Dash Home not usable on Unity 3D for ATI RV370 5B60 [Radeon X300]

[Tommy Trussell]

I finally upgraded this Dell Dimension E510 from Ubuntu 10.04 LTS to 12.04.1 LTS and was distressed that when I clicked the Dash Home icon I see a flash across the top portion of the screen (maybe down to the second or third icon in the dock), but nothing apparently happens. This is PROBABLY a compiz thing but I decided to go ahead and report against Unity becaus the Dash is completely non-functional so maybe it needs a slightly improved fallback.

NOTE If I log out and log in using Ubuntu 2D, everything works as it should. This failure only affects a "normal" ubuntu login.

I believe this may be the onboard video for this hardware, though I can open up the box if you need to know.

twt@dimension1:~$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 12.04.1 LTS
Release: 12.04

I did NOT do a release upgrade -- I booted from a USB stick upgraded by clicking the "install ubuntu 12.04.1" icon. I chose to preserve my files but upgrade Ubuntu in place. If you need any other info about the upgrade I can look for the install log or whatever. HOWEVER I believe when I tested 12.04 while in beta I had the same problem with Unity, but I waited until now figuring this bug would be squashed by now.

When I test unity support, I get the following result:
twt@dimension1:~$ /usr/lib/nux/unity_support_test -p
OpenGL vendor string: X.Org R300 Project
OpenGL renderer string: Gallium 0.4 on ATI RV370
OpenGL version string: 2.1 Mesa 8.0.4

Not software rendered: yes
Not blacklisted: yes
GLX fbconfig: yes
GLX texture from pixmap: yes
GL npot or rect textures: yes
GL vertex program: yes
GL fragment program: yes
GL vertex buffer object: yes
GL framebuffer object: yes
GL version is 1.4+: yes

Unity 3D supported: yes
twt@dimension1:~$

I'm not sure what apport has collected -- I can send lspci -v or other info if needed.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: unity 5.16.0-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-32.51-generic-pae 3.2.30
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-32-generic-pae i686
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu14
Architecture: i386
CompizPlugins: [core,composite,opengl,compiztoolbox,decor,vpswitch,snap,mousepoll,resize,place,move,wall,grid,regex,imgpng,session,gnomecompat,animation,fade,unitymtgrabhandles,workarounds,scale,expo,ezoom,unityshell]
Date: Tue Oct 30 15:28:15 2012
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: unity
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Tommy Trussell (tommy-trussell)]

adding output of lspci -v just in case

[Tommy Trussell (tommy-trussell)]

IN case anyone is tracking this bug -- I wasn't able to use Unity in 14.04 LTS at all with this card because there's no longer a 2D fallback. I was tired of getting messages warning about losing hardware support for the 12.04 kernels.

SO I finally worked around the problem by removing the ATI RV370 5B60 [Radeon X300 (PCIE)] video card and put in another cheapo one that didn't have this problem (it's an [AMD/ATI] RV620 LE [Radeon HD 3450]).

I still have the video card with the bug but am no longer using it. I believe the offending card came with the Dell as an OEM installation, but it's generic.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

drivers improved and unity works fine on software rendering those days, closing