VBox + LXDE stops redrawing the screen

[mMontu]

I've been using a Salix 14.2 32 bits VM for several months without any problem. Now I decided to switch to the 64 bits version in order to install some applications that requires a 64 bits OS (such as Docker). But for some reason I'm now facing some redraw issues, despite I have NOT changed the host (Windows 10) nor VirtualBox and Extension Pack version (5.0.20-106931).

The problem usually happens while I'm browsing a large file on gvim: the screen stop redrawing, but it seems that all mouse clicks and keyboard input are normally received. The screen only updates when minimized/restored or toggling full screen on VirtualBox window for that VM -- but the screen is updated only once for each minimize/restore, and the redraw problem persists until the guest is rebooted.

I followed these steps in order to create a new VM and reproduce the issue:

1. VM with 4GB of RAM, 128 mb for video, 1 processor

2. Installation full from http://sourceforge.net/projects/salix/f ... o/download

3. Installed gVim

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   spi -u
   spi -U
   spi -i vim-gvim

4. Installed Guest Additions (which required upgrading the kernel to match kernel-sources version)

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   spi -i kernel-source
   slapt-get -i kernel-firmware kernel-headers kernel-huge kernel-modules
   lilo -v
   reboot
   /run/media/.../VBoxLinuxAdditions.run

5. Installed LXDE
based on https://docs.salixos.org/wiki/How_to_install_LXDE

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   spi -i wireless-tools keybinder lxde-common openbox pcmanfm lxpanel lxsession menu-cache lxmenu-data
   spi -i lxterminal lxappearance lxinput lxrandr lxtask obconf midori lxdm
   --> issue happens

6. The following procedure was used to detect the issue: open a large help file, increase the window height and scroll around:

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   gvim -u NONE -U NONE -N -i NONE
   :h 41
   :wincmd o
   :set lines=60
   qq
   G
   gg 
   Ctrl-F
   q
   100@q

Sometimes it happens on the first G, and another times it takes a while; but it seems it occur faster when the gvim window covers part of another window.

This post on Stack Overflow mentions a patch on gVim. But I got the same results with the Vim in the Salix package (7.4.1938), using the same version that works fine on Salix 32-bits (8.0.45), and using the latest version/patches.
The post also mentions some solutions involving Compiz, but I'm not sure how could use that with Salix + LXDE.

What bugs me is the Salix 14.2 32 bits VM still runs just fine in the same environment and the same setup.

Any help is appreciated

[gapan]

Can you try upgrading virtualbox to the latest version?

[mMontu]

I tried updating to VirtualBox-5.0.30-112061, but then for some reason I got network problems. I couldn't make the fresh installed VMs access the network. I tried several solutions I found on the web, such as changing network adapter types, changing the MAC address, and deleting /etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules. But none worked and I ended up reverting to the previous version. I'm unsure about upgrading to 5.1, as it could cause problems in other VMs created by coworkers.

[gapan]

Does this happen only with LXDE, or with other WMs too?

But you will need to upgrade your virtualbox at some point eventually.

[mMontu]

I noticed the the newer VirtualBox network problem on all VMs with Salix 14.2 64 bits (I've created a couple of them trying to solve the redraw problem). The other VMs (including Salix 14.2 32 bits running LXDE) work fine.

The main problem, about redrawing, only occurs after I install LXDE, and only on VMs with Salix 14.2 64 bits.

[mMontu]

gapan, I'm sorry, I read VM instead of WM on your last post.

Yes, the issue only occurs using LXDE. But I only tested one WM alternative, the Xfce, which comes in the downloaded ISO. Please let me know if you think testing some specific WMs could help to debug this issue.

[gapan]

I'm thinking this is most probably a bug with virtualbox that somehow only shows with gvim. I don't have any such problems here with 64bit salix guests, I just tried it. Or it could be something that pops only on windows hosts, don't know. Maybe try enabling/disabling 3D acceleration for your VM?

Other than that, no ideas except upgrading your virtualbox.

Or as a workaround, switch to another WM... If you like lxde, it is possible to run xfwm in place of openbox in lxde (assuming that openbox is the culprit somehow).

[gapan]

OK, so here's another idea if you're up to it. Recompile gvim for gtk3 instead of gtk2.

1. Download all files from here: http://download.salixos.org/x86_64/slac ... /vim-gvim/
2. Edit the line that reads

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config_vim --with-x --enable-gui=gtk2

and replace gtk2 with gtk3
3. Run:

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fakeroot sh ./vim-gvim.SlackBuild

4. The package will be created in your /tmp. Replace the existing one with:

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sudo spkg --reinstall /tmp/vim-gvim-*.txz

[mMontu]

I tried enabling/disabling 3D acceleration, but nothing changed. I'm assuming it is most likely to work with it disabled, so I'm leaving it disabled.

Avoiding GTK+ 2 is a good idea indeed. While I was on the process of rebuild gvim I lose the network connection again, thus I guess it isn't something caused only by newer VirtualBox versions. I tracked it down to the use of Cisco AnyConnect on the host -- but that is another issue.

I tried recompiling gvim following your instructions, but it fails with the following message:

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...
ru.UTF-8/man1/xxd.1

sent 460,729 bytes  received 1,848 bytes  925,154.00 bytes/sec
total size is 452,475  speedup is 0.98
FATAL: VIM package needed in /tmp
$

I build the latest version from vim repository using GTK+ 3, and it seems the issue is solved.
Thanks for your help!

[mimosa]

It seems you have to build vim itself first:

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fakeroot sh ./vim.SlackBuild

I doubt you need to replace the system vim package with the result, in order for the new gvim to work properly - but perhaps best keep it somewhere safe (not in /tmp) just in case.

Or maybe just:

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wget -c http://download.salixos.org/x86_64/slackware-14.2/slackware64/ap/vim-7.4.1938-x86_64-1.txz
cp vim-7.4.1938-x86_64-1.txz /tmp

and possibly alter the check in the SlackBuild to match the filename, if they are different - but this does assume the packages themselves are the same, as seems likely.