all the fonts, everywhere, are messed up

[GTM]

When I first start the computer, everything is fine for a while... Then at some point in time the fonts get all messed up.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: firefox 3.6.3+nobinonly-0ubuntu4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-22.33-generic 2.6.32.11+drm33.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-22-generic i686
Architecture: i386
Date: Mon May 17 19:37:28 2010
FirefoxPackages:
 firefox 3.6.3+nobinonly-0ubuntu4
 firefox-gnome-support 3.6.3+nobinonly-0ubuntu4
 firefox-branding 3.6.3+nobinonly-0ubuntu4
 abroswer N/A
 abrowser-branding N/A
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Netbook-Remix 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release i386 (20091028.4)
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: firefox

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please execute the following command in a terminal after reproducing the issue, and it it will automatically gather debugging information needed for this bug:

  apport-collect 582013

(You may need to install the python-launchpadlib package from the universe repository. Additionally, when prompted to give apport-collect permissions for Launchpad you will need to give it at least the ability to "Change Non-Private" data as it will be adding information to your bug report.)

[Seb (krass-2000)]

Architecture: i386
DRM.card0.LVDS.1:
 status: connected
 enabled: enabled
 dpms: On
 modes: 1440x900 1280x854 1280x800 1280x720 1152x768 1024x768 800x600 848x480 720x480 640x480
 edid-base64: AP///////wBMo0JTAAAAAAARAQOAHhN4Cof1lFdPjCcnUFQAAAABAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBHCqgElKEDDAwgGMAL74QAAAZAAAADwAAAAAAAAAAAOb6AiMAAAAA/gBTQU1TVU5HCiAgICAgAAAA/gAxNDFCVDA2LTAwMQogAHE=
DRM.card0.VGA.1:
 status: disconnected
 enabled: disabled
 dpms: On
 modes:
 edid-base64:
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
DkmsStatus:
 vboxhost, 4.0.4, 2.6.38-4-generic, i686: built
 vboxhost, 4.0.4, 2.6.35-27-generic, i686: installed
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Release i386 (20101007)
MachineType: Hewlett-Packard HP Compaq 6910p
Package: xorg 1:7.5+6ubuntu3
PackageArchitecture: i386
PccardctlStatus:
 Socket 0:
   3.3V 32-bit PC Card
 Socket 1:
   3.3V 16-bit PC Card
   Subdevice 0 (function 0) bound to driver "pata_pcmcia"
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-27-generic root=UUID=87fdc765-4f10-44c6-9efb-8d93ee61b0bd ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_GB.utf8
 SHELL=/usr/bin/zsh
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-27.48-generic 2.6.35.11
Tags: maverick maverick
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-27-generic i686
UserGroups: adm admin cdrom dialout lpadmin plugdev pulse-access sambashare
dmi.bios.date: 11/04/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.bios.version: 68MCD Ver. F.17
dmi.board.name: 30C1
dmi.board.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.board.version: KBC Version 68.36
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnHewlett-Packard:bvr68MCDVer.F.17:bd11/04/2008:svnHewlett-Packard:pnHPCompaq6910p:pvrF.17:rvnHewlett-Packard:rn30C1:rvrKBCVersion68.36:cvnHewlett-Packard:ct10:cvr:
dmi.product.name: HP Compaq 6910p
dmi.product.version: F.17
dmi.sys.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
system:
 distro: Ubuntu
 codename: maverick
 architecture: i686
 kernel: 2.6.35-27-generic

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

apport information

[Seb (krass-2000)]

I am affected by the same problem (see apport information just sent. It usually affects one or more characters, and it seems to be related to the Ubuntu font (screenshot attached with "u" missing) in non-bold. Changing to a different font fixes the problem.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Seb, your screenshot doesn't look like the original reporter's issue. Yours doesn't even appear to be an X bug, but rather something wrong with the font you're using. In any case, file a new bug and provide a more detailed description of the bug you're seeing.

[GTM (gtmalmgren)]

Hi Bryce,
Sorry for the silence. I just had the issue again, and attempted to run ``apport-collect 582013''. I am not sure if it was sent, logged, or whatever is supposed to happen. As a result of having all the fonts messed up, I could not read the terminal.
Let me know if you have every(any)thing you need.
Graham

[Seb (krass-2000)]

Bryce, it may not have been the most instructive screenshot, but the way my fonts were messed up would often look similar to the original screenshot. Looking at that one again, to me it looks very much like a fonts issue, too, as only certain letters are affected (b,g,h,l,w,F,V).

Anyway, no problems anymore since upgrading to Natty Narwhal.

[GTM (gtmalmgren)]

I've installed Ubuntu 11.04, and it is really really awful now. I found a very similar issue on UbunutForums http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1491270, and it looks like the person was unable to solve as well. I will try to change by graphics driver to ATI (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RadeonDriver).