Xfce 4.20 wallpaper keeps changing back to default wallpaper

T3KN05H4M4N · 2025-01-14 20:51:37

Hi, I hope you're all well and had a great holiday season! I have this one little issue where my wallpaper keeps changing from the one I have it set to, back to the default wallpaper my distro ships with, to its default desktop image. The distro is MX Linux. I have posted on their forum about this issue as well. I was given a temporary fix which if any of you are having the same problem with this distro then see the thread here:

https://forum.mxlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 93#p805393

Now, it won't even let me choose another wallpaper. Even when I do, it stays the same even after rebooting. The temporary fix I was given was to choose the wallpaper you want, close the dialogue, then switch to an different workspace. The wallpaper will be replaced correctly on all workspaces. Anywho, I greatly appreciate any advice, troubleshooting, workarounds, etc that may help resolve this issue. Thanks and have a great day!

Update: That was only a temp fix and once you reboot, it's right back to the same problem. So I set my wallpaper, removed the workspace switcher altogether from the panel, and rebooted. Now my issue is fixed. I haven't tried adding back the workspace switch yet to see if it reproduces the same problem. I'll do that next. So I re-added the workspace switcher upon reboot and my settings didn't change. I rebooted once more for good measure and now I my wallpaper isn't changing anymore. Not sure what that hiccup was about.

Here's my system info:

Snapshot created on: 20250112_1833
System:
  Kernel: 6.4.15-2-liquorix-amd64 [6.4-20~mx23+1] arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0 parameters: audit=0
    intel_pstate=disable hpet=disable rcupdate.rcu_expedited=1
    BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.4.15-2-liquorix-amd64 root=UUID=<filter> ro quiet splash
    init=/lib/systemd/systemd
  Desktop: Xfce v: 4.20.0 tk: Gtk v: 3.24.38 info: xfce4-panel, cairo-dock wm: xfwm v: 4.20.0
    vt: 7 dm: LightDM v: 1.32.0 Distro: MX-23.5_x64 Libretto May 19  2024 base: Debian GNU/Linux 12
    (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: HP product: HP Notebook v: Type1ProductConfigId serial: <superuser required>
    Chassis: type: 10 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: HP model: 81FF v: 75.24 serial: <superuser required> UEFI: Insyde v: F.30
    date: 06/25/2018
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT0 charge: 17.1 Wh (92.4%) condition: 18.5/18.5 Wh (100.0%) volts: 12.0 min: 10.9
    model: 131-42-6E HS03031 type: Li-ion serial: <filter> status: not charging
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i7-7500U bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Amber/Kaby Lake note: check
    gen: core 7 level: v3 note: check built: 2017 process: Intel 14nm family: 6 model-id: 0x8E (142)
    stepping: 9 microcode: 0xF6
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 2 tpc: 2 threads: 4 smt: enabled cache: L1: 128 KiB
    desc: d-2x32 KiB; i-2x32 KiB L2: 512 KiB desc: 2x256 KiB L3: 4 MiB desc: 1x4 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 700 high: 800 min/max: 400/2701 boost: enabled scaling: driver: acpi-cpufreq
    governor: ondemand cores: 1: 800 2: 800 3: 800 4: 400 bogomips: 23199
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling mitigation: Microcode
  Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX unsupported
  Type: l1tf mitigation: PTE Inversion
  Type: mds mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT vulnerable
  Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI
  Type: mmio_stale_data mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT vulnerable
  Type: retbleed mitigation: IBRS
  Type: spec_rstack_overflow status: Not affected
  Type: spec_store_bypass mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: IBRS, IBPB: conditional, STIBP: conditional, RSB filling,
    PBRSB-eIBRS: Not affected
  Type: srbds mitigation: Microcode
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel HD Graphics 620 vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-9.5
    process: Intel 14nm built: 2016-20 ports: active: HDMI-A-1,eDP-1 empty: none bus-ID: 00:02.0
    chip-ID: 8086:5916 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Microdia HP Webcam type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 1-7:5 chip-ID: 0c45:651b
    class-ID: 0e02 serial: <filter>
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 compositor: xfwm v: 4.20.0 driver: X:
    loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: iris gpu: i915 display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1280x800 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 339x212mm (13.35x8.35") s-diag: 400mm (15.74")
  Monitor-1: HDMI-A-1 mapped: HDMI-1 pos: primary model: LEDTV built: 2016 res: 1280x800 hz: 60
    dpi: 28 gamma: 1.2 size: 1150x650mm (45.28x25.59") diag: 1321mm (52") ratio: 16:9 modes:
    max: 1366x768 min: 720x400
  Monitor-2: eDP-1 pos: primary model: AU Optronics 0x229e built: 2015 res: 1280x800 dpi: 85
    gamma: 1.2 size: 382x214mm (15.04x8.43") diag: 438mm (17.2") ratio: 16:9 modes: 1600x900
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 Mesa 22.3.6 renderer: Mesa Intel HD Graphics 620 (KBL GT2)
    direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel
    bus-ID: 1-3.4.1:6 alternate: snd_soc_skl, snd_soc_avs, snd_sof_pci_intel_skl chip-ID: 0a12:4007
    class-ID: 0102 bus-ID: 00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:9d71 serial: <filter> class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: Cambridge Silicon Radio Avantree DG80P type: USB
    driver: hid-generic,snd-usb-audio,usbhid
  API: ALSA v: k6.4.15-2-liquorix-amd64 status: kernel-api with: apulse type: pulse-emulator
    tools: alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: active
    2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL810xE PCI Express Fast Ethernet vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: r8169
    v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: 4000 bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8136
    class-ID: 0200
  IF: eth0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Realtek RTL8188EE Wireless Network Adapter vendor: Hewlett-Packard driver: rtl8188ee
    v: kernel modules: wl pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: 3000 bus-ID: 02:00.0
    chip-ID: 10ec:8179 class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlan0 state: down mac: <filter>
  IF-ID-1: nordlynx state: unknown speed: N/A duplex: N/A mac: N/A
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 931.51 GiB used: 91.16 GiB (9.8%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Toshiba model: MQ01ABD100 size: 931.51 GiB block-size:
    physical: 4096 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: HDD rpm: 5400 serial: <filter> rev: 4C
    scheme: MBR
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 931.26 GiB size: 915.57 GiB (98.31%) used: 91.16 GiB (10.0%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/sda2 maj-min: 8:2
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 256 MiB size: 252 MiB (98.46%) used: 274 KiB (0.1%) fs: vfat
    dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 15 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 3 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2 file: /swap/swap
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 34.0 C pch: 31.5 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos:
  Packages: 2410 pm: dpkg pkgs: 2403 libs: 1148 tools: apt,apt-get,aptitude,nala,synaptic pm: rpm
    pkgs: 0 pm: flatpak pkgs: 7
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list
    1: deb [url]http://deb.debian.org/debian[/url] bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list
    1: deb [url]http://deb.debian.org/debian[/url] bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
    2: deb [url]http://security.debian.org/debian-security[/url] bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list
    1: deb [arch=amd64] [url]https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/[/url] stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list
    1: deb [url]https://mirror.us.oneandone.net/linux/distributions/mx/packages/mx/repo/[/url] bookworm main non-free
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/nordvpn.list
    1: deb [url]https://repo.nordvpn.com/deb/nordvpn/debian[/url] stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/spotify.list
    1: deb [url]http://repository.spotify.com[/url] stable non-free
Info:
  Processes: 235 Uptime: 33m wakeups: 1 Memory: 7.64 GiB used: 1.77 GiB (23.2%) Init: systemd
  v: 252 target: graphical (5) default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12.2.0 alt: 12
  Client: shell wrapper v: 5.2.15-release inxi: 3.3.26
Boot Mode: UEFI

Last edited by T3KN05H4M4N (2025-01-14 21:45:17)

eriefisher · 2025-01-14 21:24:03

Since you didn't give details I'm going to assume Xfce4 4.20 with Wayland. This is a bug that's being worked on currently along with others. Wayland compatibility is still experimental.

Instead of using the Xfce4 desktop settings use the settings of whatever wayland compositor you chose. I'm using labwc and use swaybg to set my chosen background.

T3KN05H4M4N · 2025-01-14 21:44:20

eriefisher wrote:

Since you didn't give details I'm going to assume Xfce4 4.20 with Wayland. This is a bug that's being worked on currently along with others. Wayland compatibility is still experimental.
Instead of using the Xfce4 desktop settings use the settings of whatever wayland compositor you chose. I'm using labwc and use swaybg to set my chosen background.

No not using Wayland. I'll post my system info to my original post.

eriefisher · 2025-01-14 22:01:35

Did you try the last suggestion posted on that thread?

I think I've found the setting at fault, and I think its a migrated setting that for some reason on 32 bit is getting hosed up while Xfce migrates old config files to new format (we did not update config files).
Code: Select all
xfconf-query -c xfce4-desktop -p /backdrop/single-workspace-number -s 1
should do the trick, no logout required.
note this setting does not appear at all in the migrated settings on 64 bit. On 32 bit its present, but set to -1

T3KN05H4M4N · 2025-01-14 22:56:56

eriefisher wrote:

Did you try the last suggestion posted on that thread?
I think I've found the setting at fault, and I think its a migrated setting that for some reason on 32 bit is getting hosed up while Xfce migrates old config files to new format (we did not update config files).
Code: Select all
xfconf-query -c xfce4-desktop -p /backdrop/single-workspace-number -s 1
should do the trick, no logout required.
note this setting does not appear at all in the migrated settings on 64 bit. On 32 bit its present, but set to -1

No because I thought it applied to only 32 bit. My issue is fixed now though. Something to do with the workspace switcher I don't know but after I removed it then added it back it fixed the issue. I updated my original post saying exactly what I did. Not sure why what I did worked but it did. Maybe that's something a dev can figure out.

Jerry3904 · 2025-01-15 16:20:03

In case it's relevant to others, here is a full explanation by Dolphin Oracle of the wallpaper problem and the solution we have pushed

https://mxlinux.org/blog/xfce-4-20-and- … allpapers/

T3KN05H4M4N · 2025-01-15 19:49:17

Jerry3904 wrote:

In case it's relevant to others, here is a full explanation by Dolphin Oracle of the wallpaper problem and the solution we have pushed
https://mxlinux.org/blog/xfce-4-20-and- … allpapers/

Thanks! Good to know! I'll bookmark that link! @Jerry3904

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#1 2025-01-14 20:51:37

Xfce 4.20 wallpaper keeps changing back to default wallpaper

#2 2025-01-14 21:24:03

Re: Xfce 4.20 wallpaper keeps changing back to default wallpaper

#3 2025-01-14 21:44:20

Re: Xfce 4.20 wallpaper keeps changing back to default wallpaper

#4 2025-01-14 22:01:35

Re: Xfce 4.20 wallpaper keeps changing back to default wallpaper

#5 2025-01-14 22:56:56

Re: Xfce 4.20 wallpaper keeps changing back to default wallpaper

#6 2025-01-15 16:20:03

Re: Xfce 4.20 wallpaper keeps changing back to default wallpaper

#7 2025-01-15 19:49:17

Re: Xfce 4.20 wallpaper keeps changing back to default wallpaper

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