Gray panel blocking desktop background on login

[jasoncollege24]

System Specs:
CPU: Intel i9-990k
Motherboard: ROG Strix-Z390-F Gaming
RAM: 32GB
Graphics: ASUS DUAL-RTX2080S-O8G-EVO
Related OS: Kubuntu 20.04
Plasma Version 5.18.5
Driver: Nvidia Proprietary driver 460
Relevant Display: Vizio E43-E2 Home Theater Display, capable of 4k@60Htz
Login resolution: 1080p@60Htz, on HDMI-0

Not sure what other specs, or settings info you need for this. Basically, on login, nearly my entire desktop background, and it's widgets are covered by a gray panel, with my icons still displayed in their normal locations. This panel cannot be moved, or resized, (despite resizing cursors appearing at the edges), but I can right click it, and manipulate it, like the desktop (New folders, panels, etc).

On the far right side of the screen, I can see a small sliver of the desktop background. If i click directly on that, the panel in question vanishes, displaying my desktop, and the widget I keep there (A resource monitor). In 4k, this sliver goes along the right side, and the bottom, just above the task manager.

Changing display configurations (eg enabling other displays) does not remove the panel from this display, but others don't have the panel. Changing resolutions does not remove the panel, but instead just resizes it.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[claydoh]

Can you grab a screenshot of this?
When you right click on it, is the menu displayed the same as it is on your normal desktop?

For the moment you might try changing the Desktop Session option in System Settings to start with an empty session as opposed to the default option to restore the previous session.

Do you have anything set to Autostart in Systems Settings?

Sent from my LM-V600 using Tapatalk

[jasoncollege24]

the right-click menu looks to be a panel context menu, instead of the desktop's context menu. It is definitely not the same menu.

I have Discord, and a script that serves only to change my display configuration setup in autostart. Neither of those causes this. I also start with an empty session already. (One of the first options I always change on install)

Closing Discord doesn't resolve it, since it's a panel, and the resolution change is the same command I use to set my display to 1080p@60htz, with only the primary display enabled. If you want the script contents, i can give them easy enough. it's a very short script.

Here's the screenshot you asked for (taken yesterday)

[claydoh]

and a script that serves only to change my display configuration setup in autostart. Neither of those causes this.

You have tested this without loading the script via autostart? What is the content of said script?
What does your /etc/X11/xorg.conf show, if you have one?
Anything in the Nvidia Settings application stick out?

Does this happen if you use the monitor's native resolution?

Can't really see it here, but I assume that very thin strip on the right margin is the wallpaper? otherwise, it just looks like a b;lank desktop with no background image or color. But the limitations of screenshot may be making this look more black than grey.

Does the wallpaper/background reappear when you shove the mouse over there, or does it require a click?

What about shoving the mouse all the way over to the right when the background is working correctly? I was thinking it has a 'virtual' screen size somehow, larger than the display size. 'Pushing' the mouse to the margins in that case would 'scroll' the viewable area over.


otherwise, I am lost tbh.
My knowledge and experience with Nvidia is waning, and becoming somewhat ancient history.

Hoping someone with more specific xorg skills can chime in.

[jasoncollege24]

Linux has been installed on this system for about a year. My primary OS is Windows 10, and I don't boot into this often, except to play games that are only installed here (in linux). I am *very* slowly trying to transition to Linux, hence the somewhat rare use.

Last Linux run was maybe a month ago, because I needed something that was here, and yesterday, I decided to mess with it more, get updates, and see about some more transitioning. This problem was not there on last use.

I've had the script included in autostart since shortly after the initial install, and this JUST started, however, I also just realized that it was not being executed, because it was set to run before session startup. which means it was using whatever setting I had before rebooting (generally 1080p). Removing it completely also has no effect. I set it to "Startup" instead, and changed it to load my 4k, instead of 1080p.

The same thing happened, with a few minor exceptions.

When initially loading in 4k, the panel takes up the ENTIRE desktop. (No sliver)
When manually running my 1080p script (shown below), it adds the sliver, and puts it at the right, and bottom, like I previously described it doing when going to 4k

no xorg.conf here. Every time I've tried using it for my displays, it did really weird things, so I stopped trying.

Nvidia settings... one thing sticks out, because of something I saw about a vblank/vsync problem, causing similar issues, but I disabled Sync to VBlank, and no change, plus, that issue was reported as solved.

I allow flipping, and I use conformant texture clamping in opengl settings, but these are not new settings. What I do notice is that one of my other two monitors is considered "Off" as opposed to disabled, but changing this also has no effect.

In system settings I do have the compositor set to disabled, which I assume is some sort of vsync. That's the only other thing that stands out to me.

script is:

#!/bin/bash

nvidia-settings --load-config-only
nvidia-settings --assign CurrentMetaMode="HDMI-0: 1920x1080_60 +0+0 {ForceCompositionPipeline=On}"

the screenshot captures it perfectly. you see exactly what I see. the black that you see is the gray panel, and the thin strip on the right is the only visible part of the wallpaper. Making the desktop appear requires me to click that strip. I can right click the panel, and choose to show, or hide the desktop.

Not a scrolling issue. The desktop doesn't extend beyond the display.

[Snowhog]

What is the pixel resolution of the screen this is happening on?

[jasoncollege24]

Sounds like you're asking the actual native resolution of my display. 3840x2160@60htz is the display's native resolution. If this isn't the information you're looking for, I'll need instruction to get it for you.

[Snowhog]

That is what I was asking for.

Something to check is the resolution that is being used for your active Desktop (System Settings > Monitor). I think that's right. I'm not at my computer to confirm.

[jasoncollege24]

i have a 1080p script, and a 4k script. The resolution in system settings matches 1920x1080@60htz, and3840x2160@30htz, respectively. (why it claims the wrong refresh rate for 4k in system settings is unclear, but likely nothing.)
I also looked at the display's info panel for each, which confirms it's actually at 1920x1080@60, and 3840x2160p@60htz respectively.
I also looked at nvidia settings for each, which claims 1920x1080@60htz, and 3840x2160@60htz, respectively.

System Settings > Display and Monitor (for future reference

[claydoh]

Code:

#!/bin/bash

nvidia-settings --load-config-only
nvidia-settings --assign CurrentMetaMode="HDMI-0: 1920x1080_60 +0+0 {ForceCompositionPipeline=On}"

Something I may have missed. Nvidia settings and System Setting's monitor config tool (kscreen2) may be 'competing' here.

You can disable kscreen to test, from System Setrtings' background services section.
Another option might be to have the script run later in the login (adding a sleep command to the script)?

I assume that running the script manually after a login is complete sets things correctly?

[oshunluvr]

KScreen2 is a PITA to the point of being unusable IME. Remove it and set monitors up manually.

[jasoncollege24]

I disabled kscreen2, and rebooted. The panel was still there. I clicked on the small bit of desktop on the right, and it vanished, as it has been doing. Since then, I haven't seen it, but I'm keeping an eye out for it, in case this is some fluke.

To answer the question about the script, running the script alone does not resolve the problem. The only way to get rid of it, when it does this is to click on the visible desktop background, usually on the right. I'll post again, if it happens.

[jasoncollege24]

spoke too soon. It showed up again on the very next reboot.

[oshunluvr]

Sounds like a bad widget or conky. I apologize if this is redundant - but have you tried a different user account to see if the behavior repeats?

[jasoncollege24]

you pointed me in the right direction. Seems I've found the culprit, but not quite sure how to resolve it. I created a new user, and logged into it. this user had an all white panel (same panel), i right clicked, and chose to change background, thinking the background was just missing...

Turns out, this may not have been a Kubuntu install originally. I have ubuntu, and ubuntu with wayland DEs installed, (looks like I installed as Ubuntu), and apparently manually installed kubuntu-desktop, and sddm. The panel belongs to one of the ubuntu desktops.

tried sudo apt remove ubuntu-desktop then rebooted, but all three DEs are still available to choose at login time. I'd like to remove all, but KDE, making this a full Kubuntu install... At this point, would I just be better off doing a clean install of Kubuntu?

[oshunluvr]

Yeah probably. A new install will take like 10 minutes - less time than you've already spent