This apparently happens when xfce4 has trouble shutting down a session. When this happens, the way I fix it is to delete the .cache directory. I suspect this is happening on my system because I have a backuppc server that logs into my desktop to run backups and xfce4 cannot shut it down. I'm running Xubuntu Natty.
Created attachment 3761 Corrupted session files
Hi, this Bug happens to me on Debian (Wheezy) as well. After saving some sessions properly, suddenly after reboot titlebars of all windows are gone. Only way to get xfce working again is to delete the sessions folder under ~/.cache/. Here are the program versions i've installed: ii gtk2-engines-xfce 2.8.1-2 ii libxfce4ui-1-0 4.8.0-2 ii libxfce4util-bin 4.8.1-2 ii libxfce4util-common 4.8.1-2 ii libxfce4util4 4.8.1-2 ii xfce-keyboard-shortcuts 4.8.0-2 ii xfce4 4.8.0.2 ii xfce4-appfinder 4.8.0-3 ii xfce4-mixer 4.8.0-2 ii xfce4-panel 4.8.3-3 ii xfce4-session 4.8.1-3 ii xfce4-settings 4.8.2-1 ii xfce4-utils 4.8.1-2 ii xfce4-volumed 0.1.13-1 ii xfdesktop4 4.8.2-1 ii xfdesktop4-data 4.8.2-1 I saved the corrupted sessions folder und added it as attachment.
I'm not sure “corrupted” is really the right term. What happens (I guess) is that xfwm4 crashes at logout and so drops out of the session and thus is not started the next time. Running xfwm4 inside the new session and saving it when logging out should workaround the problem. Now you need to find out why xfwm4 crashes sometimes at logout. Look in .xsession-errors, in syslog for segfaults messages, stuff like that. Running xfwm4 inside gdb doesn't really look possible though.
(In reply to comment #3) > I'm not sure “corrupted” is really the right term. What happens (I guess) is > that xfwm4 crashes at logout and so drops out of the session and thus is not > started the next time. Running xfwm4 inside the new session and saving it when > logging out should workaround the problem. > > Now you need to find out why xfwm4 crashes sometimes at logout. Look in > .xsession-errors, in syslog for segfaults messages, stuff like that. Running > xfwm4 inside gdb doesn't really look possible though. Ok I will watch for xsession-errors for the next time. The thing is that the session starts and all saved apps starting but all titlebars are gone. So I guess the problem is within the saved session files...
(In reply to comment #4) > Ok I will watch for xsession-errors for the next time. The thing is that the > session starts and all saved apps starting but all titlebars are gone. So I > guess the problem is within the saved session files... “titlebars” are made by xfwm4, the window manager. If it doesn't run, then you don't have any titlebar, that's all. Just run it and it should fix the problem for the current session.
Created attachment 3763 .cache/sessions/xfce4-session-escher:0
Created attachment 3764 .cache/sessions/xfwm4-2a107862b-8485-47c2-bcb8-c33149f2a102.state
Created attachment 3765 .xsession-errors.old Here is the .xsession-errors file from an unsuccessful shutdown.
(In reply to comment #5) > (In reply to comment #4) > > Ok I will watch for xsession-errors for the next time. The thing is that the > > session starts and all saved apps starting but all titlebars are gone. So I > > guess the problem is within the saved session files... > > “titlebars” are made by xfwm4, the window manager. If it doesn't run, then you > don't have any titlebar, that's all. Just run it and it should fix the problem > for the current session. I checked the session files, xfwm4 is really missing ... but im wondering why an essential process depends on an entry saved in session files?
I have exactly the same problem with Mageia Mageia and with Mageia cauldron. (https://bugs.mageia.org/show_bug.cgi?id=835). A solution was found: http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-866963-start-0.html I tested it and it seems to work. If this is successful, could you add the command to /etc/xdg/autostart.
I have systematically the problem when reconnecting or during startup. Examination of xsession-errors does not give me any indication about a xfwm4. Pending a final solution, the correction gentoo can it be systematized?
I believe I have been experiencing this problem as well -- occasionally, when I log out, xfce4-session will hang for 30 seconds, then log out. On logging back in, xfwm4 does not start back up and I have to delete the files in ~/cache/sessions/. I've just found that this behavior is produced when I have a third-party application running that also uses ~/.cache to store information. In my case, this program is medit. If I logout with medit open, the error occurs. If I close all applications before logging out, the problem does not occur. When I leave medit open, xfce4-session kills it immediately before xfce4-session hangs...so I wonder if in doing so, it locks up ~/.cache/ and prevents itself from writing to it? I hope this helps...
That's probably similar to Bug 5379.
As Lionel said, this is probably fixed now that bug #5379 is fixed. *** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 5379 ***