354870 - Tabs and tab strip show garbled graphics (artifacts) when multiple tabs are open

Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME

(Firefox :: Tabbed Browser, defect)

Description

[Bill]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1) Gecko/20060918 Firefox/2.0
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1) Gecko/20060918 Firefox/2.0

When multiple tabs are open and the links toolbar is used, sometimes the icons of the links are displayed on the tabs themselves when moused over.

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1.open multiple tabs
2.Have multiple links displayed (toolbar)
3.Mouse over tabs

Actual Results:  
can be seen here http://lilwilliam.com/tab.jpg

Expected Results:  
Not displayed icon of links on the tabs....

Comment 1

[Ria Klaassen (not reading all bugmail)]

Can you also reproduce this with disabled extensions or with a new profile?

Comment 2

[Premasagar Rose]

I get this also. I have disabled all extensions and I still get it. I have not yet tried creating a new profile.

My version of FF:
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1) Gecko/20061010 Firefox/2.0

Example screenshot:
http://static.flickr.com/80/279727811_8613e419e4_o.png

Comment 3

[Martin Herr]

I have been able to reproduce this with moving between the links on the toolbar and an out of focus tab every time so long as the link is directly above the tab. Also I have noticed something similar, but slightly different. Switching between the Microsoft RDP Client on Windows XP and Firefox each Tab Description shows garbled text (it looks almost like a grayed out top menu - ie: "File Edit View History Bookmarks..."). It repeats for each tab until you roll over the tab with your mouse (except the tab in focus, which you have to take out of focus, then bring back for it to refresh). It happens whether I have extensions enabled or disabled. Did not try a different/new profile.

Firefox version: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1) Gecko/20061010 Firefox/2.0

Comment 4

[Martin Herr]

The issue only shows up on my Windows XP Pro machine, but not on another machine that has Windows XP MCE. I used a completely different account on the machine that shows the issue, had it create a new profile, and it still has the issue. The only difference I noted was the machine with the issue had Flashblock installed - I uninstalled Flashblock and it made no difference. I then made sure I installed the latest version of Flashblock, also no difference.

Comment 5

[Jason Mancine]

I have duplicated this bug in FF 2.0 with no extensions and a new profile on Windows XP Home.

It is noteworthy that the issue only happens to INACTIVE tabs when moused over.  So, at first glance it would seem to be a problem with the code that is used to highlight the tab when the cursor rolls over it.

The problem only occurs with active content on the above toolbar.   For example, buttons on the bookmark bar, or if you've removed the bookmark bar, the navigation buttons ghost onto the tabs below, but the URL box does not.

The problem also occurs when a menu (file/edit/view/etc) opens over a tab.   When the menu is retracted, a ghost of the menu remains on any inactive tabs it covered.

Comment 6

[Ria Klaassen (not reading all bugmail)]

*** Bug 359018 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 7

[Ria Klaassen (not reading all bugmail)]

*** Bug 359011 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 8

[Ria Klaassen (not reading all bugmail)]

*** Bug 357925 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 9

[Ria Klaassen (not reading all bugmail)]

*** Bug 360454 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 10

[Karl Georg Friederich]

I once had a similar problem with one of the first versions of Firefox (garbled/ghost images of the toolbar buttons within the toolbar) but it disappeared with an update so I haven't reported it then.
That means that someone fixed this or a similar problem somehow in version 1.0x.

Comment 11

[Ria Klaassen (not reading all bugmail)]

*** Bug 360959 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 12

[Kurt Jaeke]

Maybe this is related to bug #347046?

Comment 13

[g766pe302]

Attachment: Screenshot of Audacity Forum exhibiting similar behavior

While preforming a search on the Audacity Forums (http://audacityteam.org/forum/search), I found the heading of the page to be reflected in the search results, as depicted in the attached image. This behavior seems similar to the problem in this bug. I loaded this page in a computer which is not experiencing this Firefox bug and found that the the Audacity search page loaded normally without the artifacts.

Comment 14

[g766pe302]

Comment on attachment 246563 [details]
Screenshot of Audacity Forum exhibiting similar behavior 

><HTML><BODY>Removed</BODY></HTML>

Comment 15

[Bob]

Attachment: garbled tabs

The title of this bug claims that the problem is in "tabs" but the screenshot is of the main viewing area. This screenshot shows that the TABS are garbled with what appears to be a kind of echo from the "file..edit...view.." bar plus the icons immediately below it.

Comment 16

[Jason Mancine]

Now running 2.0.0.1 and still have this problem.

The bug affects only the tabs on my computer...it is an "echo" or "ghost" of whatever might be above depending on your toolbar/menu arrangement.  In this case it is the navigation buttons.

Here's the screenshot:

http://www.mancine.net/ffbug.html

I am still able to duplicate this bug 100% of the time on any inactive tab.

Comment 18

[Christopher Sisk]

Running 2.0.0.3 and I too am still seeing this problem. WinXP Pro.

screenshot: http://www.flickr.com/photos/christophersisk/433234764/

Comment 19

[Christopher Sisk]

Attachment: screenshot

Comment 20

[Michael]

Attachment: artifacts

Same bug appears also in Download Manager and in Themes/Extensions list.

Comment 22

[Moshe Katz]

I have Windows 2000 and I also have this problem.  I did a complete removal (delete registry keys, profile, etc) and a re-install and the problem persists (even with new 2.0.0.3).

Comment 24

[g766pe302]

Thunderbird users are experiencing a similar problem at Bug 352694. I am actually experiencing both bugs. 

Comment 25

[Theodore Kloba]

I am experiencing both bugs as well.  In both cases it started with the upgrade to version 2.

Comment 26

[Alan Cox]

Theodore Kloba's display settings work-around for the related Thunderbird bug (at 
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=352694#c31) seems to fix this one for me as well.

Comment 28

[Greg W]

I've experienced this bug also and can confirm that reducing one's graphics acceleration settings is a workaround.  I have a Dell Inspiron 8000 with an Nvidia GeForce2 Go graphics adapter with the latest graphics drivers from Dell.

For anyone watching this bug, based on all the troubleshooting on https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=352694 this bug is likely due to a graphics driver bug in Dell's Nvidia graphics drivers for systems with an Nvidia RIVA TNT2 or GeForce2 GO.  

(A lower-level cause seems to be related to rendering gradient(?) fills on a .png file used in the Thunderbird/?Firefox newer UIs.)

Adobe Acrobat Reader version 8, Adobe's main (free) tool for viewing PDF files, also has problems with GeForce2 Go and Riva TNT2 drivers+hardware, perhaps for similar underlying reasons.  http://www.adobe.com/go/kb400660   

If you are reporting this bug and can confirm the graphics driver or graphics hardware or graphics driver used by your machine, that'd be helpful in confirming/denying the above hypothesis.

As mentioned earlier, reducing your graphics acceleration settings is a workaround.  Does anyone know of a userChrome.css-type workaround?

Comment 29

[dpolivaev]

I confirm that I had seen the bug using Compaq with Nvidia RIVA TNT2. The bug seems to dissapear after I have installed another graphic card driver.

Comment 30

[Arne R. van der Heyde]

Dropping Hardware acceleration to one notch below full on my Nvidia TNT2 video card fixes this problem on my system. Firefox and Thunderbird seem to be the only programs exhibiting garbled displays at full acceleration.

Comment 31

[Jason Mancine]

I confirm the workaround on a Dell Inspiron 8200 with Nvidia GeoForce2 GO.  The garbled graphics only occur with the adapter set at full acceleration.

Comment 32

[Greg Silverman]

(In reply to comment #31)
> I confirm the workaround on a Dell Inspiron 8200 with Nvidia GeoForce2 GO.  The
> garbled graphics only occur with the adapter set at full acceleration.
> 

I updated my Nvidia GeoForce's driver to version 5.6.7.3 and that seems to have fixed the problem. I say seems to because I did not have a way to make the problem occur and it would not appear every day.

Comment 33

[Arne R. van der Heyde]

Removing the Nvidia TNT driver, rebooting and using the default Windows driver for the NVidia TNT allows full hardware acceleration to be used on my system without any painting problems in Firefox or Thunderbird.

Comment 34

[Tom Interval]

Attachment: Another screenshot showing artifacts

Comment 37

[Mark O]

Removed nVidia drivers and that fixed the problems.

Comment 38

[james.bugzilla]

A very similar old bug on this driver glitch is below as it affected both Firefox and Thunderbird.

"Icons appear corrupt with nvidia 52.16 driver (and later) - works again with 56.64 (and later)"
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=224279

Comment 39

[bugzilla.mozilla.org]

Sadly, Dell does not provide those newer drivers for my I8100. But with the help of http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/ I got now a 6x.xx driver installed on my I8100 and the rendering issues in both thunderbird and firefox are gone (with full hw acceleration)

fixed :)

Comment 41

[Phil Ringnalda (:philor)]

Does anyone who was seeing this with an old Nvidia driver and who still has that driver see it in Firefox 3.0?

Comment 42

[Aguinaldo]

I confirm this - or related - issue using FireFox 3.0, Windows XP Professional and Intel 82945G onboard video adapter. 

It affects not only the tabs, but all the browser window. It starts with garbled updates of the content of the page that can be 'solved' scrolling the garbled area out of the screen and bringing it back. Soon after, all the firefox window area is affected: only moused areas are updated. Closing and reopening the firefox does not solve it.

I only could workaround it by logging off and in, or deactivating and reactivating the Hardware Acceleration (no browser restarts required).

I used Firefox 2 for a long time before and this never happened.

Comment 43

[g766pe302]

Interesting. I experienced this bug in Firefox 2.0 but no longer have any issues in 3.0.

Comment 44

[:Felipe Gomes (needinfo for replies!)]

The graphics engine has been significantly changed rewritten since this bug was filed and the last report of it happening was mentioned, so marking as WORKSFORME