Updated and Optimized Ubuntu Free Graphics Drivers

[Lord_Wolfhard_EU]

IMG_20230717_004517_980.png oibaf Many thanks from me too for the good work. Now I could also update all the packages.

[lorn10]

A new addition. It looks that the rusticl LLVM 16 problem is not a rusticl one but more an issue of the corresponding distro. I quote Karol Herbst from here:

This issue happens if your distribution doesn't support loading llvm-15 and llvm-16 into the same application. Generally loading multiple different LLVM versions at runtime is not supported and breakage is expected. Please make sure that all CL runtimes are compiled against the same version of LLVM.

I don't know if there is something distributions can do to mitigate this as I'm not seeing this issue on e.g. Fedora, but other users saw this happen on other distributions and only loading one CL implementation helped them.

[Roza Edalb]

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Hello everyone, I'm new here and I have a problem with running Directx9 games in my PC.
My PC specs are:

Intel Core 2 Duo, E4500 2.20Ghz, x86_64
2GB, DDR2 Ram
Intel 950 GMA Integrated Graphics


glxinfo -B
name of display: :0
display: :0 screen: 0
direct rendering: Yes
Extended renderer info (GLX_MESA_query_renderer):
Vendor: Mesa Project (0x8086)
Device: i915 (chipset: 945G) (0x2772)
Version: 10098.1.8
Accelerated: yes
Video memory: 192MB
Unified memory: yes
Preferred profile: core (0x1)
Max core profile version: 1.4
Max compat profile version: 1.4
Max GLES1 profile version: 1.1
Max GLES[23] profile version: 2.0
OpenGL vendor string: Mesa Project
OpenGL renderer string: i915 (chipset: 945G)
OpenGL version string: 1.4 Mesa 23.3~git2307210600.340df4~oibaf~j (git-340df42 2023-07-21 jammy-oibaf-ppa)

OpenGL ES profile version string: OpenGL ES 2.0 Mesa 23.3~git2307210600.340df4~oibaf~j (git-340df42 2023-07-21 jammy-oibaf-ppa)
OpenGL ES profile shading language version string: OpenGL ES GLSL ES 1.0.16



lspci -k | grep i915

Kernel driver in use: i915
Kernel modules: i915, intelfb

Basically the DirectX9 games run with smooth performance for a 950 GMA, the problem is in their display, they all seem as if uf they run with gamma/contrast setting of < 0.
But when I run the same games with the llvmpipe driver, the games look okay but the performance drops severly as is obvious.
I have installed both the i386 and amd64 packages of mesa provided by the ppa. The DirectX8 and DirectX7 games run fine and smoothly, it's the display of the DirectX9 games I have a problem with.


I have tried reinstalling the drivers, reinstalled Ubuntu 22, all to no avail. Is there a remedy for this or is it unfixable, did I do anything wrong? Is this an already common problem?
The below image is the Direct3D9 test. You can guess that's how it looks in games.
I will upload other images if you want them.

[Roza Edalb]

Here is the main menu screen of Legacy of Kain: Defiance. The options and title are barely visible.

[Roza Edalb]

You have my thanks for whatever advice you can give. I would also request you people to tell me if you suspect that problem might lie with the wine registry or the builtin d3d9.dll, as I once did though after what I've seen from my use of the llvmpipe driver, I do not think that's the case. I could also be wrong however. I'm still a novice to wine and Linux and I'd be grateful for any help kindly given. Many thanks once again.

[Roza Edalb]

One last question: Does Intel 950 GMA not support DRI 3? I tried enabling it in 20-intel.conf and even though the conf file appears loaded in Xorg.log along with the DRI 3 option, DRI 2 is used when I use xdpyinfo | grep DRI.

[lorn10]

Roza Edalb
Most likely you are out of luck. Your Intel GMA 950 is only Direct3D 9.0b aka Shader Model 2.0 compliant which probably causes problems with WineD3D. Yes, the game itself seems to be compatible with the hardware but WineD3D needs as far I know at least Direct3D 9.0c aka Shader Model 3.0 hardware to properly support the D3D to OpenGL translation. And to make it even worse the OpenGL support is for that class hardware also super low and only on GL 1.4 level. You can open an issue report on Wine and ask there what the minimum requirement of WineD3D is. And perhaps your mentioned "gamma/contrast setting of < 0" observation can be fixed in some way. Finally, for the case that this is in the end a driver flaw then you can make a bug report on Mesa.

[Roza Edalb]

Roza Edalb
Most likely you are out of luck. Your Intel GMA 950 is only Direct3D 9.0b aka Shader Model 2.0 compliant which probably causes problems with WineD3D. Yes, the game itself seems to be compatible with the hardware but WineD3D needs as far I know at least Direct3D 9.0c aka Shader Model 3.0 hardware to properly support the D3D to OpenGL translation. And to make it even worse the OpenGL support is for that class hardware also super low and only on GL 1.4 level. You can open an issue report on Wine and ask there what the minimum requirement of WineD3D is. And perhaps your mentioned "gamma/contrast setting of < 0" observation can be fixed in some way. Finally, for the case that this is in the end a driver flaw then you can make a bug report on Mesa.

Hmm. I suspected as much😅. Thank you so much for the advice friend. I suppose it'll be a similar answer for the DRI question I posted earlier if you haven't noticed.

I'll continue to find ways to resolve the issues in my own way. If by some slim chance I happen to get some sort of fix, I'll be sure to post it here, if it's no trouble.

Truth be told oibaf 's drivers gave me a sense of hope for running these games in this ancient hardware of mine.Thank you so much oibaf and everyone who helps in making these drivers, you guys are awesome.

[lorn10]

Yeah, on Linux you need for Wine almost sure at least OpenGL 2.x capable hardware (which corresponds more or less the Direct3D 9.0c SM 3.0 level). Perhaps your DRI 2 fallback is because of this?

Whatever, on Intel hardware it looks that the Gen4 iGPU series which includes the GMA 3000 to GMA 4500 range is the first OGL 2 compliant. Your GMA 950 belongs to the "third generation" which is really really weak hardware which was never ever designed for gaming.

More information can be found on Wikipedia, List of Intel graphics processing units.

[Roza Edalb]

I know😂 I know. If I could upgrade to a better system I would, believe me. (*Sigh*) I wonder how Windows accomplishes all this with Intel's GMA driver software.