Bug 353385

Summary:	Most KDE applications/utilities stop displaying correctly
Product:	[Plasma] kwin	Reporter:	Reg <reg>
Component:	general	Assignee:	KWin default assignee <kwin-bugs-null>
Status:	RESOLVED FIXED
Severity:	major	CC:	julv, nate
Priority:	NOR
Version:	unspecified
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	openSUSE
OS:	Linux
URL:	https://forums.opensuse.org/showthread.php/509011-Weird-Xorg-or-windowing-problem
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Reg 2015-10-01 02:09:38 UTC

As you will see from the image here (https://forums.opensuse.org/showthread.php/509011-Weird-Xorg-or-windowing-problem) KDE apps/utils start messing up their display area.

If I don't move them they look fine. When I move them or the data in them changes they mess up their display of their contents.  It's clear that the area is writing over itself without clearing out what's being displayed already  so you get this continual degrading of what you can read in the area of the app. 

Non-KDE apps don't seem to have this problem as you can see on the image as well. Above the image is a little explanation of what is on the image.

My guess is there is something underlying that's common to all the KDE apps windowing that's messing up. QT perhaps?

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. I suspect you won't be able to reproduce it without my set up which is a little extreme however I am most happy to do whatever you need to give you the diagnostic information you need.
2.
3.

Actual Results:  
KDE apps start messing up their display.

Expected Results:  
KDE apps don't start messing up their display.

This doesn't happen instantly. It starts after about 30 minutes of use (it varies). 

Some  system specs:
  Processor: i7-5960X CPU @ 3.00GHz
  OS: Linux 3.16.7-24-default openSUSE 13.2 (Harlequin) (x86_64)
  KDE: 4.14.9
  Graphics card: HD 5870 Eyefinity 6 Edition Graphics
  Displays: 6 displays arranged in 3 across by 2 down. Each 2560 x 1440 pixels.
  Desktop area: 7680 x 2880

Comment 1 Reg 2015-10-01 02:12:46 UTC

I should mention I am using the native Linux driver for the graphics card and as far as know have no proprietary drivers on my system.

Comment 2 Reg 2015-10-04 20:03:39 UTC

I might have a fix. 
I came across this very hard to find piece of information: 
   QT_X11_NO_MITSHM=1 

placed in:
   /etc/environment 

fixes a shared memory issue that affects some people's systems.

Comment 3 julv 2015-11-05 11:02:57 UTC

Hi,

i have the exact same bug on kubuntu 15.10 (upgraded from 15.04)
some applications like okular, chrome dialog box (file choser), etc... are totally unasable. i will try the proposed workaround.

Comment 4 julv 2015-11-05 11:16:14 UTC

the fix in environment worked for me too

Comment 5 Nate Graham 2020-09-29 20:46:22 UTC

Is this happening in any recent versions of Plasma 5?

Comment 6 Bug Janitor Service 2020-10-14 04:33:30 UTC

Dear Bug Submitter,

This bug has been in NEEDSINFO status with no change for at least
15 days. Please provide the requested information as soon as
possible and set the bug status as REPORTED. Due to regular bug
tracker maintenance, if the bug is still in NEEDSINFO status with
no change in 30 days the bug will be closed as RESOLVED > WORKSFORME
due to lack of needed information.

For more information about our bug triaging procedures please read the
wiki located here:
https://community.kde.org/Guidelines_and_HOWTOs/Bug_triaging

If you have already provided the requested information, please
mark the bug as REPORTED so that the KDE team knows that the bug is
ready to be confirmed.

Thank you for helping us make KDE software even better for everyone!

Comment 7 Reg 2020-10-14 04:42:49 UTC

No. I had a problem with KDE crashing in Plasma 5 but I got rid of most of that when I learned that with my card I should be using the new driver, the one that's set to take over from radeon. 

So far I have only had KDE crash once since I changed display drivers. This particular bug is not here anymore. 

I do have a question however, once KDE crashes I generally have to reboot only very occasionally have I been lucky enough to recover from a crash. Are there tools where I can trace what crashes in KDE so when things like this happen I can figure out the cause?

Comment 8 Nate Graham 2020-10-14 14:50:14 UTC

Yeah, see https://community.kde.org/Guidelines_and_HOWTOs/Debugging/How_to_create_useful_crash_reports

Glad to hear things are looking better now!