Windows stop redrawing, unless I move them

[unfa]

I've started having this strange issue on two unrelated machines running Linux Mint 18.2. One machine is at my work, another one in my home studio.

The problem is that different X11 windows will stop redrawing randomly. Sometimes it's the Plasma Panel, sometimes it's Firefox, sometimes Ardour or LMMS. I didn't have this problem with Blender or Inkscape yet (and I'm using the ma lot at work). I'm not sure if Dolphin is affected too. I've installed all updates to make sure that I'm not suffering from an already-fixed issue.

Another strange thing is if I move the window around my screen - it's contents is being refreshed as long as it's position is changing. When I stop moving my mouse - it'll immediately stop redrawing. Restarting the affected programs usually help for a while, but sometimes I'm not even able to save my work (I can press Ctrl+S and hope for the best before doing an xkill, but that's it).

Have anyone had similar problems? Or maybe I should talk about this somewhere else?

I'm pretty sure something has changed that introduced this problem, because it's the first time in my life I see this stuff (and I use Linux for everything since 2010 at least) and it started happening on two, remote machines at different locations, with completely different hardware specs that I work on in similar time. The only unifying factors are Linux Mint 18.2 with KDE5, using lowlatency kernels, KX Studio repositories and my person using them - I'm pretty sure it's not me, though.

[catweazel]

...it started happening on two, remote machines at different locations

Can you clarify if this is happening over some desktop sharing application, and if it happens only over some desktop sharing application, and if it happens when you are using only your local machine, please?

[fascinatedcow]

I believe I have the exact same issue! Also started happening on two unrelated machines with completely different hardware. However I'm running Kubuntu 16.04 with a generic kernel. Plasma 5.5.5. Really weird. If you want to save your work, I've noticed that the input to the windows still works, both mouse and keyboard, it's just the redrawing that doesn't work. So press save, then switch windows then switch back again to get a refreshed window.

Did you ever find a solution?

[jano]

this also happens to me, I can't test it in other machines, but about a year ago I tried cinnamon and happens the same. For me it usually starts when I use Kicad (in opengl mode) and firefox/thunderbird/chromium at the same time, then the update of the windows is not made when they are raised from the taskbar, even when the machine is on this state if I have two windows in the two screens sometimes the current window will not be updated. The temporal cure for it is to switch the current window with alt+tab, then is updated and continues working normal until I select other window raising it from the taskbar or moving the mouse over it. The more lasting cure is reboot, until it begins again