Official Intel Linux Graphics Installer Updated With 2013Q2 Intel Graphics Stack

<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Intel Linux Graphics Installer and the Intel repository have been updated with the latest 2013Q2 Intel Graphics Stack, for Ubuntu 13.04 and Fedora 19.</b></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXWwABkjZ0cTZxNT3wdb3fXGANrZPZZ9rnAvbFP2_0sVY5I-FbQF7NX4HkHpCGJ-I6FhV3MxlTXel0ioD9sC4kZ0VspDTTtoijeyYhfu2o6-OalHSFooQzvQI0YhrCC4b9T7a-SMR36c/s1600/intel-driver-manager.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Intel Driver Manager" border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXWwABkjZ0cTZxNT3wdb3fXGANrZPZZ9rnAvbFP2_0sVY5I-FbQF7NX4HkHpCGJ-I6FhV3MxlTXel0ioD9sC4kZ0VspDTTtoijeyYhfu2o6-OalHSFooQzvQI0YhrCC4b9T7a-SMR36c/s320/intel-driver-manager.png" title="Intel Driver Manager" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The <a href="https://01.org/linuxgraphics/downloads/2013/intelr-linux-graphics-installer-version-1.0.2">Intel Linux Graphics Installer</a> is a tool developed by Intel that allows users to easily upgrade to the latest graphics drivers for Intel hardware. The installer automatically adds a repository used for upgrading the packages provided by Intel - that means that besides the Intel Linux Graphics Installer, you can also use the Ubuntu Software Updater, apt-get, etc. to upgrade the packages.</div><br /><a name="more"></a><div style="text-align: justify;">The latest Intel Linux Graphics Installer 1.0.2 provides the <b>Intel 2013Q2 Graphics Stack</b> which includes numerous enhancements and bug fixes - for a complete list, see <a href="https://01.org/linuxgraphics/downloads/2013/2013q2-intel-graphics-stack-release">THIS</a> page.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Ubuntu repository included with the Intel Linux Graphics Installer provides the following <b>packages</b>: i965-va-driver 1.2.0 (<a href="http://www.webupd8.org/2012/11/install-mplayer-with-va-api-hardware.html">VA-API driver</a> for Intel HD and G45 chipsets), libdrm2 2.4.45, libva 1.2.1 and xserver-xorg-video-intel (xf86-video-intel) 2.21.9. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The repository <b>does not include the latest Xorg 1.14 for Ubuntu 13.04</b> because "<i>upgrading Xorg on Ubuntu 13.04 would have far-reaching implications that go well beyond the graphics stack, including, but not limited to, Xorg input device drivers (e.g. touchpads)</i>", mentions the Installer download page.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Ubuntu 12.10 and 12.04 as well as Fedora 18 and 17 have been deprecated </b>and they won't receive the 2013Q2 Intel Graphics Stack update.</div><br /><br /><h2>Download Intel Linux Graphics Installer</h2><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Before using the Intel Linux Graphics Installer, make sure you read all the notes on its download page</b>! In the past there have been some serious issues with the installer so <b>I suggest you only use it if you know how to downgrade the packages in case something goes wrong</b>. If you have questions about the installer or Intel Linux graphics, visit the <a href="https://01.org/linuxgraphics/forums/general-discussion">Intel Linux Graphics forums</a>.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a class="external" href="https://01.org/linuxgraphics/downloads/2013/intelr-linux-graphics-installer-version-1.0.2">Download Intel Linux Graphics Installer</a></b> - available for Ubuntu 13.04 and Fedora 19.</div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Note that I didn't test the latest 2013Q2 Graphics Stack included with this Intel Graphics Installer release because I'm using Ubuntu 13.10 Saucy Salamander, which isn't supported by the installer yet (and besides, Ubuntu 13.10 already has the latest drivers).</div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>The installer itself doesn't work in Ubuntu derivatives like Linux Mint however, you can manually add the repository if you're using a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu 13.04 - see <a href="http://www.webupd8.org/2013/04/how-to-use-intel-linux-graphics-drivers.html">THIS</a> article for how to add it.</i></div>

Official Intel Linux Graphics Installer Updated With 2013Q2 Intel Graphics Stack

The Intel Linux Graphics Installer and the Intel repository have been updated with the latest 2013Q2 Intel Graphics Stack, for Ubuntu 13.04 ...

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Use Nvidia Experimental 310 Drivers With Bumblebee

<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Bumblebee PPA has been updated today, and the packages now allow the latest "nvidia-experimental-310" drivers to be used with Bumblebee.</b></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Nvidia GeForce driver 310 is <a href="http://nvidianews.nvidia.com/Releases/NVIDIA-Delivers-Massive-Performance-Boost-to-Linux-Gaming-8ac.aspx">said</a> to "double the performance and dramatically reduce game loading times for those gaming" and it can be installed from the "updates" Ubuntu 12.04 and 12.10 repository. Below you'll find instructions on how to configure Bumblebee to work with nvidia-experimental-310 driver.</div><br /><a name="more"></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Nvidia Optimus is a technology used to increases battery life by switching between two graphics adapters (a low-performance integrated Intel graphics adapter and a high-performance one by Nvidia) within a computer system. Optimus GPU switching is officially only supported on Windows, but it's also unofficially available on Linux thanks to the Bumblebee project.</i></div><br /><br /><br /><h2>How to configure Bumblebee to work with nvidia-experimental-310 driver</h2><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img.netupd8.com/bumblebee-nvidia-experimental-310.png"><img alt="Bumblebee nvidia experimental 310" src="http://img.netupd8.com/bumblebee-nvidia-experimental-310_thumb.png" /></a></div><br /><b>1.</b> <a href="https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bumblebee">Install Bumblebee</a> if you haven't already.<br /><br /><b>2.</b> Install the Nvidia GeForce driver 310.14 experimental driver:<br /><pre class="linux-code"><code>sudo apt-get install nvidia-experimental-310 nvidia-settings-experimental-310</code></pre><br /><b>3.</b> Configure Bumblebee to use nvidia-experimental-310.<br /><br />Open "/etc/bumblebee/bumblebee.conf" as root with a text editor:<br /><pre class="linux-code"><code>gksu gedit /etc/bumblebee/bumblebee.conf</code></pre><br />And change the following:<br /><br />- on line 22, make sure "Driver=" is set to "nvidia", like this:<br /><b>Driver=nvidia</b><br /><br />- change the "KernelDriver=" (on line 47) to "nvidia-experimental-310", like this:<br /><b>KernelDriver=nvidia-experimental-310</b><br /><br />- change "LibraryPath=" (on line 51) to "/usr/lib/nvidia-experimental-310:/usr/lib32/nvidia-experimental-310", so it looks like this:<br /><b>LibraryPath=/usr/lib/nvidia-experimental-310:/usr/lib32/nvidia-experimental-310</b><br /><br />- change the "XorgModulePath=" (line 54) to "XorgModulePath=/usr/lib/nvidia-experimental-310/xorg,/usr/lib/xorg/modules" so it looks like this:<br /><b>XorgModulePath=/usr/lib/nvidia-experimental-310/xorg,/usr/lib/xorg/modules</b><br /><br /><br /><b>4.</b> Restart Bumblebee, logout.<br /><br />Restart the bumblebeed daemon using the following command:<br /><pre class="linux-code"><code>sudo service bumblebeed restart</code></pre><br />Then log out and log back in and try it out:<br /><pre class="linux-code"><code>optirun glxspheres</code></pre><br /><b>If it doesn't work, try to restart your system.</b><br /><br /><b>Note:</b> if you're using <a href="http://www.webupd8.org/2012/11/primus-better-performance-and-less.html" title="Primus: Better Performance And Less Power Consumption For Bumblebee [Optimus Hybrid Graphics Chipsets]">Primus</a>, you'll have to edit the <i>/usr/bin/primusrun</i> script to use "nvidia-experimental-310" instead of "nvidia-current".

Use Nvidia Experimental 310 Drivers With Bumblebee

The Bumblebee PPA has been updated today, and the packages now allow the latest "nvidia-experimental-310" drivers to be used with ...

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How To Enable Intel SNA Acceleration In Ubuntu

<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>SNA</b> is a 2D acceleration architecture for the open source Intel Linux graphics driver that provides improved X.Org driver performance, and thus, better desktop user experience. The name stands for "Sandy Bridge New Acceleration" and contrary to its name, it not just for Sandy Bridge but for previous Intel graphics generations as well.<br /><br /><b>Here's how to enable Intel SNA in Ubuntu 12.04 or 12.10.</b></div><br /><a name="more"></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">According to the x.org wiki (<a href="http://www.x.org/wiki/IntelGraphicsDriver">link</a>; <a href="http://bit.ly/RgEm7e">cached copy</a> since the page seems down right now), SNA should work with i830-i865G and newer Intel chipsets.</div><br />You can see some old UXA (used by default) vs SNA benchmarks at <a href="http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=intel_glamor_first&num=1">Phoronix</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4OrQC2nv7y9lkSRfNlWXP_bWHQbKJ6SsqqW5oqaFdeyksBfpOlz4DdThDEm_N3pqYSmYeYrtoPdxBZmYIqz79UdABfJh0Eojq0-yVxT_VWw2G8NMxGv_Otmt2bunsoMrvFSH6uIv92xx/s1600/intel-sna.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="intel sna ubuntu" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4OrQC2nv7y9lkSRfNlWXP_bWHQbKJ6SsqqW5oqaFdeyksBfpOlz4DdThDEm_N3pqYSmYeYrtoPdxBZmYIqz79UdABfJh0Eojq0-yVxT_VWw2G8NMxGv_Otmt2bunsoMrvFSH6uIv92xx/s320/intel-sna.png" title="intel sna ubuntu" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><h2>Enable Intel SNA in Ubuntu 12.10</h2><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Intel SNA is available in Ubuntu 12.10 without installing any extra packages, but it's not enabled by default. </b></div><br />To enable SNA, you need to create a /etc/X11/xorg.conf file:<br /><pre class="linux-code"><code>gksu gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf</code></pre><br />And paste the following:<br /><br /><pre class="source-code"><code>Section "Device"<br /> Identifier "intel"<br /> Driver "intel"<br /> Option "AccelMethod" "sna"<br />EndSection</code></pre><br />Then save the file, log out and log back in.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">In my test (using an Intel HD 3000 GPU), there were some artefacts when using Intel SNA in Ubuntu 12.10, which don't occur after adding the Xorg Edgers PPA so if that's the case for you too, follow the steps under the alternative method below.</div><br />Or, if you just want to revert the changes, remove the xorg.conf file:<br /><pre class="source-code"><code>sudo rm /etc/X11/xorg.conf</code></pre><br />Then log out and log back in.<br /><br /><br /><h2>Enable Intel SNA in Ubuntu 12.04 (alternative method for Ubuntu 12.10)</h2><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>For Ubuntu 12.04</b> (<b>or for Ubuntu 12.10</b>, if the method above doesn't work properly for you), you can use the <a href="https://launchpad.net/~xorg-edgers/+archive/ppa">Xorg Edgers PPA</a> which has packages with <b>SNA enabled by default for Intel.</b></div><b><br /></b> <br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Warning:</b> <i>this PPA uses Xorg packages from GIT and while I didn't encounter any issues (I've used it for Ubuntu 12.04 and I'm using it now in Ubuntu 12.10), things may break. Use it at your own risk!</i></div><br />Add the <a href="https://launchpad.net/~xorg-edgers/+archive/ppa">Xorg Edgers PPA</a> using the following command:<br /><pre class="source-code"><code>sudo add-apt-repository ppa:xorg-edgers/ppa</code></pre><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Then launch the Update Manager (now called Software Updater in Ubuntu 12.10) and update your system. Once the update finishes, log out and log back in (though a restart is probably better since this PPA upgrades many system packages).</div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">If you want to revert the changes and go back to the drivers available in the official Ubuntu repositories, firstly <a href="http://www.webupd8.org/2012/11/install-ppa-purge-with-multi-arch.html">install ppa-purge with multi-arch support</a>, then run the following command:</div><pre class="source-code"><code>sudo ppa-purge ppa:xorg-edgers/ppa</code></pre><br />

How To Enable Intel SNA Acceleration In Ubuntu

SNA is a 2D acceleration architecture for the open source Intel Linux graphics driver that provides improved X.Org driver performance, and ...

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