firefox "blinks" black & removes main menu / task bar at top of Ubuntu desktop screen

[Budly]

Binary package hint: firefox-3.0

when mouse is moved, screen blinks black.

Firefox menu blocks Ubuntu main menu

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
Date: Wed May 14 15:31:51 2008
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 8.04
Package: firefox-3.0 3.0~b5+nobinonly-0ubuntu3
PackageArchitecture: i386
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: firefox-3.0
Uname: Linux 2.6.24-16-rt i686

[Piouaille (piouaille262144)]

I have the same problem. What am I suppose to do ?

[John Vivirito (gnomefreak)]

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Piouaille wrote:
| I have the same problem. What am I suppose to do ?
|
Can you both answer the following questions?
Budly, can you please only answer the questions taht are not added to
your first post on bug.
1. what are the steps to reproduce this bug?
2. Do you have compiz enabled? to check please go to System >
preferences > appearance > Desktop-Effects.
3. If it is enabled can you reproduce this with it disabled and after a
restart?
4 What version of Ubuntu is this on?
5.What version of firefox are you seeing this?
6. I am unable to reproduce this with Firefox 3b5 and without compiz. So
please list exact steps you take to see this happen.
This sounds more like a Compiz issue but lets decide that after i get
the answers needed and if i think of more after your responces ill let
you know.
- --
Sincerely Yours,
~ John Vivirito

https://launchpad.net/~gnomefreak
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/JohnVivirito
Linux User# 414246
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[ytremblay (greatyves)]

The same anoying problem happened to me on a freshly install i386 8.04lts no compiz ever install. Just after i did last update. It seems to correct itself after fiddling with f11 in firefox to acces the desktop. I hope it doesn't come back! Will report later on.

[Francis (francisleborgne)]

Same problem
I have to press F11 to go really in "full screen" then i press a new time F11 and i can see the Ubuntu main menu.
Another solution, reinstall Firefox.

Cordialement
Francis
From France

[Alexander Sack (asac)]

On Sat, May 24, 2008 at 07:09:32AM -0000, Francis wrote:
> Same problem
> I have to press F11 to go really in "full screen" then i press a new time F11 and i can see the Ubuntu main menu.
> Another solution, reinstall Firefox.
>

 status incomplete

what is the "ubuntu main menu" ?

 - Alexander

[ytremblay (greatyves)]

I found a link that automaticaly reboot Ubuntu to the logon screen, so i downgraded to Firefox v 2.0.0.14 wich seems stable. Any suggestion?

[Glenn Louttit (glenlout)]

I concur with all the above comments.
Every time I open Firefox up in either Ubuntu hardy heron or KDE I loose my panel tool bar.
Pressing F11 helps me retrieve the tool bar.

[Glenn Louttit (glenlout)]

Another issue just noticed, I am unable to minimize Firefox or simply close it - the red X on the top right hand side of screen is missing along with all the other icons also.

[Alexander Sack (asac)]

On Tue, Jun 17, 2008 at 03:20:08AM -0000, Glenn Louttit wrote:
> Another issue just noticed, I am unable to minimize Firefox or simply
> close it - the red X on the top right hand side of screen is missing
> along with all the other icons also.
>

lets add gnome-panel to the loop .... though in the end i think this
will turn out to be a compiz, X or driver issue

 affects ubuntu/gnome-panel
 status new

however this is _really_ unlikely a firefox issue ...

 affects ubuntu/firefox-3.0
 status invalid

 - Alexander

[Blake Pomeroy (pomeroyb)]

I recently also had this same issue. Changing the view was a temp fix. The next time I opened Firefox, same issue. Found the problem to be with stumbleupon. The recent update to it was causing the overly large and blinking/refresh of Firefox. Uninstalled stumbleupon and the settings went back to normal.

Blake

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

could somebody describe easy steps to trigger the issue and explain what the bug is exactly or attach a screenshot showing it? the current comments are not clear

[joewez (joewez)]

I think it has to do with the tooltips. I get the blanking screen only when I am full screen and I hover over a button.

[joewez (joewez)]

I just disabled menu button tooltips in FF3 with the about:config and the blanking stopped. The tooltips are definitely the trigger for me.

[DavidC (pacrat186)]

 I have been having the same or similar problem. I would open Firefox and it would only be maximized and could only get out of it by going to file-close or alt-tab to another application to get the Gnome menu and application bars to minimize it.
 I saw someone had the problem here with stumbleupon so I looked in my addons and found I had interclue running. I disabled interclue and the problem stopped. I then installed stumbleupon and after running a short period and restarting Firefox it returned, disabled stumbleupon, restarted Firefox and it was corrected again.
 I have my ideas as to what it may be but I'm sure someone who can program could figure what exactly it may be. The bug seems to be associated with addons that search or log information/links on sites visited.
 My suggestion is to maybe disable all addons and add them back one at a time testing them all and seeing what the offending ones have in common. Probably be a good Idea to give the bug fixers here the list.
 I hope this helps someone temporarily get running, and the programmers to ID the bug.
Dave

[eze_bona (eze-bonani)]

well i had the same problem, to solve it fist i press F11 two times (one for full screen and the other for normal view), second i hide the top and bottom panel, finally resize the firefox windows. For me it seems to be fixed, try it.
Regards.

Eze from Argentina

[Dirk Commandeur (dirk-commandeur)]

I'm having this same problem as well. Firefox 3.0.5 was working fine and then opened where I could not see the top firefox 'bar' (i.e. brown bar with window control) and the firefox window covered over the ubuntu top/bottom menus. Opened firefox in safe mode and reset to default controls which fixed the problem temporarily but came back with next reboot. the F11 2x trick worked but have to do it each time I open firefox. I haven't added anything recently and not running anything exotic add-ons (only add block, flash block, firefox mods)...

[van_Zeller (vascovanzeller)]

"

well i had the same problem, to solve it fist i press F11 two times (one for full screen and the other for normal view), second i hide the top and bottom panel, finally resize the firefox windows. For me it seems to be fixed, try it.
Regards.

Eze from Argentina"

I also had this problem. The above procedure solved it for a long time. F11, F11 again, resize the window and then maximize again. It solves it. No idea what caused it. I have almost no extensions.