nvidia-glx-new twin-view corrupt display at top of second monitor

[Rocko]

Binary package hint: nvidia-glx-new

With twin-view enabled and the external monitor set to the right of the main monitor via nvidia-settings, the region at the top of the monitor is not updated properly unless I run a window in full-screen mode.

The region of the window not being updated is the part corresponding to the gnome-panel on the main monitor, ie where gnome-panel would normally get drawn. This region only gets redrawn by the compiz special effects or when a window is maximized, so for example:

a) I maximize window - it fills the monitor's display, with the title bar at the top

b) I switch to another window - the title bar of the first window in the external monitor changes colour

c) I open, close, send windows to the task bar etc. The title bar of the first window gets overdrawn with the compiz special effects, so it appears corrupted. It doesn't get redrawn even if I switch focus back to this window.

Version info:

Ubuntu 8.04, kernel 2.6.24-17.31
nvida-glx-new 169.12+2.6.24.12-17.35
xserver-xorg-core 2:1.4.1~git20080131-1ubuntu9

[Rocko (rockorequin)]

This issue seems to have been fixed in the nvidia driver v173.14.05 (I downloaded the installer from the nvidia website).

[Rocko (rockorequin)]

I was mistaken. It isn't fixed in the new driver.

[Rocko (rockorequin)]

I think it's a amd64 problem. It happens on my amd64 installation, but I installed a new Hardy i386 and I don't get this top-of-screen corruption (using the nvidia 169.12 driver installed by jockey-gtk).

[Rocko (rockorequin)]

Nope, it's doing it in the 32bit version now. It seems that very occasionally it works correctly, but 99% of the time it doesn't.

[Rocko (rockorequin)]

The common factor is compiz. If you turn off desktop effects, the top of the second display is drawn correctly. With special effects on, the top of the screen (an area equivalent to the gnome panel) is not redrawn correctly.

compiz 1:0.7.4-0ubuntu7
nvidia 173.14.15 driver (also occurs with nvidia-glx-new version 169.12)
kernel 2.6.24-18-generic
xserver-xorg-core 2:1.4.1~git20080131-1ubuntu9.1

[Dereck Wonnacott (dereck)]

I also have this, but it wasn't always so, I'm not sure when it started. I was busy and ignored it until today. Let me know what you need to help debug.

[Dereck Wonnacott (dereck)]

As per https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingCompiz

Resetetting the preferences by launching "compiz-config-manager" found in System -> Preferences and labelled Advanced Desktop Effects Settings. Click on the "Preferences" button and then on the "Reset to defaults" button.

Fixed the issue.

[Dereck Wonnacott (dereck)]

I exported my settings before I reset (attached) and then after I reset to defaults and the problem cleared up I imported my settings back hoping to isolate the problem, but surprisingly there issue did not come back.

[Rocko (rockorequin)]

I tried that, but it didn't have any effect.

[Dereck Wonnacott (dereck)]

ahaha! I found a repo to create the issue in more dramatic ways.

In nvidia-settings, click "X Server Display Configuration". If you have 2 monitors, you can drag them on top of each other to display either the whole display or parts of the display on both monitors. (see attachment) Then put the screens back next to each other as they were and apply. This cause what ever was not on the screen to become black and 'bugged'. (see screenshot to come after this post)

What fixed it before did nothing this time: Resetting the preferences by launching "compiz-config-manager" found in System -> Preferences and labeled Advanced Desktop Effects Settings. Click on the "Preferences" button and then on the "Reset to defaults" button.

To be continued...

[Dereck Wonnacott (dereck)]

I disabled 'Visual Effects' in the Appearance Manager and I got another interesting artifact. (attached) Note that the 'fill screen' has a tiled effect right where there was black before, including the very top of the screen, where it is not so noticeable in the screenshot but I can clearly see the effect.

To be continued....

[Dereck Wonnacott (dereck)]

Setting the monitor on the right's position to 'right of' got rid of the black on the right, thankfully. But the original black bar on top is back again, mocking me. :)

The problem must be in something that is changed by nvidia-settings about the desktop size.... I feel like there is enough info here for someone who knows what their doing to fix this... too bad I'm just not one of those people...

[Rocko (rockorequin)]

I've discovered that if I boot X with the dual monitor setup enabled in xorg.conf (ie use sudo nvidia-settings and select write to xorg.conf), I don't get the problem.

But as soon as I use nvidia-settings to change the screens to clones and then change back again to dual monitors, the problem re-appears until I reboot X.

[Rocko (rockorequin)]

I'm changing the package to compiz, because the bug doesn't happen at all for me if compiz is turned off.

Note: the only way that the bug doesn't occur for me with compiz enabled is if I boot X in dual monitor mode. If I change modes from 'cloned' screens to dual monitor, I get the black bar where the gnome-panel would normally appear and this section of screen is only updated properly if you make one of the windows full screen in this monitor.

[Rocko (rockorequin)]

The bug seems to be fixed in the nvidia 177.70 (beta) driver, at least in Intrepid - I can switch between modes without the corruption occurring.

[Rocko (rockorequin)]

Actually it's also working for me with the 173.14.12 driver in Intrepid, so it can't be related to nvidia.

My compiz is version 1:0.7.7+git20080807-0ubuntu10.

[Robert Ancell (robert-ancell)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. You reported this bug a while ago and there hasn't been any activity in it recently. We were wondering if this is still an issue for you. Can you try with the latest Ubuntu release? Thanks in advance.

[Rocko (rockorequin)]

Marking as fixed released since it was resolved in compiz 1:0.7.7+git20080807-0ubuntu10; it doesn't happen in Intrepid, Jaunty, or Karmic.

[James Cuzella (trinitronx)]

Rocko,

I'm not sure that this has truly been fixed. I still see many drawing problems while using TwinView, and nvidia proprietary driver version: 270.41.19.

See bug #750892 and bug #325796 for details on what I see.

This may be related to the following bugs as well: bug #99847, and bug #270377

Package: compiz
Architecture: all
Version: 1:0.9.4+bzr20110415-0ubuntu2

SYSTEM STATS:

Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 11.04
Release: 11.04
Codename: natty

NVRM version: NVIDIA UNIX x86_64 Kernel Module 270.41.19 Mon May 16 23:32:08 PDT 2011GCC version: gcc version 4.5.2 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.5.2-8ubuntu4)

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation GT218 [NVS 3100M] (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
        Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21d4
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 16
        Memory at cc000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
        Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
        Memory at ce000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=32M]
        I/O ports at 2000 [size=128]
        [virtual] Expansion ROM at cd000000 [disabled] [size=512K]
        Capabilities: [60] Power Management version 3
        Capabilities: [68] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
        Capabilities: [78] Express Endpoint, MSI 00
        Capabilities: [b4] Vendor Specific Information: Len=14 <?>
        Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel
        Capabilities: [128] Power Budgeting <?>
        Capabilities: [600] Vendor Specific Information: ID=0001 Rev=1 Len=024 <?>
        Kernel driver in use: nvidia
        Kernel modules: nvidia-current, nouveau, nvidiafb

[James Cuzella (trinitronx)]

PS: This comment on bug #270377 explains why there are drawing issues:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/compiz/+bug/270377/comments/

From reading that, I'm thinking that this bug is probably a duplicate.

[James Cuzella (trinitronx)]

Broken link fixed: https://bugs.launchpad.net/compiz/+bug/270377/comments/45

[Rocko (rockorequin)]

There may still be glitches due to using the nvidia driver - for instance, it often doesn't redraw the screen properly after closing Netbeans - but this bug was about a consistent failure to update the gnome-panel bar at the top of the second monitor. I haven't seen that happen (ie consistently) for some years now.