Scrambled UI: Text in the Unity windows disappears/mixed after the resume from the screen idle state

[Artem V L]

Text in Unity windows becomes total mess after suspending and waking up Ubuntu 16.04. I had this issue a few times, but it is not always reproducable. The screenshot is attached, where there is disappeared or mixed text on buttons and window panels (though the copy-paste from such broken terminal works fine).

$ uname -a
Linux A2XLab 4.4.0-45-generic #66-Ubuntu SMP Wed Oct 19 14:12:37 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Note, that there is enoguht RAM and no any external monitors are plugged.

KiB Mem : 7830196 total, 278792 free, 5922752 used, 1628652 buff/cache
KiB Swap: 11999228 total, 8749084 free, 3250144 used. 755228 avail Mem
---
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.1
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: lav 6518 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC1: lav 6518 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: Unity
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-10-25 (750 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140722.2)
MachineType: LENOVO 20A8S28400
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-47-generic root=UUID=daa4b3a5-47b3-4c16-a1de-2dde0c540c4a ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-47.68-generic 4.4.24
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.4.0-47-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.4.0-47-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.157.4
Tags: xenial
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-47-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to xenial on 2016-09-11 (63 days ago)
UserGroups: adm cdrom dip docker libvirtd lpadmin plugdev sambashare sudo
_MarkForUpload: True
dmi.bios.date: 06/06/2014
dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.bios.version: GRET39WW (1.16 )
dmi.board.asset.tag: Not Available
dmi.board.name: 20A8S28400
dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.board.version: Not Defined
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Information
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.chassis.version: Not Available
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvrGRET39WW(1.16):bd06/06/2014:svnLENOVO:pn20A8S28400:pvrThinkPadX1Carbon2nd:rvnLENOVO:rn20A8S28400:rvrNotDefined:cvnLENOVO:ct10:cvrNotAvailable:
dmi.product.name: 20A8S28400
dmi.product.version: ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2nd
dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO

[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 1641152

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.

[Artem V L (artvl)]

I rebooted the laptop at ~2 am of Nov 12, so there is no sence to run "apport-collect" now. However I collected manually system logs for the period of time when that issue occurred (~ 15:00 of Nov 11 - 2 am of Nov 12).

[Artem V L (artvl)]

apport information

[Artem V L (artvl)]

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[Artem V L (artvl)]

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[Artem V L (artvl)]

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[Artem V L (artvl)]

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[Artem V L (artvl)]

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[Artem V L (artvl)]

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[Artem V L (artvl)]

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[Artem V L (artvl)]

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[Artem V L (artvl)]

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[Artem V L (artvl)]

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[Artem V L (artvl)]

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[Artem V L (artvl)]

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[Artem V L (artvl)]

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[Artem V L (artvl)]

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[Artem V L (artvl)]

The same issue ocurred, but under another usecase.
This time the laptop was NOT after the sleep state. The issue occurred afer a few minutes of the idle state so as the display was automatically shut down, but without the sleep state. Also this time an external monitor has been pluggen in addition to the laptop display.
I ran "apport-collect 1641152" and also attached one more image.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Did this issue start happening after an update/upgrade? Was there a prior kernel version where you were not having this particular problem?

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v4.9 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'.

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/v4.9-rc5

[Artem V L (artvl)]

Yes, this issue has started after the update and was not occurred after I upgraded from 14.04 to 16.04 until some of the latest updates, though it might be pre-last kernel update.
It seems, this issue occurs since the latest version(s) of the 4.4.0-47 kernel, definitely in 4.4.0-47.68 and might be in 4.4.0-47.50 but I'm not 100% about that.

---

I tested with the v4.9-rc5 kernel, but it does not support my WiFi network card, so the test was very fast (I can't work without WiFi).
The issue has not been reproduced, but it is not always reproducable even on 4.4.0-47.68. So it is not known whether the issue exists in the latest kernel and that is why I've not assigned any tag (kernel-bug-exists-upstream / kernel-fixed-upstream).
However, another issues discovered on v4.9-rc5:
1. A laptop does not [always] go to the sleep (susbend) mode on lid closing when the external monitor is plugged, instead the all desktop windows are relocated to the external monitor.
2. When the external monitor is plugged off, the windows are NOT relocated to the laptop display, becoming totally unreachable.

---

Peculiarities about the Scrambled UI issue on 4.4.0-47[.68]: all windows of native apps are affected, but not the Java windows (Chrome browser and Libre Office UIs work fine).

By the way, besides the Scrambled UI there are a few more issues in the 4.4.0-47[.68]:

1. WiFi network connectivity disappeared (might be when is not used for some time), but the icon (near the time on the top right corner of the destop) shows the connection having fine signal strength. The connectivity restarts when I click on the currently connected network.

2. Sometimes the connectivity disappears totally and the icon clearly shows it. Then I have to restart the network manager service. Particularly this issue seems to be present since I upgraded from 14.04 (since the 4.4.0-43.63 kernel).

3. Often the touchpad stops work at all (for example now) though "xserver-xorg-input-synaptics is already the newest version (1.8.2-1ubuntu3)". This issue also exists since I upgraded from 14.04.
The touchpad works fine on v4.9-rc5, though the test was very fast and I'm not sure that this issue is really fixed.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Artem V L, to keep this relevant to upstream, one would want to periodically check for, and test the latest mainline kernel (now 4.9) as it is released.

Could you please advise?

[Artem V L (artvl)]

The issue have not been appeared since the middle of Nov. I have no idea whether it was a kernel-specific issue or Unity-specific one, but it seems it has been fixed by the updates.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Artem V L, to clarify https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1641152/comments/23 are you referring to updates provided by the Ubuntu repositories (not the mainline kernel you installed)?

[Artem V L (artvl)]

I'm reffereing the official standard Ubuntu 16.04 updates, not the latest manually installable kernels.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Artem V L, this bug report is being closed due to your last comment https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1641152/comments/23 regarding this being fixed with an update. 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.

[Artem V L (artvl)]

The same error ocurred on
$ uname -a
Linux A2XLab 4.4.0-53-generic #74-Ubuntu SMP Fri Dec 2 15:59:10 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
kernel: 4.4.0.53.56 amd64

* Note that this error did no apper on 4.4.0-51.72 amd64 *

I attempted to run apport-collect, but can't do it. The scrabled text copied to the Java text editor (the content becomes readable on copying to Java apps) is the following:

$ apport-collect 1641152
/usr/share/apport/apport-gtk:16: PyGIWarning: Wnck was imported without specifying a version first. Use gi.require_version('Wnck', '3.0') before import to ensure that the right version gets loaded.
  from gi.repository import GLib, Wnck, GdkX11, Gdk
The authorization page:
 (https://launchpad.net/+authorize-token?oauth_token=1nwGnqS6J3n0jBDT63Jv&allow_permission=DESKTOP_INTEGRATION)
should be opening in your browser. Use your browser to authorize
this program to access Launchpad on your behalf.
Waiting to hear from Launchpad about your decision...
[10001:10001:1220/133021:ERROR:browser_main_loop.cc(243)] GTK theme error: Unable to locate theme engine in module_path: "clearlooks",
Created new window in existing browser session.
Gtk-Message: GtkDialog mapped without a transient parent. This is discouraged.

[Artem V L (artvl)]

Tried kernels:

[ERR] ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-47-generic 4.4.0-47.68 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
 [OK] ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-51-generic 4.4.0-51.72 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
 [?] ii linux-image-extra-4.4.0-53-generic 4.4.0-53.74 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 4.4.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-virtual 4.4.0.53.56 amd64 Transitional package.
[ERR] ii linux-image-generic 4.4.0.53.56 amd64 Generic

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Artem V L, to advise, given it was fixed in 4.4.0-51.72 and reappeared in 4.4.0-53.74, you have a net new bug, caused by a regression in the kernel. Please file a new report (not reopen this one) via a terminal and feel free to subscribe me to it:
ubuntu-bug linux