Xfce Forum

eriefisher

Wanderer

From: ON, Canada

Registered: 2008-10-25

Posts: 947

Cleaning Up Xsession Errors

Looking at xsession-errors.old this is one errors that keep coming up:

/usr/bin/startxfce4: X server already running on display :0
** Message: 08:38:46.951: Failed to fetch _NET_NUMBER_OF_DESKTOPS; assuming 1
** Message: 08:38:46.951: Failed to get _NET_WORKAREA; using full screen dimensions
** Message: 08:38:46.951: Failed to fetch _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP; assuming 0
** Message: 08:38:46.951: Failed to fetch _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP; assuming 0
xfce4-session-Message: 08:38:46.953: GNOME compatibility is enabled and gnome-keyring-daemon is found on the system. Skipping gpg/ssh-agent startup.
discover_other_daemon: 1** Message: 08:38:47.170: Failed to fetch _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP; assuming 0
2026-03-31 08:38:48 - [main.c:616] Unable to connect to the compositor. If your compositor is running, check or set the WAYLAND_DISPLAY environment variable.

As you can see, this is under an X session. My desktop uses 4 workspaces(I assume that what this means) and why is it trying to connect to a Wayland compositor?

---

But it's all right, when you're all in pain and you feel the rain come down
It's alright, when you find your way, then you see it disappear
It's alright....
Chris Cornell

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 12,562

Re: Cleaning Up Xsession Errors

2026-03-31 08:38:48 - [main.c:616] Unable to connect to the compositor. If your compositor is running, check or set the WAYLAND_DISPLAY environment variable.

I don't think that message is coming from Xfce. Can you disable your start up apps one a at a time to see which one is generating the message?

The first 4 messages I believe are fixed in the development version of Xfce.

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eriefisher

Wanderer

From: ON, Canada

Registered: 2008-10-25

Posts: 947

Re: Cleaning Up Xsession Errors

That's what is was ToZ. I had a swaybg script in there to set the background in a wayland session. On to the next one.

I also get a lot of these:

(org.xfce.mousepad:5165): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 05:53:41.526: g_value_get_string: assertion 'G_VALUE_HOLDS_STRING (value)' failed

(org.xfce.mousepad:5165): GLib-CRITICAL **: 05:53:41.526: g_variant_parse: assertion 'text != NULL' failed

(org.xfce.mousepad:5165): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 05:53:41.527: g_value_get_string: assertion 'G_VALUE_HOLDS_STRING (value)' failed

(org.xfce.mousepad:5165): GLib-CRITICAL **: 05:53:41.527: g_variant_parse: assertion 'text != NULL' failed

** (evolution-alarm-notify:2293): WARNING **: 05:53:41.704: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!

** (wrapper-2.0:2135): WARNING **: 05:53:41.704: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!

** (nm-applet:2281): WARNING **: 05:53:41.704: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!
[Parent 2232, Main Thread] WARNING: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!: 'glib warning', file toolkit/xre/nsSigHandlers.cpp:201

** (firefox:2232): WARNING **: 05:53:41.705: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!

** (evolution-alarm-notify:2293): WARNING **: 05:53:41.705: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!

** (nm-applet:2281): WARNING **: 05:53:41.705: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!

** (wrapper-2.0:2135): WARNING **: 05:53:41.705: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!
[Parent 2232, Main Thread] WARNING: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!: 'glib warning', file toolkit/xre/nsSigHandlers.cpp:201

** (firefox:2232): WARNING **: 05:53:41.705: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!

** (xfsettingsd:2100): WARNING **: 05:53:41.706: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!

** (xfsettingsd:2100): WARNING **: 05:53:41.706: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!
[Parent 2233, Main Thread] WARNING: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!: 'glib warning', file toolkit/xre/nsSigHandlers.cpp:201

** (thunderbird:2233): WARNING **: 05:53:41.709: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!
[Parent 2233, Main Thread] WARNING: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!: 'glib warning', file toolkit/xre/nsSigHandlers.cpp:201

---

But it's all right, when you're all in pain and you feel the rain come down
It's alright, when you find your way, then you see it disappear
It's alright....
Chris Cornell

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 12,562

Re: Cleaning Up Xsession Errors

With mousepad not running, can you try resetting that property?

dconf reset /org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session

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eriefisher

Wanderer

From: ON, Canada

Registered: 2008-10-25

Posts: 947

Re: Cleaning Up Xsession Errors

That seem to get rid of some but the list goes on:

(org.xfce.mousepad:29593): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 06:22:16.894: g_value_get_string: assertion 'G_VALUE_HOLDS_STRING (value)' failed

(org.xfce.mousepad:29593): GLib-CRITICAL **: 06:22:16.894: g_variant_parse: assertion 'text != NULL' failed

** (blueman-applet:26863): WARNING **: 06:22:17.067: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!
[Parent 26780, Main Thread] WARNING: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!: 'glib warning', file toolkit/xre/nsSigHandlers.cpp:201

** (firefox:26780): WARNING **: 06:22:17.067: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!

** (wrapper-2.0:26747): WARNING **: 06:22:17.067: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!

** (nm-applet:26843): WARNING **: 06:22:17.067: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!
[Parent 26780, Main Thread] WARNING: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!: 'glib warning', file toolkit/xre/nsSigHandlers.cpp:201

** (firefox:26780): WARNING **: 06:22:17.068: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!

** (blueman-applet:26863): WARNING **: 06:22:17.068: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!

** (evolution-alarm-notify:26856): WARNING **: 06:22:17.068: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!

** (xfsettingsd:26702): WARNING **: 06:22:17.068: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!

** (wrapper-2.0:26747): WARNING **: 06:22:17.068: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!

** (nm-applet:26843): WARNING **: 06:22:17.069: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!

** (xfsettingsd:26702): WARNING **: 06:22:17.069: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!

** (evolution-alarm-notify:26856): WARNING **: 06:22:17.069: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!

(org.xfce.mousepad:29593): xfconf-WARNING **: 06:22:17.152: Failed to set property "gsettings::/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session": Operation was cancelled
[Parent 26781, Main Thread] WARNING: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!: 'glib warning', file toolkit/xre/nsSigHandlers.cpp:201

** (thunderbird:26781): WARNING **: 06:22:17.258: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!
[Parent 26781, Main Thread] WARNING: Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!: 'glib warning', file toolkit/xre/nsSigHandlers.cpp:201

---

But it's all right, when you're all in pain and you feel the rain come down
It's alright, when you find your way, then you see it disappear
It's alright....
Chris Cornell

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 12,562

Re: Cleaning Up Xsession Errors

Try forcing a complete reset of mousepad settings to default - this will probably reset your mousepad settings and you'll lose your current configuration.

dconf reset -f /org/xfce/mousepad/

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eriefisher

Wanderer

From: ON, Canada

Registered: 2008-10-25

Posts: 947

Re: Cleaning Up Xsession Errors

After a reset and a restart the xsession-errors.old looks exactly the same. No change.

---

But it's all right, when you're all in pain and you feel the rain come down
It's alright, when you find your way, then you see it disappear
It's alright....
Chris Cornell

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 12,562

Re: Cleaning Up Xsession Errors

Hmmm. Do you have a mousepad.xml file in ~/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-per-channel-xml? If so, with mousepad not running, delete that file and re-run the dconf command from the previous step.

What version of mousepad are you running?

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eriefisher

Wanderer

From: ON, Canada

Registered: 2008-10-25

Posts: 947

Re: Cleaning Up Xsession Errors

Version 0.7.0

That's a directory ToZ. Do you want the whole thing gone or just one file in it?

---

But it's all right, when you're all in pain and you feel the rain come down
It's alright, when you find your way, then you see it disappear
It's alright....
Chris Cornell

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 12,562

Re: Cleaning Up Xsession Errors

Sorry, just the mousepad.xml file, if it exists.

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eriefisher

Wanderer

From: ON, Canada

Registered: 2008-10-25

Posts: 947

Re: Cleaning Up Xsession Errors

I missed that part of the question. My fault.

No, that file does not exist in that directory.

---

But it's all right, when you're all in pain and you feel the rain come down
It's alright, when you find your way, then you see it disappear
It's alright....
Chris Cornell

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 12,562

Re: Cleaning Up Xsession Errors

Hmm.

gsettings get org.xfce.mousepad.state.application session

...lets see whats there.

Maybe a dconf corruption?

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eriefisher

Wanderer

From: ON, Canada

Registered: 2008-10-25

Posts: 947

Re: Cleaning Up Xsession Errors

Output:

gsettings get org.xfce.mousepad.state.application session

(process:31106): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 12:52:35.737: g_value_get_string: assertion 'G_VALUE_HOLDS_STRING (value)' failed

(process:31106): GLib-CRITICAL **: 12:52:35.737: g_variant_parse: assertion 'text != NULL' failed
@as []

Added later 05 min 27 s:
I'll dump the entire xsession-errors.old here just in case there something I'm missing.

Xsession: X session started for dan at Wed Apr  1 12:55:37 PM EDT 2026
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/1000/bus
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting DISPLAY=:0
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XAUTHORITY=/home/dan/.Xauthority
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=XFCE
localuser:dan being added to access control list
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XDG_DATA_DIRS=/usr/share/xfce4:/usr/local/share/:/usr/share/
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting GSETTINGS_BACKEND=xfconf
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting QT_ACCESSIBILITY=1
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting USER=dan
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting LC_TIME=en_US.UTF-8
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting GTK_CSD=0
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting TEXTDOMAIN=im-config
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting SYSTEMD_PAGER=less
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XDG_SESSION_TYPE=x11
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting HOME=/home/dan
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting DESKTOP_SESSION=xfce
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting IM_CONFIG_ENTRY=xsession
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting LC_MONETARY=en_US.UTF-8
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/1000/bus
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting QT_QPA_OLATFORMTHEME=adwaita-dark
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting QT_QPA_PLATFORMTHEME=adwaita-dark
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting LOGNAME=dan
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XDG_SESSION_CLASS=user
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/local/games:/usr/games
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting GTK3_MODULES=xapp-gtk3-module
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting LC_ADDRESS=en_US.UTF-8
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting DISPLAY=:0
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting LC_TELEPHONE=en_US.UTF-8
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting LANG=en_US.UTF-8
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=XFCE
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP=xfce
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XAUTHORITY=/home/dan/.Xauthority
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XDG_GREETER_DATA_DIR=/var/lib/lightdm/data/dan
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting SHELL=/bin/bash
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting LC_NAME=en_US.UTF-8
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting GDMSESSION=xfce
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting SDL_VIDEODRIVER=wayland,x11
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting QT_ACCESSIBILITY=1
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting LC_MEASUREMENT=en_US.UTF-8
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting LC_IDENTIFICATION=en_US.UTF-8
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting TEXTDOMAINDIR=/usr/share/locale/
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting GPG_AGENT_INFO=/run/user/1000/gnupg/S.gpg-agent:0:1
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting PWD=/home/dan
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting XDG_DATA_DIRS=/usr/share/xfce4:/usr/local/share/:/usr/share/
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting LC_NUMERIC=en_US.UTF-8
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting LC_PAPER=en_US.UTF-8
dbus-update-activation-environment: setting GSETTINGS_BACKEND=xfconf
/usr/bin/startxfce4: X server already running on display :0
** Message: 12:55:38.675: Failed to fetch _NET_NUMBER_OF_DESKTOPS; assuming 1
** Message: 12:55:38.675: Failed to get _NET_WORKAREA; using full screen dimensions
** Message: 12:55:38.675: Failed to fetch _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP; assuming 0
** Message: 12:55:38.675: Failed to fetch _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP; assuming 0
xfce4-session-Message: 12:55:38.678: GNOME compatibility is enabled and gnome-keyring-daemon is found on the system. Skipping gpg/ssh-agent startup.
discover_other_daemon: 1** Message: 12:55:38.892: Failed to fetch _NET_CURRENT_DESKTOP; assuming 0

(process:32053): ayatana-indicator-application-service-WARNING **: 12:55:39.926: Unable to get watcher name 'org.kde.StatusNotifierWatcher'

(process:32053): ayatana-indicator-application-service-WARNING **: 12:55:39.926: Name Lost
Starting Dropbox...
(pasystray:32043): libayatana-appindicator-WARNING **: 12:55:40.369: libayatana-appindicator is deprecated. Please use libayatana-appindicator-glib in newly written code.
Process already running (98:Address already in use). Exiting.
Tilda has started. Press F1 to pull down the window.
dropbox: load fq extension '/home/dan/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-244.4.6580/cryptography.hazmat.bindings._rust.abi3.so'
/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/gi/overrides/Gio.py:305: Warning: g_value_get_string: assertion 'G_VALUE_HOLDS_STRING (value)' failed
  return self.get_value(key).unpack()
/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/gi/overrides/Gio.py:305: Warning: g_variant_parse: assertion 'text != NULL' failed
  return self.get_value(key).unpack()
blueman-applet 12.55.40 WARNING  PluginManager:153 __load_plugin: Not loading PPPSupport because its conflict has higher priority
blueman-applet 12.55.40 WARNING  PluginManager:153 __load_plugin: Not loading DhcpClient because its conflict has higher priority
blueman-applet 12.55.41 WARNING  DiscvManager:122 update_menuitems: warning: Adapter is None
dropbox: load fq extension '/home/dan/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-244.4.6580/apex._apex.abi3.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/home/dan/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-244.4.6580/google._upb._message.cpython-311-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/home/dan/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-244.4.6580/psutil._psutil_linux.abi3.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/home/dan/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-244.4.6580/psutil._psutil_posix.abi3.so'
desktop/dropbox/sync_engine/nucleus/classic_client/modern_client/modern_thin_client.py:17: UserWarning: google.protobuf.service module is deprecated. RPC implementations should provide code generator plugins which generate code specific to the RPC implementation. service.py will be removed in Jan 2025
dropbox: load fq extension '/home/dan/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-244.4.6580/tornado.speedups.abi3.so'
dropbox: load fq extension '/home/dan/.dropbox-dist/dropbox-lnx.x86_64-244.4.6580/wrapt._wrappers.cpython-311-x86_64-linux-gnu.so'
Dropbox isn't running!
Done!

(dropbox:32105): libayatana-appindicator-WARNING **: 12:55:47.277: libayatana-appindicator is deprecated. Please use libayatana-appindicator-glib in newly written code.

(xfce4-panel:31926): Gtk-CRITICAL **: 12:56:39.162: gtk_widget_destroy: assertion 'GTK_IS_WIDGET (widget)' failed
[GFX1-]: Detect DeviceReset DeviceResetReason::FORCED_RESET DeviceResetDetectPlace::WR_SIMULATE in Parent process
[GFX1-]: IPC Channel is already torn down unexpectedly

[GFX1-]: IPC Channel is already torn down unexpectedly

[GFX1-]: Detect DeviceReset DeviceResetReason::FORCED_RESET DeviceResetDetectPlace::WR_SIMULATE in Parent process

Added later 4 h 49 min 09 s:
I'm seeing the errors in the journal as well:

Changed property '/org/xfce/mousepad/state/application/session' not expected!

And this one as well catch my attention

xfconfd[9222]: Got G_TYPE_STRV.  Shouldn't happen anymore, right?

---

But it's all right, when you're all in pain and you feel the rain come down
It's alright, when you find your way, then you see it disappear
It's alright....
Chris Cornell

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 12,562

Re: Cleaning Up Xsession Errors

I find this odd:

dbus-update-activation-environment: setting GSETTINGS_BACKEND=xfconf

Apparently, this instructs your system to use xfconf to manage gsettings (dconf) configurations. I've never seen this before. Have a look in /etc/X11/Xsession.d to see if a file in there sets it.

Maybe you should create a bug report against xfconf and see what Gael thinks. Either way, there is a mismatch happening.

Also (maybe related): https://gitlab.xfce.org/xfce/xfconf/-/issues/17.

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eriefisher

Wanderer

From: ON, Canada

Registered: 2008-10-25

Posts: 947

Re: Cleaning Up Xsession Errors

I found it, /etc/X11/Xsession.d/55xfconf

# Set the gsettings backend to xfconf, by default it is dconf with a fallback to memory.
export GSETTINGS_BACKEND=xfconf
if [ -n "$DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS" ] && \
  command -v dbus-update-activation-environment >/dev/null; then
    dbus-update-activation-environment --verbose --systemd GSETTINGS_BACKEND
fi

It looks like it 's part of the xfconf-gsettings-backend package. I have purged it and will test.

Added later 07 min 10 s:
Mousepad errors gone. I'm not sure how I got that package or why????

Thanks for seeing that @ToZ

Any thoughts on the last few lines. Looks like a GPU/driver error.

[GFX1-]: Detect DeviceReset DeviceResetReason::FORCED_RESET DeviceResetDetectPlace::WR_SIMULATE in Parent process
[GFX1-]: IPC Channel is already torn down unexpectedly

[GFX1-]: IPC Channel is already torn down unexpectedly

[GFX1-]: Detect DeviceReset DeviceResetReason::FORCED_RESET DeviceResetDetectPlace::WR_SIMULATE in Parent process

---

But it's all right, when you're all in pain and you feel the rain come down
It's alright, when you find your way, then you see it disappear
It's alright....
Chris Cornell

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 12,562

Re: Cleaning Up Xsession Errors

Yeah, looks like a graphics issue. If you have an nvidia, this seems related (same messages).

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eriefisher

Wanderer

From: ON, Canada

Registered: 2008-10-25

Posts: 947

Re: Cleaning Up Xsession Errors

No Nvidia. Amd with radeon driver.

I'll have to do some digging for this one.

---

But it's all right, when you're all in pain and you feel the rain come down
It's alright, when you find your way, then you see it disappear
It's alright....
Chris Cornell