Shell text is too big in mutter 3.36.4-0ubuntu0.20.04.2 (mostly on Nvidia)

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Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

Yes. Happens to me since today's update. (21 August 2020)

I have font's scaling factor at 1.00. But after reboot fonts are at like 2.00 factor. The factor on the settings is still shown as 1.00. Modifying the factor fixes the issue but has to be done after each reboot.

Same issue here - After upgrade to mutter 3.36.4 yesterday. On reboot the system fonts look like X2. Jiggle the Scaling Factor settings up then back to 1.00 fixes the issue until the next login. Primary monitor has resolution of 3440 x 1440.

Some more information on my experience with this issue. I have upgraded mutter on two other machines and neither exhibit the same behaviour.
1 - Desktop - 1920x1080 - AMD Pitcairn - No Issue
2 - Laptop - 1920x1080 - Mesa Intel UHD Graphics (CML GT2) - No Issue
3 - Desktop - 3440x1440 GeForce GTX 950 - Nvidia Driver (440) - Issue Exists

My laptop has a resolution of 1366x768 and I too use the Nvidia Driver 440.
Could it be an Nvidia thing?

Please complete the bug with apport-collect 1892521
from terminal, to import relevant info of your system
so the developers can debug a better way.

Hi,

I am facing similar issue. Please check the attached screenshot.

Thanks,

Nitin

Hi,

This also affects the initial login screen. PFA screenshot.

Thanks,

Nitin

same here , affects both the initial login screen as well as my desktop.

apport information

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apport information

ProblemType: Bug
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.8
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
InstallationDate: Installed on 2019-01-29 (572 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Release amd64 (20180725)
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_modeset nvidia
Package: mutter 3.36.4-0ubuntu0.20.04.2
PackageArchitecture: amd64
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.4.0-42.46-generic 5.4.44
Tags: focal
Uname: Linux 5.4.0-42-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to focal on 2020-06-27 (57 days ago)
UserGroups: adm cdrom dip docker libvirt lpadmin plugdev sambashare sudo
_MarkForUpload: True

apport information

apport information

apport information

This is probably related to bug 1892440.

It may be related to bug 1892440 as most of us experiencing the bug use NVIDIA cards with driver 440.

For now you can easily fix this without any third-party applications by following these instructions: https://askubuntu.com/a/1269431/1119550

I game a bit on my PC(using wine of course!).So changing the driver is out of the question for me.

I have Lenovo P52 with Nvidia GP107GLM running on Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS and after mentioned update my Gnome desktop is weird - top panel font and all desktop icons font is scaled up to 200%.

Setting Fractional Scaling in Ubuntu settings doesn't help.

msznapka - its the 'Scaling factor' Setting in Gnome Teaks Fonts section that brings things back to normal if you increase the value and then reset to 100%. Not the Fractional Scaling in the Ubuntu settings ( not for me anyway). You need to apt install gnome-tweaks to reset it.

Same here. Tried an older nvidia driver (435) but it didn't help. Affects the desktop and gdm.

Temporary workaround for the desktop: add an autostart command to set the scaling to a slightly different value and back to the original value:

dconf write /org/gnome/desktop/interface/text-scaling-factor 1.01
dconf write /org/gnome/desktop/interface/text-scaling-factor 1.0

o.walbert - that is a really neat trick.

0.walbert - where did you place these commands? I'm a little new to this and I have been having the same problem.

Adrian , let me help you out here

STEP 1 : Open up text editor

STEP 2 : type in the following(for a scaling factor of 1.0):
#!/bin/sh
dconf write /org/gnome/desktop/interface/text-scaling-factor 1.01
dconf write /org/gnome/desktop/interface/text-scaling-factor 1.0

STEP 3 : save it as a script(scripts end with .sh) say textfix.sh ; anywhere you like.

STEP 4 : open up Startup Applications(It is a program included in Ubuntu by default).

STEP 5 : In startup applications click on add.

STEP 6 : Then in the NAME column type in something relevant like font fix(this is optional).

STEP 7 : For the COMMAND column click browse and select the script that we made earlier.
The command column will be filled with the path to the script now.Before the path name, type in the word 'bash'.Now the command column will be filled with something like this 'bash /pathToScript'.

STEP 8 : Click on add(The comment column too is optional).

STEP 9 : now close startup applications , and reboot.

STEP 10 : Things will now return back to normal , so rejoice!

Hope this helped

Hello Akhil

Thankyou for this suggestion and the time you have put in. I tried this, and a few other workarounds from a few other forums, and they have all failed for me. The only solution has been to roll back the recently updated 'libmutter' package, as per comment #17 in https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/mutter/+bug/1892440 using the command:

sudo apt install libmutter-6-0=3.36.1-3ubuntu3 gir1.2-mutter-6=3.36.1-3ubuntu3

the post suggests to also hold the update using:

sudo apt-mark hold libmutter-6-0

I haven't needed to use this command, but I imagine any future update will have to be checked for a solution if this isn't run. In any case, this has provided a complete solution, with the login screen now also back to normal.

Adrian , that's amazing.Reverting the update is a sure fix.

Thank you Marco

I did just want to add that it seems the update has affected the mouse as well. Transitions between windows seems to occasionally disable the mouse click momentarily. This is an issue in dragging and dropping, which will occasionally cut out or display unpredictable behavior. I am fairly certain this isn't an issue with my mouse and the issue emerged just as this update occurred.

Disabling Nvidia GPU (RTX 2080) and using Intel GPU doesn't produce the issue. Not sure about Nvidia nouveau drivers. But nvidia-driver-440 has the issue.