Screen blotches/flickering on XFCE (Ubuntu Studio) Eoan 19.10

[Ross Gammon]

I am not 100% sure I am reporting against the correct package. I have been using Ubuntu Studio 19.10 development release today, and I am seeing colour blotches over the screen (at the place of focus) when it is updating near the mouse pointer, or text being entered into the terminal. When using the browser, the whole page is blotched out after the page loads. Moving the mouse to the stop of the screen (or away from the problem window) normally allows the page/text to display without blotches.

Twice, I have ended up with a green screen of death, which I recovered from by turning the machine off.

I have tried the latest kernel (linux-image-5.0.0-17-lowlatency : 5.0.0-17.18), and the earliest Eoan one I have (5.3.0-13-lowlatency).

I have Ubuntu Studio 18.04, 1810, 19.04 on the same machine, and I can use these for an extended time without seeing the same problem.

If I was able to set the importance, I would go for "high".

If possible I will attach a video (if launchpad will let me). I tried a screen shot, but moving the mouse away to click on the screenshot app makes the blotches disappear.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 19.10
Package: xfwm4 4.14.0-1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.3.0-13.14-lowlatency 5.3.0
Uname: Linux 5.3.0-13-lowlatency x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu7
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: XFCE
Date: Sun Sep 29 20:40:20 2019
InstallationDate: Installed on 2019-04-27 (155 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Studio 19.10 "Eoan EANIMAL" - Alpha amd64 (20190426)
SourcePackage: xfwm4
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Alistair Buxton (a-j-buxton)]

I don't see anything unusual in your video. What graphics card are you using?

[Ralf Mardorf (ralf-mardorf-j)]

Apart from mentioning the graphics and the used driver, keep in mind that recording the desktop with vokoscreen or any other tool like this, does not record what is displayed. To show what is displayed consider to record the screen with an external camera. The video definitely doesn't show something unusual. If you would cut the cable of one colour of a VGA cable, you would see a picture with a missing colour, but if you would take a screenshot with a screenshot tool from some video buffer, we still would see all colours. Next time consider to not ban people from your Ubuntu Studio mailing lists, because they contribute by providing technical knowledge you are missing. You seem to miss way more basic knowledge, than I thought.

[Ross Gammon (rosco2)]

Whoops. I was in such a hurry I didn't check the video on a different computer. Silly me. Marking the bug as incomplete until I have time to record the glitches properly. Thanks for the suggestion Ralph (although I could have done without the personal insult).

@a-j-buxton, I think the the video card I am using is recorded in the ProcCpuinfoMinimal.txt file attached to the bug. Without turning the machine on to double check, the info in the text file says it is a AMD Ryzen 3 2200G with Radeon Vega Graphics.

I vaguely remember seeing some bug mails about problems with Radeon drivers, but didn't have time to look into them. Hopefully when I switch the machine on again I will find that it was fixed for me before the release.

[Ross Gammon (rosco2)]

Found some time today to plug my test machine back in. I have several installs on the machine:
I updated Ubuntu Studio 18.04 - no problems.
I upgraded Ubuntu Studio 18.10 to 19.04 - no problems.
I upgraded Ubuntu Studio 19.04 to 19.10 and I get the screen tearing/blotching/flickering.

A new video produced using a smartphone is attached (VID_20191027_164346.mp4).

[Ross Gammon (rosco2)]

On the same machine, I upgrade a standard Ubuntu Desktop installation from 18.10 > 19.04 > 19.10.

I do NOT get the same screen blotching.

[Sean Davis (bluesabre)]

Is this still an issue in 20.04?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for xfwm4 (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]