Gnome Terminal starts up, but menubar is white-on-white, no characters seen

[Carlyle Smith]

Binary package hint: gnome-terminal

I already started a brief general question, denominated #82841 on this. But this instance was brought up by "report an error" function. So I will go with this thread, starting here.
Machine: Dell GX150 Desktop, i815E chipset, PIII 1 GHz cpu, 25GB IBM HD, CDR/RW, Bios ver A011 (latest)
OS:
1) Release no: Ubuntu 9.04 - the Jaunty Jackalope - released in April 2009.
2) Since I cannot use Terminal and Synaptics Package Manager also comes up with a blank screen block, cannot answer this information
3) Based on running the OS off the CD in another computer, where the Gnome Terminal did come up fine, I expected to see that when installed on this computer, all applications would be able to be displayed.
4) Instead{
    a) When I try to start Applications/Accessories/Terminal (Gnome Terminal) what comes up is a white screen block.
        Running the mouse pointer over the screen, there is a band across the top ~3/8 inch of the block in which the
        mouse pointer shows up as an arrow. Below that, the mouse pointer is a text cursor bar (letter I-shaped).
        In the white-on-white top menubar band, moving from left to right, the arrow successively shows the
        dropdown list of options for (I suppose) File, then Edit, then (I suppose) Window options, then Title/resolution,
        then Contents/Get Help, About, etc. These choices seem to be selectable and cause normally appearing
        windows to appear. Apparently, the Menu choices are there, but unseeable because the typeface is white and
        the menubar background is white, so the legends for the menu choices is not seen.
    b) Furthermore, in the text area of the screen, the command prompt is not seen, neither is the typing cursor. But
        When I right-click in the text area, a menu list comes up, with one of the choices as "Close Window" (works).
    c) Aalso, on startup of the desktop, the mouse pointer is surrounded by an area of about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) square,
        and when the mouse pointer is moved, that square just blacks out. It goes away when the mouse pointer is
        placed in another window and clicked. But if, say, a third window is opened up, and the mouse pointer is moved
        there, a similar square persists where the pointer was when the new entity is opened up. Etc. Very irritating.
    d) In addition, when I try to start up System/Administration/Synaptics Package Manager a white screen block comes
        up in the center of the desktop, the whole desktop dims, and the mouse pointer does nothing anyplace. I can
        get rid of the white screen block by pressing ESC, then everything comes back. If I recall correctly, there are
        at least a few other applications that do this.
I am wondering if this has something to do with the video driver for the onboard integrated i815E chipset (PCI).

HELP!! (Thanks)

BTW, I did try the procedure suggested as an answer to my Question #82841, but it did nothing to help (or hurt).

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.04
ExecutablePath: /usr/bin/gnome-terminal
Package: gnome-terminal 2.26.0-0ubuntu2
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: gnome-terminal
Uname: Linux 2.6.28-11-generic i686
UnreportableReason: This is not a genuine Ubuntu package

[Pedro Villavicencio (pedro)]

thanks for the report, could you please take an screenshot of the issue? thanks.

[Carlyle Smith (csezent)]

I currently have installed a secondary AGP card on the board. To get the screen shot Iwill have to uninstall the card, Will do ASAP.

[Carlyle Smith (csezent)]

Actually, I cannot give you a screen shot because the problem has to do with the
Intel 8150E chipset integrated video. That is, with the integrated video, trying to
use the Synaptics Package Manager results in the screen freeze as indicated in
the problem description, and (obviously) no screen shot can be taken with the
Screen Shot applicaton.
On the other hand, a screen shot with the integrated video would give no new
information on the Gnome Terminal behavior or on the mouse pointer behavior
than that described above.
It is clear that the problem is with Ubuntu recognizing and loading appropriate
drivers for the i815E chipset integrated driver, since the Jaton card with S3 3D
video chip works perfectly, without having to reinstall Ubuntu. A card with the
Intel 740 chip also works perfectly.
So I am not going to engage in a profitless activity when the problem is with
the driver for the integrated video.
What else can I do?

[bw_van_manen (bw-van-manen)]

I have the same problem. I've added a screenshot of the terminal window.
I seem to be unable to make a screenshot with the mouse over the terminal window or with a menu item selected.

It is possible to access the menu, but you can only see the pop-up group of items you see when you click on something.
Ie. you can't see 'Help' but you can see the list 'contents, ..., about' when you click on the place where 'Help' should be.

[Carlyle Smith (csezent)]

I "cured" the problem by installing a good quality AGP card.
For the Dell GX150 desktop mahine, it had to be a low-profile
card. I had to rework the end plate to fit the case configuration
and height. I will look up the two cards that worked and let
you know -- Best regards!

In a message dated 3/4/2010 8:00:50 AM Eastern Standard Time,
<email address hidden> writes:

> I have the same problem. I've added a screenshot of the terminal window.
> I seem to be unable to make a screenshot with the mouse over the terminal
> window or with a menu item selected.
>
> It is possible to access the menu, but you can only see the pop-up group
> of items you see when you click on something.
> Ie. you can't see 'Help' but you can see the list 'contents, ..., about'
> when you click on the place where 'Help' should be.
>
>

[rforberg (rforberg)]

I had a working terminal app until today. Yesterday it was fine. Today it became all white but all drop down menus are there, and I can change the terminal profile, but that did not help. I had changed nothing in the system. Then I played with different desktop color themes. No affect on problem. So I upgraded to V8.04 Ubuntu (Hardy Heron) from V 7, figuring that would fix it. No Luck.

[Iain Brown Douglas (iain-browndouglas)]

I am not sure of the protocol but my Question #103622, seems similar.
Terminal window displays as an inactive plain white window, but most of Ubuntu 9.04 works 95%.
Unfortunately in my question i could not submit my screenshot so hope to add it here.

[Iain Brown Douglas (iain-browndouglas)]

The solution for me was here:
System => Preferences => Appearance => Visual Effects, Change to NONE.

[Marc Erickson (marcerickson)]

I had the same issue on IBM NetVista 6579 - TAU with Intel 815E chipset and 82815 graphics. Iain Brown Douglas' fix also worked for me.

[Paul White (paulw2u)]

Bug did not expire due to assignment
No comments for over 8 years
Bug refers to GNOME 2 version of terminal
Closing as the report is now invalid