but its existence not reflected in the -latest meta-package! kernel-desktop is at version 2.6.27.4-1mnb…, whereas kernel-desktop-latest is at version 2.6.27-0.rc8.2mnb2…! So I installed 2.6.27.4 by hand (urpmi), along with the associated fglrx kernel module.

And then login succeeds! But 3D fails with FFP2 (Fglrx Failure Pattern #2):

— Drak3D configured to “native†may work, or not… You can't know because the whole screen is white, although the mouse cursor obviously reacts to different areas of the screen.

— Drak3D configured to “XGL†makes the screen appear and seem to work; unfortunately, it is very slow because direct rendering is disabled.

 

So it seems I'm back to square one:

https://mandrivausers.org/index.php?showtopic=68044

 

Please Mandriva (hint hint :)), or anyone who happens to still have some success with fglrx, what should I do to keep using 3D on both laptops (Dell 1501 and Samsung R40) using urpmi? What hardware info may help in preventing this to happen in the future? If a bug report is due, what should I put inside (the whole matter is beginning to “overflow†my mind and I wouldn't know where to start…)?

 

I'd rather use urpmi than a direct download from AMD, because this way the system is supposed to take care of dkms, and kernel, and fglrx… in a consistent manner. I admit this way ef doing things looks more like a curse than anything else lately, but all hope is not lost…

 

Yves.

Edited November 7, 2008 by theYinYeti

[adamw]

Is Compositing enabled in your xorg.conf ?

[theYinYeti]

Thanks a lot Adam for looking into this issue. First some update.

I realized something this morning: I'm so used to rely on urpmi --auto-update, that I forgot something when updating the kernel: I forgot the -devel package! So I installed the missing -devel package. Then, just in case, I ran urpmi --auto-update, which installed a whole new kernel (kernel + -devel + drivers…), and a new fglrx, all with the correct -latest packages. So here's what I have now:

[yves@localhost ~]$ rpm -qa | grep -iE 'kernel|fgl|dkms' | sort
dkms-2.0.19-11mdv2009.0
dkms-fglrx-8.542-1mdv2009.0
dkms-madwifi-0.9.4-3.r3835mdv2009.0
dkms-minimal-2.0.19-11mdv2009.0
fglrx-control-center-8.542-1mdv2009.0
fglrx-kernel-2.6.24.7-laptop-1mnb-8.471-3mdv2008.1
fglrx-kernel-2.6.27.4-desktop-1mnb-8.522-3mdv2009.0
fglrx-kernel-2.6.27.4-desktop-2mnb-8.522-3mdv2009.0
fglrx-kernel-2.6.27-desktop-0.rc8.2mnb-8.522-3mdv2009.0
fglrx-kernel-desktop-latest-8.522-1.20081106.3mdv2009.0
fglrx-kernel-laptop-latest-8.471-1.20080729.3mdv2008.1
kernel-desktop-2.6.27-0.rc8.2mnb-1-1mnb2
kernel-desktop-2.6.27.4-1mnb-1-1mnb2
kernel-desktop-2.6.27.4-2mnb-1-1mnb2
kernel-desktop-devel-2.6.27-0.rc8.2mnb-1-1mnb2
kernel-desktop-devel-2.6.27.4-1mnb-1-1mnb2
kernel-desktop-devel-2.6.27.4-2mnb-1-1mnb2
kernel-desktop-devel-latest-2.6.27.4-2mnb2
kernel-desktop-latest-2.6.27.4-2mnb2
kernel-firmware-2.6.27-2mnb2
kernel-headers-2.6.27-4mnb2
kernel-laptop-2.6.24.7-1mnb-1-1mnb1
kernel-laptop-devel-2.6.24.7-1mnb-1-1mnb1
madwifi-kernel-2.6.24.7-laptop-1mnb-0.9.3.3-5.r3114mdv2008.1
madwifi-kernel-2.6.27.4-desktop-1mnb-0.9.4-3.r3835mdv2009.0
madwifi-kernel-2.6.27.4-desktop-2mnb-0.9.4-3.r3835mdv2009.0
madwifi-kernel-2.6.27-desktop-0.rc8.2mnb-0.9.4-3.r3835mdv2009.0
madwifi-kernel-desktop-latest-0.9.4-1.20081106.3.r3835mdv2009.0
madwifi-kernel-laptop-latest-0.9.3.3-1.20080729.5.r3114mdv2008.1
x11-driver-video-fglrx-8.542-1mdv2009.0
[yves@localhost ~]$ uname -a
Linux localhost 2.6.27.4-desktop-2mnb #1 SMP Thu Nov 6 13:00:14 EST 2008 i686 Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU		 T5500  @ 1.66GHz GNU/Linux

 

I thought all would be fine from now on. Unfortunately not. I'm back to FFP1 (stall or crash).

 

I had a look at xorg.conf, and indeed, although I had requested for it in drakx11, Compositing wasn't enabled. I changed the file and restarted X (CtrlAltBs), but I'm still having FFP1… Compositing works, however, in Metacity as a Compositing Manager (enabled using the gconf editor): Gnome Terminal, and its titlebar, have real transparency.

 

No Compiz though…

 

Yves.

Edited November 9, 2008 by theYinYeti

[adamw]

Does it work if you pick Xgl rather than native support?

[theYinYeti]

Sadly no.

And then login failed with FFP1 (Fglrx Failure Pattern #1):

— Drak3D configured to “native†makes login at gdm stall, ie. the mouse cursor is infinitely whirling and nothing happens however long you wait.

— Drak3D configured to “XGL†makes login at gdm crash, and you're back to the login screen.

 

(Note that since previous post, because of full / partition, I removed all unused kernel-related packages)

I've noticed something interesting though. I seem to have unrelated fglrx stuff installed:

 

[yves@localhost ~]$ rpm -qa | grep -iE 'kernel|fgl|dkms' | sort

dkms-2.0.19-11mdv2009.0

dkms-fglrx-8.542-1mdv2009.0

dkms-madwifi-0.9.4-3.r3835mdv2009.0

dkms-minimal-2.0.19-11mdv2009.0

fglrx-control-center-8.542-1mdv2009.0

fglrx-kernel-2.6.27.4-desktop-2mnb-8.522-3mdv2009.0

fglrx-kernel-desktop-latest-8.522-1.20081106.3mdv2009.0

kernel-desktop-2.6.27.4-2mnb-1-1mnb2

kernel-desktop-devel-2.6.27.4-2mnb-1-1mnb2

kernel-desktop-devel-latest-2.6.27.4-2mnb2

kernel-desktop-latest-2.6.27.4-2mnb2

kernel-firmware-2.6.27-2mnb2

kernel-headers-2.6.27-4mnb2

madwifi-kernel-2.6.27.4-desktop-2mnb-0.9.4-3.r3835mdv2009.0

madwifi-kernel-desktop-latest-0.9.4-1.20081106.3.r3835mdv2009.0

x11-driver-video-fglrx-8.542-1mdv2009.0

[yves@localhost ~]$ su - root -c 'grep fglrx /var/log/messages | tail -n 5'

Password:

Nov 9 18:33:20 localhost kernel: [fglrx] PAT is enabled successfully!

Nov 9 18:33:20 localhost kernel: [fglrx] module loaded - fglrx 8.54.3 [Oct 3 2008] with 1 minors

Nov 9 18:33:22 localhost kernel: [fglrx] GART Table is not in FRAME_BUFFER range

Nov 9 18:33:22 localhost kernel: [fglrx] Reserved FB block: Shared offset:0, size:40000

Nov 9 18:33:22 localhost kernel: [fglrx] Reserved FB block: Unshared offset:7ff5000, size:b000

 

Three different versions appear!

 

Yves.

[theYinYeti]

Yet another update, and still the same results…

 

And then login failed with FFP1 (Fglrx Failure Pattern #1):

— Drak3D configured to “native†makes login at gdm stall, ie. the mouse cursor is infinitely whirling and nothing happens however long you wait.

— Drak3D configured to “XGL†makes login at gdm crash, and you're back to the login screen.

 

[yves@localhost ~]$ rpm -qa | grep -iE 'kernel|fgl|dkms' | sort

dkms-2.0.19-11mdv2009.0

dkms-fglrx-8.542-1mdv2009.0

dkms-madwifi-0.9.4-3.r3835mdv2009.0

dkms-minimal-2.0.19-11mdv2009.0

fglrx-control-center-8.542-1mdv2009.0

fglrx-kernel-2.6.27.4-desktop-2mnb-8.522-3mdv2009.0

fglrx-kernel-2.6.27.5-desktop-2mnb-8.522-3mdv2009.0

fglrx-kernel-desktop-latest-8.522-1.20081121.3mdv2009.0

kernel-desktop-2.6.27.4-2mnb-1-1mnb2

kernel-desktop-2.6.27.5-2mnb-1-1mnb2

kernel-desktop-devel-2.6.27.4-2mnb-1-1mnb2

kernel-desktop-devel-2.6.27.5-2mnb-1-1mnb2

kernel-desktop-devel-latest-2.6.27.5-2mnb2

kernel-desktop-latest-2.6.27.5-2mnb2

kernel-firmware-2.6.27-2mnb2

kernel-headers-2.6.27-4mnb2

madwifi-kernel-2.6.27.4-desktop-2mnb-0.9.4-3.r3835mdv2009.0

madwifi-kernel-2.6.27.5-desktop-2mnb-0.9.4-3.r3835mdv2009.0

madwifi-kernel-desktop-latest-0.9.4-1.20081121.3.r3835mdv2009.0

x11-driver-video-fglrx-8.542-1mdv2009.0

[yves@localhost ~]$ su - root -c 'grep fglrx /var/log/messages'

…

Nov 24 10:08:27 localhost kernel: [fglrx] module loaded - fglrx 8.54.3 [Oct 3 2008] with 1 minors

…

 

Still three different versions showing!

 

Yves.

[scarecrow]

Ummm...sorry I have nothing more constructive to say besides that the new catalyst driver is still broken for quite a few cards.

Maybe one of these days- who knows... ATi will make it, although I wouldn't put any bet on that!

 

But...anyway: Can you post your xorg.conf part that refers to your videocard? There might be some saviour setting to be done there.

Edited November 24, 2008 by scarecrow

[Guest superdino]

Hi to everyone,

to resolve the issue just modify the last raw of the file /usr/bin/compositing-wm-start

 

LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$COMPOSITING_LIBRARY_PATH $COMPOSITING_WM $COMPOSITING_WM_ARGS "$@" &

 

in this way

 

LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$COMPOSITING_LIBRARY_PATH LIBGL_ALWAYS_INDIRECT=1 $COMPOSITING_WM $COMPOSITING_WM_ARGS "$@" &

 

Let activate 3d effects with drak3d and then at the next login everything should work correctly

[theYinYeti]

Welcome on this board superdino :)

 

And an additional special thank you from me! Your solution works!

 

Yves.

 

EDIT: I forgot to mention that:

— this is on the Samsung laptop (I'll try the same with the Dell this evening),

— this results in a working native mode (no need for Xgl).

Edited November 25, 2008 by theYinYeti

[Guest superdino]

Hi,

first of all I'm really happy to can help linux brothers :mellow: !!!

Next I must precise that the solution proposed is only a workaround., The option LIBGL_ALWAYS_INDIRECT=1 forces simply the libgl library to use the indirect rendiring mode.

The behaviour of compiz with the direct rendering enabled is very strange, because the kwin 3d effects work correctly without the necessity to set the previous option.

The problem related to run compiz in the Xgl mode is of different nature, I don't remember exactly but I think involves an incorrect setting of the DISPLAY variable, so as you said before the previous workaround is not useful.

[Guest ani09]

Hi,

This is anika. i newly join this site. its very useful to others. presently computers is a part of a life. its very useful to others.

 

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anika

 

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