Author Topic: Screen shuts off/freezing while browsing  (Read 3232 times)

jt_glass

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Screen shuts off/freezing while browsing
« on: March 07, 2016, 09:49:44 PM »
So I just installed R9 64bit on my HP 2710p dinosaur a few days ago. For the most part it went off without a hitch. The only issue I'm having is sometimes while I'm in a web browser the screen just goes black. It sounds like things are still running but nothing will turn the screen back on.

A couple times I have been able to close the laptop and wait until it goes to sleep then open it and start it back up and it works again. But I have tried this on a few occasions and the screen turns back on but the system is completely frozen.

 I first noticed this issue while using Firefox and navigating to the Google Chrome site to try to download Chrome. Before the site would finish loading the screen would go black.

I installed Chrome through the terminal and now that it's installed I have tried going to the Chrome app store and when I click on an app in there the same thing happens.

 Not really sure where to start here. I thought it might have something to do with Ram usage at first but I have done a few things that pretty much maxed the system out and this has only ever happened while I'm in a browser. Either Firefox or Chrome.

I tried going to the Chrome website in Midori and instead of the Screen going black Midori just crashed.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

teejay

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Re: Screen shuts off/freezing while browsing
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2016, 11:36:55 PM »
Welcome jt_glass to wattOS. 

The HP 2710p is well within required min spec, so that ought not to be the issue.
Black screens and Ubu 14.04 are hardly unknown, and sometimes unraveling the mystery can be difficult, even for the Ubu techs.

Let's take a guess that it's browser-caused and try for a solution :
Open Chrome.  Type   chrome://settings   in Chrome's address bar and hit enter.
Then go to the bottom of that page and click on Show Advanced Settings.
Then go to nearly the bottom of the new page and see if "Use hardware acceleration when available" is ticked. If it is, try the Web Store after you untick that setting and restart Chrome.

If that resolves the issue, then thanks go to the people at  http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2247572 

I think the corresponding action in Firefox starts with   about:config  in the address bar.

Other assorted notes.
Midori is brilliant for some users and useless (eg crashes) for others.  I'm unaware of the reason.  It might be unrelated to this issue.
For 1GB of RAM, you'll often see the 32-bit version recommended (notwithstanding that you're within spec).
If the above doesn't work, other actions would include ensuring your install is uptodate, running some music (eg internet radio) in the background to see if that too is cut when you use the browser, and checking whether ctrl-alt-delete   or   c-a-F1   bring some response.   
Good luck.   Let's hear how it goes.

jt_glass

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Re: Screen shuts off/freezing while browsing
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2016, 07:53:53 PM »
That seems to have solved the problem! I didn't even realize that was an option in Chrome. Thanks!

billwho

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Re: Screen shuts off/freezing while browsing
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2016, 04:39:44 AM »
For Firefox, the setting
"Use hardware acceleration when available"
is in Preferences > Advanced

Copy and paste this in the URL bar:
about:preferences#advanced
and uncheck the option.

teejay

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Re: Screen shuts off/freezing while browsing
« Reply #4 on: March 10, 2016, 11:24:34 PM »
Welcome Billwho

and thanks for tidying up my (incorrect) guess.

tj