Weird user-specific malfunction problem

[Andrew Conkling]

Here's the original forum post for anyone's reference:
http://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?t=1385

Cheers,
Andrew

On 10/01/05 19:19:04, Ross Laird wrote:
> 
> 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
> 
> --
> http://www.rosslaird.info
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