extension “GLX” missing on display

Question

When I try to confirm than I can run Unity 3D on my Asus U31SD with intel's i5 Sandy Brigde and Nvidia 520 and Nvidia Optimus I receive this error: Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0".

Of course, I cannot run any of the effects of Ubuntu 11.10, not even the simple app switcher.

Can anybody help me? Thank you

Answer 1

This error occurs when you install the proprietary nvidia driver on NVidia Optimus laptop. The nvidia card cannot directly be used due to the Optimus design. To repair this, uninstall the nvidia-current package and re-login. After that, you'll solely be running off the Intel graphics card which renders the nvidia card unused though it'll still be using power. Bumblebee allows you to switch off the card, see How well do laptops with Nvidia Optimus work?

Answer 2

If I remember well GLX have something to do with OpenGL windowsing in X systems. So make sure you install mesa package which is implementation of OGL in Linux

Answer 3

Is that a system with 2 graphics cards? If so, the following makes google earth work for me: https://launchpad.net/~bumblebee/+archive/stable

As that page mentiones, you could always try experimental drivers, although that alone didn't solve my problems. Open a console and type:

add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates

or, if you're feeling lucky, the latest-but-less-stable:

add-apt-repository ppa:xorg-edgers/ppa

then update the drivers

apt-get update
apt-get upgrade
apt-get install nvidia-current ppa-purge

and update /etc/X11/xorg.conf nvidia-xconfig

Note that the last step breaks my system. I have restore the old xorg.conf to make it work again:

cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup /etc/X11/xorg.conf

The 'driver' line in the 'device' section is what's giving me problems. For more details, see: https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-x-swat/+archive/x-updates

and launchpad.net/~xorg-edgers/+archive/ppa

Answer 4

I have a Dell Latitude E6240 with nVidia card. Just this afternoon I noticed an optimus option in the bios which indicated it was only for Windows 7 32-64 bit, turned it of and voila. I have no more errors, Cheese Webcam Booth worked and certain features (probably Unity) started to work. (transparent windows, Expo/DesktopWall worked properly)

Answer 5

For the proper way to setup bumblebee, check the "power consumption" section on the Ubuntu wiki here (I just edited it in):

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Asus_U31SD

This question is a little old, but I put it here for people to find.