Unity doesn't load on Acer 1810TZ GMA 4500MHD

[Ed McDonagh]

Binary package hint: unity

Upgraded to Natty beta 2 on my Acer Aspire 1810TZ that has Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics.

On first login, I was informed that my hardware wasn't suitable for Unity.

/usr/lib/nux/unity_support_test -p
Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Error: unable to create the OpenGL context

I tried updating the intel drivers by using the xorg-edgers ppa, but this doesn't seem to have made any difference.

The GMA 4500 is one of the recommended cards - should it not work?

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: unity 3.8.10-0ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-8-generic x86_64
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: None
DRM.card0.DP.1:
 status: disconnected
 enabled: disabled
 dpms: Off
 modes:
 edid-base64:
DRM.card0.DP.2:
 status: disconnected
 enabled: disabled
 dpms: Off
 modes:
 edid-base64:
DRM.card0.DP.3:
 status: disconnected
 enabled: disabled
 dpms: Off
 modes:
 edid-base64:
DRM.card0.HDMI.A.1:
 status: disconnected
 enabled: disabled
 dpms: Off
 modes:
 edid-base64:
DRM.card0.HDMI.A.2:
 status: disconnected
 enabled: disabled
 dpms: Off
 modes:
 edid-base64:
DRM.card0.LVDS.1:
 status: connected
 enabled: enabled
 dpms: On
 modes: 1366x768
 edid-base64: AP///////wBMo1IwAAAAAAATAQOAGxB4Cof1lFdPjCcnUFQAAAABAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBqxtWgFAAFjAwICUAAJAQAAAZAAAADwAAAAAAAAAAAB60AnQAAAAA/gBTQU1TVU5HCiAgICAgAAAA/gAxMTZBVDAxLUEwMQogAA==
DRM.card0.VGA.1:
 status: disconnected
 enabled: disabled
 dpms: Off
 modes:
 edid-base64:
Date: Thu Apr 21 23:38:53 2011
DistUpgraded: Log time: 2011-04-21 20:51:02.282420
DistroCodename: natty
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
 nvidia-current, 270.41.06, 2.6.38-8-generic, x86_64: installed
 nvidia-current, 270.41.06, 2.6.35-28-generic, x86_64: installed
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:2a42] (rev 07) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device [1025:029b]
   Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device [1025:029b]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
InstallationMedia_: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
InstallationMedia__: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
MachineType: Acer Aspire 1810TZ
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_GB:en
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=ce206fee-d7e4-4b39-b9b6-c30c152add01 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
ProcVersionSignature_: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
ProcVersionSignature__: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
Renderer: Unknown
SourcePackage: unity
UnitySupportTest:
 Error: command ['/usr/lib/nux/unity_support_test', '-p'] failed with exit code 1: Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
 Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
 Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
 Error: unable to create the OpenGL context
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to natty on 2011-04-21 (0 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 08/14/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: INSYDE
dmi.bios.version: v0.3115
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: Base Board Product Name
dmi.board.vendor: Acer
dmi.board.version: Base Board Version
dmi.chassis.type: 1
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacturer
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnINSYDE:bvrv0.3115:bd08/14/2009:svnAcer:pnAspire1810TZ:pvrv0.3115:rvnAcer:rnBaseBoardProductName:rvrBaseBoardVersion:cvnChassisManufacturer:ct1:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: Aspire 1810TZ
dmi.product.version: v0.3115
dmi.sys.vendor: Acer
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.4+bzr20110415-0ubuntu2
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs 20090808ubuntu13
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.25+git20110415.ba11501b-0ubuntu0sarvatt
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.11.0+git20110420.42d37722-0ubuntu0sarvatt
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.10.2-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+4ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.99+git20110420.903e90c3-0ubuntu0sarvatt
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.15.0+git20110420.0944e2d5-0ubuntu0sarvatt
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110323.8378443b-0ubuntu0sarvatt

[Omer Akram (om26er)]

Ed, Could you download the Ubuntu-11.04 beta-2 ISO, and start the live session to check if Unity works in the live session. It seems you have nvidia-current installed too, why so?

[Ed McDonagh (ed-mcdonagh)]

Thanks Omer.

I have done as you suggested (via a usb stick and the startup disk creator), and lo and behold it loads with Unity.

As to why nvidia-current is installed, I have no idea. Unless it came in with the xorg-edgers ppa?

I believe I am supposed to get rid of the ppa software by running ppa-purge on the system. But that would take me back to where I started with Unity not running.

Short of a fresh install, how might I get this working? Or is a reinstall the only option?

Thanks again,

Ed

[Ed McDonagh (ed-mcdonagh)]

Success!

I removed the xorg-edgers ppa with 'sudo ppa-purge xorg-edgers', then removed the nvidia drivers with 'sudo apt-get purge nvidia-current'.

Rebooted, and I am now in Unity! Hoorah.

Thanks for the pointer Omer.

[Ed McDonagh (ed-mcdonagh)]

Looks like it was a problem with competing nvidia drivers from a previous install, so a fresh/live natty install worked fine. Removing nvidia drivers from the system got unity working on the upgraded install.