Desktop effects could not be enabled

[Cefn]

Binary package hint: compiz

Brand new install, fully updated, of Maverick on a Sony Vaio PCG 4D1M cannot run Compiz.

Tried proposed and backports from the main repositories. Updated to latest kernel in proposed. Added components from the X Updates, compiz/ppa and intel-driver PPAs. Still no joy. Always reports "Desktop effects could not be enabled"

Any suggestions what I can do to progress diagnostics would be welcomed. I depend on Compiz quite a bit.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: compiz 1:0.8.6-0ubuntu9.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-23.36-generic 2.6.35.7
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-23-generic i686
Architecture: i386
CompizPlugins: [core,ccp,dbus,place,mousepoll,gnomecompat,move,resize,decoration,png,svg,imgjpeg,text,commands,neg,wall,snap,animation,scale,scaleaddon,expo,staticswitcher,regex,resizeinfo,workarounds,ezoom,vpswitch,fade,session]
Date: Sun Oct 31 23:32:50 2010
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Release i386 (20101007)
MachineType: Sony Corporation VGN-T2XP_L
PackageArchitecture: all
PccardctlIdent:
 Socket 0:
   no product info available
PccardctlStatus:
 Socket 0:
   no card
PciDisplay: 00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation 82852/855GM Integrated Graphics Device [8086:3582] (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-23-generic root=UUID=3815b6b0-ecce-4794-9cde-281c1e0f40cc ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_GB.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
RelatedPackageVersions:
 xserver-xorg 1:7.5+6ubuntu3
 libgl1-mesa-glx 7.9~git20100924-0ubuntu2
 libdrm2 2.4.21-1ubuntu2.1
 xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.12.0-1ubuntu5
 xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.13.1-1ubuntu5
SourcePackage: compiz
XorgConf: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/etc/X11/xorg.conf'
dmi.bios.date: 06/09/2005
dmi.bios.vendor: Phoenix Technologies LTD
dmi.bios.version: R0052G7
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: 4D1M00000000a237eafafc6e1e6c
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Sony Corporation
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnPhoenixTechnologiesLTD:bvrR0052G7:bd06/09/2005:svnSonyCorporation:pnVGN-T2XP_L:pvrJ000QPB6:cvnSonyCorporation:ct10:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.name: VGN-T2XP_L
dmi.product.version: J000QPB6
dmi.sys.vendor: Sony Corporation
glxinfo: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
system: distro = Ubuntu, architecture = i686, kernel = 2.6.35-23-generic

[Travis Watkins (amaranth)]

Your .xsession-errors file seems to show compiz trying to start (or compiz-check trying to start it, rather) then without any errors or warnings you have messages that make it clear metacity is running again. It also seems like your compiz configuration make be corrupted. Can you remove/move ~/.compiz and ~/.config/compiz and then run `compiz &` from a terminal and see if that works? If not please paste any output from that command.

[dazza5000 (darran-kelinske)]

I tried to pin this down and have been unable to so far. Did find a few posts that might help. Try at your own risk.

I realize the first link is for lucid and not maverick, but it may provide a solution.

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Bugs/Lucidi8xxFreezes

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1464239

[Cefn (6-launchpad-net-cefn-com)]

@TravisWatkins I simply get....

cefn@cefn-maverick-vaio:~$ compiz &
compiz (core) - Fatal: Software rendering detected.
compiz (core) - Error: Failed to manage screen: 0
compiz (core) - Fatal: No manageable screens found on display :0.0
Launching fallback window manager

cefn@cefn-maverick-vaio:~$ compiz-check
compiz-check: command not found

I removed everything I could find called '*compiz' anywhere in my home directory.

[Cefn (6-launchpad-net-cefn-com)]

@drizzle Had already tried the intel-driver repository from glasen and I followed the instructions to add the 855gm-fix repository which seemed to rebuild some kernel modules. After a full reboot, still compiz dies with...

compiz (core) - Fatal: Software rendering detected.
compiz (core) - Error: Failed to manage screen: 0
compiz (core) - Fatal: No manageable screens found on display :0.0

Launching fallback window manager

Got no updates from kernel/ppa since I now have the latest from 'proposed'.

I could attempt a downgrade by adding X Retro and grabbing an old lucid xorg-server for intel.

Any other ideas on diagnostics?

[Duncan J Murray (duncan-mostest)]

I have the same problem.

Desktop effects were working smoothly on Ubuntu 10.04 LTS. Since a clean install of Ubuntu 10.10, I find that selecting System>Preferences>Appearance>Visual Effects causes the screen to flicker for around 10 seconds, and then the error "Desktop effects could not be enabled" appears.

Not completely sure how to post logs on this...

[Cefn (6-launchpad-net-cefn-com)]

@Duncan J Murray I think the logs I've posted are fairly comprehensive for this model, assuming yours is actually a similar bug it would be useful to hear from more experts about what our options are.

I've found nothing which makes any difference at all, but also I don't feel very informed about what the error actually is. I wish error reporting was better, at least tell us what's failed, rather than 'could not be enabled'. It would save a lot of hassle.

[Travis Watkins (amaranth)]

Hmm, was OpenGL support disabled for these chips in maverick? I remember something about issues with KMS/DRI2 for 8xx series chips and I think that was the solution. That would certainly explain why you are getting the software rendering error. Compiz is doing the right thing here, we just need to figure out why your system doesn't have OpenGL acceleration support.

[Cefn (6-launchpad-net-cefn-com)]

@Travis I'm happy to go through whatever investigative steps you feel are necessary, but I don't really know where to start.

Which package maintainers would have disabled OpenGL for this hardware profile? What's the level at which it's disabled, e.g. kernel drivers aren't loaded against the hardware or some X configuration option suppresses it or something else.

Was it a likely a conservative decision, such that if I invest time in specifically configuring the device there's a chance of getting OpenGL active again?

I have a vague recollection that I had Compiz running on this device in Jaunty, and a maverick change would explain this, and also suggests that the hardware itself is capable, even if a regression in Maverick made it wise to disable OpenGL.

I'm having problems with video playback on this device too, which would be explained in the same way - pipelining the pixels through OpenGL is I think how video players can be so responsive so without OpenGL the pipeline doesn't run nearly as smooth.

[Duncan J Murray (duncan-mostest)]

@cefn My card is a 7500 mobility radeon 32mb (yes, I know it's old! - but this doesn't invalidate the point that I didn't have any problems before!). I tried to use apport to get some logs on the bug, but for some reason, when it came to submittin it, I couldn't find this bug in the web page that came up!

[Cefn (6-launchpad-net-cefn-com)]

@Duncan you can run a routine from the command line as described here...
http://blog.grossmeier.net/2009/03/02/apport-collect-just-what-you-wanted/
...if you want to add apport into a specifically numbered bug, or perhaps you tried this already.

On this occasion you should file a separate bug, because the hardware signature you have for your graphics card is very different from mine. Consequently it's different software which is loaded to handle your card.

They arrive at similar end points (desktop effects could not be enabled) but take different routes to get there. Consequently anything which fixes my problems is unlikely to fix yours, and vice versa.

[Duncan J Murray (duncan-mostest)]

Thanks Cefn, I will give that a try!

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for compiz (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]