Intermittent White Rectangle

[Jody Thornton]

Hi Folks - First Post Ever

Prefeacing this, I am aware of a similar problem on Precise Ubuntu when running Google Chrome, but I am running Precise Puppy with Seamonkey v2.19.

For no apparent reason, a rectangular white box appears at the top-left of the screen after usually fifteen minutes or so after Puppy and my my X session have started. I can restart X and the screen refreshes, thus ridding of the box. And sometimes the box just goes away after awhile.

I have disabled screensavers completely, and I cannot see any power management tools that might interfere. But if anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them.

Cheers,
Jody Thornton
(Hamilton, Ontario)

[Semme]

Hi Jody.. Welcome to the forums.

Are you able to give us a screenshot of what you're seeing?

Menu >> graphics..

[musher0]

Hi, Jody.

Welcome to the kennel.

The version of your Precise Puppy would be helpful also, as well as your type of computer,
from Menu -> System -> Hardinfo, so we can try to reproduce the problem

Bye for now.

musher0

[MochiMoppel]

I am aware of a similar problem on Precise Ubuntu when running Google Chrome, but I am running Precise Puppy with Seamonkey v2.19.

Since both are browsers, could it be that the rectangle is created by a certain website? Does the rectangle go away when you close the browser?

[mikeb]

just a guess but this sounds like the square the console buffer used to generate..... cut buffer so copy and paste works for terminal etc
It was run from /etc/.xinitrc ..

mike

[Jody Thornton]

Hi, Jody.

Welcome to the kennel.

The version of your Precise Puppy would be helpful also, as well as your type of computer,
from Menu -> System -> Hardinfo, so we can try to reproduce the problem

Bye for now.

musher0

Wow! thanks for the oodles of responses. I'm on Precise Puppy v5.7.1 on a Dell D610 Notebook PC. Here is what was saved from Hardinfo for OS and machine info:

-Version-
Kernel : Linux 3.9.11 (i686)
Version : #1 SMP Sat Jul 27 19:40:54 GMT-8 2013
C Library : GNU C Library version 2.15 (stable)
Distribution : Precise Puppy - 5.7.1
-Current Session-
Computer Name : puppypc20388
User Name : root (root)
Home Directory : /root
Desktop Environment : Unknown (Window Manager: JWM)
-Misc-
Uptime : 6 minutes
Load Average : 0.20, 0.41, 0.24

-Computer-
Processor : Intel(R) Pentium(R) M processor 1.86GHz
Memory : 1025MB (315MB used)
Machine Type : Physical machine
Operating System : Precise Puppy - 5.7.1
User Name : root (root)
Date/Time : Wed 02 Apr 2014 10:38:54 AM EDT
-Display-
Resolution : 1024x768 pixels
OpenGL Renderer : Mesa DRI Intel(R) 915GM x86/MMX/SSE2
X11 Vendor : The X.Org Foundation
-Audio Devices-
Audio Adapter : ICH4 - Intel ICH6
-Input Devices-
AT Translated Set 2 keyboard
DualPoint Stick
AlpsPS/2 ALPS DualPoint TouchPad
Video Bus
Lid Switch
Power Button
Sleep Button
PC Speaker
-Printers (CUPS)-
CUPS-PDF : <i>Default</i>
-SCSI Disks-
ATA TOSHIBA MK4032GA
PHILIPS CDRW/DVD SCB5265

Thank You
Jody

[Jody Thornton]

just a guess but this sounds like the square the console buffer used to generate..... cut buffer so copy and paste works for terminal etc
It was run from /etc/.xinitrc ..

mike

Here's my initialization script, but mine was under /root/.xinitrc

#!/bin/sh
# $Xorg: xinitrc.cpp,v 1.3 2000/08/17 19:54:30 cpqbld Exp $
#120718 redesign for startup on slow computers. see also /sbin/pup_event_frontend_d and delayedrun.
#130202 xrandr set vert freq. see also /usr/sbin/quicksetup.
#130212 removed glipper code, see latest glipper pet.
#130525 old pc celeron 2ghz cpu, 256mb ram, CPUSPEED=1999, 1st bootup rox failed to start. try experiment.

. /etc/rc.d/PUPSTATE

if [ -f /root/.jwm/jwm_colors ];then #v3.96
. /root/.jwm/jwm_colors
fi

#v4.01 BK daemon to handle kernel uevents...
/sbin/clean_desk_icons #v4.02 tidy up drive icons first.
#/sbin/pup_event_frontend_d &
#130525 ...start this further down.

#w482 reshape background image if widescreen...
#120708 need to reshape for PUPMODE=2 also...
#[ $PUPMODE -eq 5 ] && /usr/sbin/background_reshape
NEEDRESHAPE='yes'
[ -f /usr/share/backgrounds_original/ORIGINAL-default.jpg ] && NEEDRESHAPE='no'
[ -f /usr/share/backgrounds_original/ORIGINAL-default.png ] && NEEDRESHAPE='no'
[ "$NEEDRESHAPE" = "yes" ] && /usr/sbin/background_reshape

userresources=$HOME/.Xresources
usermodmap=$HOME/.Xmodmap
sysresources=/usr/lib/X11/xinit/Xresources
sysmodmap=/usr/lib/X11/xinit/.Xmodmap

# merge in defaults and keymaps

if [ -f $sysresources ]; then
xrdb -merge -nocpp $sysresources
fi

if [ -f $sysmodmap ]; then
xmodmap $sysmodmap
fi

if [ -f $userresources ]; then
xrdb -merge -nocpp $userresources
fi

if [ -f $usermodmap ]; then
xmodmap $usermodmap
fi

CURRENTWM="`cat /etc/windowmanager`"
if [ "$CURRENTWM" = "startkde" ];then
/sbin/pup_event_frontend_d & #130525
exec startkde
fi

#100501 if full nvidia pkg installed, it has a gui config app...
[ -f /root/.nvidia-settings-rc ] && nvidia-settings --load-config-only

[ -f $HOME/.xgamma-gamma ] && /bin/sh $HOME/.xgamma-gamma #100215 see /usr/sbin/xgamma-gui.

#0.9.8 sync selection-buffer and clipboard. only useful for older apps
#such as rxvt that use the selection-buffer...
[ -f /usr/bin/autocutsel ] && /usr/bin/autocutsel &
#...disadvantage of this is it creates a little square bottom-right of screen.

if [ -e /tmp/videomode ];then #xvesa only: testing a video mode
video-wizard &
fi

[ -f /usr/local/bin/agenda_chk ] && agenda_chk &

#v1.0.7 set by xrandrshell, part of xorg wizard... v3.99...
if [ -f /etc/xrandrindex ];then
#v3.99 workround for dual monitors, 'head -n 1'....
XRANDRDEFAULT="$(xrandr -q | grep '\*' | tr -s ' ' | grep '^ [0-9]' | cut -f 2,3 -d ' ' | cut -f 1 -d '*' | tr ' ' '@' | head -n 1)" #130202 return 1024x768@60.0
XRANDRINDEX="`cat /etc/xrandrindex`" #v3.99 XRANDRINDEX now is XxY resolution. #130202 now vertxhoriz@freq (refer quicksetup).
#but do not switch if default is already this resolution....
if [ "$XRANDRINDEX" = "$XRANDRDEFAULT" ];then
rm -f /etc/xrandrindex
else
NEW_XY="$(echo -n "$XRANDRINDEX" | cut -f 1 -d '@')" #130202
NEW_VFREQ="$(echo -n "$XRANDRINDEX" | cut -f 2 -d '@')" #130202
xrandr -s $NEW_XY -r $NEW_VFREQ #130202
fi
fi

if [ -f /root/.xset.sh ];then
#this is created by /usr/bin/pupx...
eval "/root/.xset.sh"
else
##Xorg has it's own fontpath settings in /etc/X11/xorg.conf...
#if [ "`readlink /usr/bin/X`" != "Xorg" ];then
# #xset fp+ /usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1/
# #xset fp+ /usr/lib/X11/fonts/TTF/
# xset fp+ /usr/share/fonts/default/Type1/
# xset fp+ /usr/share/fonts/default/TTF/
#fi
xset s 600 600 s blank
fi

#v1.0.7 also see /etc/rc.d/rc.local0
if [ -f /root/.fonts/fonts.dir ];then
xset fp+ /root/.fonts/
fi

[ -f /usr/bin/xsetroot ] && xsetroot -cursor_name top_left_arrow

#v555 w003
#[ -f /usr/bin/xfce-mcs-manager ] && xfce-mcs-manager
#[ "$CURRENTWM" = "xfwm4" ] && xfce-mcs-manager
#...no need to start it here, fvwm4 below will start it automatically.

#relocates right-side icons to actual right-side of screen...
/usr/sbin/fixPuppyPin /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/PuppyPin #v1.0.7

#w468 on old PCs rox sometimes does not start, see further down...
#120718 raspi sometimes need extra delay otherwise rox fails to start.
CPUSPEED=`grep -m 1 -i '^cpu MHz' /proc/cpuinfo | tr -d ' ' | cut -f 2 -d ':' | cut -f 1 -d '.'` #my laptop: 933.000
[ ! $CPUSPEED ] && CPUSPEED=`grep -m 1 -i '^bogomips' /proc/cpuinfo | tr -d ' ' | cut -f 2 -d ':' | cut -f 1 -d '.'` #120718 raspi: 697.95 my laptop: 4789.47
[ ! $CPUSPEED ] && CPUSPEED=250
[ $CPUSPEED -lt 700 ] && sleep 0.5
[ $CPUSPEED -lt 400 ] && sleep 0.5
if [ -f /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/PuppyPan1 ];then
rox -p /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/PuppyPin -r /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/PuppyPan1
else
rox -p /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/PuppyPin
fi

/sbin/pup_event_frontend_d & #130525 moved down.

#v2.0.0
/usr/sbin/delayedrun &

#v2.01 hide cursor when not moving... (setup in /usr/sbin/input-wizard)
if [ -f /etc/mousehide ];then
IDLETIME="`cat /etc/mousehide | cut -f 1 -d ','`"
[ ! "$IDLETIME" = "0" ] && unclutter -idle $IDLETIME &
fi

##v2.14 rarsa: update xdg menu for w.m. that do not allow includes...
#which ${CURRENTWM}_menu_refresh && ${CURRENTWM}_menu_refresh
#...no, now doing it differently, see /usr/sbin/fixmenus

if [ "$CURRENTWM" = "xfwm4" ];then
if [ "`which xfce4-panel`" != "" ];then
xfwm4 --daemon #note, starts xfce-mcs-manager daemon also.
exec xfce4-panel
fi
fi

#v3.91 volume tray applet, thanks to hairywill... v3.96 MENU_BG variable...
if [ -f /usr/bin/absvolume ];then
if [ "$MENU_BG" = "" ];then
absvolume &
else
absvolume -bg $MENU_BG &
fi
fi

#v3.95 support fbpanel tray/taskbar...
#only launch tray for w.m. without inbuilt tray...
if [ "$CURRENTWM" != "jwm" -a "$CURRENTWM" != "icewm" ];then
if [ -f /usr/bin/fbpanel ];then
#a bit of a hack: when 3builddistro runs fixmenus, which calls variconlinks,
#which populates /var/local/icons with symlinks, /usr/local/lib/X11/pixmaps
#is not yet populated (happens at first boot, from default icon theme)...
[ ! -e /var/local/icons/home48.png ] && ln -fs /usr/local/lib/X11/pixmaps/* /var/local/icons/
fbpanel &
fi
[ -f /usr/bin/lxpanel ] && lxpanel &
fi

##w468 rox may not start old hardware, try again... 120517 bring this back...
##PS="`ps`"
##if [ "`echo "$PS" | grep 'ROX\-Filer'`" = "" ];then
#if ! busybox pidof ROX-Filer;then
# touch /tmp/roxfilerstartupproblem #see /sbin/pup_event_frontend_d
# sleep 0.5
# if ! busybox pidof ROX-Filer;then #check again.
# rox -p /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/PuppyPin
# fi
#fi

#exec $CURRENTWM
#v2.11 GuestToo suggested this improvement...
which $CURRENTWM && exec $CURRENTWM
[ -x $CURRENTWM ] && exec $CURRENTWM
exec jwm

###END###

Thank you folks
Jody

[Jody Thornton]

I am aware of a similar problem on Precise Ubuntu when running Google Chrome, but I am running Precise Puppy with Seamonkey v2.19.

Since both are browsers, could it be that the rectangle is created by a certain website? Does the rectangle go away when you close the browser?

Well, no it doesn't necessarily have to do with the browser. I was only clarifying that I don't run Google Chrome. There is that already specified bug in Precise Ubuntu coinciding with the use of Chrome may not be my exact issue listed here.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1944171

However, the white block appears and vanishes at random. Once, I opened Abiword and it appeared. On another occasion, I opened the Network wizard and it went away. The Seamonkey browser and/or mail client may be open or not.

To directly answer your question, no the block remains on the desktop when I close the browser.

Thank you for your help.

Cheers,
Jody

[Jody Thornton]

So I'm waiting for the screen the display the white box, but it hasn't appeared yet.

In the meantime, I'm sending a "doctored" image of my desktop with a lookalike of the rectangular block. This is how the symptom appears. I will send a true screenshot when I get one, but this is exaclty how it looks when it happens.

Focus on the top left.

[Jody Thornton]

By the way, the triplicate tray items in the bottom right hand of the screen: ignore those. I accidentally ran .xinitrc twice (d'oh!)

[Jody Thornton]

By the way everyone, thank you for your help. I look forward to your responses.

[mikeb]

Hi

yes that was my typo it is /root./xinitrc but from your image of quite a large rectangle I don't think this is the cause.

Looks more like a video driver/rox/X glitch to me.

mike

[Jody Thornton]

Well Mike, just after restarting X, and checking email in Seamonkey, it reappeared. Now I closed Seamonkey, it remained on the desktop.

I opened the Seamonkey browser, and when the browser is maximized, the block goes away. If I minimize the browser, it appears.

I attached a real screenshot of the maximized browser, and the desktop with Seamonkey minimized.

[mikeb]

hmm this is in the domain of the mysteries of precise/xorg/video and stuff so a bit out of my domain but there is plenty of info for others to chew on.

mike

[bigpup]

Just some ideas:

Some program set to display a notice message.
E-mail, you got mail message, maybe?
Network share connection notice?
etc....

Try changing the desktop background. There were a few buggy backgrounds. They got corrected, but you still may be using one.

Try changing desktop icons with "desktop icon switcher".

If this is a Dell computer.
I have seen posts about Dell having some kind of recovery program that does this white rectangle thing. There where settings in Windows to control it.
Maybe some setting in the computers bios, also makes this recovery program come on at boot.

[Jody Thornton]

Just some ideas:

Some program set to display a notice message.
E-mail, you got mail message, maybe?
etc....

Well you may be on to something here. I experienced a rectangle when a new message was received in Seamonkey Mail. I tried removing the "Kilome" theme from Seamonkey, and went back to the regular them. I have yet to have another instance of the rectangle (but still, I'll keep checking)

[MochiMoppel]

One more shot in the dark: If this white thing is indeed a message box and not just a video artifact you may be able to identify the owner. Open a terminal and type xprop. After you hit the Enter key the mouse coursor turns into a cross. Now click on the white thing. With a bit of luck you will see the properties of this window.

[Jody Thornton]

So far so good. Seems to have been the Maxiome theme for Seamonkey. I have now done a full installation of Precise Puppy on my notebook, and it's working fine.

I think it's solved.