terminal doesn't refresh properly with nvidia-current drivers

[Gregory Gleason]

after upgrading from 11.04 to 11.10, the terminal doesn't refresh properly. It's hard to describe, but I can take a video if needed. If I am editing a file with vim, when I jump to the bottom with crtg+G, it doesn't refresh the window. Each line will refresh as I move my cursor up, one line at a time. There are other oddities within the terminal as well. When I use apt-get to install, I sometimes don't see the last line asking me for my password, etc.

Thinkpad R61 with the following graphics card:
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation G84M [Quadro NVS 140M] (rev a1)

This doesn't happen with the nouveau or nvidida-173 driver. only the current driver.

$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 11.10
Release: 11.10

$ apt-cache policy nvidia-current
nvidia-current:
  Installed: 280.13-0ubuntu6
  Candidate: 280.13-0ubuntu6
  Version table:
 *** 280.13-0ubuntu6 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ oneiric/restricted i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: nvidia-current 280.13-0ubuntu6
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-12.20-generic 3.0.4
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-12-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
.proc.driver.nvidia.gpus.0: Error: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/proc/driver/nvidia/gpus/0'
.proc.driver.nvidia.registry: Binary: ""
.proc.driver.nvidia.version:
 NVRM version: NVIDIA UNIX x86 Kernel Module 280.13 Wed Jul 27 16:55:43 PDT 2011
 GCC version: gcc version 4.6.1 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.6.1-9ubuntu3)
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu4
Architecture: i386
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: None
Date: Thu Nov 10 11:17:31 2011
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: oneiric
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
 nvidia-173, 173.14.30, 3.0.0-12-generic, i686: installed
 nvidia-173-updates, 173.14.30, 3.0.0-12-generic, i686: installed
 nvidia-current, 280.13, 3.0.0-12-generic, i686: installed
GraphicsCard:
 nVidia Corporation G84M [Quadro NVS 140M] [10de:0429] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Lenovo ThinkPad T61 [17aa:20d8]
JockeyStatus:
 xorg:nvidia_173 - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
 xorg:nvidia_173_updates - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (post-release updates) (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
 xorg:nvidia_current - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Enabled, In use)
 xorg:nvidia_current_updates - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (post-release updates) (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
MachineType: LENOVO 7742CTO
PccardctlIdent:
 Socket 0:
   no product info available
PccardctlStatus:
 Socket 0:
   no card
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic root=UUID=643cf70a-dda7-4d1d-832b-f3d54bb68f0d ro quiet splash elevator=deadline vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: nvidia-graphics-drivers
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
XorgConf:
 Section "Device"
  Identifier "Default Device"
  Option "NoLogo" "True"
 EndSection
dmi.bios.date: 02/20/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.bios.version: 7LETB2WW (2.12 )
dmi.board.name: 7742CTO
dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.board.version: Not Available
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Information
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.chassis.version: Not Available
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvr7LETB2WW(2.12):bd02/20/2008:svnLENOVO:pn7742CTO:pvrThinkPadR61:rvnLENOVO:rn7742CTO:rvrNotAvailable:cvnLENOVO:ct10:cvrNotAvailable:
dmi.product.name: 7742CTO
dmi.product.version: ThinkPad R61
dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.6+bzr20110929-0ubuntu5
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.26-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.11-0ubuntu3
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.11-0ubuntu3
version.nvidia-graphics-drivers: nvidia-graphics-drivers N/A
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+7ubuntu7
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.6.0-1ubuntu13
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.99~git20110811.g93fc084-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.15.901-1ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110411+8378443-1

[Gregory Gleason (gsgleason)]

I just figured out this only happens when using gnome-shell which uses mutter. This doesn't happen with unity, which uses compiz.

So perhaps this is a mutter issue.

[Gregory Gleason (gsgleason)]

I just changed this from nvidia-current to gnome-shell. This issue only happens when using the new nvidia drivers with gnome-shell. It doesn't happen with the current drivers in unity. I think there is an issue with a combination of my graphics card, drivers, and the mutter compositioning manager.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Gregory Gleason (gsgleason)]

I opened a bug report on the gnome bugzilla as well:
https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=665527

[George V. Reilly (georgevreilly)]

I'm having the same problems in gnome-terminal and gvim on Ubuntu 11.10. Gvim just randomly fails to redraw parts of its window, particularly down in the : command area when I hit Tab to complete filenames or buffer names.

In gnome-terminal, if the line I'm typing wraps onto a second line, it typically doesn't render properly until I hit Enter a couple of times. This is more likely to happen when I've got more than a screen's worth of text and the cursor is at the bottom of the window.

I updated the NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver from "version current" to "version current-updates", but it didn't help. I removed the NVIDIA drivers, but it didn't help either.

I have two laptops running Ubuntu 11.10 which have no such problems.

$ lspci | grep VGA
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation G86 [Quadro NVS 290] (rev a1)

$ sudo lshw -C video
  *-display
       description: VGA compatible controller
       product: G86 [Quadro NVS 290]
       vendor: nVidia Corporation
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
       version: a1
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
       configuration: driver=nvidia latency=0
       resources: irq:16 memory:ee000000-eeffffff memory:d0000000-dfffffff memory:ec000000-edffffff ioport:dc80(size=128) memory:efe00000-efe1ffff

[Owen Williams (ywwg)]

I'm seeing this bug, and I see it in Konsole, not just gnome-terminal. It makes the terminals nearly unusable. Also note these other bugs that are duplicates: bug #876055 and bug #880695. It also isn't limited to ubuntu: http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/users/2011-November/407928.html Just google "gnome-terminal repaint" and you'll see a lot of posts.

This has been reported enough that I'd say there's definitely a problem with terminals and nvidia drivers. All of these bugs show no activity whatsoever, but it's clearly a widespread problem that needs attention.

[Owen Williams (ywwg)]

Hm, I think this goes away when I switch to metacity from compiz, so it might be a compiz bug.

[Gregory Gleason (gsgleason)]

The following gnome bug is for this same issue in gnome-shell. https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=664858

[Christopher Prevoe (i41bktobi-launchpad-net)]

I'm also experiencing this issue. To test for the issue, I just open a file in vim (I used /etc/courier/imapd), maximize the terminal, then page-down till you hit the end of file (but no extra page downs or it will refresh). Naturally, you can also just use the terminal for 10 minutes and you'll see the issue all over the place.

I can also confirm that this is a problem when using the NVidia proprietary drivers. The issue goes away when you remove the drivers and fall back on Nouveau (As the bugreport Gregory Gleason referred to points out).

I find gnome-shell causes audio stutters and lag when using Nouveau, which is why I prefer to use the NVidia drivers.

sudo lshw -C video
  *-display
       description: VGA compatible controller
       product: G86 [Quadro NVS 290]
       vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
       version: a1
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
       configuration: driver=nouveau latency=0
       resources: irq:16 memory:fc000000-fcffffff memory:d0000000-dfffffff memory:fa000000-fbffffff ioport:dc80(size=128) memory:fde00000-fde1ffff

[Timur I. Davletshin (timur-davletshin)]

Just the same issue with gnome-terminal, but still everything works with xterm.

MacBook Pro 7.1 (Nvidia 320M) + 12.04 default install + nvidia-current

[Timur I. Davletshin (timur-davletshin)]

export __GL_YIELD="NOTHING" in /etc/X11/Xsession.d/10nvidia should help. Two days without redraw issues in gnome-terminal.

[Christopher Prevoe (i41bktobi-launchpad-net)]

I tried Timur's __GL_YIELD="NOTHING" and it reduced the occurances but I'm still experiencing the issue.

[Christopher Prevoe (i41bktobi-launchpad-net)]

Upstream: https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=664858

[Lorenzo (deodato-art)]

The Gnome bug report in the upstream link does not show any progress. Are there any news on the Ubuntu side?

[Tim O'Brien (timob)]

You can fix this problem by setting:

"Force complete redraw on initial damage"
"Force fullscreen redraws (buffer swap) on repaint"

http://www.tekao.net/2013/08/nvidia-proprietary-drivers-and-ubuntu.html

[Collin Stocks (collinstocks)]

That's nice, but not everybody uses compiz. Specifically, I don't, and I still see this bug.

In related news, this bug is not limited to Ubuntu. It also presents itself on LMDE.

[James Hunt (jamesodhunt)]

This bug looks like a dup of bug 861268.

[Mateusz Gryzzli (gryzzli)]

For all nvidia users, you could try to remove the GL cache:

rm ~/.nv (driver <346)
rm ~/.cache/.nv (driver 346)

Then disable the cache completely:

echo -e 'export __GL_SHADER_DISK_CACHE=0' >> ~/.profile

Restart / relogin afterwards. This fixed the issue for me.

[Jeremy Bicha (jbicha)]

Thank you for reporting this bug to Ubuntu. Ubuntu 12.04 LTS reached End of Life in April. See this document for currently supported Ubuntu releases: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Releases

Please upgrade to Ubuntu 16.04 LTS and re-test. If the bug is still reproducible, increase the verbosity of the steps to recreate it so we can try again.

I apologize that we are not always to respond to bug reports promptly. Do feel free to report any other bugs you may find.