HDMI display problem in 64-bit Xenial 7.5

[Saladin]

I'm using Xenial 7.5, 64 bit, hooked up to my TV via HDMI. Sometimes something crashes or locks up or something, so I ctrl-alt-backspace. When I do this, the TV reports that it's not receiving any input. I find that I can restart the window manager (still can't see anything, but I know it's restarted because pushing backspace no longer causes the computer to beep) wait fifteen minutes, ctrl-alt-backspace again, and now I can see, and restart my window manager and actually use my computer again.

Sometimes fifteen minutes doesn't seem to work, and hours later I'm still waiting to be able to see things. In these instances, I leave the computer like this overnight, and it works the following morning.

It's not the TV: I've recently replaced my TV, even changed brand from Vizio to LG, and it's still behaving the same. I can also reboot the computer and everything works fine--though I usually prefer not to do this, as I'll lose everything I haven't saved.

What is causing Puppy to have this problem, and what can I do to fix it?

[666philb]

hi Saladin,

xenial also doesn't like my new monitor. give bionicpup a go and see if that works http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=114311

[williams2]

Maybe cycling the HDMI monitor would help.
You could write a script like this:

Code: Select all

#!/bin/ash
cd
xrandr >> xrandr.log
xrandr --output HDMI-0 --off
sleep 1
xrandr --output HDMI-0 --auto

You can create a script in /root/my-applications/bin/
by right clicking in a rox /root/my-applications/bin/ window
and selecting New, Script
You could name it something simple, like 1
Then you could run it by typing 1
You could drag the script to the desktop
and right click the icon and Edit to set a shortcut key,
maybe WinKey+Backspace.
Then you could press WinKey+Backspace to run the script.

The script might not work, but there might be useful information
in /root/xrandr.log

You need to run xrandr in a text terminal console to see what
name you need to use if HDMI-0 is not correct.

If you have a laptop, maybe you could enable the laptop monitor from a script.
Something like:

Code: Select all

#!/bin/ash
cd
xrandr >> xrandr.log
xrandr --output HDMI-0 --off --output LVDS --auto

Run xrandr to see the correct name for the laptop monitor,
if you have a laptop.

Maybe the HDMI cable is defective,
or the HDMI jack on the computer.

[bigpup]

What is the graphics hardware that is providing the HDMI output to the TV?

Does the TV have more than one HDMI port you could try using?
I know, they should all be the same.
However, who knows for sure unless you try different ports.

Are you sure the HDMI cable you are using is good?

[Saladin]

Thanks everyone!

Will give that script a try. Could upgrade to Bionic, but I'd rather not if I can help it. I've remastered Xenial just the way I like it, and I try not to do that too often.

The TV has multiple HDMI ports, and I actually have five HDMI cables going into it, and I can switch cables and ports without any difference. All of my devices work fine, including the computer--as long as I don't shutdown my window manager. I can really have my computer up for a month straight with no display problems whatsoever, as long as I never shutdown the window manager.

Might be the graphics hardware. I'm using a Lenovo IdeaCentre 310s, which seems to have integrated graphics processing.

[williams2]

Sometimes my mouse cursor seems to freeze.

Usually I can switch to another workspace and move the cursor
to get it to respond.

You might be able to switch to another virtual console
by pressing ctrl+alt+F2 or ctrl+alt+F3
login as root, default password is woofwoof
and type commands like htop, ps, kill, killall
to try to fix the problem without killing Xwindows.

ctrl+alt+F4 or ctrl+alt+F7 should display Xwindows again.

[bigpup]

I can really have my computer up for a month straight with no display problems whatsoever, as long as I never shutdown the window manager.

So, the problem is caused by you shutting down the window manager and putting the computer in a non-normal working condition.

What are you doing to shutdown the window manager?
Why are you even doing this?

Look in the computer bios setup for anything that may affect graphics when the computer is not actually providing a desktop.

[Saladin]

As I said in the original post, I shut down the WM with ctrl-alt-backspace, and I do it when I have literally no other option for not losing my work. Some app (usually Palemoon, but not always) slows the computer to a crawl. I can push Caps Lock on the keyboard, and the Caps Lock light doesn't come on until five minutes later. So I push ctrl-alt-backspace twenty times or so, and a few minutes later, it's not frozen anymore.

Also, sometimes I try to select all files in a directory by clicking and dragging from lower right to upper left, and that crashes ROX filer. I try not to do that when I remember, but I slip up sometimes.

Never tried switching to another workspace before. Tried it about twenty minutes ago, and that kills my display too, so I'm writing this on my phone.

[bigpup]

Xenialpup64 7.5
Frugal install
Latest Quickpet>Info>Xenialpup updates

ctrl-alt-backspace
Desktop disappears.
Drops to the prompt screen with info about several options.
Type

Code: Select all

xwin

Press enter.
Back to normal desktop and fully working window manager.

So, why yours will not do this.

Are you using the JWM for the window manager?

Is Xenialpup a frugal install?
If yes.
Does booting not using the save have any affect?

What you say about keyboard keys.
Sure the keyboard is clean under the keys?
Well, keyboards do go bad.

(usually Palemoon, but not always) slows the computer to a crawl

That usually happens if Palemoon is doing so much the computer is getting low on free ram.
Cache full.
Too many tabs open.
Too many web sites doing stuff in the background, while you look at a different tab.

[Saladin]

JWM is my default, but I use ratpoison most of the time. This happens regardless of which WM I'm dropping out of, which makes it difficult when I need to switch between the two.

It does drop me to the prompt screen every time. I can tell by sound: any sounds playing in the WM stop, and when I'm on the prompt and I try to backspace but no text has been written, it makes the built-in PC speaker beep. Then I can type "xwin" and backspace no longer makes that sound--until I ctrl-alt-backspace again.

So it is behaving correctly in every way, except that I can't always see what's happening.

Edit: I never use puppy saves. I'm booting from an optical disk. And most of the time, Palemoon isn't a problem. I don't use many different websites. The ones I usually use don't cause any trouble. It's when I try to go to websites that I don't usually use that I may run into trouble. Facebook is too intensive, but I'm fine only using it from my phone. Sometimes I'll read an article on some news site, and that messes things up. Youtube can be trouble, but not often.

[bigpup]

I have literally no other option for not losing my work

Xlock will blank the screen if you only want the desktop to not show.
The lock icon on the desktop.
After locking.
Simply move the mouse or press a key.
Enter your lock password
Back to visable working desktop.

[Saladin]

Most of the time when I shut down the WM, it's because I can't get to the desktop or open the menu. Everything has stopped working.

[bigpup]

So it is behaving correctly in every way, except that I can't always see what's happening.

Well, if you do nothing but type xwin press enter.
Even if you cannot see it.
Does it do anything?

When you can see the prompt screen.
What color is the lettering?

[bigpup]

Most of the time when I shut down the WM, it's because I can't get to the desktop or open the menu. Everything has stopped working.

That usually happens when RAM is maxed out.
How much RAM in this computer?
Does it have a swap file or partition on the internal hard drive?

[Saladin]

I do press enter after "xwin". Sorry, didn't mean to give you the wrong impression. I really feel like everything is working correctly with the prompt--i just can't always see it.

When I do see the prompt, it's white text on a black background.

I think you're right that i don't have enough RAM. Not sure how much it is, but I haven't added any, and I don't have a swap partition. The hard drive is big, but it's almost completely full. Also, the computer casing is very small, so I'm not sure I'll be able to get another hard drive in there. Could buy more RAM, but I'd rather work with what I already have, if I can. I'll see what I can do when I'm home tomorrow.

[bigpup]

menu>System>Pup-Sysinfo>Devices>Memory

That will tell you how much memory.

[Saladin]

Total RAM: 3768 MB

I'm thinking of moving over to a CLI browser. That'll probably solve most of my problems, and it'll work for most of the things I do. Better, actually. When I read a news article, I'm not interested in the comment section, or the auto-playing video, or the ads.