[Asus u30jc (optimus)] Unity won't launch, defaults to classic

[Julien-Charles Lévesque]

Binary package hint: unity

On a beta natty install with latest upgrades (as of Apr 10 2011 - unity version 3.8.4-0ubuntu1), unity doesn't launch. My laptop is a u30jc, which sports a nvidia optimus card and includes both an intel GMA HD graphics processor and an nvidia geforce 310M. It is weird because on a previous occasion I managed to get Unity working, although I can't seem to do it anymore.

On a console, running unity --reset gives the following output :

WARNING: Unity currently default profile, so switching to metacity while resetting the values
unity-panel-service: no process found
Backend : gconf
Integration : true
Profile : unity
Adding plugins
Initializing core options...done
Initializing bailer options...done
Initializing detection options...done
Initializing composite options...done
Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Compiz (opengl) - Fatal: Root visual is not a GL visual
Compiz (bailer) - Info: Ensuring a shell for your session

Where can I go from there?

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: unity 3.8.4-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.41-generic 2.6.38.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-8-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
.proc.driver.nvidia.gpus.0: Error: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/proc/driver/nvidia/gpus/0'
.proc.driver.nvidia.registry: Binary: ""
.proc.driver.nvidia.version:
 NVRM version: NVIDIA UNIX x86_64 Kernel Module 270.30 Fri Feb 25 14:34:55 PST 2011
 GCC version: gcc version 4.5.2 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.5.2-8ubuntu1)
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,decor,mousepoll,vpswitch,regex,animation,snap,expo,move,compiztoolbox,place,grid,imgpng,gnomecompat,wall,ezoom,workarounds,staticswitcher,resize,fade,unitymtgrabhandles,scale,session,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: None
DRM.card0.DP.1:
 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.LVDS.1:
 status: connected
 enabled: enabled
 dpms: On
 modes: 1366x768
 edid-base64: AP///////wAGrywQAAAAAAESAQOAHRB4Crplm1lUniYaTVIAAAABAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBIBxWgFAAIzAwIDYAJaQQAAAYAAAADwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgAAAA/gBBVU8KICAgICAgICAgAAAA/gBCMTMzWFcwMSBWMCAKALw=
DRM.card0.VGA.1:
 status: disconnected
 enabled: disabled
 dpms: Off
 modes:
 edid-base64:
Date: Sun Apr 10 09:43:54 2011
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: natty
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
 nvidia-current, 270.30, 2.6.38-7-generic, x86_64: installed
 nvidia-current, 270.30, 2.6.38-8-generic, x86_64: installed
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0046] (rev 12) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:1332]
 nVidia Corporation GT218 [GeForce 310M] [10de:0a72] (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:1332]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Beta amd64 (20110330)
InstallationMedia_: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Beta amd64 (20110330)
InstallationMedia__: Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Beta amd64 (20110330)
JockeyStatus: xorg:nvidia_current - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Enabled, In use)
MachineType: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. U30Jc
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_CA:en
 LANG=en_CA.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=49aec8ff-e081-42e3-b183-bb652c8db0e5 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
ProcVersionSignature_: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.41-generic 2.6.38.2
ProcVersionSignature__: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.41-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: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 02/07/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: U30Jc.204
dmi.board.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.board.name: U30Jc
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: 1.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrU30Jc.204:bd02/07/2010:svnASUSTeKComputerInc.:pnU30Jc:pvr1.0:rvnASUSTeKComputerInc.:rnU30Jc:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKComputerInc.:ct10:cvr1.0:
dmi.product.name: U30Jc
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.4+bzr20110407-0ubuntu2
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.23-1ubuntu6
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.10.1-0ubuntu3
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.10.1-0ubuntu3
version.nvidia-graphics-drivers: nvidia-graphics-drivers N/A
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+4ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.0-0ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.14.0-4ubuntu6
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110107+b795ca6e-0ubuntu6

[Omer Akram (om26er)]

Do you have the nvidia's proprietary driver installed?

[Julien-Charles Lévesque (jclevesque)]

No, they are not working for hybrid laptops (for obscure reasons, they just prevent booting once installed). I thought nouveau could handle this?

In the worst case, can the intel GMA HD video card handle Unity 3d?

[Julien-Charles Lévesque (jclevesque)]

After a fresh install of beta2, still got the same issues.

[Omer Akram (om26er)]

please attach the output of this command from terminal

$ /usr/lib/nux/unity_support_test -p

[Julien-Charles Lévesque (jclevesque)]

This is what I get:

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

Now the real fucked up thing is if I run this program on my 10.10 installation (by mounting my 11.04 partition and running it), I get a 'Success'!

[Julien-Charles Lévesque (jclevesque)]

I was able to get it working by uninstalling the unused, not working nvidia-current drivers. Somehow these drivers were probably called first by unity and were unable to function properly.

I also added 'nouveau' to the list of blacklisted drivers, since I do not believe Ubuntu has any way to use my nvidia card at the moment. Consider this issue solved and this 'fix' will probably work for anyone with a nvidia/intel hybrid laptop experiencing the same issues as I do.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for unity (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]