Sudden black desktop on Linux Mint 17 KDE

[Cinemarxism]

I hope this is the right place to post this, if not feel free to move it.

I was editing my CV in LibreOffice Writer while listening to music on youtube (in Firefox), when suddenly my screen "flashed" for a brief moment, I was taken to a black desktop (with neither Firefox or LibreOffice or anything else present on the taskbar anymore). My programs must still have been running, because the music kept playing. And when I went to the application menu to reopen LibreOffice Writer the document I was working on reappeared (without any need to fix an unsaved document, as happens if the program has crashed...).

I tried to restart my computer, but my desktop remains black, with all icons gone. (Of course everything is still there if I go through the File Manager.)

Here is a screenshot.

I am running Linux Mint 17 KDE 32-bit, which I installed a few weeks ago.

Prior to this I was running Linux Mint 15 KDE. And actually the exact same "black desktop"-problem happened there, just two months or so before I installed LM 17. I was not able to fix the problem with the LM 15 KDE, and eventually got used to navigating to my desktop through File Manager..

Any ideas what may have caused this? Or how to resolve it? Thanks!

[LindseyD.]

How strange! There was a whole bunch of KDE updates recently. Did you install them?

This looks much more like a KDE problem than hardware or "applications." I wish I could help, but my only suggestion is, if no one answers, repost this in the KDE section of the forums.

[karlchen]

<Moderator on>
The posts of the initial thread have been merged with the newly created thread in the KDE sub-forum. Finally the double initial post has been deleted. So now the thread is in the KDE sub-forum as suggested and desired.
</Moderator off>

[karlchen]

Hello, Cinemarxism.

I suggest to start with some nice little "inxi -Fxz" report. This will give us a concise overview on your hardware and driver configuration. Might be a good starting point for diagnosing the problem.
Please, open a terminal window.
Execute the command

Code: Select all

inxi -Fxz

exactly as to be read above. Copy the complete screen output generated by "inxi -Fxz" and paste it into your next reply.

Cheers,
Karl

[Cinemarxism]

Thank you very much Karl, for the merging of the threads and helping with my problem.

Here is the results from "inxi -Fxz"

Code: Select all

System:    Host: knut-3000-N200 Kernel: 3.13.0-24-generic i686 (32 bit, gcc: 4.8.2) 
           Desktop: KDE 4.13.3 (Qt 4.8.6) Distro: Linux Mint 17 Qiana
Machine:   System: LENOVO product: 0769EDG version: 3000 N200
           Mobo: LENOVO model: IEL10 version: REFERENCE Bios: LENOVO version: 68ET35WW date: 04/16/2008
CPU:       Dual core Intel Pentium Dual CPU T2390 (-MCP-) cache: 1024 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 ssse3) bmips: 7448.08 
           Clock Speeds: 1: 800.00 MHz 2: 1333.00 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller (primary) bus-ID: 00:02.0 
           X.Org: 1.15.1 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1280x800@60.0hz 
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel 965GM x86/MMX/SSE2 GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 10.1.0 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card: Intel 82801H (ICH8 Family) HD Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ver: k3.13.0-24-generic
Network:   Card-1: Broadcom NetLink BCM5906M Fast Ethernet PCI Express driver: tg3 ver: 3.134 bus-ID: 06:00.0
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection driver: iwl3945 ver: in-tree:s bus-ID: 04:00.0
           IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 160.0GB (7.8% used) 1: id: /dev/sda model: HITACHI_HTS54251 size: 160.0GB 
Partition: ID: / size: 65G used: 12G (20%) fs: ext4 ID: swap-1 size: 6.21GB used: 0.02GB (0%) fs: swap 
RAID:      No RAID devices detected - /proc/mdstat and md_mod kernel raid module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 51.0C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A 
Info:      Processes: 172 Uptime: 3:00 Memory: 1052.4/2006.8MB Runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.8.2 Client: Shell inxi: 1.8.4 

[Cinemarxism]

Sorry for bumping this, but are there no suggestions regarding this issue (or similar experiences)?

[DeMus]

Maybe a strange question, but better something than nothing, right?
You mentioned the same happened to LM 15. Were you by any chance working in LibreOffice at the time that happened, and if so, were you working on your CV when it happened? You mentioned in LM17 it happened when LibreOffice was open with your CV open for editing.
If so, it could be a wrong document. Is it an original odt file, or is it a doc file? Does it have special features, like macro's, visual basic or anything?
If you still answer yes, then please do the following: print the document so you at least have a copy of the text.
Throw away the document cause it might be causing the problems. Make back-ups of your other documents, pictures, music, etc. and re-install LinuxMint 17 to have a new fresh setup. Copy your backed up files to the original locations and start working on your CV from scratch using the printed version as original. It might take some work and time but at least then you have a clean document and a computer which should not play these tricks again.

Problem is when you have answered no to any of the questions, I am lost.