Desktop goes black Solved (for all time!)

[mintyfresh2]

Situation:
My screen goes black, as if going to sleep, but the sound is not affected.(i.e. during a movie)
I get a blacked out screen, and a "NO Signal" message floats around the screen. Screen saver, not activated.

The settings for Control Center/ Power Management are set (..both to Never),
There is no screen saver action selected.
This screen blanking, occurs every approx 10 minutes. Moving the mouse or hitting any key brings the screen back
for the next 10 or so minutes just like a "resume" command would.
( As a test), whether I set the screensaver for 5 minutes inactive, before screen going to sleep,
or if it is set to 2 hours, it still blacks out the screen, in 10 minutes

Screensaver, again turned OFF

Equipment
My screen is a 40 inch LG television running, via a DVI cable from a Dell Optiplex 740 PC,
and a 1 terrabyte internal drive. I am running Linux Mint 18.3. Sylvia
TV, has no setting for screen sleeping

Research
...on the LG site reveals this happening under different circumstances, but not reported under the same conditions
A search on Yahoo, gives solutions dealing with LED's lighting the background. Not My Case, as they report a screen flash before going black

This began approx 4-5 days ago, never noticed it occurring before.

Attempts at affecting a fix:
My updates were current.
I double checked the power and screen saver settings.
I backed up my data files and reinstalled Linux Mint from the same CD originally installed from, using the
delete everything and reinstall option.
got up to date with the update Manager
reinstalled my firewall, but not the sandbox.
it still happens. like clockwork every 10 minutes,

UNLESS..and, as long as, I am actively using mouse or keyboard.
the only place it is noticable, and extremely irritating, is when watching a movie,
or a video, when of course there is no user input.

Has this happened to anyone else? Is there a cure? If not a cure, a treatment??

As usual, thanks ahead of time.

Charlie
aka Mintyfresh2

[lsemmens]

Open a terminal window and post the results of "inxi -Fxz" which will give our experts a better idea on what may be causing this. Is it possibly a setting in your TV causing this? I am running a similar set up with a Toshiba TV and occasionally it forgets that it is connected to a computer and I have to change "channels" to another input source and back again for it to "remember" that it is supposed to be a monitor.

[mintyfresh2]

I have scrolled thru all the menu's and sub-menus, and cannot find anything
that will put the screen to sleep (or pause Video) . I recently replaced the PC's Power supply,
with a direct factory model replacement, but that was just plug and play...

I have even tried setting every TV input option to act as a PC input, hoping I might just
stumble on to something, but, to no avail.

Ran command as requested,
and thank you.

Code: Select all

charlie@OptiPlex-740 ~ $ inxi -Fxz

System:    Host: OptiPlex-740 Kernel: 4.13.0-39-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: MATE 1.18.0 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3)
           Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Machine:   System: Dell product: OptiPlex 740 Enhanced
           Mobo: Dell model: 0YP806 v: A00
           Bios: Dell v: 2.1.6 date: 05/04/2008
CPU:       Dual core AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ (-MCP-) cache: 1024 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 svm) bmips: 7215
           clock speeds: max: 2300 MHz 1: 1800 MHz 2: 1800 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Cedar [Radeon HD 5000/6000/7350/8350 Series]
           bus-ID: 03:00.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: ati,radeon (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1024x768@60.00hz
           GLX Renderer: AMD CEDAR (DRM 2.50.0 / 4.13.0-39-generic, LLVM 5.0.0)
           GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 17.2.8 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card-1 NVIDIA MCP51 High Definition Audio
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:10.1
           Card-2 Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Cedar HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 5400/6300 Series]
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 03:00.1
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.13.0-39-generic
Network:   Card: Broadcom NetXtreme BCM5754 Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express
           driver: tg3 v: 3.137 bus-ID: 02:00.0
           IF: enp2s0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 1162.3GB (1.6% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: WDC_WD10EAVS size: 1000.2GB
           ID-2: USB /dev/sdf model: 2ACE size: 160.0GB
           ID-3: USB /dev/sdd model: SD/MMC size: 2.0GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 915G used: 14G (2%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 2.14GB used: 0.44GB (21%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 30.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 53.5
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 166 Uptime: 8:50 Memory: 1121.5/1992.6MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35 

[MrEen]

It really sounds screensaver-like. I know you checked your settings. I'm pushing my knowledge a bit here, but try systemd-analyze blame | grep screen and see if we might find a culprit there.

[lsemmens]

You are welcome, mintyfresh, sorry I can be of no further assistance as I am still very much a newbie, too.

[mintyfresh2]

Mr Een, thanks for the assistance.

Yes I always get the weird issues....

The full line

Code: Select all

systemd-analyze blame | grep screen

returned nothing.
as there wasn't any"screen" in the list to find.

Grep screen alone also produced nothing,

However I broke it down just to see.......
andit produced the following

Code: Select all

charlie@OptiPlex-740 ~ $ systemd-analyze blame
 
    1min 22.737s systemd-tmpfiles-clean.service
          14.656s dev-sda1.device
         13.389s ufw.service
         13.343s lvm2-monitor.service
         13.073s systemd-tmpfiles-setup-dev.service
          4.893s NetworkManager.service
          4.046s ModemManager.service
          3.812s accounts-daemon.service
          3.540s grub-common.service
          3.431s iio-sensor-proxy.service
          3.280s lightdm.service
          2.778s thermald.service
          2.634s keyboard-setup.service
          2.265s systemd-modules-load.service
          2.118s loadcpufreq.service
          1.899s avahi-daemon.service
          1.884s systemd-journald.service
          1.509s cpufrequtils.service
          1.444s apparmor.service
          1.401s apt-daily.service
          1.360s console-kit-daemon.service
          1.283s dev-hugepages.mount
          1.282s sys-kernel-debug.mount
          1.222s alsa-restore.service
          1.172s dev-mqueue.mount
          1.024s networking.service
           965ms NetworkManager-wait-online.service
           918ms ntp.service
           841ms irqbalance.service
           759ms console-setup.service
           715ms lm-sensors.service
           524ms systemd-sysctl.service
           517ms gpu-manager.service
           460ms udisks2.service
           430ms setvtrgb.service
           338ms console-kit-log-system-start.service
           273ms dev-disk-by\x2duuid-d5e14764\x2d272d\x2d4598\x2db157\x2d4ddeaa9
           271ms systemd-tmpfiles-setup.service
           260ms rsyslog.service
           221ms apport.service
           214ms systemd-logind.service
           206ms polkitd.service
           204ms systemd-udev-trigger.service
           191ms upower.service
           171ms systemd-update-utmp.service
           161ms kmod-static-nodes.service
           139ms ondemand.service
           135ms binfmt-support.service
           123ms speech-dispatcher.service
           116ms hddtemp.service
           108ms systemd-user-sessions.service
            79ms systemd-udevd.service
            76ms systemd-remount-fs.service
            70ms systemd-journal-flush.service
            64ms user@1000.service
            50ms pppd-dns.service
            37ms dns-clean.service
            21ms proc-sys-fs-binfmt_misc.mount
            18ms systemd-random-seed.service
            17ms plymouth-start.service
            14ms rtkit-daemon.service
            14ms plymouth-read-write.service
            14ms openvpn.service
            12ms resolvconf.service
            11ms rc-local.service
            10ms systemd-update-utmp-runlevel.service
            10ms ureadahead-stop.service
             8ms sys-kernel-config.mount
             8ms plymouth-quit-wait.service
             5ms sys-fs-fuse-connections.mount

[MrEen]

Well, there goes that idea. I was kind of hoping you had more than one screensaver in your system without knowing it and that the other would show itself there.

Hopefully, someone comes along soon with better ideas.

[mintyfresh2]

The more I think about it, it seems to be PC related, rather than TV.

My reasoning is:

Situation:
My screen goes black, as if going to sleep, but the sound is not affected.(i.e. during a movie)
I get a blacked out screen, and a "NO Signal" message floats around the screen.
Screen saver, not activated.

That "NO SIGNAL" message, appears to be the same one that appears when I turn off the PC,
or disconnect the DVI cable. and if it were the screensaver, I'd suspect I would get the
"Time Tunnel" display rather than the "No Signal" screen.

OK here is a test.... I just set the" screensaver" to lock the screen when screensaver is active.
So now I'll have to enter password to restore... if it is a "SS" issue.

Now to wait the 10 minutes..... Dim de de de dum .......
...
...
....
OK!! the screen blanked out once more,
but was restored by just moving the mouse. I didn't have to use a password

So, I take it, that the Screensaver isn't involved.

Is there some way to check the video card? It seems to be a video issue...
But I've been wrong before..

OK I have reset the lockscreen to OFF,
so it doesn't confuse in the future.

[MrEen]

Hi Charlie. I use Xfce, not MATE. In Xfce's Power Manager, there is a Display tab that has the option to blank the display at a user set interval. This is a different section than sleep/hibernate settings. Maybe you missed a tab in your settings?

[mintyfresh2]

Hey, MrEen,
I don't think so...
...all that Mate has for display is this screen

Display scr.jpeg

and Power Management has only these

Pwr Mgmt.jpeg

but thanks for trying.
Charlie

[MrEen]

Bummer. Xfce has 4 tabs (General, System, Display, Security.) Hopefully a MATE user will be able to figure this out.

[mintyfresh2]

Hey MrEen,

I'm tolerating it, as it only becomes irritating when I watch a movie.
But that's why I wanted a big screen in the first place. I'm retired
for 9 years now, and would like to catch up on some movies I missed.

I wonder why it always happens at the good parts..... !

[MrEen]

I found one thing worth checking. If the output of cat /sys/module/kernel/parameters/consoleblank is anything other than zero, then this thread has the fix. The only problem is I am not experienced enough to understand the differences between console and virtual terminal. Anyway, check if yours says 0 or some number.

[mintyfresh2]

too easy......

it IS zero...

[mintyfresh2]

Still haven't found any solution.

But it isn't just movie's that it blacks out on... I left a file open while I made some dinner...
came back, and yep, it was blacked out too. giving the "No Signal" message, bouncing around the screen.
It also happens when there are no apps opened. Just the desktop being visible.
My other two drives are USB connected. With their plug pulled, they unmount, and are no longer in the system
Doesn't stop the screen blanking though....

I hooked up another PC running Windows Vista, and it does not occur.
This would suggest that it isn't a TV issue.

There has to be some thing in Linux that looks for inactivity and runs a function when it finds no activity,
after a specified period this one now happens at 10 minute intervals.


So let me pose this to any programmer out there...

Q1)
If I wanted to shut down a "Power Hungry" screen, programaticaly, after 10 minutes of no console input,
how would I go about doing that? where would it be inserted file wise?
Yes, I understand the use of leading periods in a file name. But I'm not sure this would be the right way to insert it.
something else would have to execute it...
Wouldn't this program, have to be some sort of config file, and run in the background??

Q2)
If Linux doesn't use the ".exe , txt, doc, jpg" nomenclature in it's file names,
how does it differentiate one type of file from another?

[JoeFootball]

Kernel: 4.13.0-39-generic x86_64

If you were to boot with the latest 4.4.x kernel, does the behavior still present itself? Note the 4.4.x branch is LTS, supported until April 2021. 4.13.x support will end July this year.

Joe

[vimes666]

I am not familiar with xfce but I found a thread in a linuxlite xfce forum about a simular problem. If you have a Session and Startup screen somewhere, this may be the solution: https://www.linuxliteos.com/forums/othe ... /#msg10956

[vimes666]

Q2)
If Linux doesn't use the ".exe , txt, doc, jpg" nomenclature in it's file names,
how does it differentiate one type of file from another?

See http://lauraliparulo.altervista.org/mos ... xtensions/

And you can always invent your own extensions and set it to to start a specific application as long as it doesnt conflict with existing extensions.

[mintyfresh2]

vimes666:

Re Q1, don't have that particular screen, but do have one like it, and have checked it.
It doesn't help.

A very informative answer for Q2

[mintyfresh2]

To all:
please do not think I am avoiding..... or have found a solution
and am an ingrate... neither is true.

I apologize for not responding earlier, but the firewall for "forums.Linux.com",
had the public IP address from my provider's subnet mask [BLACKLISTED] for
being infected with the "Conficker Bot".
And try as I could I wasn't able to login, or contact this site's admin.
see:
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conficker> , for more info

Apparently someone's Windows machine, in my area was the culprit!

I was able to login again, only this AM. After a week+ absence and headaches.