Screen locks randomly

[shunju]

Qubes OS version:

R4.0-rc4, RC4.0-rc5

Affected component(s):

Something in dom0

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Steps to reproduce the behavior:

Work at the computer for a long amount of time.

Expected behavior:

Screen never locks while user is actively using the computer.

Actual behavior:

Sometimes, out of the blue, seemingly randomly, the screen will lock. Screen lock window gives feedback and unlocks screen when correct password is provided.

General notes:

The mouse can only move inside the X screensaver window, moving the mouse or typing any keys (including Alt+Tab, Strg+Alt+Left, Strg+Alt+Right, …) does not redraw the screen.

I have a feeling that this issue is getting worse (happens more often recently), but that is hopefully just my imagination. I have searched /var/log/X.org.0.log and ~/.xsession-errors, but haven’t found anything conspicuous. I will try to remember to capture and provide logs as requested when the issue occurs again.

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Related issues:

Maybe #2399 is related. However, in contrast to #2399, the screen is in fact locked in the present issue.

[marmarek]

See journalctl in dom0, maybe it's related to some problem with time synchronization (when time catch up, xscreensaver might think that inactivity timeout just elapsed, in seconds).

When screen is locked, are other windows visible, or are blacked out?

[marmarek]

See journalctl in dom0, maybe it's related to some problem with time synchronization (when time catch up, xscreensaver might think that inactivity timeout just elapsed, in seconds).

When screen is locked, are other windows visible, or are blacked out?

[andrewdavidwong]

I think I might have experienced this on 3.2. In my case, it seems to happen at most once per reboot (but usually not at all), shortly after first booting and logging in.

[andrewdavidwong]

I think I might have experienced this on 3.2. In my case, it seems to happen at most once per reboot (but usually not at all), shortly after first booting and logging in.

[andrewdavidwong]

@shunju, you didn't say which DE you're using, so I've assumed it's Xfce4. Let me know if it's a different one.

[andrewdavidwong]

@shunju, you didn't say which DE you're using, so I've assumed it's Xfce4. Let me know if it's a different one.

[Aekez]

I have an acquaintance (also on Qubes), who once had a similar problem like this (Xfce4, XScreenSaver, Qubes 4.0. some months back).

I found a fix for him by outright disabling XScreenSaver by clicking the "Disable Screen Saver" in the Mode: dropdown menu in XScreenSaver settings.

• He no longer had the issue after fully disabling the countdown timer.
  • He still enables it manually when absent though (i.e. by ctrl+alt+L).
• His problem was a bit different but similar.
  • It didn't happen when Qubes was used, but instead it didn't respect the inactivity countdown timer.
  • For example, despite setting it to the max 720 minutes, it still occured "at times" within an hour at the very least, despite having the setting to last 12 hours (720/60) of computer inactivity.
• It never happened for him while he was using Qubes, but the 720 minute count didn't wait for 12 hours, but instead sometimes randomly happened in-between when inactive (i.e. when streaming movie, but Qubes keyboard/mouse/etc. input was untouched).

I have not observed it on my own Qubes system. However I also disable the XScreenSaver inactivity countdown my self, and instead made it a habit to manually log screen when absent, or manually trigger it with suspend mode instead. So I don't think I can encounter the bug anyway given the countdown timer is disabled, but this is only a deduction based on an anecdotal observation.

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Whether this bug still happens, I'm not sure, it's been some months now. If its still around, maybe it'll go away on its own once dom0 is updated to fc26+ or never XScreensaver version in dom0 fc25?

[Aekez]

I have an acquaintance (also on Qubes), who once had a similar problem like this (Xfce4, XScreenSaver, Qubes 4.0. some months back).

I found a fix for him by outright disabling XScreenSaver by clicking the "Disable Screen Saver" in the Mode: dropdown menu in XScreenSaver settings.

• He no longer had the issue after fully disabling the countdown timer.
  • He still enables it manually when absent though (i.e. by ctrl+alt+L).
• His problem was a bit different but similar.
  • It didn't happen when Qubes was used, but instead it didn't respect the inactivity countdown timer.
  • For example, despite setting it to the max 720 minutes, it still occured "at times" within an hour at the very least, despite having the setting to last 12 hours (720/60) of computer inactivity.
• It never happened for him while he was using Qubes, but the 720 minute count didn't wait for 12 hours, but instead sometimes randomly happened in-between when inactive (i.e. when streaming movie, but Qubes keyboard/mouse/etc. input was untouched).

I have not observed it on my own Qubes system. However I also disable the XScreenSaver inactivity countdown my self, and instead made it a habit to manually log screen when absent, or manually trigger it with suspend mode instead. So I don't think I can encounter the bug anyway given the countdown timer is disabled, but this is only a deduction based on an anecdotal observation.

---

Whether this bug still happens, I'm not sure, it's been some months now. If its still around, maybe it'll go away on its own once dom0 is updated to fc26+ or never XScreensaver version in dom0 fc25?

[kototama]

I can confirm this bug and the explanation of Marmarek

when time catch up, xscreensaver might think that inactivity timeout just elapsed, in seconds

looks like a good one because it happens at the full hour for me, for example at 10:00 and I also have time synchronization issue: XFCE displays the UTC time after I boot instead of the local time and then resynchronize later.

[kototama]

I can confirm this bug and the explanation of Marmarek

when time catch up, xscreensaver might think that inactivity timeout just elapsed, in seconds

looks like a good one because it happens at the full hour for me, for example at 10:00 and I also have time synchronization issue: XFCE displays the UTC time after I boot instead of the local time and then resynchronize later.

[Aekez]

@kototama
That makes sense. Whether it's a coincidence or related, my acquaintance who had untimely locked screens also has time sync issues. I never heard whether it was at full round hours though, but it would certainly explain why only some people seem to get this bug, I presume.

Should this issue stay open if it can be verified to be associated and triggered by another bug/issue?

[Aekez]

@kototama
That makes sense. Whether it's a coincidence or related, my acquaintance who had untimely locked screens also has time sync issues. I never heard whether it was at full round hours though, but it would certainly explain why only some people seem to get this bug, I presume.

Should this issue stay open if it can be verified to be associated and triggered by another bug/issue?