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#1 2014-02-21 14:37:42

Speedy Consoles
Member
Registered: 2014-02-21
Posts: 3

[Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

Hi,
since some weeks i have a problem with windows of the Linux Steam client:
They keep randomly drawing themselves on the screen even when they should not be visible, i.e. on different workspace or covered by other window.
Unfortunately i don't know the exact point of time when this started, nor the update which caused it.
I am using xmonad and a GeForce GTX 660 Ti.
I also made a post in the Steam forums: http://steamcommunity.com/app/221410/di … 726066608/
Does anyone have an idea why this happens and maybe even how to fix it?

Last edited by Speedy Consoles (2014-02-24 14:51:08)

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#2 2014-02-21 19:22:49

Rexilion
Member
Registered: 2013-12-23
Posts: 784

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

Long shot, try another window manager (just to check).


fs/super.c : "Self-destruct in 5 seconds.  Have a nice day...\n",

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#3 2014-02-22 00:14:02

stqn
Member
Registered: 2010-03-19
Posts: 1,191
Website

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

For what it’s worth I have a GTX 660 but do not experience this problem. With Xfce and Xfwm (and compton instead of the default Xfce compositor).

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#4 2014-02-22 03:58:57

pilotkeller
Member
From: Canada
Registered: 2011-12-22
Posts: 513
Website

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

Same problem. I use XMonad and have a Nvidia GF108M in my laptop and the GTX 550 Ti in my desktop.

It seems to be tied to the redraw as it happens most when Steam is doing any downloads. I am also having problems with mplayer's video display that will ghost the previous workspace when I return to view it and will hold it even if I pause/play the video. Then if I move the window, it will redraw over the image correctly when it plays.

It seems to be some combo of Nvidia's video driver and XMonad. I haven't tested anything to make it go away (kind of lazy) because it's only annoying and not crippling. Just wanted to confirm others are having the same problem and if anyone had a fix for it yet.

Edit: Woody's comments on the Steam forum says he has the same issue on KDE and makes me think it's an Nvidia driver issue.

Last edited by pilotkeller (2014-02-22 04:03:20)

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#5 2014-02-22 09:49:48

kelnoky
Member
Registered: 2007-11-20
Posts: 134

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

There are a lot of people with similar problems. It is not just Steam (everything that uses hardware acceleration is affected, it seems) and it's not XMonad. It's either an nvidia or xorg/nvidia fault. Using xcompmgr is a workaround. Here are the other threads on it, one of them mine:


https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 1#p1371241

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 6#p1374096

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#6 2014-02-22 15:44:07

Speedy Consoles
Member
Registered: 2014-02-21
Posts: 3

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

Thanks kelnoky, that makes me feel less alone with the problem and i can at least use that workaround.

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#7 2014-02-23 04:59:59

pilotkeller
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From: Canada
Registered: 2011-12-22
Posts: 513
Website

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

Seems to have worked perfectly.

Once you install xcompmgr you'll need to do two things:

/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/70-nvidia-composite-hotfix.conf

Section "Extensions"
    Option         "Composite" "Enable"
EndSection

~/.xinitrc

...snip...

# Workaround For Hardware Accelerated Video Glitching On NVidia
hsetroot -solid "#000000" # Stops The Gray Background
xcompmgr -n &

# Start My Window Manager Of Choice
exec my_window_manager

Notes:

  • xcompmgr's -a flag is not entirely reliable and prone to kill rendering on a direct draw movement event (Eg the Steam info slide box or dragging an image in a browser.)

  • The hsetroot utility and line is only needed if you get a gray background/boarder when you start xcompmgr.

  • nvidia-settings by default disables composite features in it's XOrg config save. If you've used nvidia-settings and saved it's output (Eg. 20-nvidia.conf) you either need to change the extensions section to re-enable this, or just add this section in it's own high numbered config to override it. The latter is documented so that this fix is a module, reminding of its removal when/if this problem is fixed upstream.

  • Edit: I had it crash again while I was using no flags. I think I've now fixed it with the -n to enable transparency. Just know your millage may vary.

I'd go ahead and mark as solved if it works for you too Speedy Consoles.

Last edited by pilotkeller (2014-02-26 02:50:30)

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#8 2014-02-23 15:29:23

Speedy Consoles
Member
Registered: 2014-02-21
Posts: 3

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

What does the xorg config entry do?

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#9 2014-02-24 13:43:52

pilotkeller
Member
From: Canada
Registered: 2011-12-22
Posts: 513
Website

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

-- Message contents edited/corrected and moved into prior post. --

Archive:

Speedy Consoles wrote:

What does the xorg config entry do?

I had a problem because nvidia-settings by default will disable composite features in it's XOrg config save. If you've used nvidia-settings and saved it's output into for example 20-nvidia.conf, you'll either need to change the extensions section to re-enable this, or just add this section in it's own high numbered config to override it. I did the latter so that this fix is a module I can easily remember to remove once this problem is fixed upstream.

Edit: To explain the -a flag, it just makes xcompmgr compose the windows without adding any visuals, and runs it server side (if you're using XOrg over a network).

Edit: If you are now having XOrg die when a direct draw drag event happens (Eg. Dragging an image in firefox or the Steam popup slides in) see https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 8#p1385348.

Last edited by pilotkeller (2014-02-25 14:31:52)

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#10 2014-03-24 20:33:29

Xlaits
Member
Registered: 2013-01-26
Posts: 33

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

pilotkeller wrote:

Seems to have worked perfectly.

Once you install xcompmgr you'll need to do two things:

/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/70-nvidia-composite-hotfix.conf

Section "Extensions"
    Option         "Composite" "Enable"
EndSection

~/.xinitrc

...snip...

# Workaround For Hardware Accelerated Video Glitching On NVidia
hsetroot -solid "#000000" # Stops The Gray Background
xcompmgr -n &

# Start My Window Manager Of Choice
exec my_window_manager

Notes:

  • xcompmgr's -a flag is not entirely reliable and prone to kill rendering on a direct draw movement event (Eg the Steam info slide box or dragging an image in a browser.)

  • The hsetroot utility and line is only needed if you get a gray background/boarder when you start xcompmgr.

  • nvidia-settings by default disables composite features in it's XOrg config save. If you've used nvidia-settings and saved it's output (Eg. 20-nvidia.conf) you either need to change the extensions section to re-enable this, or just add this section in it's own high numbered config to override it. The latter is documented so that this fix is a module, reminding of its removal when/if this problem is fixed upstream.

  • Edit: I had it crash again while I was using no flags. I think I've now fixed it with the -n to enable transparency. Just know your millage may vary.

I'd go ahead and mark as solved if it works for you too Speedy Consoles.

If you're using lxdm, you should append this to
~/.config/lxsession/LXDE/autostart

@hsetroot -solid "#000000"
@xcompmgr -n

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#11 2014-04-07 01:25:25

gshearer
Member
From: Cincinnati, OH, USA
Registered: 2014-01-14
Posts: 54

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

Why hasn't this been fixed in the driver yet? sad


--
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doc at lame dot org
Linux Nerd since the MCC Interim Days

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#12 2014-04-07 10:22:04

PReP
Member
From: Sweden
Registered: 2010-06-13
Posts: 359
Website

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

I think i might have the same sort of issue; https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=177476

A lot of things keeps it's graphics on top of the screen while switching desktops and what not.

I use openbox, i have an nvidia card - but i do not use any sort of compositing (do i need to in order to fix these issues? =/)


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#13 2014-04-18 16:42:45

gshearer
Member
From: Cincinnati, OH, USA
Registered: 2014-01-14
Posts: 54

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

Nvidia driver 337.12-1 just installed via Pacman. I'm always excited to see a new nvidia driver pushed.  Rebooted. This problem STILL EXISTS. How is this not driving everyone else crazy too?

sad


--
George Shearer
doc at lame dot org
Linux Nerd since the MCC Interim Days

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#14 2014-04-20 21:12:20

PReP
Member
From: Sweden
Registered: 2010-06-13
Posts: 359
Website

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

I know =/, still having issues here too.

I wish i remember exactly when it arose - but we are atleast sure it is because of the nvidia drivers now?


. Main: Intel Core i5 6600k @ 4.4 Ghz, 16 GB DDR4 XMP, Gefore GTX 970 (Gainward Phantom) - Arch Linux 64-Bit
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#15 2014-04-21 17:26:30

gshearer
Member
From: Cincinnati, OH, USA
Registered: 2014-01-14
Posts: 54

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

PReP: it was absolutely the result of the new nvidia driverrs, somewhere around 334 maybe slightly before that. Phoronix had a big article about some major things in this driver, I can't remember what they were but they seemed significant. All I know is that it broke a lot of my stuff, including a few old-school games I like to run.

sad

Sad Penguin


--
George Shearer
doc at lame dot org
Linux Nerd since the MCC Interim Days

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#16 2014-04-21 19:48:10

fabledpig
Member
Registered: 2013-03-15
Posts: 24

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

Try using these kernel parameters:

vmalloc=256M video=vesa:off vga=normal

I also experienced this issue, but it has gone I'm not sure why, maybe one of the kernel parameters solved it.

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#17 2014-04-23 14:32:20

gshearer
Member
From: Cincinnati, OH, USA
Registered: 2014-01-14
Posts: 54

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

Tried fabledpig's kernel params, no difference. sad


--
George Shearer
doc at lame dot org
Linux Nerd since the MCC Interim Days

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#18 2014-04-23 22:34:12

mcd4ever
Member
Registered: 2014-04-23
Posts: 1

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

PReP wrote:

I know =/, still having issues here too.

I wish i remember exactly when it arose - but we are atleast sure it is because of the nvidia drivers now?

It worked fine until 2014/01/13.

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#19 2014-04-26 13:24:57

PReP
Member
From: Sweden
Registered: 2010-06-13
Posts: 359
Website

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

mcd4ever wrote:
PReP wrote:

I know =/, still having issues here too.

I wish i remember exactly when it arose - but we are atleast sure it is because of the nvidia drivers now?

It worked fine until 2014/01/13.

Ah, thanks for the date then at the very least!


. Main: Intel Core i5 6600k @ 4.4 Ghz, 16 GB DDR4 XMP, Gefore GTX 970 (Gainward Phantom) - Arch Linux 64-Bit
. Server: Intel Core i5 2500k @ 3.9 Ghz, 8 GB DDR2-XMP RAM @ 1600 Mhz, Geforce GTX 570 (Gainward Phantom) - Arch Linux 64-Bit
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#20 2014-05-05 15:46:48

gshearer
Member
From: Cincinnati, OH, USA
Registered: 2014-01-14
Posts: 54

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

FYI - This isn't just google chrome -- pretty much anything that uses 3D / GL. All games. sad

Everything still working fine on non-nVidia systems.


--
George Shearer
doc at lame dot org
Linux Nerd since the MCC Interim Days

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#21 2014-05-10 22:05:36

PReP
Member
From: Sweden
Registered: 2010-06-13
Posts: 359
Website

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

Yeah it is like this problem: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/NV … with_Flash

But for everything, close to.
The crap thing is that it is becoming like an everday-casual annoyance at this rate - feels so much more shoddy then in the past when it just worked fine..

I also wonder why there seems to be so little fuss about it, is people generally without this problem or is there something specific we few that suffers have gotten wrong? =/

Last edited by PReP (2014-05-10 22:06:01)


. Main: Intel Core i5 6600k @ 4.4 Ghz, 16 GB DDR4 XMP, Gefore GTX 970 (Gainward Phantom) - Arch Linux 64-Bit
. Server: Intel Core i5 2500k @ 3.9 Ghz, 8 GB DDR2-XMP RAM @ 1600 Mhz, Geforce GTX 570 (Gainward Phantom) - Arch Linux 64-Bit
. Body: Estrogen @ 90%, Testestorone @ 10% (Not scientific just out-of-my-guesstimate-brain)

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#22 2014-05-21 17:10:42

gshearer
Member
From: Cincinnati, OH, USA
Registered: 2014-01-14
Posts: 54

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

pacman update just installed shiny new nvidia 337.19-1 and yaourt has also installed a shiny new google-chrome 35.0.1916.114-1

Guess what? No change!

Why aren't people making more noise about this? Any 3D game sticks to all virtual desktops, it's not just google-chrome.

Ready to switch to ATI or something. sad


--
George Shearer
doc at lame dot org
Linux Nerd since the MCC Interim Days

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#23 2014-05-21 18:06:37

V1del
Forum Moderator
Registered: 2012-10-16
Posts: 21,331

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

I'm pretty sure the window manager has a (the major?) part in this as well, I don't get this at all on KDE with Kwin, so it doesn't have to be necessarily the driver's fault

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#24 2014-05-21 18:33:38

stqn
Member
Registered: 2010-03-19
Posts: 1,191
Website

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

gshearer wrote:

Why aren't people making more noise about this?

My guess would be most people use a compositor and do not experience it. Can’t you use compton or xcompmgr?

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#25 2014-05-22 02:20:02

PReP
Member
From: Sweden
Registered: 2010-06-13
Posts: 359
Website

Re: [Solved] Steam windows still drawing when hidden

I could try using a compositor in the meantime if that is a workable way around it.
but it is a _workaround_ at best, and it is sort of frustrating not knowing where to push for a fix without annoying someone.

. Xscreensaver
. Firefox->Flash
. Any Game,
. Any VDPAU or GL output device played video,

Everything stays on top and "smears" over the other desktops,
so multitasking and workflow is broken when one needs to close the offending program to do something else, all the time.

- It just makes one feel so powerless, this used to work so well and issue-less, and lately it is just a mess =/

Last edited by PReP (2014-05-22 02:24:01)


. Main: Intel Core i5 6600k @ 4.4 Ghz, 16 GB DDR4 XMP, Gefore GTX 970 (Gainward Phantom) - Arch Linux 64-Bit
. Server: Intel Core i5 2500k @ 3.9 Ghz, 8 GB DDR2-XMP RAM @ 1600 Mhz, Geforce GTX 570 (Gainward Phantom) - Arch Linux 64-Bit
. Body: Estrogen @ 90%, Testestorone @ 10% (Not scientific just out-of-my-guesstimate-brain)

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