Re: trixie recent update causing video instability

Felix Miata wrote on 6/29/26 9:49 AM:
> D. R. Evans composed on 2026-06-29 10:44 (UTC-0400):
> 
>> Following a normal trixie update two or three weeks ago, I have found that I
>> have to reboot my main desktop machine every few days because the video
>> becomes increasingly riddled with unwelcome artefacts as I use the system. The
>> artefacts seem to be triggered, or at least made much worse, after watching
>> youtube videos or using Google Streetview (in Firefox).
> 
>> Linux video nowadays is a mystery to me, so I don't know what I might do to
>> address the issue, and suggestions from those who understand these things
>> better would be welcome.
> 
>> Output from inxi:
> 
>> [ZB:tmp] inxi -SGaz
>> System:
>>     Kernel: 6.12.94+deb13-amd64 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 14.2.0
>>       clocksource: tsc avail: hpet,acpi_pm
>>       parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/BOOT/debian@/vmlinuz-6.12.94+deb13-amd64
>>       root=ZFS=rpool/ROOT/debian ro root=ZFS=rpool/ROOT/debian
>>     Desktop: TDE (Trinity) v: R14.1.7~[DEVELOPMENT] tk: Qt v: 3.5.0 wm: Twin
>>       v: 3.0 with: kicker tools: avail: i3lock,slock,xss-lock vt: 7 dm: 1: LightDM
>>       v: 1.32.0 2: SDDM note: stopped Distro: Debian GNU/Linux 13 (trixie)
>> Graphics:
>>     Device-1: NVIDIA GF108 [GeForce GT 430] vendor: Gigabyte driver: nouveau
>>       v: kernel non-free: series: 390.xx+ status: legacy (EOL~2022-11-22) last:
>>       release: 390.157 kernel: 6.0 xorg: 1.21 arch: Fermi code: GF1xx
>>       process: 40/28nm built: 2010-2016 pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 16
>>       ports: active: HDMI-A-1 empty: DVI-I-1,VGA-1 bus-ID: 04:00.0
>>       chip-ID: 10de:0de1 class-ID: 0300
>>     Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.16 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.6
>>       compositor: Twin v: 3.0 driver: X: loaded: modesetting dri: nouveau
>>       gpu: nouveau display-ID: :0 screens: 1
>>     Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 508x285mm (20.00x11.22")
>>       s-diag: 582mm (22.93")
>>     Monitor-1: HDMI-A-1 mapped: HDMI-1 model: VGA TO HDMI built: 2013 res:
>>       mode: 1920x1080 hz: 60 scale: 100% (1) dpi: 96 gamma: 1.2
>>       size: 509x286mm (20.04x11.26") diag: 584mm (23") ratio: 16:9 modes:
>>       max: 1920x1080 min: 640x480
> ...
> I've noticed a lot of complaints recently about bad Firefox behavior in Plasma on
> openSUSE forums. It may be worth trying a few days using something other than
> Plasma as your DE. I have essentially the same GPU (a later re-release using Fermi

I'm not using Plasma:

 >>     Desktop: TDE (Trinity) v: R14.1.7~[DEVELOPMENT] tk: Qt v: 3.5.0 wm: Twin

Plasma is (I think) based on a much later version of Qt.

> Note I use Trinity Desktop on the test box with Trixie and that GPU. It's a long
> ago fork of KDE3, last updated in April and every 6 months, lightweight on GPU and
> disk space, and plenty fast.

Yes, that is what I am using.

> <https://wiki.trinitydesktop.org/Debian_Trinity_Repository_Installation_Instructions>
> As a test box, it's never up for as long as one day, much less 4+.

Usually (i.e., prior to the update that caused the video issue) this computer 
stays up for weeks at a time, so it's quite annoying (and uncomfortably 
Windows-like) to have to reboot after two or three days.

> 
> IME, TDE is fully compatible alongside Plasma. If too much bother, likely you
> already have installed IceWM or other options available in SDDM's login screen,
> while TDE still resembles strongly the KDE of yesteryear.

I'm not sure what you're trying to tell me there. I have been using TDE since, 
well, so long ago that I don't remember. I do have KDE installed as well -- I 
agree that TDE is "fully compatible alongside Plasma" -- so that I can have 
access to a few programs whose Plasma versions are much nicer than the old TDE 
versions; but I use the Plasma programs only rarely, so I don't think that 
their presence on the computer is likely to be related to the problems I've 
been seeing.

   Doc