Catalyst Artifacts Black Squares on Firefox

[c627627]

Apparently this affects Catalyst 12.11 Beta, 13.1 and 13.2 Beta, possibly rarely Catalyst 12.10. Started appearing around Firefox 18 release. Problem may not present on earlier Catalyst drivers or on Internet Explorer/Chrome [any Cat version]. Problem not limited to Windows 8. Affects ATi 7xxx series. Frequency of problem may be reduced by different factors so if frequency reduces, people think it's resolved but then a day or two later it reappears briefly again.


EDIT: Official bug thread: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=837489

EDIT EDIT: Solution is to:

Firefox >
about:config

Next to Search: type
gfx.content.azure.enabled
Double click on it to set its value to FALSE

 

[Xenohitsu]

i have both Catalyst 13.2 beta and Firefox 18.0.1 and I haven't noticed any black squares during browsing the past few days, for several hours too. Do you have Windows 7/Vista, 32-bit, and which series?

 

[I.M.O.G.]

While you wait for a real fix in the drivers or in firefox updates, does disabling hardware acceleration help?

Tools > Options > Advanced > General > Browsing then use hardware acceleration when available can be turned off.

 

[c627627]

This is now a known bug they are working on. It is not limited to Windows version or specific web site like Facebook but it may be limited to 7xxx series of AMD ATi cards.

Proof:
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=837489

 

[c627627]

Solution is to:

Firefox >
about:config

Next to Search: type
gfx.content.azure.enabled
Double click on it to set its value to FALSE


[Mozilla graphics API (Application Programming Interface) Azure, works as the layer between the browser and the various native libraries and technologies.]


They posted that AMD commented saying

"This issue was investigated by AMD and it was confirmed to be a bug in the FireFox coding, and the remedy for the issue has been confirmed on that thread as disabling the gfx Azure content. The issue was thoroughly investigated, but was confirmed that it cannot be remedied through the driver software as it is inherent to the Firefox code, and not anything that can be manipulated through the driver software."

 

[ExecuteOrder66]

I had the same problem. Then after awhile Firefox would not even start.
Uninstalled. Downloaded Chrome. Problem solved.

 

[c627627]

Good for you.

There are many add-ons that are not available for Chrome that prevent me to resolve this issue by simply ditching Firefox which I would consider doing if the add-ons I cannot do without were available.


But just FYI, regarding other problems with Firefox, they are easy to fix, that's why we left Internet Explorer for Firefox long ago:


Simply go to: Start Menu > Run... >
firefox.exe -profilemanager -no-remote
> OK > Create Profile... > Next > Enter new profile name, select Folder location > OK > Finish >
make sure the newly created profile name is selected > Start Firefox.


Setup Firefox just like you like it to be then Backup your custom personal Firefox folder you just set up.



From then on - simply nuke the old Firefox folder and copy-paste the backed up folder - startup problems solved!