So I have just done an Ubuntu minimal install with i3, here are the steps I have taken so far:
- On boot
CTRL+ALT+F1to get access to terminal - Login using details provided during setup
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgradesudo apt-get install software-properties-common gitsudo apt-add-repository -y ppa:system76-dev/stablesudo apt-get updatesudo apt-get install system76-driver system76-driver-nvidiasudo apt-get install i3sudo nano /usr/share/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d/95-i3.conf- Add code block below and
CTRL+x sudo reboot
LightDM i3 conf:
[SeatDefaults]
user-session=i3
Now if I log in using LightDM I get the following screen:
Which is zoomed out (tiny status line fonts) and has odd red/green/blue pixels at the top of the screen (this changes with every boot sometimes the screen is all white with lots of colored blocks of pixels).
Now if install xinit and create a ~/.xinitrc with the following code:
exec i3
I can then reboot and run CTRL+ALT+F1 from the LightDM login to access a terminal and run startx this then renders with the following screen:
This has resolved the above issues there are no colored squares and the status line fonts are a proper size.
When running nvidia-settings on both the card seems to be working fine so I do not think it is a nVidia issue.
From what I can tell there is a difference in how LightDM and startx kick things off and what ever that difference is seems to be causing bugs, this is the first time I have really dug deep with nVidia and Xorg on Ubuntu so I am hoping someone has come across something like this before.
I am aware I could just run startx but I would like to be able to resolve this issue and use LightDM as I find it a nicer flow.
[UPDATE]
After doing more research I think this issue may be due to LightDM's custom Xsession I am now attempting to set up a Custom Xsession.
[UPDATE 2]
Removing 95-i3.conf and updating i3.desktop to Exec=Default and creating a .xsession with the following content:
#!/bin/bash
exec i3
Has not made any difference (based on this answer).
