Area containing widgets changes colors rapidly, psychadelic in appearance.

[Shabakthanai]

This same problem occurred in the past, but I don't have the foggiest idea how it was cured, yet it is not a problem that can be lived with. It is such a great problem, that I would probably have reinstalled the OS to get rid of it, nevertheless if anyone can understand my description and knows the cure, I would appreciate it.

It appears like the various parts of programming features like the segments of a website or widgets placed on a desktop continually change in semitransparent colors. Pink, purple, blue and green, continutally changing and flashing where the segments appear normally. Heeeeeeeeeeeeeelp please!

[Teunis]

Do you mean it's part of the desktop or (part of) the panel that flashes?

I think you mentioned your hardware in another post but could you please repeat it and also which video driver you are using?

A typical cause for this sort of behaviour would be a wrong video refresh rate or not using the native resolution.
Because you've been experimenting with ways to increase the font size I can imagine a conflict between hardware and say dpi settings.

[Shabakthanai]

The entire desktop on both monitors os affected, the entire screen. I have widgets onscreen all the time. One is an analog clock that is about 3" in diameter. Making a square that touches the border of the clock and a translucent changing flashes of colors appears. It constantly changes from one color to another. The background color of the entire screen flashes several changing colors at the same time. And each of the widgets have their own section of flashing colors. It is like a blinking Christmas tree, where each bulb blinks to a new color.

I opened the Windows 7 operating system, and it has stable graphics, so it appears not to be a graphic card problem and must be drivers.

The problem that I have now is that Kubuntu 14.04 no longer has the application that allows you to select drivers, at least I can't find it. It used to be a system entry. I don't know how to identify my drivers anymore, nor know how, using the current application's tools to find this information. Can you help with that? Thanks! In any event, the flashing is too disturbing to use Kubuntu as my operating system right now. I can't wait to get it back.

Do you mean it's part of the desktop or (part of) the panel that flashes?

I think you mentioned your hardware in another post but could you please repeat it and also which video driver you are using?

A typical cause for this sort of behaviour would be a wrong video refresh rate or not using the native resolution.
Because you've been experimenting with ways to increase the font size I can imagine a conflict between hardware and say dpi settings.

[Teunis]

Heh! Some would argue you should do as in the seventies and enjoy it with your pill / herb of choice

The old Jockey application for changing proprietary drivers has been integrated in System Setting under System Administration/ Driver Manager.

Remains the question, what is your video card and which driver are or were you using?

[Shabakthanai]

My Video Card is a DD Radeon 7850 860M 2GB D5 2XmDP HDMI
I changed to the recommended Driver, however the lightshow conitinues. Other configuration changes took place, though. All the Desktop widgets were resized and moved around. An additional widget appeared that I have never seen before on the right side of the screen. Even after unlocking the widgets, it could not be moved. It appears like an Apple widget. There are several large Icons that kind of expand outward as you move a mouse over them. When you go from one to the other it performs like a wave. It cannot be removed.

The Driver that was in the configuration prior to the change I just made has a similar identification, but is stated as included in an update.

Heh! Some would argue you should do as in the seventies and enjoy it with your pill / herb of choice

The old Jockey application for changing proprietary drivers has been integrated in System Setting under System Administration/ Driver Manager.

Remains the question, what is your video card and which driver are or were you using?

I love the larger print.

[Teunis]

I'm no expert on these Radeon cards but I'm fairly sure you'll get rid of the Psychedelics by switching off the so-called Desktop Effects.
It's done by simultaneous pressing of Shift+Alt+F12.

Or get into the System Settings/ Desktop Effects and switch off there.

If this works then please report here.

[Shabakthanai]

No sex involved, but I would give you a hug, if I could. I am laughing again. You are rapidly becomming the "King of the Mountain".

I really enjoy the special effects. Is there a possibility that they will reset and be OK in the future, or have I lost them, more or less, permanently?

[Teunis]

That's why I asked you to report back, maybe someone with better knowledge on the subject can help.

And yes, of course you can at any time toggle the system by pressing these three keys.

Anyhow, I find it strange the 'show' happens both with the proprietary and the OS driver.
On almost that same place in System Settings/ Desktop Effects/ Advanced you can select two other settings.
The first one is the type of compositing, the second the Qt Graphical system.

It's worth while playing with them and see if you can find a combination of settings that does work.

So switch the Desktop Effects back on and then change, ONE STEP at a time the two other settings, click apply and see...