Problems with compiz in Kubuntu 7.10
 

Hello, I am running a sony Vaio laptop, trying to get compiz up and running. I have done a little bit of research, but truly am lost. I am not sure how to fix/enable my restricted drivers (if I have them?) and would just like a walk-through for getting compiz running.

Thank you very much,
-Monty

Please post what video card you have so we can point you in the right direction.

Regards,

Brandon

http://www.kubuntuguide.org/Gutsy
... but it seems to be incomplete.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=472590
... installing nvidia restricted drivers for kubuntu.

Or you can use envy.
http://albertomilone.com/nvidia_scripts1.html

ATI drivers have more options, including some open source. If you have something else... then do tell.

You realize that with Ubuntu, your card is detected and the option to configure the drivers is presented to you? Enabling compiz is a matter of rt-click on the desktop - select: change desktop background (this needs a name-change), select the effects tab and click the level of eye-candiness you want! It's possible you have a tool for this in the Konsole.

To set compiz to what you want, you need the manager:

sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager
... This gives you a new tool in system--->preferences called "advanced desktop effects settings". In there you can set up things like the "desktop cube", "rotate cube" and "expo".

I realize that I answered this question at quarter till 3 this morning, but I only NOW see how much of an 'uh duh' question this is. I believe Simon hit the nail on the head.

Regards,

Brandon

Oh well... with that shotgun approach I was bound to hit something.

I was referring to the change desktop background-enable effects fix. That was the easiest of everything you wrote, and the most viable... I think.

REgards,

Brandon

Only if 3D accel is going.

I know this sounds really bad, but I am not sure what video card I have. I have some info, but if someone can give me a walkthrough so I will be sure, that would be awesome.

In a terminal - enter "lspci" ... look through it until you see something that talks about graphics, it'll probably say "VGA Adapter" or similar. Copy that line over to us.

Here it is:

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)

-Monty

Intel just released their graphics driver for Linux within the past month. Try visiting their website and download it. It should come with a readme file to help you install it.

REgards,

Brandon

The intel drivers have all been in the kernel for ages. It is not established that the latest release (in the next kernel update) is needed for this hardware.

Great - that's the intel 945 chipset, supported by the "intel" driver. The good news is that this is open source and you already have it.

Edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf and make sure the driver is set to "intel". To get resolution higher that 1024x768 you may need the 915resolution package.

(Check distro: Kubuntu - got it.)

Thanks for the clarification Simon. I read somewhere that they released a newer version. I guess maybe I thought it was the first of it's kind for Intel. I guess that's what I get for thinking when I haven't been using Linux for that long. Only a year now.

Regards,

Brandon

I can't help but feel as though I missed something- I downloaded and extracted the driver, but since I haven't installed anything I didn't edit my driver settings under /etc/X11/xorg.conf
I am not sure about the install of the driver- I found a psudo-readme but I am reluctant to dive headfirst into something I have no experience with.

Any advice?

-Monty

Do not do anything with that driver package! Do not attempt to install the driver. Delete the files that got extracted - you do not need them, and there's no telling what will happen. (whew)

Do go edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf (as root) and make sure the device section featuring your video card uses the "intel" driver. Make sure the default resolution is 1024x768 or less. Reboot, and get back to me.

No penalty for thinking - just for still being stuck in windows mode :)

It is normal in windows to seek out the latest drivers from a manufacturer website. It is very unusual for linux. A managed distro, like (K)Ubuntu has extensive repositories of free and non-free software especially tailored to the OS. These are the first place to look. (Includes all major distros.)

If it is an open-source driver, it is in the kernel already. Thus - all intel graphics and wireless cards are in the kernel :D And many older ATI/Radeon drivers too.

If it is gratis, but non-free, it is available in a repository. Like the nvidia and fglrx drivers for video and the smartlink driver for winmodems.

Linux drivers that cost you, you have to go buy - like the full-speed Connexant modem driver or the ntfs4linux package. It is unusual that you would need this though - where a free version exists (i.e. ntfs-3g) it is more available and better.