[arch-general] getting fed up with gnome's fast-user-switching experience

[Jan Steffens]

Most probably a problem somewhere in the graphics driver stack.

On Tue, Jun 1, 2010 at 1:42 AM, Matthew Monaco <dgbaley27 at verizon.net> wrote:
> Maybe some of you have had similar problems, maybe some have fixed them,
> seen them vanish with updates, or are still dealing with them.
>
> On pretty much every computer I interact with that uses Gnome (Arch, et al.)
> there is always one problem or another trying to log out, switch users, or
> resume from suspend. The symptom is usually a blank screen (with or without
> the backlight), or a blank screen with just the mouse.
>
> I'm not sure which combination of programs is to blame. But I've suspected
> (in no particular order):
>        gdm
>        gnome-session
>        pm-utils
>        gnome-screensaver
>        kernel/xorg drivers for nvidia/ati/intel
>
> When encountered with a blank screen, sometimes the solution is as simple as
> ctrl+alt+f# to find the right tty. Sometimes ctrl+alt+backspace will work if
> DontZap is disabled. Sometimes I can ssh from another computer and do an
> (tel)init 3; (tel)init 5. And many unfortunate times I either can't log in
> remotely or the init trick doesn't work - I'm forced to do a hard reboot.
>
> The worst part is, it is really beginning to feel completely random. Or
> difficult to pinpoint, like special combinations of users that are logged
> and the user that is initiating the logout/suspend/etc (corrupted gconf?)
>
> *sigh*
>
> Do any of you have a multi-user gnome system with no problems at all here?
>