Screen flickering in KDE 4.2 after pacman -Syu

blackhole · 2009-03-02 21:21:43

Hi there,

yesterday I did a "pacman -Syu" and since then my screen keeps flickering every now and then when I move my mouse over the screen or when a new dialog pops up. Sometimes it even flickers when the plasma widget RSSNow slides in new articles.
I can't really nail it, but it seems to be worse if there are many plasma widgets and / or windows open.

It seems to be especially bad when one of my two plasma panels is set to "auto hide".

I've tried to play with the advanced Desktop Effect settings like OpenGl mode, texture filter, VSync and such, but nothing improved. Before the system update my NVidia card was happily playing with KWin.

Has anybody had similar experiences over the last couple of days?

I'm using a NVidia Quadro NVS 110M:

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation G72M [Quadro NVS 110M/GeForce Go 7300] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])                                          
        Subsystem: Dell Device 01c2                                                                                                                                          
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 16                                                                                                                    
        Memory at ed000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]                                                                                                             
        Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]                                                                                                                
        Memory at ee000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]                                                                                                             
        [virtual] Expansion ROM at ef000000 [disabled] [size=128K]                                                                                                           
        Capabilities: [60] Power Management version 2                                                                                                                        
        Capabilities: [68] MSI: Mask- 64bit+ Count=1/1 Enable-                                                                                                               
        Capabilities: [78] Express Endpoint, MSI 00                                                                                                                          
        Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel <?>                                                                                                                              
        Capabilities: [128] Power Budgeting <?>                                                                                                                              
        Kernel driver in use: nvidia
        Kernel modules: nvidiafb, nvidia

The packages pacman has updated are (taken from /var/log/pacman.log):

[2009-03-01 15:44] starting full system upgrade
[2009-03-01 16:20] upgraded cabextract (1.2-1 -> 1.2-2)
[2009-03-01 16:20] upgraded faac (1.26-1 -> 1.28-1)
[2009-03-01 16:20] upgraded flashplugin (10.0.15.3-1 -> 10.0.22.87-1)
[2009-03-01 16:20] upgraded ghostscript (8.64-2 -> 8.64-3)
[2009-03-01 16:20] upgraded gpm (1.20.5-2 -> 1.20.6-1)
[2009-03-01 16:20] upgraded grep (2.5.3-3 -> 2.5.4-1)
[2009-03-01 16:20] upgraded groff (1.20.1-1 -> 1.20.1-2)
[2009-03-01 16:20] #####################################
[2009-03-01 16:20] themes are moved in an extra package:
[2009-03-01 16:20] community/murrine-themes-collection
[2009-03-01 16:20] upgraded gtk-engine-murrine (0.53.1-1 -> 0.53.1-3)
[2009-03-01 16:20] upgraded imagemagick (6.4.9.2-1 -> 6.4.9.7-1)
[2009-03-01 16:20] upgraded phonon (4.3.0-2 -> 4.3.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:20] upgraded soprano (2.2.1-1 -> 2.2.2-1)
[2009-03-01 16:20] upgraded kdelibs (4.2.0-4 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:20] upgraded kdeaccessibility (4.2.0-1 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:20] upgraded tdb (3.2.7-1 -> 3.3.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:20] upgraded smbclient (3.2.7-1 -> 3.3.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:21] upgraded kdebase-runtime (4.2.0-2 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:21] upgraded kdepimlibs (4.2.0-1 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:21] upgraded kdebindings (4.2.0-1 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:21] upgraded kdeadmin (4.2.0-1 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:21] warning: /usr/share/config/kdm/kdmrc installed as /usr/share/config/kdm/kdmrc.pacnew
[2009-03-01 16:21] upgraded kdebase-workspace (4.2.0-6 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:21] upgraded kdeartwork (4.2.0-1 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:21] upgraded kdebase (4.2.0-1 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:21] installed libnova (0.12.3-1)
[2009-03-01 16:21] installed indilib (0.6-1)
[2009-03-01 16:21] upgraded kdeedu (4.2.0-1 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:21] upgraded kdegames (4.2.0-1 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:21] upgraded kdegraphics (4.2.0-1 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:21] upgraded kdemultimedia (4.2.0-1 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:21] upgraded libvncserver (0.9.1-1 -> 0.9.7-1)
[2009-03-01 16:21] upgraded kdenetwork (4.2.0-3 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:22] upgraded kdepim (4.2.0-1 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:22] upgraded kdeplasma-addons (4.2.0-1 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:22] upgraded subversion (1.5.5-1 -> 1.5.6-1)
[2009-03-01 16:22] upgraded kdesdk (4.2.0-1 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:22] upgraded kdetoys (4.2.0-1 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:22] upgraded kdeutils (4.2.0-1 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:22] upgraded kdewebdev (4.2.0-1 -> 4.2.1-1)
[2009-03-01 16:22] >>> Updating module dependencies. Please wait ...
[2009-03-01 16:22] >>> MKINITCPIO SETUP
[2009-03-01 16:22] >>> ----------------
[2009-03-01 16:22] >>> If you use LVM2, Encrypted root or software RAID,
[2009-03-01 16:22] >>> Ensure you enable support in /etc/mkinitcpio.conf .
[2009-03-01 16:22] >>> More information about mkinitcpio setup can be found here:
[2009-03-01 16:22] >>> http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Mkinitcpio
[2009-03-01 16:22] 
[2009-03-01 16:22] >>> Generating initial ramdisk, using mkinitcpio.  Please wait...
[2009-03-01 16:22] ==> Building image "default"
[2009-03-01 16:22] ==> Running command: /sbin/mkinitcpio -k 2.6.28-ARCH -c /etc/mkinitcpio.conf -g /boot/kernel26.img
[2009-03-01 16:22] :: Begin dry run
[2009-03-01 16:22] :: Parsing hook [base]
[2009-03-01 16:22] :: Parsing hook [udev]
[2009-03-01 16:22] :: Parsing hook [autodetect]
[2009-03-01 16:22] :: Parsing hook [pata]
[2009-03-01 16:22] :: Parsing hook [scsi]
[2009-03-01 16:22] :: Parsing hook [sata]
[2009-03-01 16:22] :: Parsing hook [usb]
[2009-03-01 16:22] :: Parsing hook [usbinput]
[2009-03-01 16:22] :: Parsing hook [keymap]
[2009-03-01 16:22] :: Parsing hook [filesystems]
[2009-03-01 16:22] :: Generating module dependencies
[2009-03-01 16:22] :: Generating image '/boot/kernel26.img'...SUCCESS
[2009-03-01 16:22] ==> SUCCESS
[2009-03-01 16:22] ==> Building image "fallback"
[2009-03-01 16:22] ==> Running command: /sbin/mkinitcpio -k 2.6.28-ARCH -c /etc/mkinitcpio.conf -g /boot/kernel26-fallback.img -S autodetect
[2009-03-01 16:22] :: Begin dry run
[2009-03-01 16:22] :: Parsing hook [base]
[2009-03-01 16:22] :: Parsing hook [udev]
[2009-03-01 16:22] :: Parsing hook [pata]
[2009-03-01 16:22] :: Parsing hook [scsi]
[2009-03-01 16:23] :: Parsing hook [sata]
[2009-03-01 16:23] :: Parsing hook [usb]
[2009-03-01 16:23] :: Parsing hook [usbinput]
[2009-03-01 16:23] :: Parsing hook [keymap]
[2009-03-01 16:23] :: Parsing hook [filesystems]
[2009-03-01 16:23] :: Generating module dependencies
[2009-03-01 16:23] :: Generating image '/boot/kernel26-fallback.img'...SUCCESS
[2009-03-01 16:23] ==> SUCCESS
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded kernel26 (2.6.28.5-1 -> 2.6.28.7-1)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded ktorrent (3.1.6-2 -> 3.2-1)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded libmad (0.15.1b-3 -> 0.15.1b-4)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded libmysqlclient (5.0.75-2 -> 5.0.77-1)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded libpng (1.2.34-1 -> 1.2.35-1)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded xcb-proto (1.3-1 -> 1.4-1)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded libxcb (1.1.93-1 -> 1.2-1)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded libx11 (1.1.99.2-2 -> 1.2-1)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded libxfont (1.3.4-1 -> 1.4.0-1)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded libxi (1.2.0-1 -> 1.1.4-2)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded man-pages (3.17-1 -> 3.18-1)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded mysql-clients (5.0.75-2 -> 5.0.77-1)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded mysql (5.0.75-4 -> 5.0.77-1)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded ndiswrapper-utils (1.53-1 -> 1.54-1)
[2009-03-01 16:23] module configuration already contains alias directive
[2009-03-01 16:23] 
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded ndiswrapper (1.53-4 -> 1.54-1)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded pm-utils (1.2.4-1 -> 1.2.4-3)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded postgresql-libs (8.3.5-1 -> 8.3.6-1)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded qtcurve-kde4 (0.60.0-1 -> 0.61.4-1)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded sqlite3 (3.6.10-1 -> 3.6.11-1)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded tzdata (2009a-1 -> 2009b-1)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded wine (1.1.15-1 -> 1.1.16-1)
[2009-03-01 16:23] upgraded xfsprogs (2.10.2-1 -> 3.0.0-1)

TIA,
Blackhole

Last edited by blackhole (2009-03-02 21:33:05)

a0peter · 2009-03-02 23:52:21

I had 1 update this morning; pm-utils and I am experiencing something similar. I am on GNOME with Intel graphics.

a0peter · 2009-03-03 21:31:24

Since downgrading pm-utils I haven't experienced any flickering.

blackhole · 2009-03-03 22:39:44

a0peter wrote:

Since downgrading pm-utils I haven't experienced any flickering.

Hm, interesting... how do I downgrade?

a0peter · 2009-03-04 23:14:22

pacman -U /var/cache/pacman/pkg/pm-utils-1.2.4-1-i686.pkg.tar.gz

Pacman keeps a cache of all the installed packages, so when something like this happens again just find another version in /var/cache/pacman/pkg/ and do the same. You can also tell pacman to ignore this package in future pacman -Syu

sudo kwrite /etc/pacman.conf

And change one line to this

# Pacman won't upgrade packages listed in IgnorePkg and members of IgnoreGroup
IgnorePkg   = pm-utils

blackhole · 2009-03-05 12:44:36

And are you 100% sure that it was pm-utils?

I've just manage to get Suspend to Disk work via pm-utils and as KDE 4.2 depends on pm-utils I don't want to end up a version jungle.
Is downgrading a good idea anyway? I mean when the rest of my system always is bleeding edge and then I have that one old version of pm-utils sitting there...

a0peter · 2009-03-06 22:56:38

I am not 100% sure, it worked so I didn't look in to it further. There shouldn't be any problems with downgrading, when it worked before. You can always try and upgrade it again next time, and see if it has gotten better.

blackhole · 2009-03-06 23:02:30

I downgraded successfully, but the screen is still flickering. It must be related to something else, at least on my machine.

Thanks a lot anyway for the tipp. Was worth a try.

blackhole · 2009-03-13 06:50:23

I'm still having problems with my screen flickering, jittering and causing me headaches.
Just to make sure it's not the Nvidia driver, I'm testing the open source driver right now instead of the official, proprietary Nvidia one, although it doesn't support any 3D.

I also have the suspicion that cpufrequtils might be the guilty bit. Has anybody had any graphic related problems when running cpufrequtils with the ondemand governor?
Does that make any sense? Could it be the cause of my graphic problems?

Last edited by blackhole (2009-03-13 06:51:02)

blackhole · 2009-03-15 15:37:02

No it wasn't cpufrequtils, but the current nvidia package.

When I downgraded my nvidia package from 180.29 to 180.22 the problems were gone. Is anybody experiencing problems with the latest nvidia drivers for a Quadro NVS? Would be helpful if this could be confirmed.

Last edited by blackhole (2009-03-15 17:20:10)

Arch Linux

#1 2009-03-02 21:21:43

Screen flickering in KDE 4.2 after pacman -Syu

#2 2009-03-02 23:52:21

Re: Screen flickering in KDE 4.2 after pacman -Syu

#3 2009-03-03 21:31:24

Re: Screen flickering in KDE 4.2 after pacman -Syu

#4 2009-03-03 22:39:44

Re: Screen flickering in KDE 4.2 after pacman -Syu

#5 2009-03-04 23:14:22

Re: Screen flickering in KDE 4.2 after pacman -Syu

#6 2009-03-05 12:44:36

Re: Screen flickering in KDE 4.2 after pacman -Syu

#7 2009-03-06 22:56:38

Re: Screen flickering in KDE 4.2 after pacman -Syu

#8 2009-03-06 23:02:30

Re: Screen flickering in KDE 4.2 after pacman -Syu

#9 2009-03-13 06:50:23

Re: Screen flickering in KDE 4.2 after pacman -Syu

#10 2009-03-15 15:37:02

Re: Screen flickering in KDE 4.2 after pacman -Syu

Board footer