ALL text/desktop corrupted

[gold_finger]

Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA GF116 [GeForce GTS 450 Rev. 2]
          X.Org: 1.15.1 drivers: nouveau (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: [email protected], [email protected]
          GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on NVCF GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 10.1.3

From the output, your Nvidia card is using generic nouveau driver.  Once you install proprietary Nvidia driver the problem should be solved.  Do that by following either terminal method suggested by rokytnji, or just go to Menu -> Settings -> Install Drivers as Valtam said.  If presented with more than one choice for driver, pick one using best judgement, or post a screenshot of window if you want second opinion.  (See here for instructions to post screenshot.)

[Monkeyman]

Here are my options.  Which one should I choose?

[gold_finger]

I'd go with first option -- version 331.38.  Says "(proprietary, tested)" indicating that it has been "tested" and found to work well, so that's probably best one.  If no good for some reason, run driver search again and pick the second one.

Let us know if that fixes problem.

[Monkeyman]

That would have been my guess but I didn't want to jump the gun.  Thanks.  I'll see if that makes a difference.