Solved XFCE4 no mouse and often no icons in desktop after typing startx

A

Abhid

Hello. Earlier I had a problem with my Xfce desktop displaying a blank background, and it was solved in this thread.

There was just the issue of mouse synaptics remaining. So I installed x11-drivers/xf86-input-synaptics driver. I fiddled with the entry in /etc/sysctl.conf by changing kern.evdev.rcpt_mask=12 and =6.

Problem:
Upon doing the above steps, when I type startx command, I get only the top and bottom bars of the desktop. Mouse doesn't work. Its just visible. On rare occasions, desktop is visible, but 99% of the time, the desktop is blank with no icons. Keyboard doesn't work.

What I've tried so far:
Earlier I had deinstalled Slim, because it isn't needed.
I also uninstalled and reinstalled Xfce packages by following this post. I also reinstalled Xorg server with UDEV option on and other packages mentioned in this post ,though I've not yet created the file /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/99-myinput.conf as I read somewhere it isn't necessary (my /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ is empty).

The following packages are installed via ports: xf86-input-keyboard, xf86-input-mouse, xf86-input-video-ati, and xf86-input-synaptics.

Running kldstat(8) shows that drm.ko, and amdgpu.ko are loaded.

The following is the output of cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log: https://termbin.com/u1p9
In the end, it says:
Code: 
[    99.685] (**) ModulePath set to "/usr/local/lib/xorg/modules"
[    99.685] (WW) Hotplugging is on, devices using drivers 'kbd', 'mouse' or 'vmmouse' will be disabled.
[    99.685] (WW) Disabling Mouse0
[    99.685] (WW) Disabling Keyboard0
[    99.685] (II) AMDGPU(0): [KMS] Kernel modesetting enabled.
[    99.686] (II) AMDGPU(1): [KMS] drm report modesetting isn't supported.
[    99.686]
[    99.686]
Xorg detected your mouse at device /dev/sysmouse.
Please check your config if the mouse is still not
operational, as by default Xorg tries to autodetect
the protocol.
[    99.686]
Xorg has configured a multihead system, please check your config.
[    99.686]
Your xorg.conf file is /root/xorg.conf.new

[    99.686] To test the server, run 'X -config /root/xorg.conf.new'

[    99.686] (EE) Server terminated with error (2). Closing log file.
X server is not responding and terminated with error(2).
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Alexander88207, I referred this document to edit /root/xorg.conf.new and added the following lines :

Code: 
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier  "Touchpad0"
Driver      "synaptics"
Option      "Protocol" "psm"
Option      "Device" "/dev/psm0"
EndSection
and also
Code: 
  InputDevice    "Touchpad0" "SendCoreEvents"
However, it had no effect. Also, when I restarted my machine the changes were not present (I remember saving them and re-opening the file to check). All dependencies of Xorg are already installed.

In /usr/local/share/X11/xorg.conf.d there is a file called 70-synaptics.conf. But at the top it says it shouldn't be edited, so how should I implement the changes ?
 
I created the file, touchpad.conf in usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d and added the following :

Code: 
Section "InputClass"
  Identifier "touchpad"
  MatchIsTouchpad "on"
  Driver "libinput"
  Option "Tapping" "on"
EndSection
chrbr, as you suggested I also added the line synclient TapButton1=1 in ~/.xinitrc but there's no change.

When I type startx, I see no mouse pointer. The desktop is blank with no icons. Keyboard doesn't function. Only the top and bottom bars are visible.

I have to turn off my laptop using the power button. Also, mouse pointer is visible at the command prompt even before I type startx. It doesn't respond, though.
 
Abhid said:
chrbr, as you suggested I also added the line synclient TapButton1=1 in ~/.xinitrc but there's no change.
Click to expand...
I am sorry for the misunderstanding. This is one example which mimics the BUTTON1 mouse click by the touchpad. Please run synclient without any options to see all supported parameters.
 
chrbr, it's OK no problem.

synclient gave this output:
Code: 
Failed to connect to X server.
A somewhat similar error came earlier also when I typed Xorg -configure
Code: 
Xorg detected your mouse at device /dev/sysmouse.
Please check your config if the mouse is still not
operational, as by default Xorg tries to autodetect
the protocol.

Xorg has configured a multihead system, please check your config.

Your xorg.conf files is '/root/xorg.conf.new'

..........

(EE) Server terminated with error (2). Closing log file
 
A very strange thing happened:

Step 1. I typed Xorg -config /root/xorg.conf.new

Step 2. The screen went blank for a long time. I switched off the system using the power off button.

Step 3. I re-start my system. I login and then execute startx and voila ! I can see my desktop, the mouse pointer behaves properly, and even the touchpad's taps work very well.

Once again, I shutdown my system normally. I restart it, login, and type startx. The same problem occurs that I started this thread for. No desktop background, no icons, no mouse, and no functional keyboard.

Again, I shutdown using poweroff button. I re-start it, login, and type Xorg -config /root/xorg.conf.new, and Steps 1, Step 2 and Step 3 occurred once again.

I confirm reproducing this behaviour repeatedly.
 
Alexander88207, but I saved my config file touchpad.conf in /usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d and it persists.

I also found out that before executing startx I have to execute Xorg -configure for everything to work properly. By the way, this command still gives the error at the end:
Code: 
(EE) Server terminated with error (2). Closing log file.

Is there any way to just make it all work after just executing startx ?
 
I know my reply is many months overdue, but a few days ago I just spent a few nights and finally did 2 things:
  1. Upgraded to latest version of FreeBSD 13.
  2. Then I upgraded all softwares, by running
    Code: 
    pkg-static upgrade -f
    .
Then to be sure, I removed xfce by running
Code: 
pkg delete xfce
and reinstalled it by running
Code: 
pkg install xfce
.

Now there are no more issues in my Desktop. I hope this procedure helps someone else also who is facing the same issue.

I learnt from this, that if there's a really bad nagging issue, patiently wait for the next release and do a comprehensive upgrade of a) FreeBSD and b) all packages (as mentioned in the steps above). Things somehow fall into place after that.
 
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