I can see the problem as well with cairo that is used in Gnome 2.14

while scrolling down a .desktop file in gedit

(gdb) up
#4  0xb78147b4 in _cairo_ft_scaled_glyph_init (abstract_font=0x8e033e8,
    scaled_glyph=0x9068228, info=CAIRO_SCALED_GLYPH_INFO_SURFACE) at cairo-ft-
font.c:1084
1084    cairo-ft-font.c: Datei oder Verzeichnis nicht gefunden.
        in cairo-ft-font.c

(gdb) p *scaled_glyph
$2 = {cache_entry = {hash = 1, size = 1}, scaled_font = 0x8e033e8, metrics = {
    x_bearing = 0, y_bearing = 0, width = 0, height = 0, x_advance = 5, 
y_advance = 0},
  bbox = {p1 = {x = 0, y = 0}, p2 = {x = 0, y = 0}}, surface = 0x0, path = 0x0,
  surface_private = 0x0}

(gdb) up
#5  0xb7808130 in _cairo_scaled_glyph_lookup (scaled_font=0x8e033e8, index=1, 
info=Variable "info" is not available.
)
    at cairo-scaled-font.c:1224

(gdb) p *scaled_font
$5 = {hash_entry = {hash = 2343489639}, status = CAIRO_STATUS_SUCCESS, ref_count 
= 2,
  font_face = 0x8dca360, font_matrix = {xx = 17, yx = 0, xy = 0, yy = 17, x0 = 
0, y0 = 0},
  ctm = {xx = 1, yx = 0, xy = 0, yy = 1, x0 = 0, y0 = 0}, options = {
    antialias = CAIRO_ANTIALIAS_GRAY, subpixel_order = 
CAIRO_SUBPIXEL_ORDER_DEFAULT,
    hint_style = CAIRO_HINT_STYLE_FULL, hint_metrics = CAIRO_HINT_METRICS_ON}, 
scale = {
    xx = 17, yx = 0, xy = 0, yy = 17, x0 = 0, y0 = 0}, extents = {ascent = 20,
    descent = 9, height = 29, max_x_advance = 35, max_y_advance = 0}, glyphs = 
0x8e034e0,
  surface_backend = 0xb7843380, surface_private = 0x8e3cce0, backend = 
0xb78431cc}
(gdb) up
#6  0xb781ce7e in _cairo_xlib_surface_old_show_glyphs (scaled_font=0x8e033e8,
    op=CAIRO_OPERATOR_OVER, pattern=0xbfcab4f0, abstract_surface=0x9079140, 
source_x=604,
    source_y=9, dest_x=604, dest_y=9, width=622, height=1, glyphs=0x907c8f8, 
num_glyphs=16)
    at cairo-xlib-surface.c:2447
2447    cairo-xlib-surface.c: Datei oder Verzeichnis nicht gefunden.
        in cairo-xlib-surface.c
(gdb) p *scaled_font
$6 = {hash_entry = {hash = 2343489639}, status = CAIRO_STATUS_SUCCESS, ref_count 
= 2,
  font_face = 0x8dca360, font_matrix = {xx = 17, yx = 0, xy = 0, yy = 17, x0 = 
0, y0 = 0},
  ctm = {xx = 1, yx = 0, xy = 0, yy = 1, x0 = 0, y0 = 0}, options = {
    antialias = CAIRO_ANTIALIAS_GRAY, subpixel_order = 
CAIRO_SUBPIXEL_ORDER_DEFAULT,
    hint_style = CAIRO_HINT_STYLE_FULL, hint_metrics = CAIRO_HINT_METRICS_ON}, 
scale = {
    xx = 17, yx = 0, xy = 0, yy = 17, x0 = 0, y0 = 0}, extents = {ascent = 20,
    descent = 9, height = 29, max_x_advance = 35, max_y_advance = 0}, glyphs = 
0x8e034e0,
  surface_backend = 0xb7843380, surface_private = 0x8e3cce0, backend = 
0xb78431cc}
(gdb) p *pattern
$7 = {type = CAIRO_PATTERN_SOLID, ref_count = 1, status = CAIRO_STATUS_SUCCESS, 
matrix = {
    xx = 1, yx = 0, xy = 0, yy = 1, x0 = 0, y0 = 499}, filter = 
CAIRO_FILTER_BEST,
  extend = CAIRO_EXTEND_PAD}
(gdb) p *glyphs
$8 = {index = 1826, x = 604, y = 18}




Backtrace was generated from '/opt/gnome2/bin/gedit'

Using host libthread_db library "/lib/tls/i686/cmov/libthread_db.so.1".
`system-supplied DSO at 0xffffe000' has disappeared; keeping its symbols.
[Thread debugging using libthread_db enabled]
[New Thread -1227707712 (LWP 5852)]
[New Thread -1245406288 (LWP 6057)]
0xffffe410 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
#0  0xffffe410 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
#1  0xb756f4cb in __waitpid_nocancel ()
   from /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libpthread.so.0
#2  0xb7f3739b in libgnomeui_segv_handle (signum=11) at gnome-ui-init.c:825
#3  <signal handler called>
#4  0xb78147b4 in _cairo_ft_scaled_glyph_init (abstract_font=0x8e033e8, 
    scaled_glyph=0x9068228, info=CAIRO_SCALED_GLYPH_INFO_SURFACE)
    at cairo-ft-font.c:1084
#5  0xb7808130 in _cairo_scaled_glyph_lookup (scaled_font=0x8e033e8, index=1, 
    info=) at cairo-scaled-font.c:1224
#6  0xb781ce7e in _cairo_xlib_surface_old_show_glyphs (scaled_font=0x8e033e8, 
    op=CAIRO_OPERATOR_OVER, pattern=0xbfcab4f0, abstract_surface=0x9079140, 
    source_x=604, source_y=9, dest_x=604, dest_y=9, width=622, height=1, 
    glyphs=0x907c8f8, num_glyphs=16) at cairo-xlib-surface.c:2447
#7  0xb780ad81 in _cairo_surface_old_show_glyphs (scaled_font=0x8e033e8, 
    op=CAIRO_OPERATOR_OVER, pattern=0xbfcab4f0, dst=0x9079140, source_x=604, 
    source_y=9, dest_x=604, dest_y=9, width=622, height=1, glyphs=0x907c8f8, 
    num_glyphs=16) at cairo-surface.c:1441
#8  0xb780c292 in _cairo_surface_old_show_glyphs_draw_func (
    closure=0xbfcab440, op=CAIRO_OPERATOR_OVER, src=0xbfcab4f0, 
    dst=0x9079140, dst_x=0, dst_y=0, extents=0xbfcab454)
    at cairo-surface-fallback.c:874
#9  0xb780b3df in _clip_and_composite (clip=0x0, op=CAIRO_OPERATOR_OVER, 
    src=0xbfcab4f0, 
    draw_func=0xb780c200 <_cairo_surface_old_show_glyphs_draw_func>, 
    draw_closure=0xbfcab440, dst=0x9079140, extents=0xbfcab454)
    at cairo-surface-fallback.c:391
#10 0xb780c471 in _cairo_surface_fallback_show_glyphs (surface=0x9079140, 
    op=CAIRO_OPERATOR_OVER, source=0xbfcab4f0, glyphs=0x907c8f8, 
    num_glyphs=16, scaled_font=0x8e033e8) at cairo-surface-fallback.c:937
#11 0xb780acea in _cairo_surface_show_glyphs (surface=0x9079140, 
    op=CAIRO_OPERATOR_OVER, source=0xbfcab4f0, glyphs=0x907c8f8, 
    num_glyphs=16, scaled_font=0x8e033e8) at cairo-surface.c:1406
#12 0xb7801454 in _cairo_gstate_show_glyphs (gstate=0x907c7b8, 
    glyphs=0x907d220, num_glyphs=16) at cairo-gstate.c:1471
#13 0xb77fcd7c in cairo_show_glyphs (cr=0x9078ef0, glyphs=0x907d220, 
    num_glyphs=16) at cairo.c:2158
#14 0xb788255b in pango_cairo_renderer_draw_glyphs (renderer=0x89e1820, 
    font=0x848bf00, glyphs=0x909f050, x=0, y=0) at pangocairo-render.c:237
#15 0xb7863e38 in pango_renderer_draw_glyphs (renderer=0x89e1820, 
    font=0x848bf00, glyphs=0x909f050, x=0, y=0) at pango-renderer.c:599
#16 0xb7882b04 in pango_cairo_show_glyph_string (cr=0x9078ef0, 
    font=0x848bf00, glyphs=0x909f050) at pangocairo-render.c:444
#17 0xb78cf3c5 in gdk_pango_renderer_draw_glyphs (renderer=0x0, 
    font=0x848bf00, glyphs=0x909f050, x=618496, y=529408) at gdkpango.c:245
#18 0xb7863e38 in pango_renderer_draw_glyphs (renderer=0x8a16000, 
    font=0x848bf00, glyphs=0x909f050, x=618496, y=529408)
    at pango-renderer.c:599
#19 0xb786506d in pango_renderer_draw_layout_line (renderer=0x8a16000, 
    line=0x87c5578, x=2048, y=529408) at pango-renderer.c:530
#20 0xb7abdf31 in IA__gtk_text_layout_draw (layout=0x813dda0, 
    widget=0x84c1ad8, drawable=0x86f1f20, cursor_gc=0x0, x_offset=0, 
    y_offset=2667, x=0, y=499, width=1253, height=10, widgets=0xbfcabd28)
    at gtktextdisplay.c:555
#21 0xb7ad718f in gtk_text_view_expose_event (widget=0x84c1ad8, 
    event=0xbfcac450) at gtktextview.c:4235
#22 0xb7f82813 in gtk_source_view_expose (widget=0x84c1ad8, event=0xbfcac450)
    at gtksourceview.c:1390
#23 0x080949b6 in gedit_view_expose (widget=0x84c1ad8, event=0xbfcac450)
    at gedit-view.c:1838
#24 0xb7a435f5 in _gtk_marshal_BOOLEAN__BOXED (closure=0x81206f0, 
    return_value=0xbfcac0c0, n_param_values=2, param_values=0xbfcac19c, 
    invocation_hint=0xbfcac0ac, marshal_data=0x8094940) at gtkmarshalers.c:83
#25 0xb752ba08 in g_type_class_meta_marshal (closure=0x81206f0, 
    return_value=0xbfcac0c0, n_param_values=2, param_values=0xbfcac19c, 
    invocation_hint=0xbfcac0ac, marshal_data=0x0) at gclosure.c:567
#26 0xb752c0ab in IA__g_closure_invoke (closure=0x81206f0, 
    return_value=0xbfcac0c0, n_param_values=2, param_values=0xbfcac19c, 
    invocation_hint=0xbfcac0ac) at gclosure.c:490
#27 0xb753bfc2 in signal_emit_unlocked_R (node=0x8120990, detail=0, 
    instance=0x84c1ad8, emission_return=0xbfcac31c, 
    instance_and_params=0xbfcac19c) at gsignal.c:2476
#28 0xb753cf55 in IA__g_signal_emit_valist (instance=0x84c1ad8, signal_id=49, 
    detail=0, 
    var_args=0xbfcac3a0 "ÈÃÊ¿h³\026\bØÃÊ¿){²·Ø\032L\bø1\022\bØ
\032L\bÀ}²·ó\001") at gsignal.c:2207
#29 0xb753d54e in IA__g_signal_emit (instance=0x84c1ad8, signal_id=49, 
    detail=0) at gsignal.c:2241
#30 0xb7b27cb8 in gtk_widget_event_internal (widget=0x84c1ad8, 
    event=0xbfcac450) at gtkwidget.c:3751
#31 0xb7a421d1 in IA__gtk_main_do_event (event=0xbfcac450) at gtkmain.c:1382
#32 0xb78e0770 in gdk_window_process_updates_internal (window=0x86f1f20)
    at gdkwindow.c:2292
#33 0xb78e0de5 in IA__gdk_window_process_updates (window=0x86f1f20, 
    update_children=1) at gdkwindow.c:2382
#34 0xb7ad636a in gtk_text_view_value_changed (adj=0x8c7fe20, 
    text_view=0x84c1ad8) at gtktextview.c:6672
#35 0xb753878b in IA__g_cclosure_marshal_VOID__VOID (closure=0x8a4fba8, 
    return_value=0x0, n_param_values=1, param_values=0xbfcac7cc, 
    invocation_hint=0xbfcac6dc, marshal_data=0xb7ad6280) at gmarshal.c:77
#36 0xb752c0ab in IA__g_closure_invoke (closure=0x8a4fba8, return_value=0x0, 
    n_param_values=1, param_values=0xbfcac7cc, invocation_hint=0xbfcac6dc)
    at gclosure.c:490
#37 0xb753bdbd in signal_emit_unlocked_R (node=0x81a5e68, detail=0, 
    instance=0x8c7fe20, emission_return=0x0, instance_and_params=0xbfcac7cc)
    at gsignal.c:2438
#38 0xb753d197 in IA__g_signal_emit_valist (instance=0x8c7fe20, 
    signal_id=181, detail=0, var_args=) at gsignal.c:2197
#39 0xb753d54e in IA__g_signal_emit (instance=0x8c7fe20, signal_id=181, 
    detail=0) at gsignal.c:2241
#40 0xb797cfe8 in IA__gtk_adjustment_value_changed (adjustment=0x8c7fe20)
    at gtkadjustment.c:393
#41 0xb797d11c in IA__gtk_adjustment_set_value (adjustment=0x8c7fe20, 
    value=2667.1888111888111) at gtkadjustment.c:376
#42 0xb7a75307 in gtk_range_real_change_value (range=0x872a140, 
    scroll=GTK_SCROLL_JUMP, value=2667.1888111888111) at gtkrange.c:2475
#43 0xb7a43852 in _gtk_marshal_BOOLEAN__ENUM_DOUBLE (closure=0x81a5f78, 
    return_value=0xbfcacc20, n_param_values=3, param_values=0xbfcaccfc, 
    invocation_hint=0xbfcacc0c, marshal_data=0xb7a75200)
    at gtkmarshalers.c:203
#44 0xb752ba08 in g_type_class_meta_marshal (closure=0x81a5f78, 
    return_value=0xbfcacc20, n_param_values=3, param_values=0xbfcaccfc, 
    invocation_hint=0xbfcacc0c, marshal_data=0x0) at gclosure.c:567
#45 0xb752c0ab in IA__g_closure_invoke (closure=0x81a5f78, 
    return_value=0xbfcacc20, n_param_values=3, param_values=0xbfcaccfc, 
    invocation_hint=0xbfcacc0c) at gclosure.c:490
#46 0xb753bfc2 in signal_emit_unlocked_R (node=0x81a5fb8, detail=0, 
    instance=0x872a140, emission_return=0xbfcace7c, 
    instance_and_params=0xbfcaccfc) at gsignal.c:2476
#47 0xb753cf55 in IA__g_signal_emit_valist (instance=0x872a140, 
    signal_id=185, detail=0, 
    var_args=0xbfcacf08 "\034ÃÊ¿ þÇ\b@¡r\b@¡r\bHÃÊ¿36§·Ã
 Ã¿Â¼Â·@¡r\bHÃÊ¿\2156§·ìÑÊ¿\002\200") at gsignal.c:2207
#48 0xb753d54e in IA__g_signal_emit (instance=0x872a140, signal_id=185, 
    detail=0) at gsignal.c:2241
#49 0xb7a73535 in update_slider_position (range=0x872a140, mouse_x=)
    at gtkrange.c:1366
#50 0xb7a7368d in gtk_range_motion_notify (widget=0x872a140, event=0x87251f8)
    at gtkrange.c:1515
#51 0xb7a435f5 in _gtk_marshal_BOOLEAN__BOXED (closure=0x8120658, 
    return_value=0xbfcad110, n_param_values=2, param_values=0xbfcad1ec, 
    invocation_hint=0xbfcad0fc, marshal_data=0xb7a735f0) at gtkmarshalers.c:83
#52 0xb752ba08 in g_type_class_meta_marshal (closure=0x8120658, 
    return_value=0xbfcad110, n_param_values=2, param_values=0xbfcad1ec, 
    invocation_hint=0xbfcad0fc, marshal_data=0x0) at gclosure.c:567
#53 0xb752c0ab in IA__g_closure_invoke (closure=0x8120658, 
    return_value=0xbfcad110, n_param_values=2, param_values=0xbfcad1ec, 
    invocation_hint=0xbfcad0fc) at gclosure.c:490
#54 0xb753bfc2 in signal_emit_unlocked_R (node=0x8120770, detail=0, 
    instance=0x872a140, emission_return=0xbfcad36c, 
    instance_and_params=0xbfcad1ec) at gsignal.c:2476
#55 0xb753cf55 in IA__g_signal_emit_valist (instance=0x872a140, signal_id=46, 
    detail=0, 
    var_args=0xbfcad3f0 "\030ÔÊ¿h³\026\b(ÔÊ¿)
{²·@¡r\bø1\022\b@¡r\bp~²·D¡r\b\001") at gsignal.c:2207
#56 0xb753d54e in IA__g_signal_emit (instance=0x872a140, signal_id=46, 
    detail=0) at gsignal.c:2241
#57 0xb7b27cb8 in gtk_widget_event_internal (widget=0x872a140, 
    event=0x87251f8) at gtkwidget.c:3751
#58 0xb7a41b69 in IA__gtk_propagate_event (widget=0x872a140, event=0x87251f8)
    at gtkmain.c:2195
#59 0xb7a41fb9 in IA__gtk_main_do_event (event=0x87251f8) at gtkmain.c:1424
#60 0xb78f337a in gdk_event_dispatch (source=0x0, callback=0, user_data=0x0)
    at gdkevents-x11.c:2291
#61 0xb74bf691 in IA__g_main_context_dispatch (context=0x8102738)
    at gmain.c:1916
#62 0xb74c29c7 in g_main_context_iterate (context=0x8102738, block=1, 
    dispatch=1, self=0x80e6a78) at gmain.c:2547
#63 0xb74c2f18 in IA__g_main_loop_run (loop=0x81125e8) at gmain.c:2751
#64 0xb7a41219 in IA__gtk_main () at gtkmain.c:1003
#65 0x08066e29 in main (argc=7, argv=0xbfcad6c4) at gedit.c:566

Thread 2 (Thread -1245406288 (LWP 6057)):
#0  0xffffe410 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
No symbol table info available.
#1  0xb756e5ab in __read_nocancel () from /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libpthread.so.0
No symbol table info available.
#2  0xb74c1893 in child_watch_helper_thread (data=0x0) at gmain.c:3573
	b = "B\224ĵ×\ah·\000\000\000\000\020Ƹ\b@\224ĵ"
	list = (GSList *) 0xb756b2a0
#3  0xb74dc7a5 in g_thread_create_proxy (data=0x8b8c610) at gthread.c:582
	__PRETTY_FUNCTION__ = "g_thread_create_proxy"
#4  0xb7569381 in start_thread () from /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libpthread.so.0
No symbol table info available.
#5  0xb7435bfe in clone () from /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libc.so.6
No symbol table info available.

Thread 1 (Thread -1227707712 (LWP 5852)):
#0  0xffffe410 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
No symbol table info available.
#1  0xb756f4cb in __waitpid_nocancel ()
   from /lib/tls/i686/cmov/libpthread.so.0
No symbol table info available.
#2  0xb7f3739b in libgnomeui_segv_handle (signum=11) at gnome-ui-init.c:825
	estatus = 151477784
	in_segv = 1
	sa = {__sigaction_handler = {sa_handler = 0, sa_sigaction = 0}, 
  sa_mask = {__val = {151489824, 1, 3074226692, 3078895488, 135224512, 1, 
      3217706008, 3078732936, 135224512, 1, 25213463, 3217705992, 146137600, 
      0, 3217706008, 3078732896, 3075043316, 3075049472, 0, 4294901760, 
      3078895488, 151489824, 3217706072, 3078660132, 151489824, 3075001760, 
      151506292, 146137592, 1, 3075001760, 65537, 3078660062}}, 
  sa_flags = -1219923980, 
  sa_restorer = 0xb7498800 <__malloc_initialize_hook+24>}
	pid = #0  0xffffe410 in __kernel_vsyscall ()

this could be a duplicate of Bug 5734

Yeah, apparently dupe of 5734 that was fixed long ago.