application windows have no title bar

[DaveR]

Binary package hint: xorg

Normal ubuntu splash screen -> login is normal

Normal appearing desktop on first workspace - I have panels on left and right - panel transparency appears as I left it

switcher display is only 2 columns (I left it as 2 col & 2 rows)
     switcher->preferences (opens as described below) displays choice of number of columns but NO choice of rows

cannot change to another workplace either with [ctrl][alt][any arrow] or by clicking on switcher

 Any application window opens in an abnormal state
    opens in upper left hand corner covering the panel
    abnormal title bar = no "min" "max" "close" buttons = cannot move window either way = no normal right click on the title bar responses = is same color as rest of window
     but the application in the window seems to work OK - mail - internet ...

System->Preferences->Appearance - [visual effects tab] (sometimes pops a window saying that video doesn't seem to support this option) shows no desktop effects selected
     click Normal - window opens "Searching for available drivers" - after the best part of a minute the display "changes" and a window opens asking if I want to keep these settings - choose "yes"
     while everything now looks as it did - can change to other workspaces - switcher preferences allows selection of rows and columns - windows open next to the panel not on it - window title bars are normal - windows can be moved ...

This follows a fresh installation of 9.10. These problems did not occur on 8.10.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
Date: Thu Nov 5 12:05:47 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release i386 (20091028.5)
MachineType: Compaq Presario 061 PJ536AA-ABA SR1265CL NA440
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Package: xorg 1:7.4+3ubuntu7
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=a391b899-c428-4524-ba12-d204040a594d ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-14.48-generic
RelatedPackageVersions:
 xserver-xorg 1:7.4+3ubuntu7
 libgl1-mesa-glx 7.6.0-1ubuntu4
 libdrm2 2.4.14-1ubuntu1
 xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.9.0-1ubuntu2
 xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.12.99+git20090929.7968e1fb-0ubuntu1
SourcePackage: xorg
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-14-generic i686
dmi.bios.date: 06/06/2005
dmi.bios.vendor: Phoenix Technologies, LTD
dmi.bios.version: 3.15
dmi.board.name: Kelut
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTek Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: 2.02
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnPhoenixTechnologies,LTD:bvr3.15:bd06/06/2005:svnCompaqPresario061:pnPJ536AA-ABASR1265CLNA440:pvr0n41411RE101KELUT00:rvnASUSTekComputerINC.:rnKelut:rvr2.02:cvnHewlett-Packard:ct3:cvr:
dmi.product.name: PJ536AA-ABA SR1265CL NA440
dmi.product.version: 0n41411RE101KELUT00
dmi.sys.vendor: Compaq Presario 061
fglrx: Not loaded
system:
 distro: Ubuntu
 architecture: i686kernel: 2.6.31-14-generic

[DaveR (djrpublic)]

It would appear that the reassignment of this bug to nVidia would be wrong.

I just removed the proprietary nVidia driver and rebooted. As far as I can see exactly the same problem continues to occur. The same procedure for recovery works except that upon choosing normal desktop effects there is an error message stating a requirement for the nVidia driver. If loading the nVidia driver is refused the switcher immediately displays correctly and windows have title bars again!

Also before bypassing the problem if the "display the desktop" button is clicked a malformed window appears stating that either the window manager doesn't support this function or there is no window manager running.

Any of this help?

David Rowell

[DaveR (djrpublic)]

Isn't this problem related to the window manager metacity? After all the title bar and location are window manager functions aren't they?

David Rowell

[DaveR (djrpublic)]

I couldn't handle this problem anymore so - I removed all hidden directories (except browser, mail, and genealogy) and files then made yet ANOTHER fresh install of 9.10 (Kosmic Kludge). The issue no longer exists.

[bugbot (bugbot)]

This bug report was filed against an old version of Ubuntu.
Can you confirm whether this is still an issue in natty?

If you don't mind, it would be very helpful if you could update the bug
report in launchpad to 'Fix Released' if it is no longer an issue for
you, or if it is still occurring under natty, please tag the bug 'natty'
so it's easier for us to track.

[DaveR (djrpublic)]

I no longer have either the affected computer or Ubuntu so I can't comment on the status of this bug. I will comment that this version of Ubuntu led me to use Win 7 exclusively for almost a year!

I'd be happy to update the status IF I could only find out how!

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Since the hardware is no longer available for doing troubleshooting with, we'll have to close the bug for now. However please feel free to reopen if you or anyone else has the same HW and can reproduce this issue using the latest development version of Ubuntu and is willing to do some troubleshooting with it.