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
arch with same GF108 name chip but different ID and branding, likely 28nm instead
of 40nm):

# inxi -GSaz --vs --za --hostname
inxi 3.3.40-00 (2025-11-25)
System:
Host: k9msi Kernel: 6.12.90+deb13.1-amd64 arch: x86_64 bits: 64
compiler: gcc v: 14.2.0 clocksource: acpi_pm parameters: ro
root=LABEL=<filter> net.ifnames=0 ipv6.disable=1 noresume consoleblank=0
mitigations=off
Desktop: TDE (Trinity) v: R14.1.6 tk: Qt v: 3.5.0 wm: Twin v: 3.0
with: kicker vt: 7 dm: 1: TDM 2: XDM Distro: Debian GNU/Linux 13 (trixie) Graphics:
Device-1: NVIDIA GF108 [GeForce GT 630] 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: DVI-I-1,HDMI-A-1 empty: VGA-1 bus-ID: 04:00.0
chip-ID: 10de:0f00 class-ID: 0300 temp: 41.0 C
Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.16 compositor: Twin v: 3.0 driver: X:
loaded: N/A unloaded: modesetting alternate: fbdev,vesa dri: nouveau
gpu: nouveau display-ID: :0 screens: 1
Screen-1: 0 s-res: 3600x1200 s-dpi: 120 s-size: 762x254mm (30.00x10.00")
s-diag: 803mm (31.62")
Monitor-1: DVI-I-1 pos: right model: Dell P2213 serial: <filter>
built: 2013 res: mode: 1680x1050 hz: 60 scale: 100% (1) dpi: 90 gamma: 1.2
size: 473x296mm (18.62x11.65") diag: 558mm (22") ratio: 16:10 modes:
max: 1680x1050 min: 720x400
Monitor-2: HDMI-A-1 mapped: HDMI-1 pos: primary,left model: NEC EA243WM
serial: <filter> built: 2011 res: mode: 1920x1200 hz: 60 scale: 100% (1)
dpi: 94 gamma: 1.2 size: 519x324mm (20.43x12.76") diag: 612mm (24.1")
ratio: 16:10 modes: max: 1920x1200 min: 640x480
...
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. <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+.

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.
--
Evolution as taught in public schools is, like religion,
based on faith, not based on science.

Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409 ** a11y rocks!

Felix Miata

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

D. R. Evans composed on 2026-06-29 10:46 (UTC-0600):

Felix Miata wrote:

D. R. Evans composed on 2026-06-29 10:44 (UTC-0400):

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) ...

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:

Sorry. I got distracted by seeing LightDM and SDDM, and /not/ TDM, and completely
overlooked TDE 14.1.7. :(
--
Evolution as taught in public schools is, like religion,
based on faith, not based on science.

Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409 ** a11y rocks!

Felix Miata

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 29/06/26 at 22:45, D. R. Evans wrote:

I can confirm that the problem exists even without viewing videos, but
then it's much less obvious (i.e., almost everything looks just fine;
but I've discovered that if I go to log out, for example, then the
logout screen is garbled). Everything gets much worse much more quickly
if I try to view videos or use Streetview (the latter sometimes causes a complete freeze of the system, requiring a hard reset).

So something definitely seems to be wrong in video-driver-land.

~# inxi -SGaz
System:
Kernel: 6.12.90 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 14.2.0
clocksource: tsc avail: hpet,acpi_pm
parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.12.90
root=/dev/mapper/ld0-lv3 ro
kvm.enable_virt_at_load=0 quiet
Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 6.3.6 tk: Qt v: N/A wm: kwin_x11 dm: SDDM
Distro: Debian GNU/Linux 13 (trixie)
Graphics:
Device-1: NVIDIA GK208 [GeForce GT 630 Rev. 2] vendor: ASUSTeK
driver: nouveau v: kernel non-free: series: 470.xx+
status: legacy-active (EOL~2024-09-xx) arch: Kepler-2 code: GKxxx
process: TSMC 28nm built: 2012-2018 pcie: gen: 2 speed: 5 GT/s lanes: 8
ports: active: HDMI-A-1 empty: DVI-D-1,VGA-1 bus-ID: 01:00.0
chip-ID: 10de:1284 class-ID: 0300 temp: 49.0 C
Display: unspecified server: X.Org v: 21.1.16 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.6
compositor: kwin_x11 driver: X: loaded: modesetting alternate:
fbdev,vesa
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: HP M24f FHD serial: <filter>
built: 2022 res: mode: 1920x1080 hz: 60 scale: 100% (1) dpi: 93
gamma: 1.2
size: 527x296mm (20.75x11.65") diag: 628mm (24.7") ratio: 15:9, 16:9
modes: max: 1920x1080 min: 720x400
API: EGL v: 1.5 hw: drv: nvidia nouveau platforms: device: 0 drv: nouveau
device: 1 drv: swrast gbm: drv: nouveau surfaceless: drv: nouveau x11:
drv: nouveau inactive: wayland
API: OpenGL v: 4.5 compat-v: 4.3 vendor: mesa v: 25.0.7-2 glx-v: 1.4
direct-render: yes renderer: NV108 device-ID: 10de:1284 memory:
1.94 GiB
unified: no
Info: Tools: api: eglinfo,glxinfo de: kscreen-console,kscreen-doctor
x11: xdriinfo, xdpyinfo, xprop, xrandr

Here it rarely happens and to fix it when artefacts appears, I logout
the SDDM session and by doing so X is restarted before the SDDM's login
screen and the issue is gone for me when I re-login.
Probably looking at the "dmesg" output you'll see a lot of "nouveau"
driver error message, if this is the case, I think that the only
solution is to migrate to the nvidia proprietary driver, check whether
your card is still supported, it seems to me very old. If the card isn't supported try googling with a search like "archlinux wiki nouveau
firefox" some firefox's settings are suggested HTH.

kind regards,
--
Franco Martelli

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)