Running 'compiz --replace' from terminal results in
"~$ compiz --replace
Checking for Xgl: not present.
Blacklisted PCIID '1002:5955' found
aborting and using fallback: /usr/bin/metacity
"

You're using an Xpress 200M which, for some reason, compiz-manager is blacklisting. If you are sure your drivers are installed properly, you can always test bypassing the blacklist with 'SKIP_CHECKS=yes compiz --replace ' and see if compiz starts and works properly.

ADam

Thanks ADam i just did that and it goes ahead and loads but seems to crash X

Which is probably why it's blacklisted. The Xpress 200 should work if it's setup properly. Which desktop environment are you using? Can you please show us your /var/log/Xorg.0.log file and the output of 'glxinfo'?

Adam

I ended up installing the proprietary driver and it works fine now.

Just so you know, the proprietary drivers dropped support for your GPU a year ago. If you upgrade to any reasonably up-to-date distribution, you will have to use the open source drivers.

Adam

Yes i realize that which is why ill never buy anything associated with AMD/ATI again, they are boycotted for life. Hopefully the opensource driver improves at some point because at this point i can't even play extreme tux racer with it. The opensource gets 700FPS on Lenny which seems impressive considering its FPS is under 500 with the latest Fedora and Sabayon releases but game play (extreme tux racer) is aweful. The frames are distorted and the video flashing, completely unplayable so im just gonna stick with older distros for now until the opensource driver improves if it ever happens.

The open source drivers are vastly better than they were back when Lenny was actually up-to-date (two years ago?)

Adam