I was able to resolve this on trusty doing the following: sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg xserver-xorg-video-intel (and all the depends)
then reboot. Just FYI, i'm on -30 kernel, and using ubuntu-mate as as desktop. Linux dave-ot-trusty 3.16.0-30-generic #40~14.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Thu Jan 15 17:43:14 UTC 2015 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux ~ % dpkg -l xserver-xorg Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold | Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend |/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad) ||/ Name Version Architecture Description +++-==============-============-============-================================= ii xserver-xorg 1:7.7+1ubunt amd64 X.Org X server ~ % dpkg -l xserver-xorg-video-intel Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold | Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend |/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad) ||/ Name Version Architecture Description +++-==============-============-============-================================= ii xserver-xorg-v 2:2.99.910-0 amd64 X.Org X server -- Intel i8xx, i9x ~ % dpkg -l ubuntu-mate-desktop Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold | Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend |/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad) ||/ Name Version Architecture Description +++-==============-============-============-================================= ii ubuntu-mate-de 1.119~trusty amd64 Ubuntu MATE - full desktop No more issues with missing characters, unstable graphics, etc. -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu-X, which is subscribed to xserver-xorg-video-intel in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1432194 Title: Graphics unstable on Ubuntu 14.04 and 14.10 using Intel HD Graphics 5500 To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/linux/+bug/1432194/+subscriptions _______________________________________________ Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-x-swat Post to : ubuntu-x-swat@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-x-swat More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp