• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Linux games running slowly on older laptop

T

timswim78

Diamond Member
It's been a few years since I've installed Linux on a machine. Someone gave me an older laptop (Athlon 64 2000+, 1.5GB RAM, ATI Radeon Xpress 200M), and I decided to try Linux mint on it.

Everything has been working fine right out of the box, even my built-in wireless card was detected!

I tried to install a couple of games, namely SuperTux and SuperTux Kart. They both barely run, probably about 3fps or so.

Is my hardware just not capable of running these games smoothly, or is it possible that I need to update my drivers or do something else?
 
You probably don't have your drivers installed.

Do this in terminal:

glxinfo| grep direct

Copy and paste the output here please

 
Is my hardware just not capable of running these games smoothly, or is it possible that I need to update my drivers or do something else?
Click to expand...

You probably need to install the closed fglrx drivers, I would've thought Mint did this for you since it's whole thing is supposed to be "Ubuntu only with all the questionable crap installed and enabled by default".
 
There should be something like System -> Administration -> Hardware drivers, and then enable the ATI drivers if available.
Well, at least for ubuntu that's how it works.
Though the xpress 200m is old enough that there should be good support for it in the open source drivers I'd think. Still, the xpress 200m was a cut down gpu (similar to intel's integrated graphics) that lacks vertex shaders, and in general just isn't a good piece of hardware. I had trouble running Deus Ex on windows at high res and maxed settings, probably more so from drivers than lack of ability.
 
Originally posted by: DarkThinker
You probably don't have your drivers installed.

Do this in terminal:

glxinfo| grep dri

Copy and paste the output here please
Click to expand...

I tried this and nothing came back, just another command line prompt.

I then tried glxinfo and got this.

tim@tim-laptop ~ $ glxinfo
name of display: :0.0
display: :0 screen: 0
direct rendering: Yes
server glx vendor string: SGI
server glx version string: 1.2
server glx extensions:
GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_import_context, GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap,
GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_MESA_copy_sub_buffer,
GLX_OML_swap_method, GLX_SGI_make_current_read, GLX_SGI_swap_control,
GLX_SGIS_multisample, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, GLX_SGIX_visual_select_group
client glx vendor string: SGI
client glx version string: 1.4
client glx extensions:
GLX_ARB_get_proc_address, GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_import_context,
GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_MESA_allocate_memory,
GLX_MESA_copy_sub_buffer, GLX_MESA_swap_control,
GLX_MESA_swap_frame_usage, GLX_OML_swap_method, GLX_OML_sync_control,
GLX_SGI_make_current_read, GLX_SGI_swap_control, GLX_SGI_video_sync,
GLX_SGIS_multisample, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, GLX_SGIX_pbuffer,
GLX_SGIX_visual_select_group, GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap
GLX version: 1.2
GLX extensions:
GLX_ARB_get_proc_address, GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_import_context,
GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_MESA_copy_sub_buffer,
GLX_MESA_swap_control, GLX_MESA_swap_frame_usage, GLX_OML_swap_method,
GLX_SGI_make_current_read, GLX_SGI_swap_control, GLX_SGI_video_sync,
GLX_SGIS_multisample, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, GLX_SGIX_visual_select_group
OpenGL vendor string: DRI R300 Project
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa DRI R300 20060815 x86/MMX+/3DNow!+/SSE2 NO-TCL
OpenGL version string: 1.3 Mesa 7.4
OpenGL extensions:
GL_ARB_depth_texture, GL_ARB_fragment_program, GL_ARB_imaging,
GL_ARB_multisample, GL_ARB_multitexture, GL_ARB_point_parameters,
GL_ARB_shadow, GL_ARB_shadow_ambient, GL_ARB_texture_border_clamp,
GL_ARB_texture_compression, GL_ARB_texture_cube_map,
GL_ARB_texture_env_add, GL_ARB_texture_env_combine,
GL_ARB_texture_env_crossbar, GL_ARB_texture_env_dot3,
GL_MESAX_texture_float, GL_ARB_texture_mirrored_repeat,
GL_ARB_texture_rectangle, GL_ARB_transpose_matrix,
GL_ARB_vertex_buffer_object, GL_ARB_vertex_program, GL_ARB_window_pos,
GL_EXT_abgr, GL_EXT_bgra, GL_EXT_blend_color,
GL_EXT_blend_equation_separate, GL_EXT_blend_func_separate,
GL_EXT_blend_logic_op, GL_EXT_blend_minmax, GL_EXT_blend_subtract,
GL_EXT_clip_volume_hint, GL_EXT_compiled_vertex_array, GL_EXT_convolution,
GL_EXT_copy_texture, GL_EXT_draw_range_elements,
GL_EXT_gpu_program_parameters, GL_EXT_histogram, GL_EXT_multi_draw_arrays,
GL_EXT_packed_pixels, GL_EXT_point_parameters, GL_EXT_polygon_offset,
GL_EXT_rescale_normal, GL_EXT_secondary_color,
GL_EXT_separate_specular_color, GL_EXT_shadow_funcs,
GL_EXT_stencil_two_side, GL_EXT_stencil_wrap, GL_EXT_subtexture,
GL_EXT_texture, GL_EXT_texture3D, GL_EXT_texture_edge_clamp,
GL_EXT_texture_env_add, GL_EXT_texture_env_combine,
GL_EXT_texture_env_dot3, GL_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic,
GL_EXT_texture_lod_bias, GL_EXT_texture_mirror_clamp,
GL_EXT_texture_object, GL_EXT_texture_rectangle, GL_EXT_vertex_array,
GL_APPLE_packed_pixels, GL_ATI_blend_equation_separate,
GL_ATI_texture_env_combine3, GL_ATI_texture_mirror_once,
GL_IBM_rasterpos_clip, GL_IBM_texture_mirrored_repeat,
GL_INGR_blend_func_separate, GL_MESA_pack_invert, GL_MESA_ycbcr_texture,
GL_MESA_window_pos, GL_NV_blend_square, GL_NV_light_max_exponent,
GL_NV_texture_rectangle, GL_NV_texgen_reflection, GL_NV_vertex_program,
GL_OES_read_format, GL_SGI_color_matrix, GL_SGI_color_table,
GL_SGIS_generate_mipmap, GL_SGIS_texture_border_clamp,
GL_SGIS_texture_edge_clamp, GL_SGIS_texture_lod, GL_SGIX_depth_texture,
GL_SGIX_shadow_ambient, GL_SUN_multi_draw_arrays

16 GLX Visuals
visual x bf lv rg d st colorbuffer ax dp st accumbuffer ms cav
id dep cl sp sz l ci b ro r g b a bf th cl r g b a ns b eat
----------------------------------------------------------------------
0x21 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x22 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x69 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x6a 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 Slow
0x6b 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 Slow
0x6c 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x6d 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 Slow
0x6e 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 Slow
0x6f 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x70 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 Slow
0x71 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x72 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 Slow
0x73 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x74 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 Slow
0x75 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 Slow
0x58 32 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None

16 GLXFBConfigs:
visual x bf lv rg d st colorbuffer ax dp st accumbuffer ms cav
id dep cl sp sz l ci b ro r g b a bf th cl r g b a ns b eat
----------------------------------------------------------------------
0x59 0 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x5a 0 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 Slow
0x5b 0 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x5c 0 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 Slow
0x5d 0 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x5e 0 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 Slow
0x5f 0 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x60 0 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 Slow
0x61 0 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x62 0 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 Slow
0x63 0 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x64 0 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 Slow
0x65 0 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x66 0 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 Slow
0x67 0 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x68 0 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 Slow
 
Originally posted by: Nothinman
Is my hardware just not capable of running these games smoothly, or is it possible that I need to update my drivers or do something else?
Click to expand...

You probably need to install the closed fglrx drivers, I would've thought Mint did this for you since it's whole thing is supposed to be "Ubuntu only with all the questionable crap installed and enabled by default".
Click to expand...

I loaded the fglrx drivers and kernel extension from the GUI for Debian apt. Now my screen looks borked when I try to boot. Should I not have installed the kernel thing?
 
Originally posted by: timswim78
Originally posted by: Nothinman
Is my hardware just not capable of running these games smoothly, or is it possible that I need to update my drivers or do something else?
Click to expand...

You probably need to install the closed fglrx drivers, I would've thought Mint did this for you since it's whole thing is supposed to be "Ubuntu only with all the questionable crap installed and enabled by default".
Click to expand...

I loaded the fglrx drivers and kernel extension from the GUI for Debian apt. Now my screen looks borked when I try to boot. Should I not have installed the kernel thing?
Click to expand...

I'm not familiar with Linux Mint.

For what it's worth, with the same hardware, Ubuntu will install the pretty good open source drivers. I'm not sure if there are still proprietary drivers available for the x200m, but if there are I'd say either use ubuntu's hardware drivers app to install them (I'm assuming it's available, since mint is based on ubuntu), install the drivers manually (thankfully, ati's aren't too hard), or use envyng to install them for you.

As for your screen borkedness...well, ubuntu allows you to default xorg, perhaps mint gives the same option in its recovery mode? (if it has one) Otherwise, you can boot into a command line and delete xorg and it should automatically put a default one in its place.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top