How do I configure an Intel HD Graphics 4000?

Question

First off, please note that last night I already posted this question to a launchpad mailing list, so this could be considered a cross post. However, I think this is a better place to ask the same question

The question:

How can I configure my Ubuntu 12.04, with upgraded kernel (3.6), to use the Intel HD Graphics 4000 adapter? (Intel HD 4000 is the standard of 3rd gen Intel Core i7 (Ivy Bridge) graphics adapter)

For me this is the first step to getting things working with the 2 video cards the system has (one is in the docking station). If at all possible, I would like to use both adapters (see below). Apparently someone got that working on a predecessor model, but I can't seem to adapt that information to be useful for my system. So eventually, I want to use all the computing power of all adapters that are connected, and be able to connect external displays to any adapter. I do not want to lock to the Intel adapter.

System details

I do get an X desktop on this laptop. However, dragging windows around and other animations look terrible. The system has two graphics adapters, the second one is an AMD Radeon HD 6700M in a laptop docking station. It doesn't matter whether I boot with/without the docking station connected, the X desktop I'm getting is on the built-in screen only and always looks the same. Below, you'll find some X logs.

Some output:

$ glxinfo

name of display: :0
X Error of failed request:  BadRequest (invalid request code or no such operation)
  Major opcode of failed request:  154 (GLX)
  Minor opcode of failed request:  19 (X_GLXQueryServerString)
  Serial number of failed request:  12
  Current serial number in output stream:  12

$ cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf this is probably the farthest from what it should be

Section "Screen"
    Identifier  "Default Screen"
DefaultDepth    24
EndSection
Section "Module"
    Load    "glx"
EndSection

$ lspci I only listed the lines I think are relevant. If you want more info in order to help me, please comment :)

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Ivy Bridge Graphics Controller (rev 09)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation Panther Point High Definition Audio Controller (rev 04)
16:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI Whistler XT [AMD Radeon HD 6700M Series]
16:00.1 Audio device: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI Turks HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 6000 Series]

Logs Booting without the dock yields the following logs: (Apparently I cannot add more than 2 links)

• [Xorg.0.log][3] http://pastebin . com/UmsxLkJY
• [Xorg.0.log.old][4] http://pastebin . com/krK3s1BJ

Booting with the dock:

• [Xorg.0.log][5] http://pastebin . com/x2xRQ4Ne
• [Xorg.0.log.old][6] http://pastebin . com/Q2ycB7j3

Drivers The Additional Drivers dialog shows the following entries:

• ATI Radeon (activated; present when booted with the dock)
• ATI/AMD proprietary FGLRX graphics driver (not activated; present when booted with the dock)
• "ATI/AMD proprietary FGLRX graphics driver (post-release updates)" (not activated; present when booted with the dock)
• USB video class driver (activated)

Solution

The Xorg.0.log's you have posted show us the cause of the issues with graphics performance in your current installation, specifically, the following line indicates problems between your kernel and X drivers:

[    10.800] (EE) GLX error: Can not get required symbols.

When you boot from the live CD you are running properly matched drivers and logs. You have no (EE) lines in your Xorg.0.log and, as a result, you have appropriate graphics performance.

To address the issues you are experiencing both with the Intel graphics and with your Thunderbolt based video card I suggest that you try the 12.10 live CD (and, if even moderately successful, installing it).

http://releases.ubuntu.com/12.10/

The fix that you need for thunderbolt is merged into the 12.10 kernel:

http://kernel.ubuntu.com/git?p=ubuntu%2Fubuntu-quantal.git&a=search&h=HEAD&st=commit&s=c61e2775873f603148e8e998a938721b7d222d24

Hopefully this will allow you to use both video cards successfully.

Comments

[Admin]

Iḿ having a trobule something like that, i just want to use both cideo cards, but I don really know how to do that, "NEW USER" when i type > lspci > 00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Ivy Bridge Graphics Controller (rev 09) > 01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation Device 0fd1 (rev a1) also when I click on "System settings - Detalis - Graphics" then it shwows me Driver Unknown Experience standard ¿What can I do?

[derabbink]

Yes, the system has two video cards. The intel adapter is built-in and the ATI adapter is in a docking station, so it's not always there. I was trying to get the intel card to work (solely) first, BUT if someone has an answer on how to use both, or the more powerful AIT card while still getting a picture on the monitor connected to the intel adapter, I'll be happy.

[johnf]

Does the Intel card work properly when the laptop is not docked? Please update your question to reflect the nature of your problems.

[derabbink]

No, it does not. When I boot without the dock, lspci just does not list the ATI card (logically). cat xorg.conf and glxinfo still output the same.

[johnf]

Can you please give us the output of your /var/log/Xorg.0.log and /var/log/Xorg.0.log.old after you attempt to boot without the docking station. Are you getting an X desktop at all? Was X working with the intel card before the kernel upgrade? With both cards? What ATI drivers have you installed?

[derabbink]

Xorg.0.log: pastebin.com/UmsxLkJY -- Xorg.0.log.old: pastebin.com/krK3s1BJ -- X was never properly configured, even before the kernel upgrade.

[derabbink]

If I look at the Additional Drivers dialog, it shows 2 inactive ATI drivers (one sais 'post release updates'). They are not present when booted without the dock. Right now, I don have their names because I booted without the dock.

[derabbink]

I just booted with the dock connected. Xorg.0.log: pastebin.com/x2xRQ4Ne -- Xorg.0.log.old: pastebin.com/Q2ycB7j3 -- ATI drivers in ¨Additional Drrivers¨: "ATI Radeon" (activated), "ATI/AMD proprietary FGLRX graphics driver" (not activated), "ATI/AMD proprietary FGLRX graphics driver (post-release updates)" (not activated). -- Also, there is a USB video class driver (activated).

[derabbink]

And to summarize it all: Yes, I do get an X desktop. It all looks fine at first glance, but (and this is where I risk making a complete fool of myself), dragging windows around looks pretty terrible. We all know the effect we see when the window is drawn pixel by pixel...

[johnf]

Please boot from a 12.04 or 12.04.1 live CD without the dock. I'm interested to understand what the performance is like under those circumstances. Can you please tell us your exact model of laptop and dock, wondering about that usbvideo. Finally, why did you upgrade your kernel?

[derabbink]

I upgraded the kernel because since kernel 3.6-rc4 the patch for this bug is contained in it. Someone on the vaio z list suggested that it is required for utilizing the graphics card in the dock (a.k.a. PMD)

[derabbink]

I am currently booted from USB ("Try Ubuntu"), and the graphics look a little better. Is there a way to make sure a certain gpu is used or not? Xorg.0.log, Xorg.0.org.old.

[derabbink]

Taking another look into my on-disk ubuntu installation, I find that booting from live-cd/usb yields much nicer graphics! But still, I'd like to be able to tell for sure whether or not my graphics adapter is being used properly.

[derabbink]

I discovered that the ubuntu live cd image (which I downloaded today) is version 12.04.1 (the .1 is > than my on-disk version). Also, I tried to find an xorg.conf on the live cd system, but couldn't find one.

[johnf]

So, did it work with 12.10? Please accept my response or let me know what is/isn't working for you.

[derabbink]

I have not yet been able to verify that. I tried installing 12.10, but the installer seriously bricked my machine. (12.10 cannot boot when / is on a LVM) Don't worry about accepting the answer. I will do that when I did what you asked. Until then, your help is appreciated as ever :)

[derabbink]

I finally managed to install 12.10. Now the built-in Intel HD Graphics 4000 works. As for the external adapter, according to my Xorg.0.log, that card is not recognized. I'll ask another question if the need arises.