content of window do not redraw automatically (intrepid)

Thanks for your bug report.

What video card and driver are you using? Can you please upload your /var/log/Xorg.0.log file.

update: I have found out it happens with any kind of window:

video card:
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation GeForce 8600M GT (rev a1)

with nvidia 177 proprietary driver installed thru "hardware drivers". No tweak done in nvidia settings.

after today's update it seems to be a bit better with the visual effects enabled (at least for the redrawing of firefox pages for example)

It must be something with compiz as if I deactivate the effects, everything is OK

yes. surely something with compiz.

I just realized that with the effects on, the screensaver cannot be seen (the screen starts to become dim and all of au sudden it is bright clear again) while with no effects, the screensaver runs without a problem.

in my case, screensaver = blank screen

after yesterday's update, the redraw problem disappeared (with or without compiz).

the screensaver only still has a problem when compiz is active.

after yesterday's updates, the problem is back when compiz is activated.

today's updates and it seems to be OK again.

not totally.

I have this problem all the time in many different applications, in OpenOffice, Firefox 3 and Abiword. I haven't had the problem in Skype, does it have anything todo with that Skype uses qt4 and not GTK?

I'm also seeing this, in Firefox 3.0.3 on Intrepid. When I follow a link from one page to another, or scroll a page using the keyboard (space, pg up/down) the html area does not always redraw/repaint. Odd elements like the google search box or a single link are drawn on top of the old page/scroll position.

Scrolling the page with the mouse seems to force a complete redraw.

Some pertinents:
linux-generic 2.6.27.7.8
xorg 7.4~2ubuntu7
nvidia-glx-177 177.80-0ubuntu1
libgtk2.0-0 2.14.3-0ubuntu3
firefox 3.0.3+build1+nobinonly-0ubuntu1

Dell m1330 with Nvidia 8400GM

I have the same problem, with the exact same software versions as Alex Willmer.

Same problem. Fresh install with 2008-10-14 AMD64 Daily-Live image, all updates.

Notes:
o Most apparent in the Compiz Settings Manager. Every page change requires a force-redraw (see next point). Also, freezes a bit every time a change is made in the settings, along with high CPU usage (I suspect it's reloading the plugin with the new settings, but it seems a bit less 'agile' at it than in Hardy).

o Redraws can easily be 'forced' by clicking the title-bar of the offending program. Not sure why, but useful.

o Usually seems to happen in clusters and/or associated with particular programs (Compiz Settings and Appearance in particular).

Haven't noticed much in firefox (but I mostly use the mouse) other than an effect that was also in Hardy:
o When opening a previous multi-window session (including at firefox start), some/all (varies) firefox windows won't paint until minimized or maximized, showing garbage from the initial animations.

I've the same problem in the source-view window of FireFox3. Comes/vanishes with activation of eyecandy here too.

Most funny is that the window seems to redraw when I try to make a screenshot - and this also miraculously heals the firefox, since I cannot reproduce the error from there on.

I'm using a Lenovo ThinkPad T61
graphics card: nVidia Quadro NVS 140M

I havent seen this problem anymore on my machine for at least a week. So I guess it went away with one of the recent updates.

I'm still getting this problem with a fresh install and compiz using a default configuration, although I did carry over my home directory from Hardy, so something there could be causing the problem.

I am experiencing similar problems with a dual-head AMD-64 SMP box with ATI video card. I have a solid
failure, with atomix: the screen does not update properly (see attachment for visual after "new game".

If I minimize/maximize the window, it refreshes properly.

If I move another window over the atomix window, it refreshes properly (when the atomix window
reappears).

This fails in dual-head mode with fglrx restricted video drivers enabled, and in single-head mode
with those drivers disabled. I'll check this again after a reboot with disabled drivers, and see what
/var/log/Xorg.0.log has to say about video driver.

As with Shoofy, I carried over my home directory from an Intrepid Alpha system. The system
as it stands now, aside from /home, is a fresh install of the Intrepid release, running gnome.

I do have this problem too, hardware is a Lenovo T61 laptop with a nVidia Corporation Quadro NVS 140M running compiz, in 8.04 i had occasionally redraw problems in firefox, now in 8.10 i have not yet had any problems with firefox, but instead i have huge problems with gnome-terminal
almost never redraws correctly

this mostly happens when im connected to a remote host with ssh and changes screen window and the connection is a bit slow, then redraw fails, so seems to work fine when its fast (most of the times) but not if its slow.

Switching over to another windows and back redraws the windows correctly, same with clicking the window list

I dont use dual-head/twin-view
Upgraded from 8.04 standard installation to 8.10

almost the same here, with ubuntu Intrepid and KDE 4.1.3 and compiz-fusion

but here, I think only qt4 windows don't redraw properly...gtk apps are OK, like CCSM and Firefox

konsole is very ploblematic...if I do a: apt-get update, it shows the first lines of code, then all mess up...

I think is something with compiz & kde4

*using NVIDIA 177

Same here as Petrus described...
Very annoying when you have to choose a file in a tree filesystem....
I tried to play around with nvidia and compiz settings ...without any success...

I think it worked here using the "Indirect Rendering" option with compiz,,,

I used the fusion-icon to select the option, but it can be used by console somehow,,,
Now konsole refresh on time, without messing things up

Thanks, hope this works to you too

I use Indirect rendering...but that was not the cause.
I have found something else. I used nvidia hack with nvidia-settings to improve 2D performance (from nvnews forum). I remove this, and now, there's no more redraw problem.
The hack was to put in ~/.gnomerc the line : nvidia-settings -a InitialPixmapPlacement=1 -a GlyphCache=1
I think it's better to use defaults settings from nvidia not to have these redraw issues ;)

Unfortunately:

1. I am not running compiz.

2. I have an ATI video card, not an nvidia one.

This suggests that the underlying problem remains.

Robert Bernecky >> yes you were right...the problem is still there though it is less annoying than before...
it completely disappears when I disable compiz.

Hello,

The same here, I am using gnome, but also some qt4/kde4 applications. All the GTK apps work well, but skype, kmail and globally all qt4/kde4 apps seem to have redraw problems. It seems a simple click in the window triggers a redraw.

I have not tested it extensively, but it seems it disappears if I use metacity instead of compiz.

I also installed the whole kde4 desktop, and when I start a kde4 session, these problems seem to disapear (I use KWin in this case).

I tried combinations of compiz options --indirect-rendering and --loose-bindings without any success. I also tried the nvidia hacks suggested on some web sites (InitialPixmapPlacement, ect.) since I have a 8400GS card, but it does not solve the problem.

It is strange that so few people experience this problem.

I'm running an AMD-64 SMP Opteron.

Perhaps the problem only crops up on dual-head systems?

I am running on a single head system :-(

I also had a look at my xorg.conf, but it is almost empty.

The /var/log/xorg.0.log contains no relevant errors (WW or EE entries).

However I just noticed that I do not seem to have this problem on my old Pentium 4 with its 32 bits Ubuntu Intrepid and a nvidia 6600, whereas on my dell m1330 with a 64 bits install and a nvidia 8400, I experience the problem.

I tried to install them both the same way (I have done the update to Intrepid the same way also), and I use gnome with some kde4/qt4 apps on the two.

As of 2008-12-09, with all Intrepid updates, this problem (failure to redraw windows) has vanished from my system.
Not sure exactly when it went away...

forgot about that as I had disabled compiz.
just tested with compiz on and indeed the problem seems to have vanished.

i`ve got this bug since i installed hardy, i have nvidia graphic card and compiz enabled (when compiz is disabled redrawing works fine). I`m facing this issue mostly in Skype and Kadu (chat windows are not redrawing after filling up with messages) - both programs are using qt4.

i meant intrepid :)

I have the same problems as Linus Nordin (comment #17). It occurs in xterm as well as gnome-terminal. Fresh install of 8.10, same hardware.

This problem has been much discussed in the nvidia user support forums. It appears to only/mostly arise when Compiz is in use. The problem is caused by an Nvidia feature called "powermizer" that pushes the video card into low performance mode. Some people say some changes in xorg.conf help, but I tried them all and none mattered. On my Lenovo T61, I found that an option for the nvidia kernel module does help. You can force powermizer into a higher rate with a kernel module option. Here is the content of the option that fixes it for me.

$ cat /etc/modprobe.d/nvidia
options nvidia NVreg_RegistryDwords="PerfLevelSrc=0x2222"
options nvidia NVreg_Mobile=1

The Nvidia techs are aware of this and they have a beta driver that helps, but at the moment it randomly crashes the system. You win some, you lose some.

pj

I can confirm this Bug. Most Redraw Issues with rxvt-unicode, sometimes with Firefox.

Greetings
Betz Stefan

I have an issue with qt4 apps. They sometimes stop redraw their windows. I've also had this issue in hardy.
I have compiz + nvidia card (with drivers).
Also, there is a problem with tray icons of qt4 apps (their contents gets overlapped with other tray icons).

Without compiz, qt4 apps work normally.

I forgot to mention that this issue appeared in qt 4.4. While I had hardy with qt 4.3, there were no problems with window/icon redrawing.
Someone have similar issues with compiz and qt4: http://bugs.archlinux.org/task/11754

Just done a fresh intrepid install + updates and im getting the same problem, absolutely no tweaking done to x/compiz/whatever settings, just a fresh install. Pretty much every single time i run an aptitude command in gnome-terminal i get this, occasionally get it in firefox, and frequently get it when running emacs. If i go to the appearence settings and set visual effects to "None" the problem dissapears.

I also tried with the updates from -proposed (nvidia 180 and i think there was a compiz update too) and the problem is at least as bad, if not worse.

Single head setting on laptop, 1280x800 resolution screen.

Nvidia card info from nvidia-settings:

GeForce 8400M GS
PCI Express 16x

Any more info that would be useful just ask and i'll post it here.

Hey everyone,

I was also having this problem with Firefox and Qt4 apps. I'm fairly sure the problem is gone since switching to the beta nvidia driver (nvidia-glx-180). Could someone else give this a try too and report back?

Im using nvidia-glx-180 from proposed and the problem is still there
(although less with firefox, and worse with gnome-terminal and emacs)

Tom

On Wed, Jan 14, 2009 at 1:42 AM, Eric Butler <email address hidden>wrote:

> Hey everyone,
>
> I was also having this problem with Firefox and Qt4 apps. I'm fairly
> sure the problem is gone since switching to the beta nvidia driver
> (nvidia-glx-180). Could someone else give this a try too and report
> back?
>
> --
> content of window do not redraw automatically (intrepid)
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/270377
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>

I can confirm what Tom says. The problem still occurs with latest 180.22 drivers from Nvidia though it seems that it appears only after a few seconds when scrolling (in open file dialog for example).

I experienced more or less the same redraw issues, on an up-to-date Intrepid AMD64 install with a GeForce 8200. The failures to redraw window contents occur only with desktop-effects turned on, and mostly in Firefox but sometimes also in other applications. I tried both the standard 177.82 and the new 180.22 nvidia drivers, but both experienced redraw problems. Additionally, the 180.22 driver destabilised USB and X.org on my system (interrupt issues?), so I had to switch back to 177. Next I tried updating compiz to 0.7.9-git20080918. This seems to have helped a bit, I now only get redraw issues after opening a lot of windows (>32). If I keep the number of open windows below 32, everything seems to be OK. Strange...

levien >> I've just tried with compiz 0.7.9 and this issue is still there...particularly in LastFM left panel when you scroll multiple times....
I'm using 180.27 driver from nvidia ;)

I just tried the 180.27 nvidia driver as well, but this version still locks up my system after an hour or so. When this happens the Xorg process goes to 100% CPU use, and I need to log in remotely to either kill X or restart the system, because other methods (CTRL-ALT-DEL, CTRL-ALT-Backspace or switching to a text terminal) don't work anymore... Unfortunately the system logs don't give any indication of errors when this happens. I've switched back to 177.82 again, because at least this version is stable (for me).

Also, the 180.27 driver still gave redraw issues. Here's slightly more detailed description: With compiz 0.7.8 all window updates would cease at the moment any application tries to go fullscreen (screensaver, image viewers, etc.). After I upgraded to compiz 0.7.9, at least this problem was gone and the redraw-issues were relatively minor and infrequent (or unpredictable if you will), and mostly occured in Firefox (haven't tried LastFM). However, when I open a lot of (I think more than 32) windows, the contents of the most recently opened windows isn't drawn or updated at all until I manually resize the window.

My system has an Asus M3N 78 motherboard with a GeForce 8200 mGPU and a quad-core Phenom CPU. When I turn off desktop effects, everything works just fine. (To be able to switch easily I installed Compiz-Switch: http://forlong.blogage.de/article/pages/Compiz-Switch). I guess I'll just have to keep trying new versions of the nvidia driver as they are released...

I think there are two separated problems (always with compiz activated)
- one with QT4 apps
- another with gnome-terminal for example

I may have found a dirty workaround. Try launching compiz with "loose binding" disabled...It seems to solve the issue...
However, I've noticed some slownesses in compiz effects (expose, cube rotate for example) with loose binding disabled...

(latest nvidia driver 180.29).

Anakin, you're brilliant! I've been trying to track down the cause of this problem for ages, and your suggestion has just helped me find it. Apparently the redraw problems are caused by a race condition, which occurs with compiz in combination with nvidia driver versions above 177.76. According to nvidia developers at the nvnews forums: "[the cause of the problem] is a race condition between the X server and compiz that's the result of a fundamental design problem in the way the Damage extension works." and "[fixing it] will require more changes to the Damage and GLX extensions, the X server, Compiz, and the NVIDIA X driver."

Because it is apparently caused by a design problem, it will probably take some time before the problem is fixed. The only real way to ensure it doesn't happen is not to use compiz. But on some systems it helps to change settings that affect the timing of pixmap uploads to the GPU. You can for instance try to disable the compiz "--loose-binding" option, or play with the powermizer settings.

I just had a look at the wrapper script that launches compiz in Ubuntu. It enables --loose-binding on nvidia hardware (which in turn works around a performance issue with texture binding on nVidia cards), but it only seems to do this when indirect rendering is disabled (the default setting). So in theory this should disable --loose-binding without having to edit the wrapper script or (re)start compiz by hand every time:

mkdir -p ~/.config/compiz; echo INDIRECT=0 >> ~/.config/compiz/compiz-manager

It just adds "INDIRECT=0" to the configuration file ~/.config/compiz/compiz-manager, to force indirect rendering. This will of course degrade performance and disable some effect plugins, but if it works I would much prefer it to having the current redraw problems...

See also:
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=120892
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=124470

You can also use fusion-icon to easily disable loose-binding and/or indirect rendering ;)
By the way, no problem at all with Kwin compositing manager (from latest KDE 4.2)...