[F25] only black screen with KDE Plasma session

[Frédéric Bron]

Hi,

Since this morning, after loging in on a Plasma KDE session, I can
first see the desktop then only a black screen with only the mouse
available, nothing else.
Ctrl+Alt+Suppr, brings the log out screen so I can log out.
I can also switch to a text terminal with Ctrl+Alt+F2. That's all.

Before turning the computer off yesterday, I updated my packages (see
below the details of the transaction).

How can I get back my normal screen so that I can work again?

Frédéric

# dnf history info last
ID de transaction : 220
Temps de début    : Thu Jun 22 19:15:19 2017
Début de RPMDB    : 3204:6cb0ac26f6ff78822ef897069e76afa82cd02c1b
Temps de fin :            19:15:28 2017 (9 secondes)
Fin de RPMDB : 3204:53773cfc24afe7f55b910af08d9d45c2fcc58ac5
Utilisateur  : Frédéric Bron <fred>
Code de retour  : Réussi
Ligne de commande : update -y
Transaction effectuée avec :
    Installé     dnf-1.1.10-6.fc25.noarch   @updates
    Installé     rpm-4.13.0.1-1.fc25.x86_64 @updates
Paquets modifiés :
    Mis à niveau  google-chrome-stable-59.0.3071.104-1.x86_64 @google-chrome
    Mettre à jour                      59.0.3071.109-1.x86_64 @google-chrome
    Mis à niveau  leptonica-1.74.1-1.fc25.x86_64              @updates
    Mettre à jour           1.74.4-1.fc25.x86_64              @updates
    Mis à niveau  tbb-2017.6-1.fc25.x86_64                    @updates
    Mettre à jour     2017.7-1.fc25.x86_64                    @updates
Sortie du scriplet :
   1 Redirecting to /bin/systemctl start  atd.service

[Ed Greshko]

On 06/23/17 13:38, Frédéric Bron wrote:
> Since this morning, after loging in on a Plasma KDE session, I can
> first see the desktop then only a black screen with only the mouse
> available, nothing else.
> Ctrl+Alt+Suppr, brings the log out screen so I can log out.
> I can also switch to a text terminal with Ctrl+Alt+F2. That's all.
>
> Before turning the computer off yesterday, I updated my packages (see
> below the details of the transaction).
>
> How can I get back my normal screen so that I can work again?

First, I can't see how any of the 3 packages updated would be in any way responsible.

I assume you've already booted at least once more.  Have you also re-seated video
cables?  I've had unexplained video issues cleared up by doing that.

You haven't accidentally tried to open a Plasma KDE session under wayland, have you?

Is your Logon session set to "Restore Previous Session", "Restore Manually Saved
Session", or "Start Empty Session"?

Since you can get to a text terminal.  Have you tried creating another user and then
logging in as that user?

[Frédéric Bron]

> First, I can't see how any of the 3 packages updated would be in any way responsible.
> I assume you've already booted at least once more.

I tried 3-4 times.
> Have you also re-seated video
> cables?  I've had unexplained video issues cleared up by doing that.

The screen is not the issue because I get the ssdm login screen perfectly well.
Also it's a laptop with an external screen. I have tested with and
without the external screen plug-in, same behaviour.
> You haven't accidentally tried to open a Plasma KDE session under wayland, have you?

I do not know wayland. I do not know how to open plasma under wayland.
> Is your Logon session set to "Restore Previous Session", "Restore Manually Saved
> Session", or "Start Empty Session"?

I do not remember. I turned the computer off automatically after
backup. When I leave, I open a terminal, su to root, run dnf update,
run my backup command followed by "; shutdown" so that the computer
turns off automatically.

I tried to launch systemsettings5 from another computer but I get a
buggy window:
$ ssh -X alpha systemsettings5
libGL error: No matching fbConfigs or visuals found
libGL error: failed to load driver: swrast
> Since you can get to a text terminal.  Have you tried creating another user and then
> logging in as that user?

just done it, same problem with the new user

Frédéric

[Ed Greshko]

On 06/23/17 15:03, Frédéric Bron wrote:
> The screen is not the issue because I get the ssdm login screen perfectly well.
> Also it's a laptop with an external screen. I have tested with and
> without the external screen plug-in, same behaviour.

OK, I didn't know what your HW was.  FWIW, I have eliminated "it can't be" from my
vocabulary.  A while back I had a strange video issue.  The login screen was
perfectly fine all the time.  But when I logged in things went "crazy" after a time. 
Turned out that during their midnight play sessions one of our cats must have jarred
a cable and after hours of trying to figure out what was going wrong a simple re-seat
fixed the issue.  Of course, with your configuration (and not cats) it can't be
so....  :-)
> > You haven't accidentally tried to open a Plasma KDE session under wayland, have you?
>
> I do not know wayland. I do not know how to open plasma under wayland.

Well, it is a selection on the lower left of the sddm login screen.  But, I think you
need to have a certain set of packages like qt5-qtwayland and
plasma-workspace-wayland installed.  If you don't have those.....
> > Is your Logon session set to "Restore Previous Session", "Restore Manually Saved
> > Session", or "Start Empty Session"?
>
> I do not remember. I turned the computer off automatically after
> backup. When I leave, I open a terminal, su to root, run dnf update,
> run my backup command followed by "; shutdown" so that the computer
> turns off automatically.
>
> I tried to launch systemsettings5 from another computer but I get a
> buggy window:
> $ ssh -X alpha systemsettings5
> libGL error: No matching fbConfigs or visuals found
> libGL error: failed to load driver: swrast

Well....  If I run that command from an F26 VM I don't get that message.  If I run it
from a system running F25 I get that message but the systemsettings screen is
"fine".  I don't see anything particularly wrong with the display.
> > Since you can get to a text terminal.  Have you tried creating another user and then
> > logging in as that user?
>
> just done it, same problem with the new user

Humm.....

[Frédéric Bron]

> Well, it is a selection on the lower left of the sddm login screen.

I have nothing there.
> > > Since you can get to a text terminal.  Have you tried creating another user and then
> > > logging in as that user?
> >
> > just done it, same problem with the new user
>
> Humm.....

I just tried multiple times again, still the blackout.
I also tried to use a different kernel but both 4.11.4 and 4.11.5 give
the same issue.
I have an nvidia card but I use the nouveau driver on this computer
(never installed the proprietary driver).

Regards,

Frédéric

[wwp]

Hello Frédéric,

On Fri, 23 Jun 2017 11:54:52 +0200 Frédéric Bron  wrote:
> > Well, it is a selection on the lower left of the sddm login screen.
>
> I have nothing there.
> > > > Since you can get to a text terminal.  Have you tried creating another user and then
> > > > logging in as that user?
> > >
> > > just done it, same problem with the new user
> >
> > Humm.....
>
> I just tried multiple times again, still the blackout.
> I also tried to use a different kernel but both 4.11.4 and 4.11.5 give
> the same issue.
> I have an nvidia card but I use the nouveau driver on this computer
> (never installed the proprietary driver).

Are you able to plug a secondary screen in? If so, how does it behave?

Regards,

[Frédéric Bron]

> Are you able to plug a secondary screen in? If so, how does it behave?

behaves the same.

Frédéric

[Ed Greshko]

On 06/23/17 17:54, Frédéric Bron wrote:
> I just tried multiple times again, still the blackout.
> I also tried to use a different kernel but both 4.11.4 and 4.11.5 give
> the same issue.
> I have an nvidia card but I use the nouveau driver on this computer
> (never installed the proprietary driver).

Since you can login from another system, or switch to a text terminal, can you check
if /usr/bin/plasmashell is running when you have the black screen?

[Frédéric Bron]

> Since you can login from another system, or switch to a text terminal, can you check
> if /usr/bin/plasmashell is running when you have the black screen?

I see that plasmashell starts just after login,
then it disappears when the black screen comes. I can also see this
for a few seconds in top when it crashes:
abrt-action-lis

Frédéric

[Joe Zeff]

On 06/23/2017 03:49 AM, Frédéric Bron wrote:
> > Since you can login from another system, or switch to a text terminal, can you check
> > if /usr/bin/plasmashell is running when you have the black screen?
>
> I see that plasmashell starts just after login,
> then it disappears when the black screen comes. I can also see this
> for a few seconds in top when it crashes:
> abrt-action-lis

Try looking at ~/.xsession-errors just after things go black to see if 
there's anything interesting.

[Frédéric Bron]

> Try looking at ~/.xsession-errors just after things go black to see if
> there's anything interesting.

I find this:
xset:  bad font path element (#2), possible causes are:
    Directory does not exist or has wrong permissions
    Directory missing fonts.dir
    Incorrect font server address or syntax
startkde: Starting up...

vmware-user: could not open /proc/fs/vmblock/dev
Already running
abrt-applet: Impossible d'afficher la notification :
GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown: The name
org.freedesktop.Notifications was not provided b>
abrt-applet: Impossible d'afficher la notification :
GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown: The name
org.freedesktop.Notifications was not provided b>
...
KCrash: Attempting to start /usr/bin/plasmashell from kdeinit
KCrash: Application 'plasmashell' crashing...
KCrash: Attempting to start /usr/libexec/drkonqi from kdeinit

full .xsession-errors attached.

Frédéric

[Ed Greshko]

On 06/23/17 19:28, Frédéric Bron wrote:
> KCrash: Attempting to start /usr/bin/plasmashell from kdeinit
> KCrash: Application 'plasmashell' crashing...
> KCrash: Attempting to start /usr/libexec/drkonqi from kdeinit

Well, that is the problem.  Although I must admit that at this point I'm not sure how
to proceed.

I would, based on another problem you recently had, that you do the following....

Again bring up the system in run level 3.  Before you startx....

sudo setenforce 0

then....

startx as your normal self.

[Frédéric Bron]

> I would, based on another problem you recently had, that you do the following....
> Again bring up the system in run level 3.  Before you startx
> sudo setenforce 0
> startx as your normal self.

I did that but it is not better :(

Thanks,

Frédéric

[Ed Greshko]

On 06/23/17 20:50, Frédéric Bron wrote:
> > I would, based on another problem you recently had, that you do the following....
> > Again bring up the system in run level 3.  Before you startx
> > sudo setenforce 0
> > startx as your normal self.
>
> I did that but it is not better :(

Well, darn.  I was hoping that a "startx" would at least output something that could
give a clue as to why plasmashell is crashing.

Are there any files created under /var/cache/abrt-di at the time of the crashes?  I
think abrt intercepts crash data.

Shot in the dark.... Are any of your file systems full?

In any event, I think it would be a good idea to ask the fine folks on the KDE list
for their advice as to how to figure out why plasmashell is crashing.

Sorry.....

[Frédéric Bron]

> Well, darn.  I was hoping that a "startx" would at least output something that could
> give a clue as to why plasmashell is crashing.

He, you are right, I have something in the terminal:

xauth: file /home/fred/.serverauth.1393 does not exist

X.Org X Server 1.19.3
Release Date: 2017-03-15
...
xf86EnableIOPorts: failed to set IOPL for I/O (Operation not permitted)
  xset: bad font path element (#2), possible causes are:
    Directory does not exist or has wrong permissions
      Directory missing fonts.dir
        Incorrect font server address or syntax
          startkde: Starting up...
            dbus-update-activation-environment: warning: error sending
to systemd: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.Spawn.ChildExited: Process
org.freedesktop.systemd1 exited with status 1
vmware-user: could not open /proc
.KCrash: Attempting to start /usr/bin/kdeinit5 from
kdeinitsock_file=/run/user/1000/kdeinit5__0
Warning: conncect() failed: : No such file or directory
KCrash: Attempting to start /usr/bin/kdeinit5 directly
KCrash: Applicatino 'kdeinit5' crashing...
kdeinit5: Communication error with launcher. Exiting!
.KCrash: Attempting to start /usr/libexec/drkonqi from kdeinit
(II) Server terminated successfully (0). Closing log file.
Warning: connect() failed: : Connection refused
KCrash: Attempting to start /usr/libexec/drkonqi directly
> Shot in the dark.... Are any of your file systems full?

nothing full
> In any event, I think it would be a good idea to ask the fine folks on the KDE list
> for their advice as to how to figure out why plasmashell is crashing.

you're right, I will.

Frédéric

[Ed Greshko]

On 06/23/17 17:54, Frédéric Bron wrote:
> I just tried multiple times again, still the blackout.
> I also tried to use a different kernel but both 4.11.4 and 4.11.5 give
> the same issue.
> I have an nvidia card but I use the nouveau driver on this computer
> (never installed the proprietary driver).

Oh, and another thing to do which may give more insight into the problem....

Boot to run level 3.

Login in text mode.

startkde

[Frédéric Bron]

> Boot to run level 3.

how do I do that?

Frédéric

[Ed Greshko]

On 06/23/17 18:50, Frédéric Bron wrote:
> > Boot to run level 3.
>
> how do I do that?

When the boot screen comes up with the kernel selections, press "e" to edit.

Then scroll down to the linux16 line showing the kernel you are booting and append a
3.  Then ctrl-x to continue the boot process.

FWIW, it sounds as if plasmashell is crashing for some unknown reason.

[Frédéric Bron]

> Boot to run level 3.
> Login in text mode.
> startkde

I did that as user (not as root). I got:
$DISPLAY is not set or cannot connect to the X server

Frédéric

[Ed Greshko]

On 06/23/17 19:33, Frédéric Bron wrote:
> I did that as user (not as root). I got:
> $DISPLAY is not set or cannot connect to the X server

Sorry....

That should have been "startx" and not "startkde"

[Ed Greshko]

On 06/23/17 13:38, Frédéric Bron wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Since this morning, after loging in on a Plasma KDE session, I can
> first see the desktop then only a black screen with only the mouse
> available, nothing else.
> Ctrl+Alt+Suppr, brings the log out screen so I can log out.
> I can also switch to a text terminal with Ctrl+Alt+F2. That's all.

Oh, FWIW, you may want to try posting to the kde list as some on that list don't come
here.