Window border graphic distortion

Adrian, Have you seen the memory resize on your unit? (open activity monitor and go to the System Memory section) - Mine is 19M RAM usage, day in and day out (the Pie chart shows 493 and I have stock 512)

I'm pretty certain that this isn't due to that - but I can't reproduce it with any of my code mini's. If it is a driver problem - only a very few people have been able to trigger it. Can anyone reboot and have a guaranteed set of steps to reproduce this?

I am running a generic 1280x1024 res, so I don't think that is the problem, I think it is a RAM issue as well.

Michael,

My Mini Core Duo has 1 GB RAM, but I have not actively monitored the Memory Usage. I will watch it tonight when I get home to see if I can create an instance when the Memory Allocation is resized.

I guess what I am getting at is that my Mac has sufficient RAM, so the only logical place where this is failing is when the RAM is allocated for Graphic Display.

Suppose that when my Mac is put to sleep, the standard saving of the current system state is performed. If the Memory that is currently allocated for Graphics (and how the Memory is allocated - it may not be a contiguous segment of RAM) is not stored when the Sleep event occurs, when the System wakes, it has no actual record of the Memory Map from when the system went into sleep (meaning that the Graphics Memory Map becomes corrupted).

I'm really in the hands of the apple Developers here, as I have no experience in Driver programming (I'm a beginner to be truthful, so take my deductions with a grain of salt).

As I said earlier, I have raised a bug to Apple, so lets see what they come up with.

Note: I have included links to the following in the bug report:

http://web.mac.com/dworld/iWeb/Site/Mac%20Mini%20Graphics.html
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=448134&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=394694&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=400981&tstart=0
http://episteme.arstechnica.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/8300945231/m/473001408731

Oh ... and another thing ... bear in mind that the Mac Mini is unique with regards to Graphics at this point in time, as all other Macs have dedicated Graphics Memory, whilst the Mini shares its System Memory with the GMA950.

I just sent a bug report, too, with a screenshot and a link to this discussion, so I think we're good. We should be getting some replies sooner or later.

Great!! 2 reports are better than 1.

Actually 3 hehe, I accidentally sent mine twice... oops!

No big deal, now two people at Apple can be comlained at!

Yes - I am aware that this is different than most macs. If there were a bug in the memory management code, I would expect spectacular failures across the board. Obviously something is causing it.

I work on software for a living. As a human it's always satisfying to identify with other people that have a problem, but - if you want to get a bug fixed - be as specific and clear and detailed about what exactly has to be done to reproduce the problem.

I'm not saying you haven't - but looking at some of the threads, it's hard to know where to look other than some of the people have some sort of problem that isn't really narrowed down to hardware (monitors, cables, mini itself, RAM modules, graphics chip set) or software (drivers, Aqua or quartz composting code, virtual memory, or third party SW)...

There are several other people in the UNIX forum reporting some graphics anomalies when using a specific program (X11) to access certain remote machines (all one flavor of linux) and that the graphics are always 100% of the time a gross yellow color. Now that's a bug report that will get reproduced, analyzed, and fixed in short order...

Michael,

I take your point, and I will be looking to perform some specific actions that have previously created the issue. Once I have repeated it a couple of times, I will be updating the bug report with these details.

I also work in IT for a living, but I am not a programmer by trade (only hobby). It is also not up to me to cover every possible scenario under which this will occur (as there seems to be many). However, in my best efforts, I will be trying to come up with a repeatable set of tasks to replicate the problem to expedite a solution.

I don't think it unreasonable (from a user's perspective) log an issue as has been done in these forums. Remember, that most people in these forums are not Developers ... they are merely looking for solutions to their issues, or to raise it to the wider community so that it can be addressed.

I'm just hoping that a solution can be reached.

If anyone that has experienced this issue, and has narrowed it down to a repeatable set of actions, please post it and I will endeavor to include it in my Bug Report with Apple.

Regards,

Adrian.

Okay I was pushed up the ladder to the next level of assistance.

What the tech had me do was clear out the cache and prefrences for the Window Server as that appears to be where the fault lies, so It's defiantly not a Hardware issue.

The next step will be to an Archive install of OSX and then use the 10.4.6combo update. That's if there is one for Intel machines.

I'll post back the results as I'll play around tonight with the Programs that usually brings up the problem.

Guess what....it's back 😟

http://homepage.mac.com/dworld/.Public/back_again.jpg

Back on the phone tomorrow I guess.

Well at least according to Apple it's definitely not a Hardware issue but my guess is that it wont be fixed until 10.4.7 comes out. Providing that this distortion of Windows is stuck plainly in the face of Apple. Those who haven't phoned up Apple yet please do so.

Adrian,

Excellent - I think we really are in agreement. I don't mean to discourage anyone to ask, talk, share. Just that sometimes it's hard to know if it's just a need to vent, really an honest attempt to get someone to help, or other...

In this case - you are certainly not expected to cover all bases, I was just offering my two cents on which problems get solved first. I certainly don't have the answers on this one - just some experience that I hoped might help and didn't think would hurt.

I would be majorly irritatated if my only mac was drawing garbage like that. 🙂

Best of luck getting this resolved. I'll lurk and offer any help if I can.

Cheers Michael ... appreciate it.

Just curious. Anyone with the distortion of windows have the Dock Hidden or Dock Magnification on...or both?

Currently Apple has had me set up a new User Account to see if it's a preferences problem, Not too hopeful, but nothing has happened yet.

If the User Account doesn't work, it'll be an Archive Install and then 10.4.6 update with the Combo version tomorrow.

I've been using a new user Account for about five hours now and have been hitting it with everything I can think of, even downloaded the largest HD Quicktime movies I can find an the only result so far has been I've managed to crash front row.

Since rebooting I've changed the View options for the finder to Snap to Grid and Show Item Info to the right.

If everything is still okay after a couple of hours I'll turn on the Dock Magnification and then the Hide Dock options and see what happens.....just got a gut feeling that the whole thing might be tied into the Dock somehow.