KDE 4.4 RC3: Black screen

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Hi!
I have upgraded my KDE 4.3.5 to KDE 4.4 RC3 in my openSUSE 11.2. I added KDE:KDE4:Factory:Desktop repository and KDE:KDE4:Community repository in Yast and then used the “Switch system packages to this repo” command at the top.

But when I login now I can see only black screen with mouse pointer without any panels. In my opinion it seems plasma-desktop is not running (I am not sure.). Unfortunately krunner is probably not running too because when I press Alt+F2 nothing happens so I can’t start plasma from krunner.

I googled and deleted my ~/.kde4 and ~/.config directory according to found hints. After that KDE starts properly but when I logout and login back the black screen problem is back.

The only workaround which I found to work is to start openSUSE in failsafe mode and add “kstart plasma-desktop” to Autostart in KDE configuration. (in normal mode (not failsafe) this autostart trick doesn’t work (=black screen) - I don’t know why).

Does anybody has any hint? Is there any log where I can find out why I have the problem? I am quite experienced user but I have migrated to Linux before 6 months so I have not quite much experiences with Linux and the problem frustrates me >:(.

Thanks for any advice.
Kxenator

2

Hi
Sorry I cant help you, but I have planned to do nearly the same as you did :frowning:
But is it needed to include 2 repositories? I have planned to follow this thread at the end: problem to upgrate to kde 4.4 rc2 - openSUSE Forums

And only include 1 repositories, but that maybe not enough?

jan

3

Just to confirm, the repos you have now enabled are

KDE Factory:
Index of /repositories/KDE:/KDE4:/Factory:/Desktop/openSUSE_11.2

and

KDE Community Factory:
Index of /repositories/KDE:/KDE4:/Community/openSUSE_11.2_KDE4_Factory_Desktop

There is also a KDE Community repo with packages meant for the Stable KDE repo, which you probably had before. See it all here in the following link: KDE/Repositories - openSUSE

Also, I didn’t understand if you switched system packages only to KDE Factory, or also to KDE Community. AFAIK the system packages repo should be KDE Factory.

Finally, did you delete the previous KDE repos you had for KDE stable? AFAIK If you want KDE 4.4 you should only have KDE Factory (and Community Factory) repos.

I encountered a similar problem as you did after upgrating from KDE Stable, and I solved it by simply moving the ~/.kde4 folder from its location. I didn’t touch ~/.config btw.

4

the upgrade can leave a new plasma-desktop trying to read an old incompatible config file, so assuming that you have a kdm login screen, chose a console login (bottom lower left), log in as the user, then issue from cli:

mv /home/<insert user>/.kde4/share/config/plasma* /somewhere/to/backup

this will move plasmarc, plasma-desktoprc and plasma-desktop-appletsrc, forcing kde4 to install the default desktop configuration. most likely this will get you going again, be sure all your themes/plasmoids are for the new version as you add them back to your desktop.

the backup files can be deleted later.

<edit>

while writing this, the situation updated… and you accomplished the same effect by renaming/deleting the .kde4 folder… and since it reappears after log out my guess is that the theme or some widget is incompatible… you should be able to logout/login with just the default desktop if this is the case.

adding them one by one until the offending widget crashes plasma again will tell you.

5

Read this carefully. Rebuild the desktop carefully. Plasma can indeed crash on older widgets, incomplete themes etc.

6

Yes, I added both KDE repositories and swithched system packages to both of them and delete old KDE repositories. I didn’t mention that I added KDE Playground repository too, there is a list of my repositories:


 http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/Emulators:/Wine/openSUSE_11.2/
 http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/mozilla/openSUSE_11.2/
 http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/openSUSE:/11.2:/Contrib/standard/
 http://download.videolan.org/pub/videolan/vlc/SuSE/11.2/
 http://ftp.skynet.be/pub/packman/suse/11.2/
 http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/KDE:/KDE4:/Factory:/Desktop/openSUSE_11.2/
 http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/games/openSUSE_11.2
 http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/KDE:/KDE4:/Community/openSUSE_11.2_KDE4_Factory_Desktop/
 http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/KDE:/KDE4:/Playground/openSUSE_11.2_KDE4_Factory_Desktop/
 http://download.opensuse.org/distribution/11.2/repo/non-oss/
 http://download.opensuse.org/distribution/11.2/repo/oss/
 http://download.opensuse.org/update/11.2/
7

I don’t understand your advice very well. I deleted .kde4 and .config directory so I have default clean desktop, no widgets is placed on desktop, theme is default one (Oxygen, Air openSUSE). And I have the black screen problem even with this default configuration. So how can I add widgets one by one until plasma crash if plasma crash even with the default configuration. Maybe I don’t understand your idea, could you please write it more in details?
Thanks.

8

sorry if i was unclear, the .kde4 directory rename/removal accomplished the same thing as i suggested in eliminating the plasma*rc files, and my thought was that you successfully logged in and had the desktop, adjusted it to your desire, and then it started crashing again… reading what you have said since, i understand that you get a successful login, but it borks on subsequent logins again even thou you haven’t changed a thing.

it may be that something is actually hanging the kde shutdown and something is being left incomplete… then deemed corrupted at the next login (if i understand what is happening correctly).

anything in autostart? check

enable just the kde:factory repo and do a scan thru packages, could be that something from the playground repo was newer than what was in factory and is causing trouble… after all, it’s “playground”. All the kde packages should be current… if you have any “red” ones then investigate where they came from… you could do a zypper dup with just the factory repo enabled to sync your machine with the factory edition.

good luck.

9

What’s your videocard? Is compositing (i.e. desktop effects) working on a clean default desktop?

And…this VLC repo, is it enabled? Then disable it, select Packman repo, switch system packages…

10

OK, problem is magically solved. I removed all widgets from default desktop (i.e. bottom panel, my icons on desktop). So there left only wallpaper. And my system started correctly. Then I was adding widgets back one by one and the black screen problem surprisingly didn’t appear. I am back on default configuration of my desktop and problem is gone and I am not able to reproduce it again :slight_smile:

Thanks for your help.
Kxenator