Random logout on Buster with XFCE

[okanagansage]

I am experiencing a random logout issue. Just installed Buster the other day on this pc after having been using MXlinux on it for about a year. I bought this pc used a few years ago. The front of the case has 'Thermal-take' on it (case Brand or computer manufacturer brand?). It's got an AMD graphic on the side of the case and AMD cpu (FX-6300, six core). GPU is an nvidia geforce gt 630.

I had some issues with installation. I used the net-install image on a usb. But my internet connection was crapping out on me during the install which lengthened the time to install (had to reboot network after). During install, I messed up the grub part. After install/reboot, I got booted to a grub-rescue prompt. Got that sorted out. The next problem was that after grub tried to boot into debian, my monitor (Samsung TV actually) wouldn't display. I got a message on the screen saying that the input was trying to use a non-compatible resolution (I'm paraphrasing). So I found a way to tell lightdm to use a specific resolution. This is a dual-boot so I booted into MX and was able to access Debian's partitions to add a config file.

But today I had two random logouts. Each time, at a mouse-click, I got kicked out to the display manager (the login screen). When I logged back in, all the programs I had open were now closed. I saw a post in the forum by user NFT5 describing a similar problem using KDE. I am using XFCE. In NFT5's thread, it was suggested to look in systemd's journal. I've looked in my systemd journal with journalctl and nothing sticks out to me.

NTF5's thread:
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php? ... ut#p707259

NTF5's thread also mentioned that (s)he saw it mentioned somewhere that usb connections could be causing the issue. I did have a problem with the mouse not working at one point and removed a usb hub. There's also an issue with this computer where most of the usb ports don't work. Of many usb ports, the only working ones are the two USB3.0 ports in the back. Maybe a driver issue? I know the wifi card on this desktop didn't work before trying Buster.

I thought I'd post this about the random logouts. Not expecting too much but just wanted to put this out there. Hopefully it's not going to keep happening. If it does I'll post here again. But if you've heard elsewhere of this happening and have any suggestions or questions, then feel free to chime in.

Thanks.
Paul

[sunrat]

Random issues are usually failing hardware. Run a memory test, check hard drives with smartctl. Could also be the power supply or faulty components like capacitors on the mobo or even just loose or corroded connections. Check cpu, gpu and drive temperatures.

[okanagansage]

Random issues are usually failing hardware. Run a memory test, check hard drives with smartctl. Could also be the power supply or faulty components like capacitors on the mobo or even just loose or corroded connections. Check cpu, gpu and drive temperatures.

I'll check those things. Thanks.

If random issues are usually hardware, I wonder if I the problem may be related to the graphics card. I haven't run through the instructions on Debian's 'graphics cards' page. I've got an Nvidia graphics card. I'm guessing the default graphics on install is the open source driver. Apparently Nvidia don't make it too easy to develop good open source drivers for their cards, so I should probably install the proprietary driver. If that's the problem though, it's too bad it fails like that. Shuts down all the programs you're working with unexpectedly.

[trinidad]

I've experienced the same random logout quirk with Buster on X and I run gnome on good hardware (same as my Stretch and my apache server) and no synaptic. I'm going to look at it later today. I may be wrong here but doesn't XFCE and/or lightdm force the login screen to use X? I think my problem started when I set gdm to wayland false.

TC

[NFT5]

As i mentioned in the other thread, changing the graphics card seemed to solve the problem, but time has shown that it's not solved completely and I still get, only occasional, random logouts.

On this machine I have installations of Jessie, Stretch and now Buster. Both Jessie and Stretch remain completely problem free. I set up another Buster installation with XFCE and experienced the problem there. So, the video card showed no problem under Jessie or Stretch and changing it hasn't completely solved the problem with Buster..

I've come to the opinion that the nouveau driver in Buster exacerbates any hardware weakness. I haven't tried the Nvidia driver but this seemed to work for another member, IIRC.

This is my main work desktop so retaining the reliable Stretch installation gives me security. There are some other, unrelated to this thread, minor but annoying issues with Buster that I still haven't solved and I've been leaning towards using Stretch as my "daily driver".

[trinidad]

I have two Busters, one running a full gnome desktop with wayland which has been trouble free on AMD hardware. That one has been flawless so far. The second one (gnome also and AMD hardware also though older) which I had originally installed Xorg to and configured to run X had issues with the gdm display, which I fixed with a modeset and resolution set. Prior to that I had decided to run compiz and conky and configured conky to run at startup so I thought it best to disable wayland via the gdm daemon. It had random logouts, not a lot, but enough to warrant some concern. I reset the daemon to default setting a few hours ago and so far no random logouts. I don't know why the daemon setting would cause an issue but I'd be willing to bet Xorg itself and some small internally broken file paths are the cause at least with gnome. Of course XFCE is designed for X but things don't seem to be quite complete yet with it either.

TC

*I did not have the random logout problem with Xorg when logging in from the CLI either. Linux Mint forum reports that it is related to compiz and in the case of XFCE it may be. Doesn't seem to matter much on gnome xwayland (conky runs transparent fine) which tells me it must be an Xorg thing with XFCE and lightdm.

[stevepusser]

Compiz isn't default on XFCE or Debian at all; you have to manually install and set it up. The OP doesn't say anything about it.