I have the same problem :

Ubuntu Hardy
I-386
CPU 2X Xeon 2.4 GHz P4
Video ATI 9600pro 128 Mb RAM
ATI proprietary drivers Catalyst 3.8 (latest)

My workaround is to open Blender with the -p 0 0 800 600 switch and maximize the screen afterward.
I made this alias in ~/.bashrc (1):
alias b47="~/installation directory of Blender/ &./blender -p 0 0 800 600 -d"
The command "b47" starts blender 2.47, in a 800x600 window and -d gives interesting feedback in the console, in case Blender crashes.
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It really is ~/bashrc_aliases" in fact but I don't know how Suse goes about that so let's make it safe...

Jean

I've had this problem before, are you using compiz/desktop effects?

My solution is to drop to icewm or xfce, turn 3D (compiz) off, and see if the problem repeats.

*Sorry for double-posting
I also tried this on OpenSUSE 11.0, Fedora 8/9 and Ubuntu 7.10/8.04. This solution seems consistent on my box.

ATI HD2400

There isn't a thing compiz related installed here

This is definitel a graphics card driver issue. Check if there's updates or setting you can disable with an ATI control panel?

Posting a screenshot would be interesting too (attach to this report)

thx for all of the advices. Helped a lot for diagnosis and future work around. Here my results:

- Using -p switch with 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x1024 and even 1599x1200(!) and 1600x1199(!) work perfectly fine
- Only 1600x1200 fails as described
- tried to do a screenshot with KSnapshot, using a few seconds of delay. The result is a failure free image of blender start screen, though my monitor shows it puzzled., sorry Ton.
- I'm using catalyst 8.8 (downloaded 2008.08.28), still latest. @Jean: you don't use 3(!).8, right ;-)
- i guess, that debugging blender will not help, because blender thinks the window content is fine - like KSnapshot

Looking at the results, i suppose the same as you all do:
its a driver fault and not blender, especially since the image of the screen is ok.

Just for diagnosis: If you take away just one pixel from resolution: is it working as it does for me?

Next step: Maybe the bug should be carried to ati/amd. Is there a recommended way to do so?

Right, Catalyst 8.8
LOL
I scrambled that myself.

Here's a photo, Peter and Ton, just so we are 100% sure that we are talking about the same thing.
http://www3.sympatico.ca/blenderized/ATIscramblingKubuntu.jpg
Enjoy.

Jean

@jean: yes & thx, your screenshot is very similar, only my screen is not that "regular"

Does it help to take one pixel from size?

Peter,
yes a difference of one pixel does it. It can be in width or height and it can be plus or minus that pixel. That should make a good bug report for ATI.

The place to make those reports is http://ati.cchtml.com/ but it isn't responsive ATM.

Just so we can end this bug report ans still be on ATI's case would you check out this BA thread and see if you have the same problem ?
http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?t=135419

Ciao

@all
- 1601x1200 works fine
- 1600x1201 has the described failure

@jean: opened the GLSL blend file. Here my result:
- textured draw type: all is solid red (#ff0000)
- shaded draw type: all is shaded blue (#00a0a0 at light places)
- solid draw type: all is shaded red (#b60a0a at light places)
- none has two colors like your screenshot.
-> i can't compare it with your expected results

the link http://ati.cchtml.com/ is not available at the moment. Decided to open a ticket (#737-1363832) at ATI Customer Service

just to document the story. About 4 weeks after this report ther was a new release from ati driver. I installed it and together with my daily builds of kde 4.1.2 (then) the problem was solved. You might close this bug.

This is a generic request to test your bug report and see if it is still an issue in 2.5alpha2 if so please let me know by making a comment in this report ie 'also in 2.5alpha2' and I will add it to the 2.5 bug list.

no problem any more - close it. I'm using blender 2.5 a2 (oss 11.1, catalyst 09.x) meanwhile and the effect is not there anymore.