I'm running into the same issue with my mother-in-law's laptop - an hp pavilion xh675.  Graphics Card is: Trident Microsystems CyberBlade/XP (rev 63).  I can't enable the visual effects.  I had 8.10 and now have 9.04 with the same issue.

Here's my output on the command you asked the gysirith to get for you:

jojo@jojo-laptop:~$ lspci -vvnn
00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: ALi Corporation M1647 Northbridge [MAGiK 1 / MobileMAGiK 1] [10b9:1647] (rev 04)
	Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
	Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort+ >SERR- <PERR+ INTx-
	Latency: 0
	Region 0: Memory at f0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=64M]
	Capabilities: <access denied>
	Kernel driver in use: agpgart-ali
	Kernel modules: ali-agp

00:01.0 PCI bridge [0604]: ALi Corporation PCI to AGP Controller [10b9:5247]
	Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle+ MemWINV+ VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
	Status: Cap- 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=slow >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
	Latency: 0
	Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=0
	Memory behind bridge: e8100000-edffffff
	Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 40000000-400fffff
	Secondary status: 66MHz+ FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort+ <SERR- <PERR+
	BridgeCtl: Parity- SERR- NoISA+ VGA+ MAbort- >Reset- FastB2B-
		PriDiscTmr- SecDiscTmr- DiscTmrStat- DiscTmrSERREn-
	Kernel modules: shpchp

00:02.0 USB Controller [0c03]: ALi Corporation USB 1.1 Controller [10b9:5237] (rev 03) (prog-if 10)
	Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV+ VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
	Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
	Latency: 16 (20000ns max), Cache Line Size: 32 bytes
	Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 9
	Region 0: Memory at fff70000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
	Capabilities: <access denied>
	Kernel driver in use: ohci_hcd

00:04.0 CardBus bridge [0607]: Texas Instruments PCI1420 PC card Cardbus Controller [104c:ac51]
	Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:0018]
	Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
	Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
	Latency: 168, Cache Line Size: 128 bytes
	Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 11
	Region 0: Memory at 40120000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
	Bus: primary=00, secondary=02, subordinate=05, sec-latency=176
	Memory window 0: 30000000-33fff000 (prefetchable)
	Memory window 1: 34000000-37fff000
	I/O window 0: 00001400-000014ff
	I/O window 1: 00001800-000018ff
	BridgeCtl: Parity- SERR- ISA- VGA- MAbort- >Reset+ 16bInt+ PostWrite+
	16-bit legacy interface ports at 0001
	Kernel driver in use: yenta_cardbus
	Kernel modules: yenta_socket

00:04.1 CardBus bridge [0607]: Texas Instruments PCI1420 PC card Cardbus Controller [104c:ac51]
	Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:0018]
	Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
	Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
	Latency: 168, Cache Line Size: 128 bytes
	Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 11
	Region 0: Memory at 40121000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
	Bus: primary=00, secondary=06, subordinate=09, sec-latency=176
	Memory window 0: 38000000-3bfff000 (prefetchable)
	Memory window 1: 3c000000-3ffff000
	I/O window 0: 00001c00-00001cff
	I/O window 1: 00002000-000020ff
	BridgeCtl: Parity- SERR- ISA- VGA- MAbort- >Reset- 16bInt- PostWrite+
	16-bit legacy interface ports at 0001
	Kernel driver in use: yenta_cardbus
	Kernel modules: yenta_socket

00:06.0 Bridge [0680]: ALi Corporation M7101 Power Management Controller [PMU] [10b9:7101]
	Subsystem: ALi Corporation M7101 Power Management Controller [PMU] [10b9:7101]
	Control: I/O- Mem- BusMaster- SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
	Status: Cap- 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
	Kernel driver in use: ali1535_smbus
	Kernel modules: alim7101_wdt, i2c-ali15x3, i2c-ali1535

00:07.0 ISA bridge [0601]: ALi Corporation M1533/M1535/M1543 PCI to ISA Bridge [Aladdin IV/V/V+] [10b9:1533]
	Subsystem: ALi Corporation M1533/M1535/M1543 PCI to ISA Bridge [Aladdin IV/V/V+] [10b9:1533]
	Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle+ MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
	Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
	Latency: 0
	Capabilities: <access denied>
	Kernel modules: alim7101_wdt, alim1535_wdt

00:08.0 Multimedia audio controller [0401]: ESS Technology ES1988 Allegro-1 [125d:1988] (rev 12)
	Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:0018]
	Control: I/O+ Mem- BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
	Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
	Latency: 64 (500ns min, 6000ns max)
	Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 5
	Region 0: I/O ports at 8400 [size=256]
	Capabilities: <access denied>
	Kernel driver in use: Maestro3
	Kernel modules: snd-maestro3

00:08.1 Communication controller [0780]: ESS Technology ESS Modem [125d:1989] (rev 12)
	Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:0018]
	Control: I/O+ Mem- BusMaster- SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
	Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
	Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 5
	Region 0: I/O ports at 8800 [size=256]
	Capabilities: <access denied>

00:0f.0 IDE interface [0101]: ALi Corporation M5229 IDE [10b9:5229] (rev c4) (prog-if 8a [Master SecP PriP])
	Subsystem: ALi Corporation M5229 IDE [10b9:5229]
	Control: I/O+ Mem- BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
	Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
	Latency: 64 (500ns min, 1000ns max)
	Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 255
	Region 0: [virtual] Memory at 000001f0 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=8]
	Region 1: [virtual] Memory at 000003f0 (type 3, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=1]
	Region 2: [virtual] Memory at 00000170 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=8]
	Region 3: [virtual] Memory at 00000370 (type 3, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=1]
	Region 4: I/O ports at 1000 [size=16]
	Capabilities: <access denied>
	Kernel driver in use: pata_ali

00:10.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Accton Technology Corporation EN-1216 Ethernet Adapter [1113:1216] (rev 11)
	Subsystem: Accton Technology Corporation Device [1113:2242]
	Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV+ VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
	Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
	Latency: 64 (63750ns min, 63750ns max), Cache Line Size: 32 bytes
	Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 11
	Region 0: I/O ports at 8c00 [size=256]
	Region 1: Memory at e8001000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1K]
	[virtual] Expansion ROM at 40100000 [disabled] [size=128K]
	Capabilities: <access denied>
	Kernel driver in use: tulip
	Kernel modules: tulip

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Trident Microsystems CyberBlade/XP [1023:9910] (rev 63)
	Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:0018]
	Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
	Status: Cap+ 66MHz+ UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
	Latency: 64
	Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 11
	Region 0: Memory at ec000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=32M]
	Region 1: Memory at e8400000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4M]
	Region 2: Memory at ea000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=32M]
	Region 3: Memory at e8100000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=32K]
	[virtual] Expansion ROM at 40000000 [disabled] [size=64K]
	Capabilities: <access denied>
	Kernel modules: tridentfb

06:00.0 Network controller [0280]: RaLink RT2561/RT61 802.11g PCI [1814:0301]
	Subsystem: RaLink Device [1814:2561]
	Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV+ VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
	Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=slow >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
	Latency: 64, Cache Line Size: 64 bytes
	Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 11
	Region 0: Memory at 3c000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=32K]
	Capabilities: <access denied>
	Kernel driver in use: rt61pci
	Kernel modules: rt61pci


I'm very green to the whole ubuntu troubleshooting process so please explain any additional troubleshooting steps in simplified steps for me.  Thanks!! -Jenn



Also of note, I ran into an issue with screen resolution but was able to resolve it through the forums: https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/screen-resolution-extra/+question/51359