[opensuse] font blurry problem, strange, very strange.
Dear all, this is the most weired desktop problem I had since using Linux for 10 years. This happens after upgrade to 13.2 from 13.1. Look at this screenshot: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3483854/font_blur_problem.png For example, look at colum I, row 13, you can hardly read it. The blurry font doesn't happen right after boot. It blurs a few minutes after boot. And it only affects newly drawn window - a window with clear fonts won't go blur unless it is redrawn. It affects the GNOME desktop area (application bar on top of each app window, activities list), as well as applications (gedit, nautilus), as well as non-gtk, like jEdit libreoffice without gnome-integration. It affects document area (Libreoffice Writer's content) as well as widgets, but it doesn't affect Chromium's document area. It affects icons, but only gnome icons (not java application's icons), e.g. the current appplication icon on the lock screen. Changing default gnome font with gnome-tweak-tool doesn't help. A change of font, in my case to "Droid Sans", instantly get all text in clear type, but in a few minutes the newly drawn windows, using the new fonts, gets blurry again. However, changing the font in Java application (jEdit, changing only document font to "Droid Sans Mono") has a lasting effect (on document area only). It never affects web pages. See what's displayed in Chromium in the screenshot's background. - If it is a certain font's problem, why changing font won't help? - If it is a gtk problem, why java apps are affected? - If it is a font system (freetype) problem, why gnome's icons are affected? - If it is a display driver problem, why Chromium web pages never have this? (although Chromium UI elements gets blurry like every other applications) - If it is a monitor problem, why the second external monitor also have this and why the screenshot also shows this problem? The computer in question display card, according to lspci: 00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 07) The graphical driver, according to /var/log/Xorg.0.log: [ 71.043] (II) AIGLX: Loaded and initialized i965 [ 71.043] (II) GLX: Initialized DRI2 GL provider for screen 0 [ 71.055] (II) intel(0): switch to mode 1280x800@60.2 on pipe 0 using LVDS1, position (0, 0), rotation normal [ 71.101] (II) intel(0): switch to mode 1280x1024@60.0 on pipe 1 using VGA1, position (0, 0), rotation normal Thanks for reading! -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org
On 6/9/2015 7:11 PM, Weiwu Zhang wrote:
Dear all, this is the most weired desktop problem I had since using Linux for 10 years.
This happens after upgrade to 13.2 from 13.1. Look at this screenshot: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3483854/font_blur_problem.png
For example, look at colum I, row 13, you can hardly read it.
The blurry font doesn't happen right after boot. It blurs a few minutes after boot. And it only affects newly drawn window - a window with clear fonts won't go blur unless it is redrawn.
It affects the GNOME desktop area (application bar on top of each app window, activities list), as well as applications (gedit, nautilus), as well as non-gtk, like jEdit libreoffice without gnome-integration.
It affects document area (Libreoffice Writer's content) as well as widgets, but it doesn't affect Chromium's document area.
It affects icons, but only gnome icons (not java application's icons), e.g. the current appplication icon on the lock screen.
Changing default gnome font with gnome-tweak-tool doesn't help. A change of font, in my case to "Droid Sans", instantly get all text in clear type, but in a few minutes the newly drawn windows, using the new fonts, gets blurry again. However, changing the font in Java application (jEdit, changing only document font to "Droid Sans Mono") has a lasting effect (on document area only).
It never affects web pages. See what's displayed in Chromium in the screenshot's background.
- If it is a certain font's problem, why changing font won't help? - If it is a gtk problem, why java apps are affected? - If it is a font system (freetype) problem, why gnome's icons are affected? - If it is a display driver problem, why Chromium web pages never have this? (although Chromium UI elements gets blurry like every other applications) - If it is a monitor problem, why the second external monitor also have this and why the screenshot also shows this problem?
The computer in question display card, according to lspci:
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 07)
The graphical driver, according to /var/log/Xorg.0.log:
[ 71.043] (II) AIGLX: Loaded and initialized i965 [ 71.043] (II) GLX: Initialized DRI2 GL provider for screen 0 [ 71.055] (II) intel(0): switch to mode 1280x800@60.2 on pipe 0 using LVDS1, position (0, 0), rotation normal [ 71.101] (II) intel(0): switch to mode 1280x1024@60.0 on pipe 1 using VGA1, position (0, 0), rotation normal
Thanks for reading!
I used to have this problem on two prior occasions, on different computers. The first, I don't recall the video card, but the device could run in two resolutions, one was native, and the other was stretched. The stretched one would exhibit this. Back in Opensuse 12.3 release, I was using the community drivers for my AMD video card. They were no where near as good as they are now. In fact I think I posted on this list about this issue and was directed to a repository for Xorg produced by one of the guys working on it. That was a huge advantage for me, but it was no longer necessary by the time 13.2 rolled around as the beta Xorg has since moved into production. You might look into seeing if there is a later xorg for your release. In my case the bad spot would appear in different places, occasionally caused the mouse pointer to turn into a half-inch square, etc. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org
On Wednesday 10 June 2015 12:11:07 Weiwu Zhang wrote:
Dear all, this is the most weired desktop problem I had since using Linux for 10 years.
This happens after upgrade to 13.2 from 13.1. Look at this screenshot: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3483854/font_blur_problem.png
For example, look at colum I, row 13, you can hardly read it.
The blurry font doesn't happen right after boot. It blurs a few minutes after boot. And it only affects newly drawn window - a window with clear fonts won't go blur unless it is redrawn.
It affects the GNOME desktop area (application bar on top of each app window, activities list), as well as applications (gedit, nautilus), as well as non-gtk, like jEdit libreoffice without gnome-integration.
It affects document area (Libreoffice Writer's content) as well as widgets, but it doesn't affect Chromium's document area.
It affects icons, but only gnome icons (not java application's icons), e.g. the current appplication icon on the lock screen.
Changing default gnome font with gnome-tweak-tool doesn't help. A change of font, in my case to "Droid Sans", instantly get all text in clear type, but in a few minutes the newly drawn windows, using the new fonts, gets blurry again. However, changing the font in Java application (jEdit, changing only document font to "Droid Sans Mono") has a lasting effect (on document area only).
It never affects web pages. See what's displayed in Chromium in the screenshot's background.
- If it is a certain font's problem, why changing font won't help? - If it is a gtk problem, why java apps are affected? - If it is a font system (freetype) problem, why gnome's icons are affected? - If it is a display driver problem, why Chromium web pages never have this? (although Chromium UI elements gets blurry like every other applications) - If it is a monitor problem, why the second external monitor also have this and why the screenshot also shows this problem?
The computer in question display card, according to lspci:
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 07)
The graphical driver, according to /var/log/Xorg.0.log:
[ 71.043] (II) AIGLX: Loaded and initialized i965 [ 71.043] (II) GLX: Initialized DRI2 GL provider for screen 0 [ 71.055] (II) intel(0): switch to mode 1280x800@60.2 on pipe 0 using LVDS1, position (0, 0), rotation normal [ 71.101] (II) intel(0): switch to mode 1280x1024@60.0 on pipe 1 using VGA1, position (0, 0), rotation normal
Log shows 1280x800 and 1280x1024, are those native resolutions for your monitor? Could you post the output from 'xrandr --query' as well? -- Regards, Stas -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org
On 06/09/2015 10:11 PM, Weiwu Zhang wrote:
- If it is a certain font's problem, why changing font won't help? - If it is a gtk problem, why java apps are affected? - If it is a font system (freetype) problem, why gnome's icons are affected? - If it is a display driver problem, why Chromium web pages never have this? (although Chromium UI elements gets blurry like every other applications) - If it is a monitor problem, why the second external monitor also have this and why the screenshot also shows this problem?
Factoring out software leaves hardware. But yes, the manifestation seems strange. I've had similar but not identical problems in the past. * loose cable I'd discount that if you tied with a second monitor, the back and forth you 'd have made sure. * loose card. I know this doesn't apply with integrated systems * decaying motherboards The downside of integrated motherboards is that they are are 'all in one'. I've had the classic 'capacitor' failures; overheating problems and problems that emerge from that; solder joints oxidizing and undetermined deaths of motherboards. Laptops are prone to a further series of video problems. You don't say if this is a laptop or a desktop or what type of desktop (SFF perhaps), the vendor. You don't say if the video is integrated but I'd presume so from the lspci line. One simple test is to have a spare video board and try that. Disable the onboard and configure for the new board. But do perform a series of checks on the hardware, check cables & connection, visually inspect motherboard, check for hot-spots. The 'it doesn't happen at boot' suggests something in the class of a thermal problem. ------ I have a powerful laptop whose video has failed, but is too good an 'engine' to go to waste. its under my desk and runs, among other things, ownCloud, DNS, Squid ... I can still ssh to it and more to the point run X over ssh. http://www.vanemery.com/Linux/XoverSSH/X-over-SSH2.html http://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/12755/how-to-forward-x-over-ssh-from... (the above says 'you do not need to set any environment variables' but recent threads here indicate that may not always be the case!) A final test to see if this is a hardware problem .... within some bounds ... would be to ssh -X to it. What bounds? I'm not sure. It depends how you access the software. You don't need to log in as you would at a terminal if you are using the X11 authentication, but I'm not sure which libraries will be doing the rendering, which machines fonts will be used etc. Perhaps there are gurus who can tell you. However a remote login with ssh -X eliminates some of the hardware in the loop. -- A: Yes. > Q: Are you sure? >> A: Because it reverses the logical flow of conversation. >>> Q: Why is top posting frowned upon? -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org
On Wed, 10 Jun 2015, Stanislav Baiduzhyi wrote:
Log shows 1280x800 and 1280x1024, are those native resolutions for your monitor?
Yes they are.
Could you post the output from 'xrandr --query' as well?
Yes: Screen 0: minimum 8 x 8, current 1280 x 1824, maximum 32767 x 32767 LVDS1 connected 1280x800+0+1024 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 0mm x 0mm 1280x800 60.16*+ 1024x768 60.00 800x600 60.32 56.25 640x480 59.94 DVI1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) VGA1 connected primary 1280x1024+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 338mm x 270mm 1280x1024 60.02*+ 75.02 1280x960 60.00 1280x800 74.93 59.81 1152x864 75.00 1280x768 74.89 59.87 1024x768 75.08 70.07 60.00 1024x576 59.97 832x624 74.55 800x600 72.19 75.00 60.32 56.25 848x480 60.00 640x480 75.00 72.81 66.67 60.00 720x400 70.08 VIRTUAL1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) On Wed, 10 Jun 2015, Anton Aylward wrote:
You don't say if this is a laptop or a desktop or what type of desktop (SFF perhaps), the vendor. You don't say if the video is integrated but I'd presume so from the lspci line.
The reason I didn't mention too much hardware spec, is because I ruled out hardware issue in the first run. Chromium always display webpage content correclty although the UI (title bar) messes up -> straight lead me to suspect software. Yes, it is a laptop, "Toshiba Portégé Dynabook R600" is the model. Now to think about it, I can reboot to Windows to use a few hours, see if it affects Windows too. I doubt so, because I don't remember any problem on this openssue before upgrading to 13.1. The model is about the age to break down.
The 'it doesn't happen at boot' suggests something in the class of a thermal problem.
Right - but it also suggest that this is trigged by lock-screen, when monitor is shutdown to save power and restarted with a lock-screen. I'll force monitor to be on for a few days for observation.
A final test to see if this is a hardware problem .... within some bounds ... would be to ssh -X to it.
I forget to mention that ssh -X always perform okay (on the X of another host of couse), so it leads us away from fonts and gtk again. But, that only moves suspicion to the X-server, and that could be either a driver bug or hardware problem.
On 06/10/2015 07:26 AM, Weiwu Zhang wrote:
Right - but it also suggest that this is trigged by lock-screen, when monitor is shutdown to save power and restarted with a lock-screen. I'll force monitor to be on for a few days for observation.
Lock-screen is a source of various problems for a variety of people. I, for one, have never got it to work consistently on any laptop I've owned.
A final test to see if this is a hardware problem .... within some bounds ... would be to ssh -X to it.
I forget to mention that ssh -X always perform okay (on the X of another host of couse), so it leads us away from fonts and gtk again. But, that only moves suspicion to the X-server, and that could be either a driver bug or hardware problem.
There are two possible classes of hardware probelm, then. One is hardware failure. Perhaps running Windows for a while will tell you about that. The other is hardware comparability with the X server. That breaks down into * genuine bug * fringe behaviour * configuration issue The latter is enormousness since modern video drivers have so many capabilities that can be tweaked in various ways. Or not. -- A: Yes. > Q: Are you sure? >> A: Because it reverses the logical flow of conversation. >>> Q: Why is top posting frowned upon? -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org
participants (4)
-
Anton Aylward -
John M Andersen -
Stanislav Baiduzhyi -
Weiwu Zhang