New Intel Graphics Drivers for Ubuntu 9.04 (Jaunty)
There is hope for Ubuntu users with Intel graphics. As it appears, the current 2D drivers solve most of the recent graphics problems with Intel chips, according to Ubuntu developer Bryce Harrington in a developer mailing list. Jaunty users should profit it from them as well.
A nuisance to owners of Ubuntu 9.04 and Intel graphics chips has been the problems with the graphics drivers. Even though Intel manages its drivers in an exemplary open source way, 2D and 3D acceleration has fairly much dragged so far. The reason is an unhappy pairing of the current Kernel 2.6.28's Kernel Mode Setting (KMS) with Intel's new UXA acceleration architecture that replaces EXA and the newly added Graphics Execution Manager (GEM) in the Kernel.
The solution should come in the form of the Intel 2.7.99.1 driver, as Canonical's Bryce Harrington describes on the Ubuntu developer mailing list. The still somewhat unstable 2D driver should fix most of the Intel chip problems, with the stable version to appear later in Ubuntu 9.10.
Harrington mentions that Jaunty users have the advantage of the Kernel 2.6.30 installation to resolve the issue. Ubuntu source packets are on the kernel.ubuntu.com webpage. Harrington suggests activating the UXA module in the xorg.conf file, but not KMS, which is deactivated by default. To activate UXA, use Option AccelMethod "UXA" in the Section "Device" in /etc/x11/xorg.conf.
Installing the actualized 2D driver should, however, be accompanied by the stable Intel 2.7.1 driver that you can get from an external Personal Package Archive (PPA). The source package is xserver-xorg-video-intel. Careful, though: playing with Xorg can have adverse side effects, so backing up the original files might be a good idea.
Source from here
How do I tell if I have intel graphics. My MB is intel, but I have a nvidia video card.
Then your graphics is nvidia and you’re all good. Only intel made (very) poor drivers for this release.
You wrote AccelMethod “EXA” instead of “UXA”.. 😉
If I’m not worng, anyway, 2.7.99 drops EXA so you may not need to set it in Xorg.conf (at least that’s what they say on xorg-edgers ppa)
There’s a typo in the recommendations.
Don’t use: Option AccelMethod “EXA”
Use: Option AccelMethod “UXA”
This is because “(…) upstream stripped out EXA acceleration altogether, so it’s UXA or bust
now” according to Bryce Harrington at the original source: https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel/2009-June/028286.html
Guys
I have updated the article with correct one thanks for your feedback on this
Actually the correct xorg.conf option is:
Option “AccelMethod” “UXA”
BOTH arguments must be quoted and should use standard double quotes, not forward/back quotes such as are used in the article (beware rich text editors). Anyone copying and pasting from the current article would end up with a broken config…just like I did.
Other than that forcing UXA, using the newer intel drivers from the PPA and kernel 2.6.30 provides what feels like the smoothest performance of compiz to date (not exactly a thorough test, but one that does kind of matter for general use).
Also the PPA listed provides an upgraded version of the xserver-xorg-input-synaptics package which for me (MacBook 2.1) gives awful sensitivity making the touchpad difficult to use. Just a fair warning in case anyone else runs into that.
Great article, but I have a two questions:
1) Will the new driver work on the 2.6.28 kernel? (I.E. not requiring a kernel upgrade?)
2) If the new driver does *not* work, what is the best method for reverting back to one’s previous driver and configuration?
{{ what is the best method for reverting back to one’s previous driver and configuration? }}
After installing Linux Mint 7, my totem player would not run videos, or play a DVD. I learned what the problem was, and went to this site for the solution…and it worked fine, for me:
Reverting the Jaunty Xorg intel driver to 2.4
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReinhardTartler/X/RevertingIntelDriverTo2.4
Caveat: Upon rebooting, the system insisted in loading with a low resolution. I finally figured out how to resolve this. Reboot into safe mode, then select the option to correct any resolution issue automatically. Now, my videos run flawlessly, once more.
Thanks for the info! These instructions worked for me with an Intel 82G33/G31 graphics controller. Initial tests say I can watch full-screen flash movies (e.g. hulu) without the jerkiness I experienced previously.
Hi!!
I have a big problem… I use ubuntu 9.04 and all works fine, but if I want to change the resolution or play a game that use all the screen like enemy-territory or tux racer the screen turns white and crash… I update theintel video drivers but still the same… please help me I donw know what to do…
Regards
Bruno
hi,
I tried the above mentioned changes, and i am happy to report that this works brilliantly for me. Thanks a ton.
Maverick