My desktop seems frozen regularly. Then I see a desktop that actually is a screenshot of my real desktop, taken some time before, but with a black background. However, the icons do not work and can not be moved either. Randomly clicking anywhere on the sheet can activate an icon that is on the "live" desktop in that particular place. Once I succeeded in getting my "living" icons back into the screen with the "frozen" screenshot as the background. I was then looking at using multiple desktops. Later on I did not succeed again.

Let make sure I understand what you are saying: is it that a screenshot of your desktop is getting superimposed over your actual desktop?

Your data says you are using Mint 18.3. Which desktop environment are you using?

This is most odd. Do you have some software installed to periodically take screenshots?

Hi, As far as I know, I am using Cinnamon. I don't know if it is superimposed because i have no idea what's behind it. Atacched are 2 screenshots i took a few seconds ago. The one with the black background is te "frozen" one. The coulered "live" one i captured directly after a restart.

Attached Thumbnails

   

safe to say it's some sort of graphical problem...
please post the output - including the commands themselves, and an easily visible separator - of

Hi, I really don't know what to do with te code. Please help.

Open a terminal and paste the code into it, one line at a time.

Post the relevant output of the commands here, being sure to surround the output of any commands with "code" tags, which become available when you click the "Go Advanced" button beneath the compose post window.

The relevant output would the those error messages that seem to cast some light on the issue you are having.

To find out what distro/version you are running, you can use this command. With the wildcards, it generally works with almost any distro:

To answer you original question, it might help to know the specs of your machine.

This is the result of the code :

cees@cees-HP-EliteBook-Folio-9470m ~ $ lspci -k | grep -iEA5 'vga|3d|display'
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller (rev 09)
DeviceName: 64
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller
Kernel driver in use: i915
Kernel modules: i915
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family USB xHCI Host Controller (rev 04)
cees@cees-HP-EliteBook-Folio-9470m ~ $ grep -EB4 'EE|WW' /var/log/Xorg.0.log
[ 15.026] Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
to make sure that you have the latest version.
[ 15.026] Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
--
[ 15.030] (==) Automatically adding devices
[ 15.030] (==) Automatically enabling devices
[ 15.030] (==) Automatically adding GPU devices
[ 15.030] (==) Max clients allowed: 256, resource mask: 0x1fffff
[ 15.030] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic" does not exist.
[ 15.030] Entry deleted from font path.
[ 15.030] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/" does not exist.
[ 15.030] Entry deleted from font path.
[ 15.030] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/" does not exist.
[ 15.030] Entry deleted from font path.
[ 15.030] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi" does not exist.
[ 15.030] Entry deleted from font path.
[ 15.030] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi" does not exist.
--
[ 15.051] (II) VESA: driver for VESA chipsets: vesa
[ 15.051] (II) intel(0): Using Kernel Mode Setting driver: i915, version 1.6.0 20161121
[ 15.051] (II) intel(0): SNA compiled: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.917+git20160325-1ubuntu1.2 (Timo Aaltonen <tjaalton@debian.org>)
[ 15.051] (II) intel(0): SNA compiled for use with valgrind
[ 15.051] (WW) Falling back to old probe method for modesetting
[ 15.051] (WW) Falling back to old probe method for fbdev
--
[ 15.051] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/libfbdevhw.so
[ 15.052] (II) Module fbdevhw: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[ 15.052] compiled for 1.18.4, module version = 0.0.2
[ 15.052] ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 20.0
[ 15.052] (WW) Falling back to old probe method for vesa
cees@cees-HP-EliteBook-Folio-9470m ~ $ ls -al /var/log/Xorg.0.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 27926 jun 9 03:23 /var/log/Xorg.0.log
cees@cees-HP-EliteBook-Folio-9470m ~ $ ls -al ~/.local/share/xorg/Xorg.0.log
ls: kan geen toegang krijgen tot '/home/cees/.local/share/xorg/Xorg.0.log': Bestand of map bestaat niet
cees@cees-HP-EliteBook-Folio-9470m ~ $ cat ~/.xsession-errors
** Message: couldn't access control socket: /run/user/1000/keyring/control: Bestand of map bestaat niet
[cinnamon-settings-daemon-smartcard] Failed to start: er is geen geschikt smartcard-stuurprogramma gevonden

(csd-power:1810): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory of theme oxygen has no size field


(nm-applet:2055): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory of theme oxygen has no size field


(gpaste-applet:2050): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory of theme oxygen has no size field


(nemo-desktop:2054): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory of theme oxygen has no size field

Cjs-Message: JS LOG: About to start Cinnamon
St-Message: cogl npot texture sizes SUPPORTED
Cjs-Message: JS LOG: Cinnamon started at Sat Jun 09 2018 03:23:53 GMT+0200 (CEST)

(mintwelcome.py:2112): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory of theme oxygen has no size field

** Message: nemo-desktop: session is cinnamon, establishing proxy
Cjs-Message: JS LOG: network applet: Cannot find connection for active (or connection cannot be read)

(cinnamon:2034): St-WARNING **: Ignoring length property that isn't a number at line 1715, col 13
Cinnamon warning: Log level 16: Theme directory of theme oxygen has no size field

openGL version 3.3 detected (GL3 Cogl Driver)
MetaSyncRing disabled: couldn't find required GL extensions, or the minimum safe openGL version was not met
failed to create drawable
Cjs-Message: JS LOG: Invalid network device type, is 14
Cjs-Message: JS LOG: network applet: Found connection for active
Nemo-Share-Message: unknown format for key 'Downloads/usershare_acl' as it contains 'S-1-1-0:R,S-1-5-21-1492140376-1059169328-1776117687-1000:F,'. Assuming that the share is read-only
Nemo-Share-Message: unknown format for key 'INTENSO2/usershare_acl' as it contains 'S-1-1-0:F,'. Assuming that the share is read-only
Nemo-Share-Message: unknown format for key 'Muziek/usershare_acl' as it contains 'S-1-1-0:R,S-1-5-21-1492140376-1059169328-1776117687-1000:F,'. Assuming that the share is read-only
Nemo-Share-Message: unknown format for key 'INTENSO1/usershare_acl' as it contains 'S-1-1-0:F,'. Assuming that the share is read-only
Cinnamon warning: Log level 8: nma_mobile_providers_database_lookup_cdma_sid: assertion 'sid > 0' failed
mintUpdate: geen proces gevonden

(mintUpdate.py:2940): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory of theme oxygen has no size field

Error updating remote metadata for 'flathub': GPG signatures found, but none are in trusted keyring

(blueman-applet:2046): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory of theme oxygen has no size field

/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/blueman/plugins/applet/AppIndicator.py:8: PyGIWarning: AppIndicator3 was imported without specifying a version first. Use gi.require_version('AppIndicator3', '0.1') before import to ensure that the right version gets loaded.
from gi.repository import AppIndicator3 as girAppIndicator
ERROR:dbus.proxies:Introspect error on org.bluez:/: dbus.exceptions.DBusException: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.TimedOut: Failed to activate service 'org.bluez': timed out
ERROR:dbus.proxies:Introspect error on org.bluez:/org/bluez: dbus.exceptions.DBusException: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.TimedOut: Failed to activate service 'org.bluez': timed out
ERROR:dbus.proxies:Introspect error on org.bluez:/: dbus.exceptions.DBusException: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.TimedOut: Failed to activate service 'org.bluez': timed out
ATTENTION: default value of option force_s3tc_enable overridden by environment.
[3584:3617:0609/032653.997112:ERROR:in_progress_cache_impl.cc(93)] Could not read download entries from file because there was a read failure.
Gtk-Message: GtkDialog mapped without a transient parent. This is discouraged.
Gtk-Message: GtkDialog mapped without a transient parent. This is discouraged.
cees@cees-HP-EliteBook-Folio-9470m ~ $

As you can see, the machine is "HP-EliteBook-Folio-9470m"

Cees

I did run the code while the screen was in a working state.

cees@cees-HP-EliteBook-Folio-9470m ~ $ cat /etc/*release*
DISTRIB_ID=LinuxMint
DISTRIB_RELEASE=18.3
DISTRIB_CODENAME=sylvia
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia"
NAME="Linux Mint"
VERSION="18.3 (Sylvia)"
ID=linuxmint
ID_LIKE=ubuntu
PRETTY_NAME="Linux Mint 18.3"
VERSION_ID="18.3"
HOME_URL="http://www.linuxmint.com/"
SUPPORT_URL="http://forums.linuxmint.com/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="http://bugs.launchpad.net/linuxmint/"
VERSION_CODENAME=sylvia
UBUNTU_CODENAME=xenial
cat: /etc/upstream-release: Is een map
cees@cees-HP-EliteBook-Folio-9470m ~ $

i don't see anyhting obviously problematic in the output.

so did you have to reboot after that?
then we might also need:
the machine is from ~2013.

i vaguely (!) remember that sometimes a different accelaration method can cause problems or help. SNA is one of them.
have a look here (this is really just a guess, but worth a try).

I have made a file in pdf format where you can see the differences between the state just after booting (when all seems normal) and the "frozen" state. Where can i send the file?

Cees

Since I can't send you the file I think this is second best. This is the output that is unique in the "frozen" state.

(cinnamon-settings.py:6226): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory of theme oxygen has no size field
(xplayer:6350): Gtk-WARNING **: GtkButton does not have a child property called expand
(xplayer:6350): Gtk-WARNING **: GtkButton does not have a child property called fill
(xplayer:6350): Gtk-WARNING **: GtkButton does not have a child property called position
(xplayer:6350): Gtk-WARNING **: GtkToggleButton does not have a child property called expand
(xplayer:6350): Gtk-WARNING **: GtkToggleButton does not have a child property called fill
(xplayer:6350): Gtk-WARNING **: GtkToggleButton does not have a child property called position
(xplayer:6350): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory of theme oxygen has no size field
(xplayer:6350): GStreamer-CRITICAL **: gst_mini_object_copy: assertion 'mini_object != NULL' failed
(xplayer:6350): GStreamer-CRITICAL **: gst_caps_get_size: assertion 'GST_IS_CAPS (caps)' failed
(xplayer:6350): GStreamer-CRITICAL **: gst_mini_object_unref: assertion 'mini_object != NULL' failed
** (xplayer:6350): CRITICAL **: gst_pad_set_caps: assertion 'caps != NULL && gst_caps_is_fixed (caps)' failed
(xplayer:6350): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'continue_button_clicked_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6350): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'load_button_clicked_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6350): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'save_button_clicked_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6350): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'goto_button_clicked_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6350): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'remove_button_clicked_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6350): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'add_button_clicked_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6350): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'tree_view_button_press_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6350): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'tree_view_key_press_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6350): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'tree_view_row_activated_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6350): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'tree_view_popup_menu_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6350): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'popup_goto_action_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6350): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'popup_remove_action_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6350): GStreamer-CRITICAL **: gst_tag_list_get_string_index: assertion 'GST_IS_TAG_LIST (list)' failed
(xplayer:6383): Gtk-WARNING **: GtkButton does not have a child property called expand
(xplayer:6383): Gtk-WARNING **: GtkButton does not have a child property called fill
(xplayer:6383): Gtk-WARNING **: GtkButton does not have a child property called position
(xplayer:6383): Gtk-WARNING **: GtkToggleButton does not have a child property called expand
(xplayer:6383): Gtk-WARNING **: GtkToggleButton does not have a child property called fill
(xplayer:6383): Gtk-WARNING **: GtkToggleButton does not have a child property called position
(xplayer:6383): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory of theme oxygen has no size field
(xplayer:6383): GStreamer-CRITICAL **: gst_mini_object_copy: assertion 'mini_object != NULL' failed
(xplayer:6383): GStreamer-CRITICAL **: gst_caps_get_size: assertion 'GST_IS_CAPS (caps)' failed
(xplayer:6383): GStreamer-CRITICAL **: gst_mini_object_unref: assertion 'mini_object != NULL' failed
** (xplayer:6383): CRITICAL **: gst_pad_set_caps: assertion 'caps != NULL && gst_caps_is_fixed (caps)' failed
(xplayer:6383): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'continue_button_clicked_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6383): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'load_button_clicked_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6383): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'save_button_clicked_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6383): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'goto_button_clicked_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6383): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'remove_button_clicked_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6383): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'add_button_clicked_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6383): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'tree_view_button_press_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6383): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'tree_view_key_press_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6383): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'tree_view_row_activated_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6383): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'tree_view_popup_menu_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6383): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'popup_goto_action_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6383): Gtk-WARNING **: Could not find signal handler 'popup_remove_action_cb'. Did you compile with -rdynamic?
(xplayer:6383): GStreamer-CRITICAL **: gst_tag_list_get_string_index: assertion 'GST_IS_TAG_LIST (list)' failed
(xviewer:6420): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory of theme oxygen has no size field
fixme:wer:WerSetFlags (2) stub!
fixme:heap:HeapSetInformation (nil) 1 (nil) 0
fixmerocess:SetProcessShutdownParameters (00000380, 00000000): partial stub.
wine: Call from 0x7b83935c to unimplemented function mscoree.dll.CorIsLatestSvc, aborting
wine: Unimplemented function mscoree.dll.CorIsLatestSvc called at address 0x7b83935c (thread 001c), starting debugger...
err:module:import_dll Library MSVCR120_CLR0400.dll (which is needed by L"C:\\windows\\Microsoft.NET\\Framework64\\v4.0.30319\\mscorsvw.exe") not found
err:module:LdrInitializeThunk Main exe initialization for L"C:\\windows\\Microsoft.NET\\Framework64\\v4.0.30319\\mscorsvw.exe" failed, status c0000135
err:service:service_send_start_message service L"clr_optimization_v4.0.30319_64" failed to start
fixme:service:scmdatabase_autostart_services Auto-start service L"clr_optimization_v4.0.30319_64" failed to start: 1053
fixme:ver:GetCurrentPackageId (0x33fb94 (nil)): stub
fixme:file:FindFirstFileExW options not implemented 0x00000000 0x00000002
(nemo-desktop:2099): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory of theme oxygen has no size field
(blueman-manager:6484): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory of theme oxygen has no size field
Cinnamon warning: Log level 16: Theme directory of theme oxygen has no size field
Agent registration failed: Cannot invoke method; proxy is for a well-known name without an owner and proxy was constructed with the G_DBUS_PROXY_FLAGS_DO_NOT_AUTO_START flag
Agent unregistration failed: Cannot invoke method; proxy is for a well-known name without an owner and proxy was constructed with the G_DBUS_PROXY_FLAGS_DO_NOT_AUTO_START flag 'g-io-error-quark'
**
ERROR:lib/helpers.c:318:intf_supported: assertion failed: (introspection_proxy != NULL)
(blueberry.py:6497): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory of theme oxygen has no size field
**
ERROR:lib/helpers.c:318:intf_supported: assertion failed: (introspection_proxy != NULL)
(cinnamon-screensaver-main.py:2301): Gtk-WARNING **: Theme directory of theme oxygen has no size field
(nm-applet:2100): nm-applet-CRITICAL **: get_menu_item_for_ap: assertion 'dup_data.hash != NULL' failed
(nm-applet:2100): nm-applet-CRITICAL **: get_menu_item_for_ap: assertion 'dup_data.hash != NULL' failed
(nm-applet:2100): nm-applet-CRITICAL **: get_menu_item_for_ap: assertion 'dup_data.hash != NULL' failed
(nm-applet:2100): nm-applet-CRITICAL **: get_menu_item_for_ap: assertion 'dup_data.hash != NULL' failed
(nm-applet:2100): nm-applet-CRITICAL **: get_menu_item_for_ap: assertion 'dup_data.hash != NULL' failed
(nm-applet:2100): nm-applet-CRITICAL **: get_menu_item_for_ap: assertion 'dup_data.hash != NULL' failed
(nm-applet:2100): nm-applet-CRITICAL **: get_menu_item_for_ap: assertion 'dup_data.hash != NULL' failed
(nm-applet:2100): nm-applet-CRITICAL **: get_menu_item_for_ap: assertion 'dup_data.hash != NULL' failed
(nm-applet:2100): nm-applet-CRITICAL **: get_menu_item_for_ap: assertion 'dup_data.hash != NULL' failed
(nm-applet:2100): nm-applet-CRITICAL **: get_menu_item_for_ap: assertion 'dup_data.hash != NULL' failed
(nm-applet:2100): nm-applet-CRITICAL **: get_menu_item_for_ap: assertion 'dup_data.hash != NULL' failed
(nm-applet:2100): nm-applet-CRITICAL **: get_menu_item_for_ap: assertion 'dup_data.hash != NULL' failed
(cinnamon:2079): St-WARNING **: Ignoring length property that isn't a number at line 1715, col 13
(cinnamon:2079): St-WARNING **: Ignoring length property that isn't a number at line 1715, col 13

and what file is that from?
that's just a bunch of warnings, mostly GTK. probably completely unrelated to any desktop freeze.
i suggest you start looking where the problem is, not where it's easiest to look.

re-read my previous post #10.