Install v27.7.2 - get all black screen content on Pale moon Topic is solved

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JebDude
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Install v27.7.2 - get all black screen content on Pale moon

Unread post by JebDude » 2018-02-06, 03:06

It's unfortunate and as simple as it sounds.

Windows 10 Build 1709 (16299.192)
Installing latest Pale Moon 27.7.2 (x86) and (x64)
This is a clean install of Windows 10, barely a month old. Nothing I would consider out of the ordinary or experimental.

After install, the "Import Wizard" all black with a white title bar, no visible text or controls. Close buttons work, and buttons seem actually exist even if not seen. When I get a close confirmation dialog before closing Pale Moon, I click where I "think" the OK button will be and it works fine.

Let me know if you want screen shots. Not much to see - black window - white title bar w/ black text and window controls.

I also tried disabling custom Win 10 themes - no effect yet. I'll also try fully uninstalling UltraUxThemePatcher.

I'll post again if I can piece anything else together.

EDIT:

Tried x64 latest pale moon, still same, and here's a screen shot. I figured it's kinda unbelievable, so... a pic is worth a 1000 words?

Image
Last edited by JebDude on 2018-02-06, 03:14, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Install v27.7.2 - get all black screen content on Pale moon

Unread post by JebDude » 2018-02-06, 03:27

Apologies for my hasty post. Here's more detail:

Your Operating system
Windows 10 x64 1709

The exact version of Pale Moon you are using (desktop/portable. 32/64 bits, exact version number)
27.7.2 (32/64 bit)

Basic hardware information if relevant: CPU, graphics card, amount of RAM
AMD FX-9830P RADEON R7, 12 COMPUTE CORES 4C+8G
16GB Ram

A description of the problem
After install all prompts and windows have solid black content. Text and controls are not distinguishable.

Bugzilla bug number if found
None

Steps to reproduce the problem
Install and run.

Expected result
Buttons and other controls should be visible, and should take the system theme given the type of dialogs/windows used.

Actual result
Only black window content with white title bar, black text, and black window control icons in top right.

=============================

I suspect this may be a permissions thing. I recently saw an install window for paint.net do this, but it was short lived, and the window content loaded afterwards.

Then again it's been a while since I used Radeon software, and getting my specific brand to work was troublesome, but I finally found a version of the driver that worked. Not the latest version. I'm about to rev up to try again since more new versions came out for Radeon software.
Last edited by JebDude on 2018-02-06, 03:30, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Install v27.7.2 - get all black screen content on Pale moon

Unread post by Moonchild » 2018-02-06, 11:22

It does sound like there's a specific issue with accelerated desktop software not getting proper texture support from your hardware&driver combination.
If you find it is particularly problematic on your system, as you say, then most likely the best solution is to disable HWA in Pale Moon.
To do this, you'll have start in Safe Mode first (because you can't really reconfigure with all black).

Start while holding SHIFT pressed down. Click "Continue in safe mode". Go to Preferences -> Advanced, and untick "Use hardware acceleration when available", then restart normally.
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Re: Install v27.7.2 - get all black screen content on Pale moon

Unread post by JebDude » 2018-02-06, 18:06

Just wanted to report back, that was it. Disabling hardware acceleration did the trick :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Here's a link to a reddit post regarding my specific hardware and other people having a litany of other issues.

The issue with the driver support is difficult for me to understand, but par for the course according to my experience with laptops, especially with build-in ATI video hardware. Even ATI cards in a PC gave me tons of issues back in the day.

I know I've come across stuff like this before. I try messing with the video settings and see what I can get to work. Thanks again!

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Re: Install v27.7.2 - get all black screen content on Pale moon

Unread post by JebDude » 2018-02-06, 18:20

Found a fix:

- Open Radeon Settings from tray
- Preferences
- Radeon Additional Settings

This brings up video card specific power management. For some reason, browsers get the automatic "Power Saving" treatment, but Pale Moon was automatically set to "High Performance".

You must go to "Switchable Graphics Application Settings" and specify "Power Saving" for Pale Moon on my hardware setup.

My hardware is as follows:

AMD FX-9830P RADEON R7, 12 COMPUTE CORES 4C+8G (with R7 and RX 460 dual graphics)

I'm guessing the R7 graphics is the "built in" graphics like Intel Integrated Graphics, that is typically used for less robust processing needs, thus leaving the RX 460 for the heavy lifting as far as I know.

The "Switchable Graphics Application Settings" seems to filter out known games, and actually only focus on applications. I'm guessing a game that is now "known" will be treated as an application and can still be assigned the appropriate profile in this window.

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Re: Install v27.7.2 - get all black screen content on Pale moon

Unread post by Moonchild » 2018-02-08, 14:13

Ah so it's a hybrid setup with dual video. That's always tricky and the general suggestion is to always use the "internal" (non-dedicated) GPU for Pale Moon, because even when using the "dedicated 3D" one, the composition still tends to be done for desktop on the "internal" one.
Selecting "Power saving" obviously switches Pale Moon to the "internal" one because it would likely be in the CPU and not using a power-hungry dedicated GPU.
"Sometimes, the best way to get what you want is to be a good person." -- Louis Rossmann
"Seek wisdom, not knowledge. Knowledge is of the past; wisdom is of the future." -- Native American proverb
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Re: Install v27.7.2 - get all black screen content on Pale moon

Unread post by JebDude » 2018-02-08, 19:03

Right, that makes sense.

Funny thing with nVIDIA is that, I never had to do any manual configuring of Pale Moon (on my other laptop). Either it was properly detected and assigned the right profile, or the driver handling worked out better...

Anyway, thanks for the feedback. I was somewhat aware of what was going on once "hardware acceleration" option was in the mix, but now it's crystal clear. Thanks again.

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