Xfce Forum

Tinker

Member

Registered: 2020-02-28

Posts: 4

[Solved]White screen with mouse pointer after upgrade.

I have used xfce happily for years, due to series of events I upgraded my video card to an AMD, from nvidia, and my two monitors to hdmi ones.

On restart .xinitrc starts xfce, there is a black screen for a microsecond followed by a white one with a mouse pointer visible. It seems that xfce has loaded as moving the mouse around gives different feedback as I move across open windows. As I could remember the layout of some workspaces I could find a terminal widow and enter shutdown command which worked, confirming the desktop was loaded even though not visible.

To test hardware further I booted into kde, a horrible experience, but the kde desktop appeared which implies all hardware and xserver are working. This seems to say that the problem lies with xfce config files.

A user on archlinux forum suggested .config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfce4-desktop.xml might be the problem. It certainly was not correct as it contained lists of monitors and workspaces that I no longer have. I renamed it and tried to start xfce again, it recreated the file correctly, reflecting the current situation but still only a white screen.

My thought is now to remove xfce4, delete all config files then reinstall, but this seems a rather drastic course for what might be a simple config error. Any better suggestions appriciated.

Last edited by Tinker (2020-02-29 10:33:48)

Aravisian

Member

Registered: 2019-08-17

Posts: 410

Re: [Solved]White screen with mouse pointer after upgrade.

Can you boot into Recovery Mode, enable networking, the drop to Prompt and update your Graphics drivers?
For example:

sudo apt-get install -y xorg

sudo apt-get install -y xserver-xorg-input-all

sudo apt-get install -y xserver-xorg

OR

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates

sudo apt-get update

sudo amdconfig --initial && sudo shutdown -r

Tinker

Member

Registered: 2020-02-28

Posts: 4

Re: [Solved]White screen with mouse pointer after upgrade.

As I use archlinux my commands are different. As xserver and amdgpu work with kde I would say these are not the cause of the problem. I have however via slim console updated xorg and the AMD drivers with no change to the white screen.

Aravisian

Member

Registered: 2019-08-17

Posts: 410

Re: [Solved]White screen with mouse pointer after upgrade.

As I use archlinux my commands are different. As xserver and amdgpu work with kde I would say these are not the cause of the problem. I have however via slim console updated xorg and the AMD drivers with no change to the white screen.

Ah, ok. You know the commands, so I need not restate the above- also since you said it does not work.
Many people visit the Arch help pages, regardless of which Distro they use.
You did update the drivers, but had you not, I would have encouraged it be done anyway, because while it may work on another desktop, "jiggling the handle" may work on a different one.
Now, also a moot point- but was worth a shot.
Agreed that hardware is unlikely- for now.
You might try replacing your .config and .cache - rename them to .config-backup and .cache-backup -using the same manner as suggested above with the terminal 'mv' command and 'rm' command.
You might update OR rollback your kernel.
I would check the session and the lightdm...

These are more 'off the cuff' and obviously not 'expert' suggestions; but these are the things I would try if it was me. Sometimes even a goofed reply is better than none when you are waiting to solve an issue- and they sometimes help someone figure the right direction they need to go in, as well.

Tinker

Member

Registered: 2020-02-28

Posts: 4

Re: [Solved]White screen with mouse pointer after upgrade.

As a test I created a new user account and that loads a vanilla xfce environment, so it seems to be a problem with my original profile, which worked with nvidia but not xfce.

Aravisian

Member

Registered: 2019-08-17

Posts: 410

Re: [Solved]White screen with mouse pointer after upgrade.

As a test I created a new user account and that loads a vanilla xfce environment, so it seems to be a problem with my original profile, which worked with nvidia but not xfce.

I would take a strong look at .config or .cache, then.

Tinker

Member

Registered: 2020-02-28

Posts: 4

Re: [Solved]White screen with mouse pointer after upgrade.

Removed, well renamed, the config and cache xfce4 folders and restarted.

Oh course I had to recreate all my personal settings and there is no definitive answer to the root cause but I am back in business.

Thanks for the help.

Aravisian

Member

Registered: 2019-08-17

Posts: 410

Re: [Solved]White screen with mouse pointer after upgrade.

Removed, well renamed, the config and cache xfce4 folders and restarted.

Oh course I had to recreate all my personal settings and there is no definitive answer to the root cause but I am back in business.

Thanks for the help.

That may take some time sifting and sorting through the .config-old folder with a detective and a ferret. I am confident you can do it, but it would be tricky for others to try to do at a distance or over a forum with very limited view of your machine.
I am glad you got it fixed, though. A problem like that is an unnerving one. Inability to see your screen is like being deaf, blind and losing tactile sensation all at once.