EDIT: Re-opened since the errors came back. and previous solutions didn't work.
I've been happy with 13.04 since launch. This week however something odd started happening. Sometimes after login, the desktop will show, without the global menu or dock. Cannot open dash etc. Sometimes, after rebooting it would just work again, and I can continue my work.
Suddenly today, this got far worse. Now my pc will show the dock and global menu, but I cannot access the desktop (invisible icons, right-click does not work), and the background looks completely borked (see screenshot below). The mouse when over certain windows is constantly flickering.
I've attempted to completely re-install ubuntu 13.04, but even this didn't solve the problem. I have my /home on a separate partition, so I have all my current settings saved, could it be something there?
I still cannot work for long period, because the entire desktop will at random crash, and I lose all window decorations, etc.
I have a deadline for Friday, and my system is in-operable. Does anyone know how I can debug/fix this issue?
EDIT: Installing proprietary drivers does not fix the problem. In fact it results in a blank screen on boot.
EDIT: Extra info, I can boot into my windows 8 partition and play games without any display issues.
EDIT: lspci -nn
output
EDIT: Today I downgraded to 12.10, using the same extended partition for my home folder. Same problems. However, if I log into a guest session, then none of these issues exist. everything works the way it normally does. Is there an issue with my home folder?
EDIT: It's starting again. Something is definitely wrong with unity in 13.04. It keeps changing my monitor settings. I boot up and see the following As soon as I go into the monitor settings to change the monitor settings, the UI breaks like in previous examples, and the only way to fix it is to remove the compiz-1 folder and monitors.xml folder, but after reboot I still see the two desktops overlayed like in the image.
00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family DRAM Controller [8086:0100] (rev 09)
00:01.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200/2nd Generation Core Processor Family PCI Express Root Port [8086:0101] (rev 09)
00:02.0 Display controller [0380]: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0112] (rev 09)
00:16.0 Communication controller [0780]: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 [8086:1c3a] (rev 04)
00:1a.0 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #2 [8086:1c2d] (rev 05)
00:1b.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller [8086:1c20] (rev 05)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 1 [8086:1c10] (rev b5)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 2 [8086:1c12] (rev b5)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 3 [8086:1c14] (rev b5)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge [8086:244e] (rev b5)
00:1d.0 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #1 [8086:1c26] (rev 05)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation Z68 Express Chipset Family LPC Controller [8086:1c44] (rev 05)
00:1f.2 IDE interface [0101]: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family 4 port SATA IDE Controller [8086:1c00] (rev 05)
00:1f.3 SMBus [0c05]: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller [8086:1c22] (rev 05)
00:1f.5 IDE interface [0101]: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family 2 port SATA IDE Controller [8086:1c08] (rev 05)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI Turks XT [Radeon HD 6670] [1002:6758]
01:00.1 Audio device [0403]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI Turks/Whistler HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 6000 Series] [1002:aa90]
03:00.0 USB controller [0c03]: Etron Technology, Inc. EJ168 USB 3.0 Host Controller [1b6f:7023] (rev 01)
04:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller [10ec:8168] (rev 06)
05:00.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Integrated Technology Express, Inc. Device [1283:8892] (rev 30)
EDIT: Adding possible related output
$ /usr/lib/nux/unity_support_test -p
OpenGL vendor string: X.Org
OpenGL renderer string: Gallium 0.4 on AMD TURKS
OpenGL version string: 3.0 Mesa 9.1.1
Not software rendered: yes
Not blacklisted: yes
GLX fbconfig: yes
GLX texture from pixmap: yes
GL npot or rect textures: yes
GL vertex program: yes
GL fragment program: yes
GL vertex buffer object: yes
GL framebuffer object: yes
GL version is 1.4+: yes
Unity 3D supported: yes
Output from unity --replace
:
$ unity --replace
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: core
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: core
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: ccp
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: ccp
compizconfig - Info: Backend : gsettings
compizconfig - Info: Integration : true
compizconfig - Info: Profile : unity
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: composite
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: composite
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: opengl
compiz (core) - Info: Unity is fully supported by your hardware.
compiz (core) - Info: Unity is fully supported by your hardware.
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: opengl
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: compiztoolbox
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: compiztoolbox
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: decor
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: decor
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: vpswitch
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: vpswitch
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: snap
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: snap
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: mousepoll
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: mousepoll
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: resize
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: resize
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: place
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: place
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: move
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: move
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: wall
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: wall
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: grid
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: grid
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: regex
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: regex
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: imgpng
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: imgpng
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: session
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: session
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: gnomecompat
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: gnomecompat
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: animation
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: animation
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: fade
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: fade
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: unitymtgrabhandles
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: unitymtgrabhandles
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: workarounds
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: workarounds
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: scale
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: scale
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: expo
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: expo
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: ezoom
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: ezoom
compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: unityshell
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: unityshell
WARN 2013-05-23 02:21:03 unity.favorite.store FavoriteStore.cpp:131 Unable to load desktop file: /usr/share/app-install/desktop/opera.desktop
WARN 2013-05-23 02:21:03 unity.favorite.store FavoriteStore.cpp:144 Unable to load Favorite for uri 'application:///usr/share/app-install/desktop/opera.desktop'
WARN 2013-05-23 02:21:03 unity.glib.dbus.server GLibDBusServer.cpp:580 Can't register object 'com.canonical.Autopilot.Introspection' yet as we don't have a connection, waiting for it...
WARN 2013-05-23 02:21:03 unity.glib.dbus.server GLibDBusServer.cpp:580 Can't register object 'com.canonical.Unity.Debug.Logging' yet as we don't have a connection, waiting for it...
WARN 2013-05-23 02:21:03 unity.libindicator <unknown>:0 Desktop file '/usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop' is using a deprecated format for its actions that will be dropped soon.
WARN 2013-05-23 02:21:03 unity.glib.dbus.server GLibDBusServer.cpp:580 Can't register object 'com.canonical.Unity.Launcher' yet as we don't have a connection, waiting for it...
WARN 2013-05-23 02:21:03 unity.glib.dbus.server GLibDBusServer.cpp:580 Can't register object 'com.canonical.Unity.Dash' yet as we don't have a connection, waiting for it...
WARN 2013-05-23 02:21:03 unity.glib.dbus.server GLibDBusServer.cpp:580 Can't register object 'org.gnome.SessionManager.EndSessionDialog' yet as we don't have a connection, waiting for it...
compiz (decor) - Warn: No default decoration found, placement will not be correct
compiz (decor) - Warn: No default decoration found, placement will not be correct
compiz (decor) - Warn: No default decoration found, placement will not be correct
compiz (decor) - Warn: No default decoration found, placement will not be correct
compiz (decor) - Warn: No default decoration found, placement will not be correct
compiz (decor) - Warn: No default decoration found, placement will not be correct
compiz (decor) - Warn: No default decoration found, placement will not be correct
compiz (decor) - Warn: No default decoration found, placement will not be correct
compiz (decor) - Warn: No default decoration found, placement will not be correct
Bus error (core dumped)
lspci -nn
output in your post?