[SOLVED] Desktop effects could not be enabled

[oscarxm]

Hi.
I hope somebody can help me, please. (I am using Linux Mint "Julia" )
I am trying to do something like "virtual screen" with sudo xrandr --output default --mode 800x600 --panning 1024x768, OR enable "enhanced zoom desktop" (I know they are not the same thing, but one of them would be ok)

But somewhere I read that it is necessary to click on the desktop, select "change desktop background" and on the tab "visual effects", change from "none" to normal.

When I do that, I get an error message:
Desktop effects could not be enabled

I suppose that is caused because my graphics card is too old (I attached the output of the command lspci at the end of this message)

My question is: Is there a way I can use "panning" or zoom or something similar? without changing my hardware. (I also attached the output of the command xrandr)

Thanks for any answer you give me, and forgive me if I used too many double quotes or parenthesis....

lspci:

~ $ lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. P4M266 Host Bridge
00:01.0 PCI bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8633 [Apollo Pro266 AGP]
00:10.0 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
00:10.1 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
00:10.2 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
00:10.3 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB 2.0 (rev 82)
00:11.0 ISA bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8235 ISA Bridge
00:11.1 IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C PIPC Bus Master IDE (rev 06)
00:11.5 Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller (rev 50)
00:12.0 Ethernet controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6102 [Rhine-II] (rev 74)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: S3 Inc. VT8375 [ProSavage8 KM266/KL266]

xrandr:

~ $ xrandr
xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default
Screen 0: minimum 640 x 480, current 800 x 600, maximum 1024 x 768
default connected 800x600+0+0 0mm x 0mm
1024x768 0.0
800x600 0.0*
640x480 0.0
------------------------------------------
If I type:
sudo xrandr --output default --mode 1024x768

It works Ok and changes to 1024 x 768, but says: xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default

Oscar.

[willie42]

Run this and post here what your results

Code: Select all

lspci |grep VGA

[oscarxm]

Thanks for your response.

The output is just one line:
oscar@oscar-PX ~ $ lspci |grep VGA
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: S3 Inc. VT8375 [ProSavage8 KM266/KL266]
oscar@oscar-PX ~ $

And the response to the command: sudo xrandr --output default --mode 800x600 --panning 1024x768

xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default
X Error of failed request: BadRRCrtc (invalid Crtc parameter)
Major opcode of failed request: 150 (RANDR)
Minor opcode of failed request: 29 (RRSetPanning)
Crtc id in failed request: 0x106
Serial number of failed request: 22
Current serial number in output stream: 22
oscar@oscar-PX ~ $

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maybe it is of some help to show here exactly what error I got.

[willie42]

see if this will help

http://ubuntu-ky.ubuntuforums.org/showt ... ?p=9958532

[oscarxm]

I modified the xorg.conf file, but the two original problems are still present, sudo xrandr .. still gives the exact same errors, and change desktop background, visual effects, still says it could not be enabled.

The xorg.conf after the modifications:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
Driver "vesa"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
Option "DPMS" "true"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection

EndSection

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am sure the PC is using the file, because the 1st time I modified it today, I also put the lines:
HorizSync 30.0-60.0
VertRefresh 50.0-70.0
and with those lines, xrandr did not show the 800x600 resolution, only 640x480 and 1024x768 (and when the PC booted, showed briefly an error message)
then I removed those two lines, and 800x600 reappeared on xrandr, the error message didn't appear. That's why I am sure it is using it. (every time I changed xorg.conf, I have rebooted the PC)

[willie42]

lets try this....this issue is perplexing me. do a ctrl- alt and back space

[oscarxm]

About ctl-alt- backspace: is not doing what it should.
The screen just goes blank, the num-lock light is on, but if I press the num-lock key, the light never turns off, always on.
I also tried to type enter, startx, ctl-alt-del, and nothing. I waited 5 minutes and nothing happened, I had to turn the computer off and on.

More information:
I have some liveCD, and I tried some of them. Some of them had the same behaviour above described. Details:

1 Fedora 9 liveCD, and Knoppix 6.2:
The computer changes to "text mode", I see several lines of instructions scrolling, then the computer goes back to the graphic mode, Gnome.

2 Linux mint liveCDs, 10 JUlia, 9 Isadora:
Same as the hard disk. I waited 5 minutes, (typing num-lock, etc) but the screen stayed blank forever

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Even more information:
On knoppix and Fedora, the command xrandr shows:

knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1024 x 768, maximum 1024 x 768
default connected 1024x768+0+0 0mm x 0mm
1024x768 60.0*
800x600 85.0 75.0 72.0 60.0
640x480 85.0 75.0 60.0 73.0
640x400 85.0
512x384 60.0
400x300 85.0 75.0 72.0 60.0
320x240 85.0 75.0 73.0 60.0
320x200 85.0

--------------------------------------------------------
some few more modes. But the command
sudo xrandr --output default --mode 800x600 --panning 1024x768

gives the same error on Knoppix (on Fedora 9, --panning is not a valid option )

Willie42: thanks for all your help. Whatever you decide, to keep investigating this problem, or not, It is Ok to me.
Maybe my original assumption, that it is something wrong (or old) with my hardware, is correct.

[canci]

That is a Savage card if I'm not mistaken?

First of all, you won't have 3d with your driver in xorg.conf set to "vesa". Set it to "savage".
Then restart and run

Code: Select all

glxinfo | grep direct

It should say:

direct rendering: Yes

If it says no, or isn't there, then I really wouldn't know. Maybe the driver doesn't work properly?

Even if it says yes, be aware that many of those S3 cards are utter poo and probably won't run Compiz. Sorry.

EDIT: Even xrandr should work better with native drivers than with VESA.
VESA is only a failsafe so to say.

[oscarxm]

Something really strange happens when I change vesa to savage.
I did it twice to make sure the cause was not something else.
I have included the text of xorg.conf, and the steps I did to modify it.

When it says "savage": I reboot the computer, but it asks me for the password for login, but it asks again, and again, infinite loop. I only tried 7 times .... and then I rebooted, and modified back to "vesa" using a liveCD, because I coud not login to the hard disk.
When it was "vesa", as I said, I could enter without having to put the password even once, and modified to savage a 2nd time, just to be sure.
Remember that ctl-alt-backspace always hangs this computer.

Another minor symptom of my computer, maybe I should have mentioned it before: every time I boot linux mint 10, when the 4 dots are blinking, I see the logo and the text, which is normal, but before the normal background appears, for a few seconds, I can see garbage, similar to an old TV that cannot sync the vertical or horizontal. I suppose that is an indication that the video card is capable of a resolution higher than 1024x768, but my monitor cannot. (With linux mint 9, that out-of-sync-for-a-few-seconds didn't exist.)

To be able to see the logo ok, I remember that on administration, startup-manager, I changed boot option, display, resolution, to 640x480, and in advanced, also in bootloader menu resolution to 640x480, but still I see the lack of sync for a few seconds.

-------------------------------
Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
Driver "savage"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
Option "DPMS" "true"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection

EndSection
-----------------------------------------
step to modify it:
su <cr>
( enter the password)
cd /etc/X11
nano xorg.conf
(modify text, pres ctl-x)
(y for yes, enter to keep the same name)
nano xorg.conf (just to see again the text with the modifications, then ctl-x)

[oscarxm]

On this moment, The panning is working. with ctl alt + , ctl-alt -
So, I will change tomorrow the name of the post to SOLVED, I'll wait a day just in case somebody gives me reasons not to consider it solved.

In http://linux.about.com/od/linux101/l/blnewbie5_1.htm
I found:
<Ctrl><Alt><+>
(in X-windows) Change to the next X-server resolution (if you set up the X-server to more than one resolution). For multiple resolutions on my standard SVGA card/monitor, I have the following line in the file /etc/X11/XF86Config (the first resolution starts on default, the largest resolution determines the size of the "virtual screen"):
.......
.......

So, if I set 1024x768 on preferences, monitors, and then when I press ctl alt + :
I see the screen at 800x600, ( I see only about 75% of the desktop) but when I move the mouse to the edges, the image moves or pans.
And I can press ctl alt - to go back to 1024x768. And see all my desktop.

The two original problems are still unsolved:
sudo xrandr --output default --mode 800x600 --panning 1024x768, OR enable "enhanced zoom desktop"
But I can do the panning, that's what I wanted,

The xorg.conf currently is the following (I copied from the one that the liveCD uses)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
Driver "vesa"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks to the persons that helped me, and payed attention to me, even though I am using an old hardware.
And if someone wants me to try any other solution to the original problems, I can dedicate time to do that.

Maybe on this forum it should exist a subforum named "Newbie questions about very very old hardware" , because that was my case.
Bye for now.
Oscar.

About ctl alt backspace, is not important to me that it is not working.
I found that somebody reported that bug on Oct 2009, and at the end it says: We're closing this bug since it is has been some time with no response from the original reporter.
See https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+sour ... bug/414330

[canci]

Dear friend,

Please bear with me, as I am pretty sure your card does work with the savage driver -- I googled about it. Since you mentioned the garbage,
I think I might know what's causing it. Your old card probably has problems with kernel mode setting (KMS). Maybe this prevents you from
getting proper driver support. I mean, the same happens on my nvidia, which has no kms support. Can you try and add the
nomodeset option to your boot options? It's fairly easy, I'll walk you through it.

1. Open the grub config file. Press Alt + F2 and enter:

Code: Select all

gksudo "gedit /etc/default/grub"

and then just add nomodeset to the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX line. It should look like this:

Code: Select all

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="nomodeset"

2. Make sure your xorg.conf has savage as the driver, and not vesa.

3. Reboot, log in.

4. If you log in successfully, then please do this in a terminal to make sure you have 3D:

Code: Select all

glxinfo | grep rendering

and ignore what's said under number 5. Now try running Compiz. No guarantees that it will
work or work good for that matter. Compiz is designed with more recent GPUs in mind.

5. If you cannot log in, just do C TRL + ALT + F2 and log in to the text command line. You can then do:

Code: Select all

sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf

to set the driver back to vesa.

Then you can restart and open the file /var/log/Xorg.0.log and paste it here so we can see what the error was.

[oscarxm]

Ok, canci, I have done that. Thanks for start helping me.

And now the PC accepted the savage driver, that's good.
But I have attached the log file, (and the xrandr output), because things are not perfect yet

Improvements:
- accepted the savage driver. The PC didn't asks me for the password to login, not once, not infinite loop.
- xrandr shows more modes
- no out-of-sync phase when it is booting

No change:
- Desktop effects could not be enabled
- probably sudo xrandr ... is not working yet. I have not tried yet

Loses:
- Now if I press ctl-alt + :
The resolution don't change, and the PC asks me for login... only once.
If I press ctl alt + 3 times, every time the PC asks me for login once.
And the resolution stays at 1024x768, never changes. (with ctl alt +)
- when it is booting, on the 4 or 5 dots that are blinking green, the logo is not shown, only the text Linux Mint 10. Even though on administration, startup manager, the resolution is 640x480, on boot options and also on advanced.

If you have more questions, please tell me.
xrandr:


xrandr
xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1024 x 768, maximum 1024 x 768
default connected 1024x768+0+0 0mm x 0mm
1024x768 60.0*
800x600 85.0 75.0 72.0 60.0
640x480 85.0 75.0 60.0 73.0
640x400 85.0
512x384 60.0
400x300 85.0 75.0 72.0 60.0
320x240 85.0 75.0 73.0 60.0
320x200 85.0
oscar@oscar-P4X ~ $

[canci]

Good work!

I think, though I'm not sure, that your card cannot do Compiz (meaning the 3D effects). This is because the error log said:

Code: Select all

[    28.211] (II) AIGLX: Screen 0 is not DRI2 capable

which leads me to believe that you need DRI2 in order to get Compiz. This is hardly surprising, as your card is from like 2002?
Compiz didn't exist before 2005. Sorry, but it seems that you'll have to use an alternative method of zoom and pan, but I really
don't know what that would be. I suppose this is a laptop? If not, then do yourself a favour and buy maybe a used ATI Radeon 9200,
which runs Compiz just fine on low settings. I bought one ages ago for 10 €. So it shouldn't be hard to find such cards on
a flea market or such.

As for xrandr, well, maybe the driver is sort of lame and you need to manually add resolutions for it to switch.
I've never had to do it, but I would try this. But PLEASE be sure to know what resolutions your monitor can do,
otherwise you may break your monitor.

Tell us if it worked.

[canci]

Silly me. I just saw that your driver complains about a missing gamma value entry.

Just open xorg.conf and be sure the Monitor section has a Gamma value. Something like this:

Code: Select all

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier      "Configured Monitor"
        Gamma           1.00 1.00 1.00
EndSection

This sets the gamma value (something like brighteness) to the default 1. You can set it lower or higher if
those values don't suite you.

[oscarxm]

Ok, canci, I tried the best I could, what you mentioned on the 2 posts.

First, i added the line:
Gamma 1.00 1.00 1.00

and rebooted. You will see on the error log if I did it correctly or not. (the message: failed to set gamma .. is still there. But on the log file, line 151, says: [ 24.859] (**) SAVAGE(0): Using gamma correction (1.0, 1.0, 1.0))

Then, I went to: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Config/Resolu ... esolutions

and from what I understood, I typed the following on a terminal:
1 ( First, su <enter> password to be administrator)
2 cvt 800 600
3 xrandr --newmode "800x600_60.00" 38.25 800 832 912 1024 600 603 607 624 -hsync +vsync
4 xrandr --addmode default "800x600_60.00"
5 xrandr
6 xrandr --output default --mode "800x600_60.00"

(below are the output of the PC to all those commands)

And when I typed the last line, the number 6, the PC asked me for the login, exactly as when I press ctl alt + and stayed on 1024x786

IMPORTANT NOTE: please remember that if I return the xorg.conf to "vesa" then I can use ctl alt + , ctl alr - to zoom in, zoom out. This experiments we are doing, are just to have also 3d effects, but for me, zoom in, zoom out only, is completely acceptable.

when it is "vesa" this command changes screen to 800x600:
sudo xrandr --output default --mode 800x600

If I issued it when it is "savage" .. it asks me for login, and stays on 1024x786

Thanks for all your suggestions.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
$ su
Password:
____________________________________
( The smallest worm will turn being )
( trodden on. )
( )
( -- William Shakespeare, "Henry VI" )
------------------------------------
o
o
.--.
|o_o |
|:_/ |
// \ \
(| | )
/'\_ _/`\
\___)=(___/

oscar-PX oscar # xrandr
xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1024 x 768, maximum 1024 x 768
default connected 1024x768+0+0 0mm x 0mm
1024x768 60.0*
800x600 85.0 75.0 72.0 60.0
640x480 85.0 75.0 60.0 73.0
640x400 85.0
512x384 60.0
400x300 85.0 75.0 72.0 60.0
320x240 85.0 75.0 73.0 60.0
320x200 85.0

oscar-PX oscar # cvt 800 600
# 800x600 59.86 Hz (CVT 0.48M3) hsync: 37.35 kHz; pclk: 38.25 MHz
Modeline "800x600_60.00" 38.25 800 832 912 1024 600 603 607 624 -hsync +vsync
oscar-PX oscar # xrandr --newmode "800x600_60.00" 38.25 800 832 912 1024 600 603 607 624 -hsync +vsync
xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default

oscar-PX oscar # xrandr --addmode default "800x600_60.00"
xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default
oscar-PX oscar # xrandr
xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1024 x 768, maximum 1024 x 768
default connected 1024x768+0+0 0mm x 0mm
1024x768 60.0*
800x600 85.0 75.0 72.0 60.0
640x480 85.0 75.0 60.0 73.0
640x400 85.0
512x384 60.0
400x300 85.0 75.0 72.0 60.0
320x240 85.0 75.0 73.0 60.0
320x200 85.0
800x600_60.00 59.9
oscar-PX oscar # xrandr --output default --mode "800x600_60.00" <<<<<<<<<<<<< this is where the PC asks for login.

[canci]

It's a pity. But at least xrandr works in vesa. And if you need 3D for something, you know how to switch. Glad I could help.

[oscarxm]

I am changing this thread to solved. See post #8
Thanks to everybody that helped me
The summary is:
- I am using "vesa" driver
- I can zoom in & out with ctl alt + , ctl alt - (changes form 1024x768 to 800x600 and back)
- Desktop effects could not be enabled, but that's Ok. Maybe I will get a new video card, this is from 2002
- No out-of-sync problem appears when the PC is booting
- glxgears works. see http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/jau ... ars.1.html
<End of summary>

The following is the report from compiz-check (see http://forlong.blogage.de/entries/pages/Compiz-Check), I ran it on both modes, savage and vesa:
Note: on savage, "skip the blacklist" would be of no use, because the "no power of two support" still gives a FAIL.

bye for now.

vesa:
---------------------------------------------------------------------
./compiz-check

Gathering information about your system...

Distribution: Linux Mint
Desktop environment: GNOME
Graphics chip: S3 Inc. VT8375 [ProSavage8 KM266/KL266]
Driver in use: vesa
Rendering method: AIGLX

Checking if it's possible to run Compiz on your system... [SKIP]

Checking for hardware/setup problems... [SKIP]

At least one check had to be skipped:
Error: vesa driver in use

Would you like to know more? (Y/n) y

The vesa driver is not capable of running Compiz, you need to install
the proper driver for your graphics card.

savage:
---------------------------------------------------------------------
./compiz-check

Gathering information about your system...

Distribution: Linux Mint
Desktop environment: GNOME
Graphics chip: S3 Inc. VT8375 [ProSavage8 KM266/KL266]
Driver in use: savage
Rendering method: AIGLX

Checking if it's possible to run Compiz on your system...

Checking for texture_from_pixmap... [ OK ]
Checking for non power of two support... [FAIL]
Checking for composite extension... [ OK ]
Checking for FBConfig... [ OK ]
Checking for hardware/setup problems... [WARN]

Something potential problematic has been detected with your setup:
Warning: Detected driver is not on the whitelist.

Would you like to know more? (Y/n) y

Your driver is not widely known to work with Compiz and thus may be
blacklisted on certain distributions.
You can skip this blacklist -- but keep in mind that you did so.
Do not complain if you encounter any problems with Compiz afterwards.

Do you want to skip blacklist checks by Compiz? (y/N) n
--------------------------------------------------------------------
glxgears:

293 frames in 5.0 seconds = 58.423 FPS
318 frames in 5.0 seconds = 63.460 FPS
391 frames in 5.0 seconds = 78.075 FPS
382 frames in 5.0 seconds = 76.363 FPS