selecting normal or extra visual effects causes applications problems (display issues)

Binary package hint: firefox-3.5

When trying to activate a normal or visual effect, some applications especially firefox 3.5 displays a black screen. A restart solves the problem for a brief moment. I can select normal or extra visual effects settings, the problem is when I do.

Ubuntu 9.10

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
Date: Sun Oct 4 11:21:36 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Package: firefox 3.5.3+build1+nobinonly-0ubuntu3
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-11.38-generic
SourcePackage: firefox-3.5
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-11-generic i686