need to blacklist xpress200m when using ati driver

[Samuel Lidén Borell]

When I try to enable Desktop effects / Compiz I get logged out. This happens on Hardy on amd64, updated today.

My graphics card is a ATI Radeon Xpress 200M (PCI ID 1002:5955), with 128M shared/sideport video RAM. The 3D support for this is rather bad, most GL screensavers look weird, and all GL applications print a "Warning, xpress200 detected.".

Probably the right thing to do is to blacklist the card from Compiz, considering all bugs with other GL applications.

[Travis Watkins (amaranth)]

Can you install kwin-kde4 and systemsettings-kde4 and see if kwin has the same problem? Run `/usr/lib/kde4/bin/kwin --replace' to start kwin4 then run `/usr/lib/kde4/bin/systemsettings`, go into the Desktop options, and enable effects. In the advanced options make sure it is using OpenGL texture_from_pixmap compositing. That'll tell us if we have any chance of working around the problem or if we just need to blacklist the card.

[Samuel Lidén Borell (samuellb)]

I get logged out when using kwin-kde4 too

[Andrew Starr-Bochicchio (andrewsomething)]

I have the same card on Hardy i386 and I do not experience this with the fglx driver.

[Travis Watkins (amaranth)]

Alright, Samuel do you use fglrx or ati?

[Samuel Lidén Borell (samuellb)]

I'm using the ati (X.org) driver

[markginter24 (mark-hanoverbeacon)]

I have an HP dv8000 with the xpress200m. When it boots from the Hardy Live-CD's (32 or 64 bit) it will get to the point where it tries to load compiz and then fails. When it fails it kicks back to GDM, auto logs in, fails on compiz and back to GDM. I have to log into the x failsafe terminal and run the install from there. Then - on the first boot I have to log into the x failsafe terminal and figure out how to install the fglrx driver. Once fglrx is installed and I reboot I can log into my GNOME session no problem.

The problem is compiz - but even when you try to start compiz "by hand" (compiz --replace) from the command line it doesn't crash you out of your session -- it just tells you that there's an xpress200m and it won't start compiz. Now - why it feels compelled to not quietly fail and return to metacity on log-in is beyond me.

Just thought I'd mention this.

[Duncan Hawthorne (duncan.hawthorne)]

i confirm too.
i have a "ATI Technologies Inc Radeon XPRESS 200M 5955 (PCIE)" on a HP pavillion dv5000.
When i try the alpha 6 live cd (also present on alpha 5 and 4) I also get:
When it boots from the Hardy Live-CD's (32 or 64 bit) it will get to the point where it tries to load compiz and then fails. When it fails it kicks back to GDM, auto logs in, fails on compiz and back to GDM.

If i then try to go into tty2 to diagnose the screen mangles, the image you were currently looking at in x is left frozen on the screen, with a mild distortion on a few pixels, and the mouse is locked. In fact no futher update to the screen happen, except for a few random pixels in the top left changing a little as you switch between the tty's. In conclusion it is completely knackered.

Anyway, on the live cd boot screen, i change to just "install ubuntu" (so that ubiquity would come up, ie without compiz), and disabled the splash screen. Then when ubiquity was running doing nothing, i was able to switch to tty2 and look around (as compiz hadnt kicked in and broken everything). if i do sudo apt-get remove compiz-core then, i can get sucessfully onto the desktop, by just cancelling ubiquity and waiting for gdm to restart (well metacity isnt running, but i can just run that)

when i was on feisty and gutsy i was able to get compiz running with the official ati driver (fglrx) installed through the restricted drivers manager, and then installing xgl. so the xpress 200m shouldnt be blacklisted completely, if xgl and fglrx are running, then compiz should attempt to work

for the above poster: "Once fglrx is installed and I reboot I can log into my GNOME session no problem.", this is because fglrx is blacklisted, right?, you could equally just remove compiz.

however, i find that running compiz by hand, compiz still tries to run and breaks everything. so for me at least it looks like a simple fix of blacklisting the card (but not blacklisting with xgl)

[markginter24 (mark-hanoverbeacon)]

Actually - you don't need xgl. Just installing the fglrx driver through jockey-gtk allows you to log in (after rebooting) and enjoying compiz. It appears as though compiz in 64bit runs smoother than compiz in 32bit.

The issue is the difference between fglrx and ati/radeon drivers. The newest fglrx appear to support compiz while the ati/radeon driver complains about it being an xpress200m -- allowing for 3d acceleration but no compiz.

I concur on the trying to switch to vt's 1-6 on the live cd. It just doesn't happen.

But - with 64bit Alpha 6 I didn't have to install xgl.

Maybe a quick blurb during the installation with ubiquity about "You appear to have an xpress200m chipset. For compiz support click now to download and install the latest proprietary fglrx driver" -- and then the ability to do that in installation would be good.

But - I suspect that if the proper memory stuff is released in documentation (from AMD) then it all becomes a moot point in the next year.

[Sergio Zanchetta (primes2h)]

@Travis

Just a question.
Is this for blacklisting ati open source driver (all chip) for laptop using
compiz?

If so, too bad.

I have a laptop with IGP 340M with open source ati driver and compiz has
always run nice.
I can't use fglrx because my chip isn't supported.

ati driver is really good for me with compiz.

2008/3/11, Travis Watkins <email address hidden>:
>
>
> ** Attachment added: "blacklist ati and radeon drivers on laptops"
> http://launchpadlibrarian.net/12573815/foo
>
>
> --
> need to blacklist xpress200m when using ati driver
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/197135
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to compiz
> in ubuntu.
>

[Travis Watkins (amaranth)]

Yes, this blacklists all laptops using the ati/radeon driver. There are more that don't work than do work, if compiz is stable for you just start it with SKIP_CHECKS=yes

[Sergio Zanchetta (primes2h)]

What??
It has ALWAYS worked for me.

Why don't you blacklist all chip having problem instead?

Otherwise you can whitelist my chip ID 1002:4337

I don't think there are so few chip that works.

A lot of people doesn't have any problem with compiz and ati driver and
can't use fglrx because chip is too old and not supported.

Onestly, If you blacklist all, I think there will be a lot of angry people
complaining for this, It's a warning.
It's not fair that people have been using compiz since long time can't use
compiz from now on because other people have problems with other chip of ati
family.

Sorry for complaining but I think that worth in this case.

2008/3/11, Travis Watkins <email address hidden>:
>
> Yes, this blacklists all laptops using the ati/radeon driver. There are
> more that don't work than do work, if compiz is stable for you just
> start it with SKIP_CHECKS=yes
>
>
> --
> need to blacklist xpress200m when using ati driver
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/197135
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to compiz
> in ubuntu.
>

[Travis Watkins (amaranth)]

There are way too many pciids to blacklist and we don't even know what all of them are. Better to have compiz not run on a machine it works on then have it try to run on a machine it doesn't work on and crash X or lock the system. At least you will get a chance to override the block, the users with problems can't even install Ubuntu as the LiveCD doesn't work for them.

[Sergio Zanchetta (primes2h)]

1) Wouldn't be simple to whitelist card working with compiz if you state
there are not too many.
For oldest ati card (mine is 5 years old) the ONLY way to have compiz is
using ati open source driver because fglrx doesn't support them.

2) Does your change blacklist radeon driver too?
My card works with radeon driver too, so radeon could be set as default for
this card, fixing all problems.

What do you think about these 2 suggestions?

2008/3/11, Travis Watkins <email address hidden>:
>
> There are way too many pciids to blacklist and we don't even know what
> all of them are. Better to have compiz not run on a machine it works on
> then have it try to run on a machine it doesn't work on and crash X or
> lock the system. At least you will get a chance to override the block,
> the users with problems can't even install Ubuntu as the LiveCD doesn't
> work for them.
>
>
> --
>
> need to blacklist xpress200m when using ati driver
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/197135
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to compiz
> in ubuntu.
>

[Travis Watkins (amaranth)]

1) We don't really have the infrastructure for whitelists but this is a possibility. Please file a new bug report with the title "need to whitelist <your card>" and attach the output from lspci -vn so if we get a chance we can add this.

2) The 'ati' driver is just a loader, it loads the appropriate driver for your ati card (r128 or radeon). They are both checked for in the patch.

[Sergio Zanchetta (primes2h)]

I opened a bug as you told me.

Bug #201330.

Just for knowledge.
I worked with two other ati card, different from mine, that works really
good with compiz and open source "ati" driver.

2008/3/11, Travis Watkins <email address hidden>:
>
> 1) We don't really have the infrastructure for whitelists but this is a
> possibility. Please file a new bug report with the title "need to
> whitelist <your card>" and attach the output from lspci -vn so if we get
> a chance we can add this.
>
> 2) The 'ati' driver is just a loader, it loads the appropriate driver
> for your ati card (r128 or radeon). They are both checked for in the
> patch.
>
>
> --
>
> need to blacklist xpress200m when using ati driver
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/197135
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to compiz
> in ubuntu.
>

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package compiz - 1:0.7.2-0ubuntu2

---------------
compiz (1:0.7.2-0ubuntu2) hardy; urgency=low

  [ Travis Watkins ]
  * debian/patches/036_blacklist_ati_on_laptop.patch:
    - don't start compiz if using the ati or radeon driver
      and using a laptop as mobility cards have issues (LP: #197135)
  * debian/patches/037_fullscreen_stacking_fixes.patch:
    - keep window on top of fullscreen windows during move
    - when changing from fullscreen to non-fullscreen keep
      window on top of other fullscreen windows (LP: #173303)

  [ Michael Vogt ]
  * debian/patches/040_resolve-animation-fade-conflict_from_upstream.patch:
    - patch from Erkin Bahceci to resolve conflict between fade and
      animation plugin (thanks!)
  * debian/compiz-decorator:
    - added compiz-decorator script (thanks to Jigish Gohil)
  * debian/patches/029_compiz_manager_decoration.patch:
    - remove starting of the decorator from compiz-manager, this
      is the job of the decorator plugin now
  * debian/patches/029_compiz_manager_nvidia_settings.patch:
    - check for nvidia-settings before using it (thanks to
      Daniel Halhler, LP: #199944)
  * debian/patches/029_default_options:
    - use compiz-decorator as default decorator command
  * debian/patches/032_compiz_manager_default_window_manager.patch:
    - updated (conflicted with 029_compiz_manager_decoration)
  * debian/rules:
    - install compiz-decorator
  * debian/patches/041-start-decorator.patch:
    - cherry pick git commit 8cde7903f to start decorator early

 -- Michael Vogt <email address hidden> Tue, 11 Mar 2008 22:14:48 +0100

[Chad Bernier (berniercr)]

I will not let you blacklist my laptop. I have been using compiz on this since before compiz has even in ubuntu. Sure they are problems sometimes, but they get fixed. How do i un blacklist it? i will not be updating my computer until i know how to reverse this. I am completely dependent on compiz, I use AWN for everything, i have no gnome-panel.

[Duncan Hawthorne (duncan.hawthorne)]

from earlier in this thread "There are more that don't work than do work, if compiz is stable for you just start it with SKIP_CHECKS=yes"

however, couldnt there be some sort of gui for this. when you are in preferences>appeareance, and choose normal effects etc, couldnt you be given a warning dialogue that says (similar to when you change resolution): "Your computer doesnt appear to be able to support compiz, do you want to try anyway? Be sure to save all work before pressing continue" which then tries with the checks skipped, and if it works uses compiz from then on, if it doesnt, nothing happens. or something like that.

so instead of you having to write a whitelist, let ordinary users try for themselves, but by default have it off
Maybe this is just the current state already in the preferences>appearance, i dont know

[Matteo Z (matteozandi)]

> There are more that don't work than do work

Travis, can you share more information on the list of not working ones?
Why aren't they listed in http://wiki.compiz-fusion.org/Hardware/Blacklist? I believe that not working cards should filed under that website so that they are blacklisted through their pci id.

[Rocko (rockorequin)]

The message that compiz prints isn't very informative:

Checking for Xgl: not present.
Found laptop using ati driver.
aborting and using fallback: /usr/bin/metacity

ie 'Found laptop using ati driver' doesn't indicate to me at all that there is an error and that it has blacklisted my card - it looks like a friendly status message.

Could it at least be changed to indicate that the ATI driver is blacklisted and to give a link that explains why it is blacklisted and how to whitelist it?

[Brian Pitts (bpitts)]

@Rocko: That's bug #152226

[Samuel Lidén Borell (samuellb)]

Compiz seems to work well on Radeon Xpress 200M with the latest ati driver updates from Intrepid alpha 4. So at least this card can be un-blacklisted.

[Duncan Hawthorne (duncan.hawthorne)]

do you have the proprietary ati driver. ie check system>administration > hardware drivers?

[Samuel Lidén Borell (samuellb)]

It's the open source driver

[Oibaf (oibaf)]

Please consider removing the blacklist for all the ati cards on laptops in intrepid. The only ATI cards with problems listed at http://wiki.compiz-fusion.org/Hardware/Blacklist are:
* RS480: the problems on these cards should have been fixed in the mesa 7.1-rc3 driver shipped in intrepid; these fixes were also backported to hardy's 7.0.3 mesa available in this backport: https://launchpad.net/~stikonas/+archive ;
* RV350: the compiz page links to a launchpad bug that was later reported to be a defective hardware.

[Pietro Battiston (toobaz)]

Actually, with ATI Xpress 200M and Intrepid updated daily (still talking about ati free driver), compiz does work but is quite slow and easily crashes when enabling plugins; I'm not really sure if the default user would prefer this behaviour to a simple working desktop. However, I'll keep tracking progresses in ati free drivers.