Strange error popup appears from time to time

[Michael Heuberger]

From time to time I'm seeing strange error popups under Ubuntu's 12.10 Unity. These always say:

This problem report is damaged and cannot be processed.
TypeError(Error('Incorrect padding',),)

I have no idea what triggered these or where they are coming from. They are a nuisance. I always have to close the popup. Sometimes it's paranoid, happening like every 5 seconds then it won't happen for hours, then again.

Also reported in this forum:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=194466

And here:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apport/+bug/1012358

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.10
Package: xorg 1:7.7+1ubuntu4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.5.0-18.29-generic 3.5.7
Uname: Linux 3.5.0-18-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
.proc.driver.nvidia.gpus.0: Error: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/proc/driver/nvidia/gpus/0'
.proc.driver.nvidia.registry: Binary: ""
.proc.driver.nvidia.version:
 NVRM version: NVIDIA UNIX x86_64 Kernel Module 304.64 Tue Oct 30 10:58:20 PDT 2012
 GCC version: gcc version 4.7.2 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.7.2-2ubuntu1)
.proc.driver.nvidia.warnings.fbdev:
 Your system is not currently configured to drive a VGA console
 on the primary VGA device. The NVIDIA Linux graphics driver
 requires the use of a text-mode VGA console. Use of other console
 drivers including, but not limited to, vesafb, may result in
 corruption and stability problems, and is not supported.
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.6.1-0ubuntu6
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: compiz
Date: Sun Nov 18 23:43:28 2012
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: quantal
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
 nvidia-current, 304.64, 3.5.0-18-generic, x86_64: installed
 vboxhost, 4.2.4, 3.5.0-18-generic, x86_64: installed
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes
GraphicsCard:
 NVIDIA Corporation GF116 [GeForce GTS 450] [10de:1245] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:83ad]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2012-11-09 (9 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.10 "Quantal Quetzal" - Release amd64 (20121017.5)
MachineType: System manufacturer System Product Name
MarkForUpload: True
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-18-generic root=UUID=b193f535-3b53-4931-959d-aabfd013aedc ro quiet
SourcePackage: xorg
Symptom: display
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 05/10/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 0701
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: P6X58D-E
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev 1.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr0701:bd05/10/2011:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnP6X58D-E:rvrRev1.xx:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Product Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.8.4+bzr3407-0ubuntu1
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs 20090808ubuntu36
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.39-0ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 9.0-0ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 9.0-0ubuntu1
version.nvidia-graphics-drivers: nvidia-graphics-drivers N/A
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.13.0-0ubuntu6
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.7.3-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.99.99~git20120913.8637f772-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.20.9-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.2-0ubuntu3

[Philip Wyett (philip-wyett-deactivatedaccount)]

Do you have any files in the folder /var/crash ?

[Michael Heuberger (michael.heuberger)]

yes but not relevant files i guess. from vlc, update notifier and skype wrapper.

[Philip Wyett (philip-wyett-deactivatedaccount)]

Ok... you could try run the following commands from a terminal.

  sudo rm -f /var/crash/*

then

  sudo rm -vf /var/lib/apt/lists/*

and finally

  sudo apt-get update

See if this clears the issue. If not, please post back the full output.

[Michael Heuberger (michael.heuberger)]

done - will keep you in the loop in the next days. see what happens ...

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for nvidia-graphics-drivers (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]