Compiz with the ATI driver

In order to get accelerated graphics required for compiz on a Dell Inspiron 1501 or most other ATI cards you need to install the propitiatory fglrx driver.

To do this thanks to one-click install you just need to click this button and it will automatically add ATI’s repository and install the driver:

After that has finished and you have restarted the driver should be working and you should be able to enable to run compiz, to test if it working run the command glxgears in the terminal; you should see this if it is working:

glxgears

If not you may need to run ATI’s config tool manually, to do that type this into a terminal

su -c ‘aticonfig –initial’

then log out and in again. To enable compiz you can use the desktop effects tool (in control panel):

Desktop effects dialog

All you need to do is tick ‘Enable desktop effects’ and compiz will be launched and added to startup. You can customize the effects from here but if you want more power you Compiz Config Settings Manager from applications.