Steam App on desktop replaces some text/objects with large white squares

[richomundo]

The steam app replaces some text and objects in drop down menus and the main GUI on desktop with big chunks of squares. These white squares do not appear in game using Steam Overlay. I've updated and upgraded to the latest versions of steam and lubuntu, and the problem still persists.

Sysinfo:
Computer
Processor Intel(R) Pentium(R) M processor 1200MHz
Memory 1016MB (547MB used)
Operating System Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS
Display
Resolution 1024x768 pixels
OpenGL Renderer Mesa DRI Intel(R) 852GM/855GM x86/MMX/SSE2
X11 Vendor The X.Org Foundation
Operating System
Version
Kernel Linux 3.13.0-34-generic (i686)
Compiled #60-Ubuntu SMP Wed Aug 13 15:49:09 UTC 2014
Distribution Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS
Current Session
Desktop Environment LXDE (Lubuntu)

Processor Information:
Vendor: GenuineIntel
CPU Family: 0x6
CPU Model: 0x9
CPU Stepping: 0x5
CPU Type: 0x0
Speed: 1200 Mhz
1 logical processor
1 physical processor
HyperThreading: Unsupported
FCMOV: Supported
SSE2: Supported
SSE3: Unsupported
SSSE3: Unsupported
SSE4a: Unsupported
SSE41: Unsupported
SSE42: Unsupported

Network Information:
Network Speed:

Operating System Version:
Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS (32 bit)
Kernel Name: Linux
Kernel Version: 3.13.0-34-generic
X Server Vendor: The X.Org Foundation
X Server Release: 11501000
X Window Manager: Openbox
Steam Runtime Version: steam-runtime-release_2014-07-22

Video Card:
Driver: Intel Open Source Technology Center Mesa DRI Intel(R) 852GM/855GM x86/MMX/SSE2

Driver Version:  1.3 Mesa 10.1.3
OpenGL Version: 1.3
Desktop Color Depth: 24 bits per pixel
Monitor Refresh Rate: 50 Hz
VendorID:  0x8086
DeviceID:  0x3582
Number of Monitors:  1
Number of Logical Video Cards:  1
Primary Display Resolution:  1024 x 768
Desktop Resolution: 1024 x 768
Primary Display Size: 10.63" x 7.99"  (13.27" diag)
                                        27.0cm x 20.3cm  (33.7cm diag)
Primary VRAM Not Detected

Sound card:
Audio device: Analog Devices AD1981B

Memory:
RAM: 992 Mb

Miscellaneous:
UI Language: English
LANG: en_US.UTF-8
Microphone: Not set
Total Hard Disk Space Available: 36427 Mb
Largest Free Hard Disk Block: 24004 Mb

Installed software:

Recent Failure Reports:

[Tele42]

Intel Graphics older than Ironlake / 945GM have no expectation of working with Steam. They started with a basic expectation of a opengl 2.1 capable video card. You are on Intel gen 2 hardware and the 945GM is gen 4. Your milage may vary and good luck.

[TURBO64]

I am having a similar issue, but with a legacy Radeon card.

IBM Thinkpad T42
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RV200/M7 [Mobility Radeon 7500]
Intel(R) Pentium(R) M processor 1500MHz
Linux thinkpad 3.14-2-486 #1 Debian 3.14.15-2 (2014-08-09) i686 GNU/Linux

Also, downloads seem to go very, very slow compared to the Windows version. Other than that and the visual artifacts, games like Counter-Strike 1.6 and Half-Life seem to work OK, with an occasional crash.

[jljusten]

@gdrewb-valve: It looks like we only support OpenGL 1.3 on that hardware. I think Steam works with OpenGL 2.1. Does Steam work with OpenGL 1.3?

[gdrewb-valve]

The Steam client itself uses pretty vanilla OpenGL so I think it should run on 1.3. I'm not sure the client uses any GL extensions at all.

[TURBO64]

update: still getting the white boxes, but games themselves seem to work just fine.

I think this is the same problem reported by some people here:

http://steamcommunity.com/app/221410/discussions/0/846940247781322487

If the problem is that Steam requires support for OpenGL 2.1 would it be possible for Valve to create a command-line parameter which would load the Steam client without some of the fancy visual effects?

There seems to be quite a few people who experience this problem, it would be a shame if these people could not use all the features of the Steam client, like buying games.

Edit:

And this is probably not an Intel specific issue, it is a problem for any graphics cards which only uses OpenGL 1.3.

[luxpir]

Same issue here on a T42. Anyone found a decent workaround? I read elsewhere that a rollback to 12.04 (if using Ubuntu) was an option. Lubuntu 14.04 in use here, LXDE, which has just been upgraded using the fake-pae workaround.

Not able to browse/install games here due to inability to use the interface. Will try the website to see if possible to add games there.