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There is hope for Ubuntu users with Intel graphics. As it appears, the current 2D drivers solve most of the recent graphics problems with Intel chips, according to Ubuntu developer Bryce Harrington in a developer mailing list. Jaunty users should profit it from them as well.

The solution should come in the form of the Intel 2.7.99.1 driver, as Canonical's Bryce Harrington describes on the Ubuntu developer mailing list. The still somewhat unstable 2D driver should fix most of the Intel chip problems, with the stable version to appear later in Ubuntu 9.10.

Jaunty users have the advantage of the Kernel 2.6.30 installation to resolve the issue. Ubuntu source packets are on the kernel.ubuntu.com webpage. Harrington suggests activating the UXA module in the xorg.conf file, but not KMS, which is deactivated by default. To activate UXA, use Option AccelMethod "UXA" in the Section "Device" in /etc/x11/xorg.conf.

Installing the actualized 2D driver should, however, be accompanied by the stable Intel 2.7.1 driver that you can get from an external Personal Package Archive (PPA). The source package is xserver-xorg-video-intel. Careful, though: playing with Xorg can have adverse side effects, so backing up the original files might be a good idea.

To add this PPA repository, go to System > Preferences > Software Sources, on the second tab click "Add" and add this:

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates/ubuntu jaunty main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates/ubuntu jaunty main
Then import the GPG key. To do it automatically, use this script.
And then:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade