[problem disappeared] xfdesktop fail during boot+direct login

OrigBitmancer · 2022-12-02 05:28:24

My home system is set up to reboot right into my user account. I have been using xfce4/xfwm4 happily for months without issues.

About ten days ago, maybe more, xfdesktop(1) failed during the boot sequence after a recent system update. It had been working fine for months, bringing up a family photo as background/wallpaper. Now neither icons nor wallpaper are loaded. Black screen area behind the xfpanels and no menu available are the symptoms. What could I have changed/added/subtracted to cause this?

(Would a reverse-dated list of /var/cache/pacman/pkg/ hint at the culprit?)

Last edited by OrigBitmancer (2022-12-04 18:19:17)

cfr · 2022-12-02 05:50:00

OrigBitmancer wrote:

(Would a reverse-dated list of /var/cache/pacman/pkg/ hint at the culprit?)

Possibly, but /var/log/pacman.log would be considerably more informative.

OrigBitmancer · 2022-12-03 01:51:27

Thanks.
No changes since October 7 install.
The latest xfce4-related change was libxfixes (?) then

[2022-11-16T14:17:19-0600] [ALPM] upgraded xfce4-screenshooter (1.9.11-1 -> 1.10.0-1)
[2022-11-16T14:17:19-0600] [ALPM] upgraded xfce4-settings (4.16.4-1 -> 4.16.5-1)

I fear I am floundering.

cfr · 2022-12-03 02:37:38

OrigBitmancer wrote:

Thanks.
No changes since October 7 install.
The latest xfce4-related change was libxfixes (?) then
[2022-11-16T14:17:19-0600] [ALPM] upgraded xfce4-screenshooter (1.9.11-1 -> 1.10.0-1)
[2022-11-16T14:17:19-0600] [ALPM] upgraded xfce4-settings (4.16.4-1 -> 4.16.5-1)
I fear I am floundering.

Better to post the whole thing as somebody may spot a connection you don't.

Checking/posting Xorg's log (and possibly the journal) would also be helpful.

OrigBitmancer · 2022-12-03 02:56:06

I have placed pacman.log into:
http://ix.io/4hyL

and Xorg.0.log into:

http://ix.io/4hyM

Which journalctl command do you suggest for this?

Last edited by OrigBitmancer (2022-12-03 05:25:30)

Scimmia · 2022-12-03 02:58:05

That's not what cfr asked for.

cfr · 2022-12-03 03:45:33

[2022-11-03T15:03:14-0500] [PACMAN] Running 'pacman -Syyy'
[2022-11-09T14:45:45-0600] [PACMAN] Running 'pacman --needed -Syyy'
[2022-11-18T15:51:31-0600] [PACMAN] Running 'pacman --needed -Syy'

This is, nonetheless, highly relevant as it is a sure-fire way to break your system. The third y is pointless and the second almost always unnecessary. One y is quite sufficient to break things. The others will just stress the servers without breaking your install any worse than the singleton.

OrigBitmancer · 2022-12-03 05:27:29

cfr wrote:

[2022-11-03T15:03:14-0500] [PACMAN] Running 'pacman -Syyy'
[2022-11-09T14:45:45-0600] [PACMAN] Running 'pacman --needed -Syyy'
[2022-11-18T15:51:31-0600] [PACMAN] Running 'pacman --needed -Syy'
This is, nonetheless, highly relevant as it is a sure-fire way to break your system. The third y is pointless and the second almost always unnecessary. One y is quite sufficient to break things. The others will just stress the servers without breaking your install any worse than the singleton.

I hear you. Thank you.

cfr · 2022-12-03 18:15:35

Post pacman.conf. pacman.log doesn't make sense. Either your configuration is responsible or your mirrors are outdated or ....

OrigBitmancer · 2022-12-04 04:25:38

cfr wrote:

Post pacman.conf. pacman.log doesn't make sense. Either your configuration is responsible or your mirrors are outdated or ....

I am willing to bet on the configuration.

I put pacman.conf in http://ix.io/4hEk

I am indebted to all who have taken time to help me. Thank you.

cfr · 2022-12-04 04:49:44

Config looks fine [Edit: except for IgnorePkg?!]. Are your mirrors out of date? What's confusing me is that Xorg log has

[     9.665] Current Operating System: Linux Light1DAW 5.19.13-arch1-1 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Tue, 04 Oct 2022 14:36:58 +0000 x86_64
...
[     9.665] (==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Thu Dec  1 22:30:44 2022

and pacman's log has

[2022-12-01T01:36:33-0600] [PACMAN] Running 'pacman -Syyuu'
...
[2022-12-01T01:44:15-0600] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Starting build: 5.19.13-arch1-1

but you shouldn't be getting 5.19.3 on 1st December, even though you almost certainly should be using

pacman -Syu

instead. Only pass two 'u's if you are trying to downgrade (e.g. after removing testing) and only pass two 'y's if your local database is corrupt.

But none of that would get you a 5.19.3 kernel unless you're using an outdated mirror. Post

/etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

Do you use reflector? If so, do you have the timer enabled?

Last edited by cfr (2022-12-04 05:28:25)

OrigBitmancer · 2022-12-04 05:12:25

cfr wrote:

Config looks fine. Are your mirrors out of date? What's confusing me is that Xorg log has
[     9.665] Current Operating System: Linux Light1DAW 5.19.13-arch1-1 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Tue, 04 Oct 2022 14:36:58 +0000 x86_64
...
[     9.665] (==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Thu Dec  1 22:30:44 2022
and pacman's log has
[2022-12-01T01:36:33-0600] [PACMAN] Running 'pacman -Syyuu'
...
[2022-12-01T01:44:15-0600] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Starting build: 5.19.13-arch1-1
but you shouldn't be getting 5.19.3 on 1st December, even though you almost certainly should be using
pacman -Syu
instead. Only pass two 'u's if you are trying to downgrade (e.g. after removing testing) and only pass two 'y's if your local database is corrupt.
But none of that would get you a 5.19.3 kernel unless you're using an outdated mirror. Post
/etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
Do you use reflector? If so, do you have the timer enabled?

I tried to stop kernel upgrades to mitigate all this.

I thought I was running :

uname -a:
Linux Light1DAW 5.15.80-1-lts #1 SMP Sat, 26 Nov 2022 20:23:30 +0000 x86_64 GNU/Linux

I am indeed using reflector, and have the timer enabled.

Here is the mirrorlist:

# With:       reflector --latest 32 --country 'United States' --protocol https --sort rate --save /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
# When:       2022-12-04 04:13:44 UTC
# From:       https://archlinux.org/mirrors/status/json/
# Retrieved:  2022-12-04 04:12:23 UTC
# Last Check: 2022-12-04 04:02:13 UTC

Server = https://forksystems.mm.fcix.net/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://iad.mirrors.misaka.one/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://coresite.mm.fcix.net/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://ridgewireless.mm.fcix.net/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://mirror.fcix.net/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://codingflyboy.mm.fcix.net/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://mirrors.xtom.com/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://mirrors.rit.edu/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://mirrors.vectair.net/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://dfw.mirror.rackspace.com/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://ord.mirror.rackspace.com/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://mirror.arizona.edu/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://mirrors.mit.edu/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://iad.mirror.rackspace.com/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://mirror.lty.me/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://mirrors.bloomu.edu/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://arch.mirror.ivo.st/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://mirror.ette.biz/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://mirrors.radwebhosting.com/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://mirror.wdc1.us.leaseweb.net/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://mirror.pit.teraswitch.com/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://mirror.sfo12.us.leaseweb.net/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://archmirror1.octyl.net/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://mirror2.sandyriver.net/pub/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://mirrors.lug.mtu.edu/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://repo.ialab.dsu.edu/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://mirror.umd.edu/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
Server = https://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch

I should be using kernel 6.0 ???

Basically I should reset my kernel compile to latest stable?

I do not know how I config'd to stay in -lts mode by default.

Last edited by OrigBitmancer (2022-12-04 05:21:00)

cfr · 2022-12-04 05:41:43

OrigBitmancer wrote:

I tried to stop kernel upgrades to mitigate all this.

I don't know how I missed this. I was even looking for it. Ignoring thunderbird will certainly break thunderbird. thunderbird-60 isn't in the repos, so ignoring it will make no difference unless somebody adds a package by that name.

OrigBitmancer wrote:

I thought I was running :

uname -a:
Linux Light1DAW 5.15.80-1-lts #1 SMP Sat, 26 Nov 2022 20:23:30 +0000 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Xorg log says otherwise. But using the lts kernel is likely a better interim measure than ignoring the linux package.

OrigBitmancer wrote:

I should be using kernel 6.0 ???
Basically I should reset my kernel compile to latest stable?

I don't know. Why did you think ignoring kernel updates would help? The kernel isn't the first culprit which would spring to my mind given the symptoms you described, but I'm very far from knowledgeable, so take what springs to my mind with a pinch of salt.

OrigBitmancer wrote:

I do not know how I config'd to stay in -lts mode by default.

What do you mean? You don't seem to be using the lts kernel - not, at least, for the boot you posted Xorg's log for.

Sanity check: make a new user account, disable autologin, reboot and login to the new account. If the problem doesn't manifest there, you are probably dealing with a config issue in your account.

OrigBitmancer · 2022-12-04 06:12:15

Xlog does not show LTS revision? That cannot be ….

Thank you again. In the morning here (Texas) I will get after that. Acknowledge that you are in Wales….

OrigBitmancer · 2022-12-04 14:53:29

The Thunderbird effort is by a small group who want the interface to stay as it was before styles were removed.

Please let us mark this solution as on hiatus until I redo all the config, starting with kernel 6.0.10, if ok?

OrigBitmancer · 2022-12-04 18:18:09

xfdesktop is displaying fine now.

It is booting with 6.0.10 and Thunderbird my way.

I beg the pardon of all who tried to help. How does this BBS entry resolve?

Arch Linux

#1 2022-12-02 05:28:24

[problem disappeared] xfdesktop fail during boot+direct login

#2 2022-12-02 05:50:00

Re: [problem disappeared] xfdesktop fail during boot+direct login

#3 2022-12-03 01:51:27

Re: [problem disappeared] xfdesktop fail during boot+direct login

#4 2022-12-03 02:37:38

Re: [problem disappeared] xfdesktop fail during boot+direct login

#5 2022-12-03 02:56:06

Re: [problem disappeared] xfdesktop fail during boot+direct login

#6 2022-12-03 02:58:05

Re: [problem disappeared] xfdesktop fail during boot+direct login

#7 2022-12-03 03:45:33

Re: [problem disappeared] xfdesktop fail during boot+direct login

#8 2022-12-03 05:27:29

Re: [problem disappeared] xfdesktop fail during boot+direct login

#9 2022-12-03 18:15:35

Re: [problem disappeared] xfdesktop fail during boot+direct login

#10 2022-12-04 04:25:38

Re: [problem disappeared] xfdesktop fail during boot+direct login

#11 2022-12-04 04:49:44

Re: [problem disappeared] xfdesktop fail during boot+direct login

#12 2022-12-04 05:12:25

Re: [problem disappeared] xfdesktop fail during boot+direct login

#13 2022-12-04 05:41:43

Re: [problem disappeared] xfdesktop fail during boot+direct login

#14 2022-12-04 06:12:15

Re: [problem disappeared] xfdesktop fail during boot+direct login

#15 2022-12-04 14:53:29

Re: [problem disappeared] xfdesktop fail during boot+direct login

#16 2022-12-04 18:18:09

Re: [problem disappeared] xfdesktop fail during boot+direct login

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