I have the same problem as in this previously asked and not answered question:What may cause the desktop wallpaper to be scrambled?

Here are some of the recommended cli commands to post here:

sudo lsb_release -a:

No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 14.04 LTS
Release: 14.04
Codename: trusty

sudo uname -a:

Linux igmuska-1525 3.13.0-24-generic #46-Ubuntu SMP Thu Apr 10 19:11:08 UTC 2014 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

sudo dpkg -l | grep xserver-xorg-video:

ii xserver-xorg-video-all 1:7.7+1ubuntu8 amd64 X.Org X server -- output driver metapackage ii xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:7.3.0-1ubuntu3 amd64 X.Org X server -- AMD/ATI display driver wrapper ii xserver-xorg-video-cirrus 1:1.5.2-1build1 amd64 X.Org X server -- Cirrus display driver ii xserver-xorg-video-fbdev 1:0.4.4-1build1 amd64 X.Org X server -- fbdev display driver ii xserver-xorg-video-glamoregl 0.6.0-0ubuntu4 amd64 X.Org X server -- graphics acceleration module based on OpenGL ii xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.910-0ubuntu1 amd64 X.Org X server -- Intel i8xx, i9xx display driver ii xserver-xorg-video-mach64 6.9.4-1build1 amd64 X.Org X server -- ATI Mach64 display driver ii xserver-xorg-video-mga 1:1.6.3-1build1 amd64 X.Org X server -- MGA display driver ii xserver-xorg-video-modesetting 0.8.1-1build1 amd64 X.Org X server -- Generic modesetting driver ii xserver-xorg-video-neomagic 1:1.2.8-1build1 amd64 X.Org X server -- Neomagic display driver ii xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.10-1ubuntu2 amd64 X.Org X server -- Nouveau display driver ii xserver-xorg-video-openchrome 1:0.3.3-1build1 amd64 X.Org X server -- VIA display driver ii xserver-xorg-video-qxl 0.1.1-0ubuntu3 amd64 X.Org X server -- QXL display driver ii xserver-xorg-video-r128 6.9.2-1build1 amd64 X.Org X server -- ATI r128 display driver ii xserver-xorg-video-radeon 1:7.3.0-1ubuntu3 amd64 X.Org X server -- AMD/ATI Radeon display driver ii xserver-xorg-video-s3 1:0.6.5-0ubuntu4 amd64 X.Org X server -- legacy S3 display driver ii xserver-xorg-video-savage 1:2.3.7-2ubuntu2 amd64 X.Org X server -- Savage display driver ii xserver-xorg-video-siliconmotion 1:1.7.7-2build1 amd64 X.Org X server -- SiliconMotion display driver ii xserver-xorg-video-sis 1:0.10.7-0ubuntu6 amd64 X.Org X server -- SiS display driver ii xserver-xorg-video-sisusb 1:0.9.6-2build1 amd64 X.Org X server -- SiS USB display driver ii xserver-xorg-video-tdfx 1:1.4.5-1build1 amd64 X.Org X server -- tdfx display driver ii xserver-xorg-video-trident 1:1.3.6-0ubuntu5 amd64 X.Org X server -- Trident display driver ii xserver-xorg-video-vesa 1:2.3.3-1build1 amd64 X.Org X server -- VESA display driver ii xserver-xorg-video-vmware 1:13.0.2-2ubuntu1 amd64 X.Org X server -- VMware display driver

sudo lspci | grep VGA:

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller (primary) (rev 0c)

I have also installed and ran CompizConfig Settings Manager on a dead, but hopeful, end.

My laptop is a Dell Inspiron 1525, 3GB memory. Chromium seems to be the elephant in the room. I've had the smearing issue with both 13.10 and now 14.04. I have noticed through run repeatedly "free -m" that my swap is rarely used as shown below:

free -m: total used free shared buffers cached Mem: 3000 2260 739 209 42 973 -/+ buffers/cache: 1244 1755 Swap: 3059 242 2817

I've not found a suitable solution except for a reboot, which is unacceptable for obvious reasons. I did, however, a workaround: Go to Settings, change to another wallpaper, change back to my desired wallpaper, fixing the smearing; then to clear up the smeared GUI text, I switched from the default theme "Ambiance" to "Radiance".

2 Sorted by: Reset to default

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