Problem returning to TTY7 from any TTY. (Best explained with a screenshot)

masmddr · 11-04-2010, 04:07 AM

Hello.
I am using VectorLinux 6.0 standard with Gnome SlackBuild (GSB) 2.22.1 on a GigaByte w536m laptop with Intel Crestline GM 965 video card.

My problem is when ever I switch to another TTY (Ctrl+Alt+F1-6) and then back to TTY7 (the one with X) all the text is gone and most of the images too.
"A picture is worth a thousand words" (1280x800 resolution)
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/6489/screenshotdkp.png

xorg.conf:

Code:

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier     "X.org Configured"
Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "Files"
RgbPath      "/usr/share/X11/rgb"
ModulePath   "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/TTF"
FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/OTF"
FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/Type1"
FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/misc"
FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load  "glx"
Load  "extmod"
Load  "xtrap"
Load  "record"
Load  "GLcore"
Load  "dbe"
Load  "dri"
Load  "freetype"
Load  "type1"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier  "Keyboard0"
Driver      "kbd"
Option      "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option      "XkbLayout" "us,il"    ## KEYBOARD_MAP!
Option      "XkbOptions" "grp:alt_shift_toggle"
Option      "XkbModel" "pc105"    ## KEYBOARD_MODEL!
Option      "XkbVariant" ""    ## KEYBOARD_VARIANT!
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier  "Mouse0"
Driver      "mouse"
Option	    "Protocol" "auto"
Option	    "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option	    "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Option "DPMS"
DisplaySize 336 210 # 96 DPI @ 1280x800
Option "UseEdidFreqs" "1"
#DisplaySize	  330   210	# mm
Identifier   "Monitor0"
VendorName   "CMO"
ModelName    "1526"
HorizSync 31.5-64
VertRefresh 40-90
EndSection

Section "Device"
### Available Driver options are:-
### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz"
### [arg]: arg optional
Identifier  "Card0"
Driver      "intel"
VendorName  "Intel Corporation"
BoardName   "Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller"
BusID       "PCI:0:2:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device     "Card0"
Monitor    "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Viewport   0 0
Depth     1
Modes "1280x800" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport   0 0
Depth     4
Modes "1280x800" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport   0 0
Depth     8
Modes "1280x800" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport   0 0
Depth     15
Modes "1280x800" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport   0 0
Depth     16
Modes "1280x800" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport   0 0
Depth     24
Modes "1280x800" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "on"
EndSection

I didn't find any dedicated forum for X so I posted here.
I'd appreciate any help or leads on how to solve this mess.

mf93 · 11-04-2010, 08:51 PM

sounds like driver problems. Go to the intel page for your video card and download and install the manufacturer drivers. Open source linux video drivers have caused me all sorts of problems with intel ATI and Nvidia

masmddr · 11-05-2010, 06:06 AM

Thank you for the replay.
Intel's page tells me to use the drivers in my distro.
I did found this:
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Deta...=2115&lang=eng
it's dated 2006 and it seems to be more complex than I can handle.

Edit:
I noticed now it doesn't always happen.
if I keep switching to different TTY's then after a couple of times when I go back to TTY7 it works fine.

Edit 2:
If I go to any TTY where it shows me the login screen and I simple tap "enter" without a login name and then return to TTY7 then it works fine.
I don't think it's the drivers.

Skaperen · 11-05-2010, 08:24 AM

The mechanism causing this is that X protocol requests to refresh windows and widgets is either not happening or not being handled right. Note that one set of buttons is filled in but the other set in another window is not.

Do you have compiz running? I saw an effect similar to this once (Ubuntu 9.10) which was cured by restarting compiz.

Is your text mode on VTs 1-6 in real VGA text mode, or frame buffer?

masmddr · 11-05-2010, 08:39 AM

I don't have compiz installed.

Quote:

Note that one set of buttons is filled in but the other set in another window is not.

do you mean the minimize / maximize / close buttons?
if so than it's because the theme I use (unity) doesn't show them for windows who aren't in focus.

Quote:

Is your text mode on VTs 1-6 in real VGA text mode, or frame buffer?

How do I tell?