13.04 unity displays heashed output

[HamilJF]

At some as yet undetermined user input, my screen 'hashes'... individual pixel lines become displaced by a few on a cyclic basis, so that the display becomes illegible. Note that this is an AMD64 machine with Nvidia graphics. I also experienced a problem a few days ago with some windows appearing completely black, but only when 'on top': the problems may be related. These problems have only appeared with Unity under Ringtail. None occurred with Gnome.

---
ApportVersion: 2.9.2-0ubuntu8.3
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: hamiljf 2539 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: command ['iw', 'reg', 'get'] failed with exit code 1: nl80211 not found.
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.04
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=28977afe-eff5-43ee-99ae-6219aa81ca15
InstallationDate: Installed on 2011-11-26 (668 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Release amd64 (20111012)
IwConfig:
 eth0 no wireless extensions.

 lo no wireless extensions.
MachineType: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. M61PME-S2
MarkForUpload: True
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcFB: 0 VESA VGA
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.8.0-30-generic root=UUID=1e93934d-cb35-4bcc-b09d-eb95b1cb9eff ro vga=773 quiet splash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-30.44-generic 3.8.13.6
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.8.0-30-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.8.0-30-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.106
RfKill:

Tags: raring
Uname: Linux 3.8.0-30-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to raring on 2013-07-19 (67 days ago)
UserGroups: adm admin cdrom dialout lpadmin plugdev sambashare
WifiSyslog:

dmi.bios.date: 03/07/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: Award Software International, Inc.
dmi.bios.version: F2
dmi.board.name: M61PME-S2
dmi.board.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.board.version: x.x
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAwardSoftwareInternational,Inc.:bvrF2:bd03/07/2008:svnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:pnM61PME-S2:pvr:rvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:rnM61PME-S2:rvrx.x:cvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:ct3:cvr:
dmi.product.name: M61PME-S2
dmi.sys.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. From a terminal window please run:

apport-collect 1229288

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v3.12 kernel[0].

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-upstream'.
Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.12-rc1-saucy/

[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

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[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

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[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

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[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

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[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

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[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

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[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

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[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

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[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

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[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

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[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

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[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

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[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

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[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

Hi

done as you requested... note that it seems to not find the package 'linux' (!!?) but I
assume you will get what you want anyway.
I have also, as you requested, changed the status to confirmed.

Note that the symptom is intermittent so it will be difficult to determine whether
any fix is effective.

Thanks for your help.

On Monday 23 September 2013 17:00:07 you wrote:
> This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem.
>
> >From a terminal window please run:
> apport-collect 1229288
>
> and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.
>
> If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable
> to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change
> the bug status to 'Confirmed'.
>
> This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the
> Ubuntu Kernel Team.
>
> ** Changed in: linux (Ubuntu)
> Status: New => Incomplete
--
All the best
John Hamilton
reply to: <email address hidden>

[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

Hi Joseph Salisbury

I am sorry to say that I need a little more information than this about (a) how and
(b) exactly which kernel to install.

Please confirm that I should try to install package

linux-image-3.12.0-031200rc1-
generic_3.12.0-031200rc1.201309161735_amd64.deb[1]

Which I have downloaded but not tried to install, partly because I'm not sure
what is the correct command.

Please also note that the symptom is intermittent and I cannot be sure of a
successful fix, only, if the problem recurs, a failed fix.

On Monday 23 September 2013 17:12:42 you wrote:
> Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer
> to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest
> v3.12 kernel[0].
>
> If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following
> tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.
>
> If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag:
> 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.
>
> If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot,
> please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-upstream'. Once testing of the
> upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".
>
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> [0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.12-rc1-saucy/
>
>
> ** Changed in: linux (Ubuntu)
> Importance: Undecided => Medium
--
All the best
John Hamilton
reply to: <email address hidden>

--------
[1] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/%7Ekernel-ppa/mainline/v3.12-rc1-saucy/linux-image-3.12.0-031200rc1-generic_3.12.0-031200rc1.201309161735_amd64.deb

[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

... not changed kernel yet, but additional information...

symptom just recurred...

tried ctl+shift+backspace (alledged by some to restart display manager)
... no effect except possibly to make things slightly worse.

tried ctl+alt+F1
>sudo service lightdm restart

eventually got to a login screen and found, on getting logged in, that open apps had been lost.

[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

More news...

1. trying Gnome and found that there are problems with corruption of text in some buttons and comboboxes

2. tried to install the ...deb file using the software centre and it began and then stopped after filling about 1/5 of the progress box, reverting to the 'install' button... no message appeared

3. tried ctl+alt+F1 and found that it would not open a console

4. configured ctl+atl+backspace and found that yesterday it worked but today it doesn't

[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

System now totally hosed. I think the partial kernel install screwed up something horrible. Cannot get Unity to run. Can get Gnome running at about 800x600 (on a 1920x1080 screen), but that is about it. Cannot find anywhere to get the screen to reset. Nvidia thinks I do not have an Xdriver installed and doesn't work any better after I run its recommended 'nvidia-xconfig'.
I could seriously use some advice here, especially from the guy that suggested I install a new kernel.

[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

Just run the latest (security) updates, which seemed to install a new kernel. No change... still poor screen res. Checked that the cables are OK by starting a re-install from downloaded image... this showed that the downloaded image detected the screen (make, model, resolution) correctly. The kernel I have now just says it is a laptop at 800x600 and won't be persuaded differently. It gives a slew of error messages during startup about the resolutions it can't find. Trying to run Unity gives 'can't find system tray' or some such and it just gives me desktop icons.

[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

Fortunately, GRUB found an old copy of 10.04 on another of the hard drives and I've booted into that. 13.04 is completely hosed. Cannot (yet... I'm sure there are things I haven't tried) even get a command prompt to try to reinstall a kernel. As far as I can tell, the attempt to install the next version of the kernel is has only made things much, much, worse.
Would like to add the tag

kernel-bug-exists-upstream

but can't find the button to do so (possibly because this is version 8 of Firefox I'm using to post this).

Email is broken (it is on the boot drive I cannot load) so if anyone has advice, please post here: and I would really appreciate some suggestions as to how to get 13.04 working again.

[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

Last comment...

tried to see whether removing reference to nvidia device driver in xorg.conf would help... doesn't. 13.04 now boots into a blank screen in which nothing moves.

so am now about to try to install kubuntu 13.04 on a spare hard drive and recover user stuff from the now unusable boot drive.

big red switch plus screwdriver i'm afraid... ttfn.

[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

Big red switch work now completed. Because. Tried clean Kubuntu install... worked fine until Plasma started, then screen became hashed (differently, but still hashed). Repeated process with Ubuntu with same results: similar hashing. So concluded that it must be something in the hardware that didn't work the way the driver expected. So now running a new mobo and it seems fine. So, conclusion: must be a problem of some kind with old hardware and new software. All I have to do now is recover stuff from the previous hard drives.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

HamilJH, as per http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=2755#bios an update is available for your BIOS (F4). If you update to this following https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BiosUpdate , does it change anything?

If not, could you please both specify what happened, and provide the output of the following terminal command:
sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date

Please note your current BIOS is already in the Bug Description, so posting this on the old BIOS would not be helpful.

For more on BIOS updates and linux, please see https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs#Bug_reporting_etiquette .

Thank you for your understanding.

[HamilJF (john-hamilton)]

Thanks for this additional input.

Rather than reload the mobo bios, I rebuilt my machine (about three weeks ago) using a new mobo, cpu, etc, etc: after all the old one was old(ish). So I cannot comment on whether a bios upgrade would have cured the problem, sorry.

For what it's worth the new config seems fine and here is stuff from current sysinfo:

SYSTEM INFORMATION
 Running Ubuntu Linux, the Ubuntu 13.04 (raring) release.
 GNOME: 3.6.3 (Ubuntu 2013-03-18)
 Kernel version: 3.8.0-32-generic (#47-Ubuntu SMP Tue Oct 1 22:35:23 UTC 2013)
 GCC: 4.7 (x86_64-linux-gnu)
 Xorg: 1.13.3 (16 October 2013 04:35:36PM) (16 October 2013 04:35:36PM)
 Uptime: 4 days 3 h 58 min
CPU INFORMATION
 GenuineIntel, Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4430 CPU @ 3.00GHz
 Number of CPUs: 4
 CPU clock currently at 800.000 MHz with 6144 KB cache
 Numbering: family(6) model(60) stepping(3)
 Bogomips: 5985.82
 Flags: fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe syscall nx pdpe1gb rdtscp lm constant_tsc arch_perfmon pebs bts rep_good nopl xtopology nonstop_tsc aperfmperf eagerfpu pni pclmulqdq dtes64 monitor ds_cpl vmx est tm2 ssse3 fma cx16 xtpr pdcm pcid sse4_1 sse4_2 x2apic movbe popcnt tsc_deadline_timer aes xsave avx f16c rdrand lahf_lm abm ida arat xsaveopt pln pts dtherm tpr_shadow vnmi flexpriority ept vpid fsgsbase tsc_adjust bmi1 avx2 smep bmi2 erms invpcid
MEMORY INFORMATION
 Total memory: 7873 MB
 Total swap: 30576 MB
HARDWARE INFORMATION
MOTHERBOARD
 Host bridge
  Intel Corporation Haswell DRAM Controller (rev 06)
  Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd Device 5000
 PCI bridge(s)
  Intel Corporation Lynx Point PCI Express Root Port #1 (rev d5) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
  Intel Corporation Lynx Point PCI Express Root Port #3 (rev d5) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
  Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev d5) (prog-if 01 [Subtractive decode])
  Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev 41) (prog-if 01 [Subtractive decode])
  Intel Corporation Lynx Point PCI Express Root Port #1 (rev d5) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
  Intel Corporation Lynx Point PCI Express Root Port #3 (rev d5) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
  Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev d5) (prog-if 01 [Subtractive decode])
  Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev 41) (prog-if 01 [Subtractive decode])
 ISA bridge
  Intel Corporation Lynx Point LPC Controller (rev 05)
  Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd Device 5001
GRAPHIC CARD
 VGA controller
  Intel Corporation Haswell Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 06) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
  Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd Device d000
SOUND CARD
 Multimedia controller
  Intel Corporation Lynx Point High Definition Audio Controller (rev 05)
  Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd Device a002
NETWORK
 Ethernet controller
  Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 06)
  Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd Motherboard

[penalvch (penalvch)]

HamilJF, this bug report is being closed due to your last comment https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1229288/comments/26 regarding you no longer have the original hardware. If you are having a bug with your current hardware, please file a new report via a terminal:
ubuntu-bug linux

For future reference you can manage the status of your own bugs by clicking on the current status in the yellow line and then choosing a new status in the revealed drop down box. You can learn more about bug statuses at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Status. Thank you again for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please submit any future bugs you may find.