Gnome-screensaver does not stay on

[Bugsy]

Binary package hint: gnome-screensaver

I have two screens with Xinerama and Nvidia drivers. In the startup everything works normally but later the gnome-screensaver does not stay on as described under.

The gnome-screensaver starts normally but when the screen goes back, it comes suddenly back to the normal state. Even tough I don't need the screen saver. I need the energy saving mode for my screens which needs the gnome-screensaver to mark session as idle.

If it's even possible. I would send a log from the operation but I don't know how to take one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*IMPORTANT*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE: If you are using Compiz-Fusion Go to General Preferences in Compiz Settings Manager, and under the General Tab, uncheck "Undirect Fullscreen Windows"
This should solve your problem if you are running Compiz-Fusion
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*IMPORTANT*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Bugsy (carlo-suomi24-deactivatedaccount)]

Well this is weird. After I put "xdg-screensaver activate" on the commandline the screensaver started acting normally. I stays on now. Don't know what the problem was and does this fix hold longer.

[Bugsy (carlo-suomi24-deactivatedaccount)]

Now after 2 hours it doesnt work anymore. If I put "xdg-screensaver activate" on command line again then it starts working for couple times. I haven't logged out from the session for couple days.

[Bugsy (carlo-suomi24-deactivatedaccount)]

Forgot to tell that I'm using Ubuntu Gutsy 7.10 now and everything worked fine in Feisty.

[KK (kk-kuroikarasu)]

The same happens to me.
either on the screensaver of gnome and the xscreensaver.
Fades to black then fades away in ubuntu screensaver
on xscreen fades to black, fades awas, fades to black, cycling.

I`m using ubuntu gutsy and a nvidia

[Basilio Kublik (sourcercito)]

Hi there
Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. You reported this bug a while ago and there hasn't been any activity in it recently. We were wondering is this still an issue for you? Can you try with the development version of Ubuntu, Hardy Heron?

Thanks in advance.

[Bugsy (carlo-suomi24-deactivatedaccount)]

The bug seems to happen every time I use the torrent client program which came with Ubuntu. Otherwise the screensaver seems to work correctly.

[Basilio Kublik (sourcercito)]

Hi There
I'm unable to reproduce the issue you mention, could you please check under Hardy Heron?.

Thanks

[KK (kk-kuroikarasu)]

its working fine now.
i turned the pc off and next day turned it on and everything was fine.

Thanks for the concern.

[FAJALOU (fajalou)]

I am having this same issue, Screensaver will start, and then quickly turn off. I logged the problem with "gnome-screensaver --no-daemon --debug" and the results I got were interesting. Side note, I am running Hardy, 8.04 LTS, with compiz-fusion Here is the cycle that it goes through:

[_gs_watcher_set_session_idle_notice] gs-watcher-x11.c:501 (15:56:35): Changing idle notice state: 1
[idle_timer] gs-watcher-x11.c:1115 (15:56:45): in idle timer
[watcher_idle_cb] gs-monitor.c:110 (15:56:45): Idle signal detected: 1
[gs_listener_set_session_idle] gs-listener-dbus.c:547 (15:56:45): Setting session idle: 1
[listener_check_activation] gs-listener-dbus.c:412 (15:56:45): Checking for activation
[listener_check_activation] gs-listener-dbus.c:427 (15:56:45): Trying to activate
[gs_grab_grab_root] gs-grab-x11.c:481 (15:56:45): Grabbing the root window
[gs_grab_get_keyboard] gs-grab-x11.c:166 (15:56:45): Grabbing keyboard widget=52
[gs_grab_get_mouse] gs-grab-x11.c:193 (15:56:45): Grabbing mouse widget=52
[gs_manager_create_window] gs-manager.c:1375 (15:56:45): Creating 1 windows for screen 0
[gs_manager_activate] gs-manager.c:1495 (15:56:45): fading out
[fade_done_cb] gs-manager.c:1456 (15:56:45): fade completed, showing windows
[get_best_visual_for_screen] gs-window-x11.c:500 (15:56:45): Found best GL visual for screen 0: 0x2c
[window_map_cb] gs-manager.c:1214 (15:56:45): Handling window map event
[gs_window_clear] gs-window-x11.c:276 (15:56:45): Clearing window
[clear_all_children] gs-window-x11.c:251 (15:56:45): Clearing all child windows
[window_show_cb] gs-manager.c:1263 (15:56:45): Handling window show
[gs_job_set_command] gs-job.c:193 (15:56:45): Setting command for job: 'NULL'
[gs_watcher_set_active] gs-watcher-x11.c:731 (15:56:45): turning watcher: OFF
[_gs_watcher_set_active_internal] gs-watcher-x11.c:714 (15:56:45): Stopping idle watcher
[gs_listener_send_signal_active_changed] gs-listener-dbus.c:260 (15:56:45): Sending the ActiveChanged(TRUE) signal on the session bus
[gs_listener_update_console_kit_idle] gs-listener-dbus.c:296 (15:56:45): Updating ConsoleKit idle status: 1
[_gs_watcher_set_session_idle] gs-watcher-x11.c:524 (15:56:45): Changing idle state: 1
[gs_window_raise] gs-window-x11.c:627 (15:56:45): Raising screensaver window
[gs_window_raise] gs-window-x11.c:627 (15:56:45): Raising screensaver window
[gs_window_raise] gs-window-x11.c:627 (15:56:45): Raising screensaver window
[gs_window_xevent] gs-window-x11.c:679 (15:56:45): not raising our windows
[window_map_event_cb] gs-manager.c:1201 (15:56:45): Handling window map_event event
[manager_maybe_grab_window] gs-manager.c:1155 (15:56:45): Moving grab to 0x80d4060
[xorg_lock_smasher_set_active] gs-grab-x11.c:126 (15:56:45): Disabling the x.org grab smasher
Xlib: extension "XFree86-Misc" missing on display ":1.0".
[xorg_lock_smasher_set_active] gs-grab-x11.c:146 (15:56:45): XF86MiscSetGrabKeysState(off) returned MiscExtGrabStateSuccess

[gs_grab_move_keyboard] gs-grab-x11.c:331 (15:56:45): Moving keyboard grab from 52 to A00023
[gs_grab_move_keyboard] gs-grab-x11.c:338 (15:56:45): *** doing X server grab
[gs_grab_release_keyboard] gs-grab-x11....

[unebaguettesvp (phil-quietthenloud)]

I am having the same problem. I am using Ubuntu Hardy Heron with all packages updated. This problem started occurring about two to three weeks ago. I have not touched the settings in gnome-screensaver since Gutsy or maybe even Feisty. gnome-screensaver was working perfectly fine for awhile in Hardy. I think one of the updates ruined it.

When I run gnome-screensaver --debug, I get this when the screensaver kicks in:

philip@philip:~$ gnome-screensaver --debug
philip@philip:~$ Xlib: extension "XFree86-Misc" missing on display ":1.0".
Xlib: extension "XFree86-Misc" missing on display ":1.0".
Xlib: extension "XFree86-Misc" missing on display ":1.0".

The screen flashes black for less than a second and it goes to the previous view. When I run --no-daemon:

philip@philip:~$ gnome-screensaver --no-daemon --debug
[gs_debug_init] gs-debug.c:106 (00:47:38): Debugging enabled
[main] gnome-screensaver.c:87 (00:47:38): initializing gnome-screensaver 2.22.2
[init_session_id] gs-listener-dbus.c:2051 (00:47:38): Got session-id: /org/freedesktop/ConsoleKit/Session1
[gs_fade_init] gs-fade.c:683 (00:47:38): Fade type: 0
[initialize_server_extensions] gs-watcher-x11.c:903 (00:47:38): Not using server's MIT-SCREEN-SAVER extension.
[gs_watcher_set_active] gs-watcher-x11.c:731 (00:47:38): turning watcher: ON
[_gs_watcher_set_active_internal] gs-watcher-x11.c:718 (00:47:38): Starting idle watcher
[listener_dbus_handle_system_message] gs-listener-dbus.c:1481 (00:47:38): obj_path=/org/freedesktop/DBus interface=org.freedesktop.DBus method=NameAcquired destination=:1.46
[listener_dbus_handle_system_message] gs-listener-dbus.c:1481 (00:47:38): obj_path=(null) interface=(null) method=(null) destination=:1.46
[listener_dbus_handle_system_message] gs-listener-dbus.c:1481 (00:47:38): obj_path=(null) interface=(null) method=(null) destination=:1.46
[listener_dbus_handle_system_message] gs-listener-dbus.c:1481 (00:47:38): obj_path=(null) interface=(null) method=(null) destination=:1.46
[listener_dbus_handle_system_message] gs-listener-dbus.c:1481 (00:47:38): obj_path=(null) interface=(null) method=(null) destination=:1.46
[_gs_watcher_notice_window_created] gs-watcher-x11.c:568 (00:47:40): Window created: noticing activity on 0xC090F7
[power_timer] gs-watcher-x11.c:1080 (00:48:08): in power timer
[power_timer] gs-watcher-x11.c:1105 (00:48:08): Scheduling power notice in: 1
[power_timer] gs-watcher-x11.c:1080 (00:48:08): in power timer
[power_timer] gs-watcher-x11.c:1105 (00:48:08): Scheduling power notice in: 1
[power_timer] gs-watcher-x11.c:1080 (00:48:08): in power timer
[power_timer] gs-watcher-x11.c:1105 (00:48:08): Scheduling power notice in: 1
[power_timer] gs-watcher-x11.c:1080 (00:48:08): in power timer
[power_timer] gs-watcher-x11.c:1105 (00:48:08): Scheduling power notice in: 1
[power_timer] gs-watcher-x11.c:1080 (00:48:08): in power timer
[power_timer] gs-watcher-x11.c:1105 (00:48:08): Scheduling power notice in: 1
[power_timer] gs-watcher-x11.c:1080 (00:48:08): in power timer
[power_timer] gs-watcher-x11.c:1105 (00:48:08): Scheduling power notice in: 1
[power_timer] gs-watcher-x11.c:1080 (00:48:08): in power timer
[power_timer] gs-wat...

[FAJALOU (fajalou)]

Update: Try turning compiz off and seeing if the screensaver works, I did, and it works. There is a feature in General Prefs that says something about disabling for fullscreen things; do that and it should work. The compiz-fusion IRC on Freenode helped me out and fixed this problem for me. thanks all.

[unebaguettesvp (phil-quietthenloud)]

Yes that was it! The option was for "Unredirect Fullscreen Windows". It should be unchecked. Thanks!

[huiii (a00ps)]

thanks to FAJALOU,

that worked for me, gnome-screensaver now able to fade out completely.

what is this "Unredirect Fullscreen Windows" anyway?

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

Unchecking the setting worked for me too.

[Claus Pedersen (pedersen-claus)]

It doesn't work for me :-(

[Roger Binns (ubuntu-rogerbinns)]

Unchecking the setting was a really bad idea for me. After doing a suspend to memory and then a resume my screens were entirely white with a mouse cursor instead of a password dialog. Fortunately moving the mouse around the screen resulted in a place where the cursor changed to a bar and I could click and blindly type my password there.

[Connor Imes (ckimes)]

I can confirm this bug on my laptop in Intrepid Alpha 6, using compiz with the open source ati/radeon driver (for which compiz is now enabled by default). In Metacity, the problem does not exist, so it is Compiz related.

Linux intrepid-dev 2.6.27-3-generic #1 SMP Wed Sep 10 16:02:00 UTC 2008 i686 GNU/Linux
connor@intrepid-dev:~$ lspci | grep VGA
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Radeon RV250 [Mobility FireGL 9000] (rev 01)
connor@intrepid-dev:~$ apt-cache policy compiz
compiz:
  Installed: 1:0.7.7+git20080807-0ubuntu10
  Candidate: 1:0.7.7+git20080807-0ubuntu10
  Version table:
 *** 1:0.7.7+git20080807-0ubuntu10 0
        500 http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu intrepid/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
connor@intrepid-dev:~$ apt-cache policy gnome-screensaver
gnome-screensaver:
  Installed: 2.23.90-0ubuntu1
  Candidate: 2.23.90-0ubuntu1
  Version table:
 *** 2.23.90-0ubuntu1 0
        500 http://ubuntu.media.mit.edu intrepid/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

[George Dhoore (georgiepoo)]

This is indeed still a problem in Intrepid Alpha 6 updated as of September 22, 2008. The "uncheck 'Undirect Fullscreen Windows'" workaround fixes it though.

Thank you for that little bit of information.

[Julio Lajara (ju2wheels)]

I can also confirm on Intrepid Alpha 6 64bit. Im running an Nvidia GeForce 8500 GT and have the same screen saver problem. The fix of unchecking "Undirect Fullscreen Windows" worked for me.

[mihai.ile (mihai.ile)]

I also confirm this in Intrepid Alpha 6 Live CD 32bit.
No software/configuration changes has been made exept the instalation of compiz settings manager.
This system uses an ATI card.
The fix of unchecking "Undirect Fullscreen Windows" worked for me also.
Please fix this before the final release....

[Dan Andreșan (danyer)]

Intrepid up to date, same problem, Nvidia FX6200. The unchecking of "Undirect Fullscreen Windws" works here too.

[Adam Weiss (cseadam)]

Intrepid up to date, on Wubi after upgrade from Hardy.
Nvidia 7800GTX TwinView, nvidia driver.

Also note that with this problem the power management settings never kicked in for my monitors. Without the screensaver, they never turned off.

[DJ Dallas (djdallas)]

Filed a duplicate before finding this. See Bug #278086 in duplicates section.

I'm using Intrepid (beta packages) and Nvidia 8600GT with Nvidia-glx-177 restricted driver.

'Undirect Fullscreen Windows' fixed the screensaver problem, but is causing black screen after resume from standby, particularly when two user sessions are logged on when the machine is put into standby. Blindly typing password allowed logon, and alt-tab restored correct display of the desktop.

Disabling compiz allowed screensaver and display-blanking, as well as standby/hibernate/resume to function correctly.

[EzNet (zeroezezero)]

"Undirect Fullscreen Windows" worked for me - https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/278869

[Michael Vogt (mvo)]

Thanks for your bugreport.

Could you please try the compiz from:
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/compiz/ubuntu intrepid main
?

[NewBis (alien-mail)]

RELEASE: Intrepid
CD VARIANT: 32bit Ubuntu Desktop CD 8.10. Beta

SYMPTOMS: Screensaver starts up and switches back off again almost immediately.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE:
1/ leave your system to run until the screensaver kicks in
2/ watch it go back to the desktop almost instantly.

But if:
3/ metacity --replace
4/compiz --replace

All work fine.

[Dan Andreșan (danyer)]

Why is this bug marked as Incomplete?

Is more information required from people reporting the bug?
If so, please ask and I will provide

[Ricardo Pérez López (ricardo)]

The "Undirect Fullscreen Windows" workaround works for me.

[FAJALOU (fajalou)]

I second Dan Andersan's opinion. It should be marked at least as triaged... I would think because there is a workaround, just not a good one...

[FAJALOU (fajalou)]

Has been confirmed and reproduced multiple times, this is definitely a confirmed bug.

[Sebastian Breier (tomcat42)]

See Bug #278112 for a possible duplicate (not sure if it is one).

[jsschreck (jsschreck)]

I can confirm that "Undirect Fullscreen Windows" corrects the screen-saver and power management issues (ex. - turning off my display after x minutes now works) for a Dell Inspiron 1525.

[Dan Andreșan (danyer)]

Since it seems that bug 159263 and bug 278112 are the same, could anyone mark one of them as duplicate of the other? Or at least point to the difference between them if not considered overlapping, cause I don't find any.