compiz can't load plugins and won't run in VirtualBox

> compiz (core) - Fatal: Software rendering detected.

Your driver isn't supported, so compiz is starting up in 2D mode right
now (which means most of your plugins are not supported)

On Mon, Nov 15, 2010 at 5:11 AM, Greg Auger <email address hidden> wrote:
> Public bug reported:
>
> Binary package hint: compiz
>
> greg@natty-VirtualBox:~$ compiz --replace
> Backend     : ini
> Integration : true
> Profile     : default
> Adding plugins
> Initializing core options...done
> Initializing composite options...done
> Backend     : ini
> Integration : true
> Profile     : default
> Adding plugins
> Initializing core options...done
> Initializing composite options...done
> compiz (core) - Fatal: Software rendering detected.
> compiz (opengl) - Error: initScreen failed
> compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't activate plugin 'opengl'
> compiz (core) - Error: Plugin 'opengl' not loaded.
>
> Initializing decor options...done
> Initializing resize options...done
> Initializing move options...done
> compiz (core) - Error: Plugin 'opengl' not loaded.
>
> compiz (core) - Error: InitPlugin 'scale' failed
> compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't activate plugin 'scale'
> compiz (core) - Error: Plugin 'opengl' not loaded.
>
> compiz (core) - Error: InitPlugin 'unityshell' failed
> compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't activate plugin 'unityshell'
> Initializing place options...done
> compiz (core) - Error: Plugin 'opengl' not loaded.
>
> compiz (core) - Error: InitPlugin 'expo' failed
> compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't activate plugin 'expo'
> Initializing mousepoll options...done
> Segmentation fault
>
> ProblemType: Bug
> DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
> Package: compiz 1:0.9.2.1+glibmainloop-0ubuntu2
> ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.37-3.11-generic 2.6.37-rc1
> Uname: Linux 2.6.37-3-generic i686
> Architecture: i386
> CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz/general/allscreens/options/active_plugins'
> Date: Sun Nov 14 21:09:31 2010
> InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Release i386 (20101007)
> Lsusb:
>  Bus 001 Device 002: ID 80ee:0021
>  Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
> MachineType: innotek GmbH VirtualBox
> PackageArchitecture: all
> PciDisplay: 00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: InnoTek Systemberatung GmbH VirtualBox Graphics Adapter [80ee:beef] (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
> ProcEnviron:
>  LANG=en_GB.utf8
>  SHELL=/bin/bash
> ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.37-3-generic root=UUID=dbb04982-adad-4154-a8cf-6665ae4e0087 ro quiet splash
> RelatedPackageVersions:
>  xserver-xorg 1:7.5+6ubuntu3
>  libgl1-mesa-glx 7.9~git20100924-0ubuntu3
>  libdrm2 2.4.22-2ubuntu1
>  xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.13.0-1ubuntu1
>  xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.13.2-1ubuntu1
> SourcePackage: compiz
> XorgConf: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/etc/X11/xorg.conf'
> dmi.bios.date: 12/01/2006
> dmi.bios.vendor: innotek GmbH
> dmi.bios.version: VirtualBox
> dmi.modalias: dmi:bvninnotekGmbH:bvrVirtualBox:bd12/01/2006:svninnotekGmbH:pnVirtualBox:pvr1.2:
> dmi.product.name: VirtualBox
> dmi.product.version: 1.2
> dmi.sys.vendor: innotek GmbH
> glxinfo: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
> system: distro =...

this bug affexts me too.

Running Natty in VirtualBox.
Virtual machine settings:
SYSTEM
memory: 656MB
CPU: 2
VT-x/AMD-V: enabled
Nested paging: enabled

SCREEN
video memory: 124MB
3d acceleration: enabled
2d video acceleration: disabled

STORAGE
SATA controller: SATA port 0: 11.04.vdi (normal, 8.00GB)

have VBoxGuestAdditions installed and running.
Compiz worked in 10.10. then I upgraded to Natty.

Have compiz version 1:0.9.2.1+glibmainloop-0ubuntu3 installed.

emphasis on the following lines:
compiz (core) - Fatal: Software rendering detected.
compiz (opengl) - Error: initScreen failed
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't activate plugin 'opengl'

i gather the errors following these are subsequent.

-----------------------
yougo@yougo-VirtualBox:~$ compiz --replace
Backend : gconf
Integration : true
Profile : default
Adding plugins
Initializing core options...done
Initializing composite options...done
Backend : gconf
Integration : true
Profile : default
Adding plugins
Initializing core options...done
Initializing composite options...done
compiz (core) - Fatal: Software rendering detected.
compiz (opengl) - Error: initScreen failed
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't activate plugin 'opengl'
Initializing decor options...done
Initializing mousepoll options...done
Initializing vpswitch options...done
compiz (core) - Error: Plugin 'opengl' not loaded.

compiz (core) - Error: InitPlugin 'scale' failed
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't activate plugin 'scale'
compiz (core) - Error: Plugin 'opengl' not loaded.

compiz (core) - Error: InitPlugin 'expo' failed
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't activate plugin 'expo'
Initializing move options...done
compiz (core) - Error: Plugin 'opengl' not loaded.

Initializing place options...done
Initializing gnomecompat options...done
Segmentation fault

Slight variation on the "plugins not loading", although I can't see anything OpenGL/3D driver related per se:

$ compiz --replace
...
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'decoration'
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'png'
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't load plugin 'svg'
compiz (core) - Error: Plugin 'composite' not loaded.
compiz (core) - Error: InitPlugin 'neg' failed
compiz (core) - Error: Couldn't activate plugin 'neg'
...
Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
0x00c269f5 in GLTexture::bindPixmapToTexture(unsigned long, int, int, int) ()
   from /usr/lib/compiz/libopengl.so

Is it an ABI change in the plugin interface?

This is certainly a regression since Maverick, I guess the question is whether the problem is with one of
a) Compiz - e.g. a regression in 0.9 that means it no longer supports VirtualBox hardware acceleration
b) VirtualBox's Guest Additions - e.g. the drivers that provide 3D acceleration aren't working in Natty.

regarding "b) VirtualBox's Guest Additions - e.g. the drivers that provide 3D acceleration aren't working in Natty."

VBoxGuestAddiions does seem to be working. i have mouse integration, shared folders, auto resize desktop, and it shows up as installed and running in the extra drivers list.

haven't tried seamless mode, but it seems VBoxGuestAdditions is doing its job like it should.
AFAICT it's also the same version as the one i used with my 10.10 client, and compiz was running fine back then.

still pondering on this line:

compiz (core) - Fatal: Software rendering detected.

why is software rendering fatal to compiz?

Yougo: Unity (via Compiz) is rendering the interface in the same way that a 3D video game work: people measure games in the number of Frames Per Second (FPS) displayed. For each new frame the interface gets wiped and is redrawn from scratch, when this is done enough times per second it appears smooth.

With OpenGL hardware GPU rendering it's possible to manage 60+ FPS per second. This is more complete FPS than the eyes can see, so the game, or Unity interface looks super-smooth. With OpenGL software rendering it is only possible to get 1-2 FPS which makes the interface jerky, unresponsive and uses up lots of battery and CPU. Without efficient and fast hardware OpenGL support it is better to swtich back to traditional 2D rendering (the GNOME Panel) which uses a different mechanism for drawing to the screen, where only what has moved is updated, not the whole screen. Doing software 2D rendering means that many of the effects that people have become used to are not possible.

The real bug in compiz is that it doesn't immediately stop trying to load when we detect software rendering. Sure, 0.9 has a "2D mode" but it's hardly usable and I would have thought the patch that detects software rendering would still do this.

There is, however, an issue with virtualbox here as well because you should not be getting software rendering and did not in 10.04, compiz had this same check there.

thanks for the elaboration about OpenGL, though i prettymuch knew that.

if software acceleration with OpenGL is such a no-go, shouldn't Compiz just tell me it can't be done, and then either switch to this 2D mode, or revert my desktop to metacity, instead of segfaulting and leaving me without window borders?

is there anyway to set compiz to 2d manually and atleast see if that works?

On Sat, Nov 27, 2010 at 2:35 AM, Yougo <email address hidden> wrote:
> thanks for the elaboration about OpenGL, though i prettymuch knew that.
>
> if software acceleration with OpenGL is such a no-go, shouldn't Compiz
> just tell me it can't be done, and then either switch to this 2D mode,
> or revert my desktop to metacity, instead of segfaulting and leaving me
> without window borders?
>
> is there anyway to set compiz to 2d manually and atleast see if that
> works?

Yes, go into CCSM and disable the composite and opengl plugins.

The transition won't be pretty though, and the gtk-window-decorator in
2D mode is only sort of part way there, so you might have to restart
it in order to make it work correctly

>
> --
> compiz can't load plugins and won't run in VirtualBox
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/675307
> You received this bug notification because you are a member of compiz
> packagers, which is subscribed to compiz in ubuntu.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~compiz
> Post to     : <email address hidden>
> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~compiz
> More help   : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
>

--
Sam Spilsbury

ok, got that working. i agree, it isn't pretty... also a bit pointless, as all this is ofcourse about the unity plugin, which requires OpenGL, which requires compositing...

any ideas on getting compiz to like OpenGL?

don't know if this helps any, but i did some opengl benchmarking, and don't see a real problem there. see attachment.

As your benchmark (and the output of glxinfo) makes clear, you do not have hardware accelerated OpenGL rendering. On an actual desktop trying to run with software rendering gets you less than one frame per second in compiz, running in a VM will be even slower.

still, before upgrading to 11.04, i had ubuntu 10.10 running compiz in virtualbox, no problem. i've seen it, it works.

so what changed?

Uh, everything? Kernel, Xorg, and Mesa, at least. Which means you need an update from virtualbox.

So, are you taking the long way around to telling me this is not a Compiz bug, but outdated VBoxGuestadditions, breaking 3d hardware acceleration?

still shouldn't Compiz just back out and put the desktop back onto metacity, rather than segfaulting and leaving me hangin'?

just had a bucketload of updates, apparently including a fix for compiz:

yougo@yougo-VirtualBox:~$ compiz --replace
Backend : gconf
Integration : true
Profile : unity
Adding plugins
Initializing core options...done
Initializing bailer options...done
Initializing detection options...done
Initializing composite options...done
compiz (opengl) - Fatal: GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap is missing
compiz (opengl) - Fatal: Software rendering detected
compiz (bailer) - Info: Ensuring a shell for your session
yougo@yougo-VirtualBox:~$

it plays nice with Opengl now. guess it's up to Oracle to come up with a VBoxGuestAdittions patch...

Yeah, I was leaving the compiz part of the bug open until that part got fixed. Should have made that clear, sorry.

On Tue, Nov 30, 2010 at 5:55 AM, Yougo <email address hidden> wrote:
> just had a bucketload of updates, apparently including a fix for compiz:
>
> yougo@yougo-VirtualBox:~$ compiz --replace
> Backend     : gconf
> Integration : true
> Profile     : unity
> Adding plugins
> Initializing core options...done
> Initializing bailer options...done
> Initializing detection options...done
> Initializing composite options...done
> compiz (opengl) - Fatal: GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap is missing
> compiz (opengl) - Fatal: Software rendering detected
> compiz (bailer) - Info: Ensuring a shell for your session
> yougo@yougo-VirtualBox:~$
>
> it plays nice with Opengl now. guess it's up to Oracle to come up with a
> VBoxGuestAdittions patch...

Make sure that you have dkms installed when recompiling the vbox
kernel module, it's a requirement for 3D acceleration now

>
> --
> compiz can't load plugins and won't run in VirtualBox
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/675307
> You received this bug notification because you are a member of compiz
> packagers, which is subscribed to compiz in ubuntu.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~compiz
> Post to     : <email address hidden>
> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~compiz
> More help   : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
>

--
Sam Spilsbury

Ubuntu reports the VirtualBox "drivers" as enabled on my Natty Virtualbox machine. With the old compiz in Maverick this was enough to get Compiz running with effects.

See attached screenshot.

Having said that, the output when installing VB Guest Additions wasn't entirely positive.

Verifying archive integrity... All good.
Uncompressing VirtualBox 3.2.8 Guest Additions for Linux........
VirtualBox Guest Additions installer
Removing installed version 3.2.8 of VirtualBox Guest Additions...
Building the VirtualBox Guest Additions kernel modules
Building the main Guest Additions moduleRunning global cleanup code from study base classes.
 ...done.
Building the shared folder support module ...fail!
(Look at /var/log/vboxadd-install.log to find out what went wrong)
Installing the Window System drivers
Warning: unknown version of the X Window System installed. Not installing
X Window System drivers.
Installing graphics libraries and desktop services components ...done.

Also affected with VirtualBox 3.2.12 and Natty alpha1 x86.

cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | grep EE shows:
[ 23.609] (EE) [drm] drmOpen failed.
[ 23.609] (EE) VBoxVideo(0): DRIScreenInit failed, disabling DRI.
[ 23.691] (II) XKB: reuse xkmfile /var/lib/xkb/server-0E5C43461357B71855BFAB66BB81657FDE94EE6B.xkm
[ 23.697] (EE) VirtualBox USB Tablet: failed to initialize for relative axes.

Confimed with VirtualBox 3.2.12 and Updated Guest Additions 3.2.12

Same issue with VirtualBox 3.2.12 on Windows 7 Prof Host.

@20, had dkms installed all along, doesn't help...

@23+,
3.2.12 doesn't fix anything here either

Same issue with VirtualBox 4 beta1.

Ops...This bug is related to virtualbox ose....sorry

Reported to the VirtualBox beta feedback forum, here: http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=36914&p=165507#p165507

This bug may as well be associated to

http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/8122

In terms of Virtualbox-Ose it will close with bug #717924

This is not the same as the public ticket you mentioned. It is reproducible with the current development version of VirtualBox.

Sorry, public ticket == http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/8122...

Correction, this is not reproducible with the current development version with correctly installed Additions :)

Rt
Ollmmm[l ir
------Original Message------
From: Flames_in_Paradise
Sender: <email address hidden>
To: Alfredzo Nash
ReplyTo: Bug 675307
Subject: [Bug 675307] Re: compiz can't load plugins and won't run in VirtualBox
Sent: Feb 20, 2011 10:23 PM

This bug may as well be associated to

http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/8122

In terms of Virtualbox-Ose it will close with bug #717924

** Bug watch added: Virtualbox Trac #8122
   http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/8122

--
You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to
virtualbox-ose in ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/675307

Title:
  compiz can't load plugins and won't run in VirtualBox

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

I Don't know if this helps, but I sholud really think so.

virtualbox-ose - 4.0.4-dfsg-1ubuntu1 is added to the Natty-packaging, pls. see bug #722431 (fix commited)

Further Information on the Changelog is available at

http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Changelog

Best wishes

virtualbox-ose does due to a change in License with does continue to exit a virtualbox. Therefore marked a invalid as the reference is not given any longer with regards to the packege the bug was reported against.

In addition Natty is EOL.

Took the freedom to mark this accordingly.