Do I Need this Intel Video Driver for the Xorg X server?
 

Hi all,

I was noticing some screen flickering the past few days, so I went looking for an answer. After ruling out a few non-applicable possibilities, the consensus was that the video drivers merely haven't caught up to the current Firefox version, is all; and that I should just wait a few days until they do. That sounds fair enough; but when I went to OpenSUSE-Yast to see about drivers, I noticed that this package (below) was not installed. Anyway, I wanted to ask you gurus what the package is - and if I need it?

xf86-video-intel - Intel video driver for the Xorg X server

Xorg driver for Intel integrated video cards.
The driver supports depths 8, 15, 16 and 24. All visual types are supported in depth 8. For the i810/i815 other depths support the TrueColor and DirectColor visuals. For the i830M and later, only the TrueColor visual is supported for depths greater than 8. The driver supports hardware accelerated 3D via the Direct Rendering Infrastructure (DRI), but only in depth 16 for the i810/i815 and depths 16 and 24 for the 830M and later.

OpenSUSE-Yast said I have this setup:
Video: "Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950" Model: "Intel 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller"

Thanks a lot, as always!

In general, it's best to have a video driver that's compatible with your hardware and software installed. It should make your graphics speed, such as moving windows, etc. much faster.

I have an NVidia graphics processor and without the driver even moving a window is painfully slow, but with it, I can drag the window back and forth across the screen as fast as I want without any delay in redrawing it.

Hi Laserbeak, thanks for answering back!

So let me ask you, since I have been flawlessly running Compiz, with animations, and furthermore, have rarely experienced the symptom I quoted from you (above) - should I assume I am all taken care of on drivers?

Or, do I also need this xf86-video-intel - Intel video driver for the Xorg X server to complete the system?

I am comprehensively happy with my operating system, I just had that browser flickering was all - so, in my research of that - I ran upon this unchecked box in the driver section of my software mgr.

Thanks for your patience!

Well, I can't really give you a definitive answer.

It might help, but then again it might screw up your system.

If you know enough about UNIX/Linux to uninstall it even if you have to boot into single-user mode, then go ahead.

But if you don't, it could make your system unusable, but I think that's not likely.

It's up to you.

Laserbeak, no sweat; but before I install it, can you tell me what the purpose of this package is - and, maybe, why someone would need it (versus leaving things as they are)?

No more torture, I promise!

It's apparently a driver for that GPU. It may enable features of the GPU that your system is not able to use now. That's the best answer I can give.

If I were you, I'd throw caution to the wind and go ahead and install it.

I think at worst, they'll be no difference.

edit:

You'll probably have to reboot for it to take effect.

Good enough then, my patient new friend; thanks a million and have a terrific weekend!

You too! And good luck!

Hey, Laserbeak,

I surely wasn't going to bother you again about this driver - didn't think I would have a need to. However, the improvement is vast enough to warrant getting this message out on the net. Your advice to keep with manufacturers specs was spot on. I build my boxes from scratch over at SUSE Studio; but I'm a perpetual newbie concerning the subtle nuances of drivers - and pretty much all hardware.

I am unexpectedly enjoying much improved action and feel, now; and I detect visuals that I never knew were there - comprehensively. This rehab was never my intention - things were copacetic; I just saw an empty check-box, and thought I would ask.

Take Care!

Great news! I would have felt awful if you came back and said you now have an expensive brick on your desk!