Weird user-specific malfunction problem

[Ross Laird]

Thanks for the help, Erik:
Here's what I did.

Ctl-alt-f2 into a new console.
Tried "xfwm4 -- :1.
Got "Gtk warning: cannot open display."
Thinking this might be an X problem, I typed "startx --:1"
Gnome booted right up.
Exited Gnome.
Typed "startxfce -- :1"
Xfce started up: no window controls.
Opened a console: "xfwm4"
Controls appeared for the console window only.
Tried opening the browser using alt-f2: console gives xfwm4 segfault. 
All controls disappear.
Looked at .xsession-errors: something about appending message to 
~/.dead_letter.tmp
This file does not exist -- however "dead.letter" does, but it's empty.
Hm.




On Monday 10 January 2005 02:57 pm, Erik Harrison wrote:
> On Mon, 10 Jan 2005 12:24:02 -0800, Ross Laird <ross at rosslaird.info> wrote:
> > I wonder if anyone can assist with this (I've tried posting to both the
> > xfce forum and the os-cillation forum without success -- but many thanks
> > for the attempts by various people to help):
> >
> > After upgrading xfce (using the os-works sources) to 4.2, all users but
> > root share the problem that the window controls are missing and clickable
> > cursor placement does not work (for example, I can't click into the
> > address bar of the browser). Also, hovering over the mail icon on the
> > panel causes the terminal icon also to be selected.
> >
> > The root user is the only user for whom xfce functions properly.
> > Here's what I have tried so far to fix this problem:
> >
> > 1) Erasing .config, .cache, and .xfce4 files and directories for various
> > users.
> >
> > 2) Copying over (using rsync) the .cache, .config and .xfce4 files from
> > the correctly-functioning root user (being careful to correct the
> > permissions afterward).
> >
> > 3) Looking for errors in xfwm4 (none have shown up) and in my
> > .xsession-errors files for the users in question. Also I have looked at
> > .xinitrc etc.
> >
> > 4) Installing and running xfce4 by way of the os-cillation install
> > packages (and putting the files in a distinct location from the Debian
> > packages). The same problem shows up.
> >
> > 5) I have also tried purging and reinstalling xfce from the Debian
> > repositories and from the os-cillation repositories. No effect.
> >
> > Xfce used to work fine on my system -- no problems at all.
> > All other window managers also work fine (kde, gnome, wmaker, etc.).
> > Anybody know how I might tackle this?
>
> I've seen exactly this problem before, it was a path issue, but the
> details of which I do not recall. If, as Jasper says, xfwm is not
> running, try starting it. If the desktop is completely unusable the
> switch to another virtual terminal and run xfwm4 --display :0
>
> I'm willing to bet that if xfwm4 isn't running then you'll see crash
> there when you try to start it.
>
> -Erik
>
> > Thanks in advance.
> >
> > Ross Laird
> > _______________________________________________
> > Xfce mailing list
> > Xfce at xfce.org
> > http://lunar-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/xfce
> > http://www.xfce.org

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