[Fix available] Window manager xfwm 4.13.0 broken after last mesa update

[clem]

@electric: Try to downgrade to 4.12 using the following command:

Code: Select all

apt install xfwm4=4.12.3-1ubuntu2

Let me know if that works.

I'm also interested in the output of the following commands:

Code: Select all

inxi -r
inxi -Gxx
dpkg -l | grep mesa

[karlchen]

Good night, Clem.

So far I had had the impression that the reported problem only occurred on Mint 19.x xfce, because only Mint 19.x xfce
+ brings along xfwm 4.13.0 and
+ receives the mesa update to version 19.0.2

On my Mint 18.3 xfce, I see xfwm 4.13.0 as well, yet mesa is still at version 18.0.5. (And I do apply all available software updates.) No problems affecting xfwm 4.13.0 here.

Code: Select all

inxi -Sxxx
System:    Host: paulchen Kernel: 4.4.0-154-generic i686 bits: 32 compiler: gcc v: 5.4.0 Desktop: Xfce 4.12.3 tk: Gtk 2.24.28 
           info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm4 dm: LightDM 1.18.3 Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia base: Ubuntu 16.04 xenial

Code: Select all

inxi -Gxxx
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel Atom Processor D4xx/D5xx/N4xx/N5xx Integrated Graphics vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI driver: i915 
           v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:a011 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.18.4 driver: intel unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa resolution: 1024x600~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Pineview M x86/MMX/SSE2 v: 1.4 Mesa 18.0.5 direct render: Yes 

Code: Select all

 dpkg -l | grep mesa
ii  libegl1-mesa:i386                            18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1                      i386         free implementation of the EGL API -- runtime
ii  libegl1-mesa-drivers:i386                    12.0.6-0ubuntu0.16.04.1                      i386         transitional dummy package
ii  libgl1-mesa-dri:i386                         18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1                      i386         free implementation of the OpenGL API -- DRI modules
ii  libgl1-mesa-glx:i386                         18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1                      i386         free implementation of the OpenGL API -- GLX runtime
ii  libglapi-mesa:i386                           18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1                      i386         free implementation of the GL API -- shared library
ii  libgles2-mesa:i386                           18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1                      i386         free implementation of the OpenGL|ES 2.x API -- runtime
ii  libglu1-mesa:i386                            9.0.0-2.1                                    i386         Mesa OpenGL utility library (GLU)
ii  libopenvg1-mesa:i386                         10.1.3-0ubuntu0.6                            i386         free implementation of the OpenVG API -- runtime
ii  libosmesa6:i386                              18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1                      i386         Mesa Off-screen rendering extension
ii  libwayland-egl1-mesa:i386                    18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1                      i386         implementation of the Wayland EGL platform -- runtime
ii  mesa-utils                                   8.3.0-1                                      i386         Miscellaneous Mesa GL utilities
ii  mesa-va-drivers:i386                         18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1                      i386         Mesa VA-API video acceleration drivers

Code: Select all

dpkg --list xfwm4
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name                        Version            Architecture       Description
+++-===========================-==================-==================-===========================================================
ii  xfwm4                       4.13.0-1mint1+sony i386               window manager of the Xfce project

Code: Select all

$ inxi -r
Repos:     No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list 
           1: deb http://packages.linuxmint.com sylvia main upstream import backport #id:linuxmint_main
           2: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial main restricted universe multiverse
           3: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates main restricted universe multiverse
           4: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports main restricted universe multiverse
           5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-security main restricted universe multiverse
           6: deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ xenial partner
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/softmaker.list 
           1: deb http://shop.softmaker.com/repo/apt wheezy non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ubuntu-mozilla-security-ppa-xenial.list 
           1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-mozilla-security/ppa/ubuntu xenial main
           2: deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-mozilla-security/ppa/ubuntu xenial main
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/unit193-inxi-xenial.list 
           1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/unit193/inxi/ubuntu xenial main
           2: deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/unit193/inxi/ubuntu xenial main

Regards,
Karl

[clem]

Yes, that's why I'm a bit puzzled..

4.13 is in Mint 18.2 and 18.3 still (http://packages.linuxmint.com/search.ph ... word=xfwm4), but MESA wasn't updated there though (https://packages.ubuntu.com/search?keyw ... ection=all).

[pcspecialistpdx]

My dad's computer is still Mint 18.3 Xfce, and has an Intel GPU. It has all the updates and no issues at all.

[electric]

@electric: Try to downgrade to 4.12 using the following command:

Code: Select all

apt install xfwm4=4.12.3-1ubuntu2

Let me know if that works.
I'm also interested in the output of the following commands:

Code: Select all

inxi -r
inxi -Gxx
dpkg -l | grep mesa

Code: Select all

Repos:     Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/freetuxtv-freetuxtv-dev-xenial.list
           deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/freetuxtv/freetuxtv-dev/ubuntu xenial main
           deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/freetuxtv/freetuxtv-dev/ubuntu xenial main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome-unstable.list
           deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list
           deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/kdenlive-kdenlive-stable-xenial.list
           deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/kdenlive/kdenlive-stable/ubuntu xenial main
           deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/kdenlive/kdenlive-stable/ubuntu xenial main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list
           deb http://packages.linuxmint.com sylvia main upstream import backport
           deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-security main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ xenial partner
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/openshot_developers-ppa-xenial.list
           deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/openshot.developers/ppa/ubuntu xenial main
           deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/openshot.developers/ppa/ubuntu xenial main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/team-xbmc-ppa-xenial.list
           deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc/ppa/ubuntu xenial main
           deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc/ppa/ubuntu xenial main

Code: Select all

Graphics:  Card: Intel HD Graphics 630 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:5912
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1024x768@60.00hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics 630 (Kaby Lake GT2)
           GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 18.0.5 Direct Rendering: Yes

Code: Select all

$ dpkg -l | grep mesa
ii libegl1-mesa:amd64 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 amd64 free implementation of the EGL API -- runtime
ii libegl1-mesa-drivers:amd64 12.0.6-0ubuntu0.16.04.1 amd64 transitional dummy package
ii libgl1-mesa-dri:amd64 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 amd64 free implementation of the OpenGL API -- DRI modules
ii libgl1-mesa-dri:i386 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 i386 free implementation of the OpenGL API -- DRI modules
ii libgl1-mesa-glx:amd64 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 amd64 free implementation of the OpenGL API -- GLX runtime
ii libgl1-mesa-glx:i386 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 i386 free implementation of the OpenGL API -- GLX runtime
ii libglapi-mesa:amd64 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 amd64 free implementation of the GL API -- shared library
ii libglapi-mesa:i386 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 i386 free implementation of the GL API -- shared library
ii libgles1-mesa 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 all transitional dummy package
ii libgles2-mesa:amd64 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 amd64 free implementation of the OpenGL|ES 2.x API -- runtime
ii libglu1-mesa:amd64 9.0.0-2.1 amd64 Mesa OpenGL utility library (GLU)
ii libglu1-mesa:i386 9.0.0-2.1 i386 Mesa OpenGL utility library (GLU)
ii libwayland-egl1-mesa:amd64 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 amd64 implementation of the Wayland EGL platform -- runtime
ii mesa-utils 8.3.0-1 amd64 Miscellaneous Mesa GL utilities 

As suggested I opened a terminal and applied the update you highlighted. Restarted the system but no change. There was an update for me to install, window manager. I applied the update and restarted the system with no change. I'm still in what looks to be test mode. a distorted image, which is larger than it should be.

[zcot]

just to note, no problems here. I was out of town at the time of this issue, but when I got home I could see a bunch of updates including mesa as well as the xfwm4 downgrade.

I installed everything but those 2 and the latest kernel and rebooted no problems.

took the mesa update rebooted and no problems.

So, I'm still at xfwm 4.13 and now on mesa 19.0.2 no problems.

I do tend to linger around about updating kernels.

Code: Select all

zcot@zcot-MF-3856:~$ inxi -Fxxrz
System:
  Host: zcot-MF-3856 Kernel: 4.15.0-45-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc 
  v: 7.3.0 Desktop: Xfce 4.12.3 tk: Gtk 2.24.31 wm: xfwm4 dm: LightDM 
  Distro: Linux Mint 19.1 Tessa base: Ubuntu 18.04 bionic 
Machine:
  Type: Desktop Mobo: MSI model: K9N6PGM2-V2 (MS-7309) v: 2.0 
  serial: <filter> BIOS: American Megatrends v: 10.6 date: 10/27/2011 
CPU:
  Topology: Quad Core model: AMD Athlon II X4 630 bits: 64 type: MCP 
  arch: K10 rev: 3 L2 cache: 2048 KiB 
  flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4a svm bogomips: 22503 
  Speed: 1600 MHz min/max: 800/2800 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1600 2: 800 
  3: 800 4: 2100 
Graphics:
  Device-1: NVIDIA G71 [GeForce 7950 GT] vendor: XFX Pine driver: nouveau 
  v: kernel bus ID: 02:00.0 chip ID: 10de:0295 
  Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.19.6 driver: nouveau 
  unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa resolution: 1600x900~60Hz 
  OpenGL: renderer: NV49 v: 2.1 Mesa 19.0.2 direct render: Yes 
Audio:
  Device-1: NVIDIA MCP61 High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel 
  v: kernel bus ID: 00:05.0 chip ID: 10de:03f0 
  Sound Server: ALSA v: k4.15.0-45-generic 
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL810xE PCI Express Fast Ethernet 
  vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: e800 
  bus ID: 04:00.0 chip ID: 10ec:8136 
  IF: enp4s0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter> 
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 167.69 GiB used: 19.81 GiB (11.8%) 
  ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: OCZ model: AGILITY3 size: 55.90 GiB speed: 1.5 Gb/s 
  serial: <filter> 
  ID-2: /dev/sdb vendor: Kingston model: SA400S37120G size: 111.79 GiB 
  speed: 1.5 Gb/s serial: <filter> 
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 51.21 GiB used: 19.81 GiB (38.7%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1 
  ID-2: swap-1 size: 3.75 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5 
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 49.4 C mobo: N/A gpu: nouveau temp: 67 C 
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Repos:
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list 
  1: deb http://mirror.team-cymru.com/mint-packages tessa main upstream import backport
  2: deb http://mirror.team-cymru.com/ubuntu bionic main restricted universe multiverse
  3: deb http://mirror.team-cymru.com/ubuntu bionic-updates main restricted universe multiverse
  4: deb http://mirror.team-cymru.com/ubuntu bionic-backports main restricted universe multiverse
  5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ bionic-security main restricted universe multiverse
  6: deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ bionic partner
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/weechat.list 
  1: deb https://weechat.org/ubuntu bionic main
Info:
  Processes: 189 Uptime: 1d 21h 05m Memory: 3.85 GiB used: 1.98 GiB (51.5%) 
  Init: systemd v: 237 runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 7.4.0 alt: 7 Shell: bash 
  v: 4.4.20 running in: xfce4-terminal inxi: 3.0.34

[mladenp]

Any updates on this ? This fix unfortunately introduces screen tearing.

[electric]

@electric: Try to downgrade to 4.12 using the following command:

Code: Select all

apt install xfwm4=4.12.3-1ubuntu2

Let me know if that works.
I'm also interested in the output of the following commands:

Code: Select all

inxi -r
inxi -Gxx
dpkg -l | grep mesa

Code: Select all

Repos:     Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/freetuxtv-freetuxtv-dev-xenial.list
           deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/freetuxtv/freetuxtv-dev/ubuntu xenial main
           deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/freetuxtv/freetuxtv-dev/ubuntu xenial main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome-unstable.list
           deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list
           deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/kdenlive-kdenlive-stable-xenial.list
           deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/kdenlive/kdenlive-stable/ubuntu xenial main
           deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/kdenlive/kdenlive-stable/ubuntu xenial main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list
           deb http://packages.linuxmint.com sylvia main upstream import backport
           deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-security main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ xenial partner
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/openshot_developers-ppa-xenial.list
           deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/openshot.developers/ppa/ubuntu xenial main
           deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/openshot.developers/ppa/ubuntu xenial main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/team-xbmc-ppa-xenial.list
           deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc/ppa/ubuntu xenial main
           deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc/ppa/ubuntu xenial main

Code: Select all

Graphics:  Card: Intel HD Graphics 630 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:5912
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1024x768@60.00hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics 630 (Kaby Lake GT2)
           GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 18.0.5 Direct Rendering: Yes

Code: Select all

$ dpkg -l | grep mesa
ii libegl1-mesa:amd64 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 amd64 free implementation of the EGL API -- runtime
ii libegl1-mesa-drivers:amd64 12.0.6-0ubuntu0.16.04.1 amd64 transitional dummy package
ii libgl1-mesa-dri:amd64 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 amd64 free implementation of the OpenGL API -- DRI modules
ii libgl1-mesa-dri:i386 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 i386 free implementation of the OpenGL API -- DRI modules
ii libgl1-mesa-glx:amd64 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 amd64 free implementation of the OpenGL API -- GLX runtime
ii libgl1-mesa-glx:i386 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 i386 free implementation of the OpenGL API -- GLX runtime
ii libglapi-mesa:amd64 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 amd64 free implementation of the GL API -- shared library
ii libglapi-mesa:i386 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 i386 free implementation of the GL API -- shared library
ii libgles1-mesa 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 all transitional dummy package
ii libgles2-mesa:amd64 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 amd64 free implementation of the OpenGL|ES 2.x API -- runtime
ii libglu1-mesa:amd64 9.0.0-2.1 amd64 Mesa OpenGL utility library (GLU)
ii libglu1-mesa:i386 9.0.0-2.1 i386 Mesa OpenGL utility library (GLU)
ii libwayland-egl1-mesa:amd64 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 amd64 implementation of the Wayland EGL platform -- runtime
ii mesa-utils 8.3.0-1 amd64 Miscellaneous Mesa GL utilities 

As suggested I opened a terminal and applied the update you highlighted. Restarted the system but no change. There was an update for me to install, window manager. I applied the update and restarted the system with no change. I'm still in what looks to be test mode. a distorted image, which is larger than it should be.

Looks like I'm back after installing updates from yesterday. thanks for your help.

[electric]

@electric: Try to downgrade to 4.12 using the following command:

Code: Select all

apt install xfwm4=4.12.3-1ubuntu2

Let me know if that works.
I'm also interested in the output of the following commands:

Code: Select all

inxi -r
inxi -Gxx
dpkg -l | grep mesa

Code: Select all

Repos:     Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/freetuxtv-freetuxtv-dev-xenial.list
           deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/freetuxtv/freetuxtv-dev/ubuntu xenial main
           deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/freetuxtv/freetuxtv-dev/ubuntu xenial main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome-unstable.list
           deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list
           deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/kdenlive-kdenlive-stable-xenial.list
           deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/kdenlive/kdenlive-stable/ubuntu xenial main
           deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/kdenlive/kdenlive-stable/ubuntu xenial main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list
           deb http://packages.linuxmint.com sylvia main upstream import backport
           deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-backports main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-security main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ xenial partner
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/openshot_developers-ppa-xenial.list
           deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/openshot.developers/ppa/ubuntu xenial main
           deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/openshot.developers/ppa/ubuntu xenial main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/team-xbmc-ppa-xenial.list
           deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc/ppa/ubuntu xenial main
           deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/team-xbmc/ppa/ubuntu xenial main

Code: Select all

Graphics:  Card: Intel HD Graphics 630 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:5912
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1024x768@60.00hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics 630 (Kaby Lake GT2)
           GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 18.0.5 Direct Rendering: Yes

Code: Select all

$ dpkg -l | grep mesa
ii libegl1-mesa:amd64 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 amd64 free implementation of the EGL API -- runtime
ii libegl1-mesa-drivers:amd64 12.0.6-0ubuntu0.16.04.1 amd64 transitional dummy package
ii libgl1-mesa-dri:amd64 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 amd64 free implementation of the OpenGL API -- DRI modules
ii libgl1-mesa-dri:i386 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 i386 free implementation of the OpenGL API -- DRI modules
ii libgl1-mesa-glx:amd64 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 amd64 free implementation of the OpenGL API -- GLX runtime
ii libgl1-mesa-glx:i386 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 i386 free implementation of the OpenGL API -- GLX runtime
ii libglapi-mesa:amd64 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 amd64 free implementation of the GL API -- shared library
ii libglapi-mesa:i386 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 i386 free implementation of the GL API -- shared library
ii libgles1-mesa 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 all transitional dummy package
ii libgles2-mesa:amd64 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 amd64 free implementation of the OpenGL|ES 2.x API -- runtime
ii libglu1-mesa:amd64 9.0.0-2.1 amd64 Mesa OpenGL utility library (GLU)
ii libglu1-mesa:i386 9.0.0-2.1 i386 Mesa OpenGL utility library (GLU)
ii libwayland-egl1-mesa:amd64 18.0.5-0ubuntu0~16.04.1 amd64 implementation of the Wayland EGL platform -- runtime
ii mesa-utils 8.3.0-1 amd64 Miscellaneous Mesa GL utilities 

As suggested I opened a terminal and applied the update you highlighted. Restarted the system but no change. There was an update for me to install, window manager. I applied the update and restarted the system with no change. I'm still in what looks to be test mode. a distorted image, which is larger than it should be.

Looks like I'm back after installing updates from yesterday. thanks for your help.

This morning we're back to a broken window manager. Looks like the guest screen. Yesterday there was a firmware update 22.

[electric]

clem should I install the new kernel 4.15 to my system or wait ? so far the xfwm down grade to 4.12 hasn't improved my system.

[br1anstorm]

To avoid running into problems I have - for the moment - not installed the mesa and xfwm updates on my Mint 19.1 XFCE system.

I've been hoping and waiting for news of a "proper" fix (as opposed to a workaround or the the 'downgrade' currently offered by Update Manager).

I know it's an upstream problem and not directly under the control of the Mint team. But what's the latest news (or the forecast timescale) for a full solution to the current problem?

[pcspecialistpdx]

I know it's an upstream problem and not directly under the control of the Mint team. But what's the latest news (or the forecast timescale) for a full solution to the current problem?

That's a question for the Xfce team and there doesn't seem to be any urgency to fix it.

[karlchen]

Hi, guys.

This is to those of you who use Mint 19.x xfce (no Mint 18.x xfce), Mesa 19.0.2 (no Mesa 18.0.5) and xfwm4 4.13.0 or the downgraded 4.12.5:

According to this Launchpad bug report, Black screen after updating mesa from 18.2 to 19.0 on i386 Ubuntu 18.04, the underlying bug should have been fixed in a recent update for Mesa 19.0.2.

This bug was fixed in the package mesa - 19.0.2-1ubuntu1.1~18.04.2

---------------
mesa (19.0.2-1ubuntu1.1~18.04.2) bionic; urgency=medium

* i965-revert-enabling-softpin.diff: Don't enable softpin, causes
issues on 32bit installs. (LP: #1836721)

-- Timo Aaltonen <email address hidden> Thu, 18 Jul 2019 18:44:14 +0300
Changed in mesa (Ubuntu Bionic):
status: Fix Committed → Fix Released

Consequence:

Those of you, who have not backlisted updates for Mesa and for xfwm4, should have received Mesa 19.0.2-1ubuntu1.1~18.04.2 by now.
Theoretically, Mesa 19.0.2-1ubuntu1.1~18.04.2 should work properly with xfwm4 4.13.0 again.
Sadly, most will not be able to verify, because Update Manager has downgraded xfwm4 to 4.12.5.

I cannot verify, because I kept xfwm4 4.13.0 (updates blacklisted) and had Mesa 19.0.2 all the time. But I had never been affected by the reported problems.

Regards,
Karl

[br1anstorm]

Okay - so let me double-check what I should, or can, do now in terms of updating my Mint 19.1 XFCE system.

As I understand the problem, it was mesa that broke xfwm4, and not the other way round. The temporary fix was to go with the latest mesa upgrade, 19.0.2, but not to upgrade xfwm4 to the 4.13.0 version.

1) the Update Manager now offers me mesa 19.0.2-1ubuntu1.1~18.04.2, and I can and should go ahead with that;

2) The Update Manager still also offers me the "downgraded" xfwm4 4.13.0-2~downgrade-4.12.5-1ubuntu0.18.0.4.1+tara .... and I ought to go with that as well.

And if I understand correctly, at some point in the future the Mint team and the Update Manager will offer xfwm4 4.13.0 again when it is confirmed that this doesn't get broken by mesa....

Have I understood this correctly?

[carum carvi]

Good question brianstorm. I praise all the help from everyone trying to fix this problem. Many forummembers do their utmost best to help everyone with advice. I truly appreciate that, but I dont dare recommend using Xfce to a newbie in this period of uncertainty. How will a newbie ever grasp which updates not to install, when I (with 2 years of " experience" using LInux) already get confused by reading all these helpful, but confusing posts.

When I would meet a newbie, RIGHT NOW, I would tell him to install Peppermint 9 or 10. Or LinuxMint Cinnamon. No problems with Peppermint, which is based on Xfce for petes sake. No problems with Cinnamon in 19.2. The Xfce desktop on the other hand, right now, spells trouble. No newbie will want to install LinuxMint Xfce with this kind of trouble and diffilculties about which update NOT to download...

[karlchen]

Installing Mint 19.2 xfce is perfectly safe, even for the newest of all newbies.

Focussing on the 2 software packages in question, mesa 19.0.2 and xfwm4:

Mint 19.2 xfce comes with the following versions:

• mesa 19.0.2 -1ubuntu1.1~18.04.1 (this is the buggy version, true, but ...)
• xfwm4 4.13.0-2~downgrade-4.12.5-1ubuntu0.18.04.1+tara (4.12.5, gets along with the mesa packages above)

Result:
xfwm4 (4.12.5) will work correctly.

The very first big software update after the fresh installation will give you:
mesa 19.0.2 -1ubuntu1.1~18.04.2 (the hopefully bug-fixed version)
xfwm4 will remain on 4.12.5
Result:
xfwm4 (4.12.5) will work correctly.

Even if one day in the future the Mint developers decide to roll out xfwm4 4.13.0 again, then there should be no problems, as long as mesa is 19.0.2 -1ubuntu1.1~18.04.2

I have got the vague feeling that some of you guys are making things more complicated than they are by blacklisting available software updates, although there is no good reason to do so.

[carum carvi]

Installing Mint 19.2 xfce is perfectly safe, even for the newest of all newbies.

Terrific! That's great positive news Karlchen. Thanks for your support! I am happy to be able to advice all those newbies with older hardware, that they can use the new and stable release of LinuxMint 19.2 Xfce.

[zcot]

The Xfce desktop on the other hand, right now, spells trouble.

Installing Mint 19.2 xfce is perfectly safe, even for the newest of all newbies.

Yes, for sure, because the potentially afflicted package combo doesn't exist anymore. When the dev team put up the xfwm4 downgrade package the issue was circumvented at that point.

But none of it has to be any scary at all with using timeshift.

Okay - so let me double-check what I should, or can, do now in terms of updating my Mint 19.1 XFCE system.

click up on a new timeshift snapshot and just take the update.

You still having the older xfwm4(which is actually newer version) is likely not an issue at this point with the newer mesa fix(so not needing to do the downgrade update). But with timeshift snapshots you're good either way. -don't like it, put it back like it was.

Me, I do still have the 4.13 xfwm4 package. And the xfwm4-downgrade is sitting in the update manager and I just look at it and say hi when I uncheck it. At some point maybe sooner, maybe later, the dev crew might go back up to 4.13 or not. But we're in a safe position at any point with timeshift and if something is a problem later down the road then we can leave the checkmark on the -downgrade package next time if that's truly needed.

[pcspecialistpdx]

I have got the vague feeling that some of you guys are making things more complicated than they are by blacklisting available software updates, although there is no good reason to do so.

There is very good reason to do so, we need xfwm 4.13 to prevent screen tearing.

[karlchen]

Hello, pcspecialistpdx.

The first mesa update to 19.0.2, mesa 19.0.2 -1ubuntu1.1~18.04.1, introduced the hassle with xfwm4 4.13.0 on a number of Mint 19.x systems.
(It did not do so on mine, which I think may be due to the fact that my system has got on old NVidia graphics chip, no Intel graphics chip.)

The second mesa update, mesa 19.0.2 -1ubuntu1.1~18.04.2, should have fixed the issue and it should no longer make xfwm4 4.13.0 fail.

So in case, you should be a dare-devil, you could

• create a Timeshift snapshot
• keep xfwm4 4.13.0 on the Update Manager blocklist, so that it will not downgrade it to 4.12.5
• remove mesa 19.0.2 from the Update Manager blocklist
• refresh the list of available updates
• install mesa 19.0.2 -1ubuntu1.1~18.04.2
• reboot
• keep your fingers crossed.

If xfwm 4.13.0 goes on working correctly, then you have got the recent mesa version. Experiment has succeeded.
In case, however, xfwm 4.13.0 causes problems, return to your current pre-mesa-update state by restoring the Timeshift snapshot.

You decide to go this way or not.

Regards,
Karl