• strange screen blanking out

    From songbird@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, July 16, 2026 13:30:01
    i do run Debian testing, i don't expect it to be perfect
    and that things can change and then take some time to be
    resolved.

    i also use MATE desktop and that isn't always using the
    most current versions available.

    in recent weeks my screen will go blank and it isn't
    powering off the display, but it may take some time to
    get the screen to come back up so i can see again.

    none of the CTRL-ALT or other key combinations make
    a difference. (i'm not sure why CTRL-ALT-DEL doesn't
    reboot as it should... it used to work, plus the
    X11 restart key combination also used to work...)

    last night i removed mate-screensaver to make sure that
    wasn't the issue. it isn't as i had the same thing happen
    this morning.

    moving the mouse would seem to be the way to get the
    screen to come back on, but that doesn't do anything.

    i did find out a bit ago though that if i turn the volume
    knob on the USB speaker it will bring the display back up
    to where i can see again, but i'm not sure what else may be
    going on here.

    previously i was thinking the screen was locking up
    completely and i would hold down the power button to get
    the system to shutdown and then restart, but that is a
    rather brutal way to deal with this. luckily i've found
    at least a better way of getting back to normal...


    any ideas? thanks! :)


    songbird

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Jörg-Volker Peetz@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, July 16, 2026 15:00:01
    Hi,

    Did you check cable and connectors?

    Regards,
    J”rg.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Greg Wooledge@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, July 16, 2026 15:50:02
    On Thu, Jul 16, 2026 at 07:20:35 -0400, songbird wrote:
    none of the CTRL-ALT or other key combinations make
    a difference. (i'm not sure why CTRL-ALT-DEL doesn't
    reboot as it should... it used to work, plus the
    X11 restart key combination also used to work...)

    last night i removed mate-screensaver to make sure that
    wasn't the issue. it isn't as i had the same thing happen
    this morning.

    moving the mouse would seem to be the way to get the
    screen to come back on, but that doesn't do anything.

    i did find out a bit ago though that if i turn the volume
    knob on the USB speaker it will bring the display back up
    to where i can see again, but i'm not sure what else may be
    going on here.

    This sounds like a hardware issue to me. After checking the cables
    as previously suggested, my next idea would be to try a different
    cable, or a different monitor. (In any case, it would probably be
    helpful to know how the monitor is attached to the computer -- VGA,
    HDMI, Display Port?)

    That last bit about the speaker volume affecting the display is really
    strange. I don't understand how those two devices are interacting.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From songbird@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, July 16, 2026 20:40:01
    J”rg-Volker Peetz wrote:
    Hi,

    Did you check cable and connectors?


    no, but i will. i've never had an HDMI cable problem.


    thanks! :)


    songbird

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From songbird@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, July 16, 2026 20:50:02
    Greg Wooledge wrote:
    On Thu, Jul 16, 2026 at 07:20:35 -0400, songbird wrote:

    none of the CTRL-ALT or other key combinations make
    a difference. (i'm not sure why CTRL-ALT-DEL doesn't
    reboot as it should... it used to work, plus the
    X11 restart key combination also used to work...)

    last night i removed mate-screensaver to make sure that
    wasn't the issue. it isn't as i had the same thing happen
    this morning.

    moving the mouse would seem to be the way to get the
    screen to come back on, but that doesn't do anything.

    i did find out a bit ago though that if i turn the volume
    knob on the USB speaker it will bring the display back up
    to where i can see again, but i'm not sure what else may be
    going on here.

    This sounds like a hardware issue to me. After checking the cables
    as previously suggested, my next idea would be to try a different
    cable, or a different monitor. (In any case, it would probably be
    helpful to know how the monitor is attached to the computer -- VGA,
    HDMI, Display Port?)

    HDMI cable connection, not ever had a problem with one
    of them before. i will check the connection.


    That last bit about the speaker volume affecting the display is really strange. I don't understand how those two devices are interacting.

    one of the items on my top panel is a volume slider.

    i'm suspecting some kind of power saving setting, but
    i'm not sure where.


    songbird

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From songbird@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, July 16, 2026 21:20:01
    J”rg-Volker Peetz wrote:
    Hi,

    Did you check cable and connectors?

    just had it happen again, volume button on speaker
    didn't do anything, but wiggled cable and monitor came
    back on. unplugged cable and plugged it back in. it's
    probably not been unplugged in 5yrs or more.


    songbird

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Peter Ehlert@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, July 16, 2026 21:20:02

    On July 16, 2026 11:40:33 AM songbird <songbird@anthive.com> wrote:
    Greg Wooledge wrote:
    On Thu, Jul 16, 2026 at 07:20:35 -0400, songbird wrote:

    none of the CTRL-ALT or other key combinations make
    a difference. (i'm not sure why CTRL-ALT-DEL doesn't
    reboot as it should... it used to work, plus the
    X11 restart key combination also used to work...)

    last night i removed mate-screensaver to make sure that
    wasn't the issue. it isn't as i had the same thing happen
    this morning.

    moving the mouse would seem to be the way to get the
    screen to come back on, but that doesn't do anything.

    i did find out a bit ago though that if i turn the volume
    knob on the USB speaker it will bring the display back up
    to where i can see again, but i'm not sure what else may be
    going on here.

    This sounds like a hardware issue to me. After checking the cables
    as previously suggested, my next idea would be to try a different
    cable, or a different monitor. (In any case, it would probably be
    helpful to know how the monitor is attached to the computer -- VGA,
    HDMI, Display Port?)

    HDMI cable connection, not ever had a problem with one
    of them before. i will check the connection.


    That last bit about the speaker volume affecting the display is really
    strange. I don't understand how those two devices are interacting.

    one of the items on my top panel is a volume slider.

    i'm suspecting some kind of power saving setting, but
    i'm not sure where.
    You can access the power options via the Screensaver menu.
    ...
    On my Sid Mate I get a lock screen, even with that turned off.
    Sid Mate is buggier than in the past.


    songbird


    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From songbird@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, July 16, 2026 23:50:01
    Peter Ehlert wrote:
    ...
    On my Sid Mate I get a lock screen, even with that turned off.
    Sid Mate is buggier than in the past.

    i removed the screensaver entirely so it's not that.

    seems to be the cable or the monitor connection is going
    bad.

    there's some recent packaging work starting up on MATE
    so maybe that will improve.


    songbird

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Michael Greenberg@3:633/10 to All on Friday, July 17, 2026 00:20:02
    Have you tried `xset s off` and `xset -dpms`? Either of these can cause
    screen blanking that may not fully power off the display.

    Cheers,
    Michael

    On 2026-07-16 at 07:20:35 AM, songbird wrote:

    i do run Debian testing, i don't expect it to be perfect
    and that things can change and then take some time to be
    resolved.

    i also use MATE desktop and that isn't always using the
    most current versions available.

    in recent weeks my screen will go blank and it isn't
    powering off the display, but it may take some time to
    get the screen to come back up so i can see again.

    none of the CTRL-ALT or other key combinations make
    a difference. (i'm not sure why CTRL-ALT-DEL doesn't
    reboot as it should... it used to work, plus the
    X11 restart key combination also used to work...)

    last night i removed mate-screensaver to make sure that
    wasn't the issue. it isn't as i had the same thing happen
    this morning.

    moving the mouse would seem to be the way to get the
    screen to come back on, but that doesn't do anything.

    i did find out a bit ago though that if i turn the volume
    knob on the USB speaker it will bring the display back up
    to where i can see again, but i'm not sure what else may be
    going on here.

    previously i was thinking the screen was locking up
    completely and i would hold down the power button to get
    the system to shutdown and then restart, but that is a
    rather brutal way to deal with this. luckily i've found
    at least a better way of getting back to normal...


    any ideas? thanks! :)


    songbird

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From songbird@3:633/10 to All on Friday, July 17, 2026 14:00:01
    Michael Greenberg wrote:
    Have you tried `xset s off` and `xset -dpms`? Either of these can cause screen blanking that may not fully power off the display.

    ...

    thanks, i think it is likely the monitor itself having
    issues.


    songbird

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