[nvidia] compiz doesn't show shadows, works with manual driver install

[Ilmari Vacklin]

Binary package hint: compiz

Using an up to date Hardy, Compiz doesn't show any shadows. I'm using the nvidia driver on a Geforce 8400. The window decorations seem to be slightly buggy too, or else the theme is weird: The title bar is blue and the min/max/close buttons are orange. The window decorator plugin seems to be in use. The shadow colour was a completely transparent black originally (the colour itself, not the opacity slider directly in the decorator settings). Changing it to an opaque black had no effect.

[Iulian Udrea (iulian)]

Thank you for your bug report. Can you please attach a screenshot to see exactly how it looks?

[Travis Watkins (amaranth)]

Are you sure compiz is running?

Does it help if you run `gconftool-2 --recursive-unset /apps/gwd` or `gconftool-w --recursive-unset /apps/compiz/plugins/decoration`?

[hujq (hujq)]

Same problem here on my geforce 8400m gs
`gconftool-2 --recursive-unset /apps/gwd` or `gconftool-w --recursive-unset /apps/compiz/plugins/decoration` doesn't help
neither emerald nor gwd shows the shadow

[Jeffrey Knockel (jeff250)]

No shadows with my Geforce 8600 GT with a fresh 64-bit hardy install. Other effects seem to be working just fine.

[Achim (ach1m)]

I also have this problem.

do anybody know if this problem is only related to 64-bit systems?

My System:
Hardy alpha5+ 64-bit edition
Geforce 8600 GT 256MB
Core2Duo 6600@2,4 Ghz
4 Gb RAM

I hope this problem could be solved till final release of hardy.

[Achim (ach1m)]

Just one quick note I am not sure but as it seems this bug is assigned to the wrong person.

Travis, would you be so kind an take a look at this situation.
To my mind, as I understand Launchpad, people will not investigate this bug because it is assigned.
Everybody will think that "Hu JQ" will try to solve this problem.
But in this case I have got the feeling that it was accidentally assigned to "Hu JQ".
He even doesn't have a email address to contact.

Don't get me wrong, this is no personal thing, I only want to push this bug further.
If "Hu JQ" is the right man I apologize for my assumption.

best wishes
Achim

[Achim (ach1m)]

After a little discussion at ubuntuforums.org someone noticed that this problem is related to the driver build from ubuntu.
I have installed the proprietary driver from nvidia and now the shadows are back.

I hope this helps to solve the problem.

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

I fail to see how it's different from upstream, since the files are the same.. I have a 8600GT myself, and the shadows are sometimes missing, and the rest of the time they are pink or yellow (bug 194851).

Achim: do you see the corruption mentioned in bug 191783?

[Achim (ach1m)]

Hi Timo Aaltonen,

I don't see any corruption.
But I have to admit that I haven't tested it with Thunderbird.
I have tested it with Evolution. There are similar situations were the title immediately changes while I am typing.

I hope this Information helps.

best wishes
Achim

[bassam (bkurdali)]

I too have this bug; using either the driver from envy-ng, or the hardy driver (they are afaik the same/close nvidia driver version) I don't get dropshadows in compiz; another perhaps related thing is in my theme in gutsy, the opacity of the window title used to fade on a gradient from opaque to semi transparent, in hardy, it's all one transparent title bar.
I haven't tried installing the driver manually from nvidia.

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

marked as dupe of bug 186382, since the symptoms are similar, and using the upstream installer works. Something strange in l-r-m build scripts..

[Fredrik (fredrk)]

I have a 32 bit Hardy installation on a GF8800GT. No shadows for me either.

[neubauten84 (neubauten84)]

For me, 64 bit installation, nvidia driver 169.12 (installed from restricted driver) and default compiz: No shadows at all!!

[hpstg (michael-tsopeis)]

Same here. Fresh Hardy Amd64 install with a 8800GT. The drivers are installed through the Restricted Drivers Manager, Compiz works but no shadows at all.

[huiii (a00ps)]

I found a solution in the net:
http://tombuntu.com/ (thanks 1000x to tom)

I am running ubuntu hardy fresh install on a new sony vaio with nvidia 8400gt m: nvidia-glx-new from repo:
i had no shadows.
after doing this:
$ sudo ln -sf /usr/lib/nvidia/libwfb.so.xserver-xorg-core /usr/lib/xorg/modules/libwfb.so
Everything is fine:
emerald works and shadows are back.

good luck!! :)