Frequent 'Oh no! Something has gone wrong' error after upgrading to Zorin OS 18 Pro

Hi,

After upgrading to Zorin OS 18 Pro my X11 Gnome session crashes after some time with the error 'Oh no! Something has gone wrong. A problem has occurred and the system can't recover. Please log out and try again.' My Zorin Appearance desktop has changed after logging in again: I only have a small horizontal bar at the top left. I have tried other layouts but the problem remains.

journalctl --user -b

shows that TypeErrors are thrown by the following Gnome extensions when the Gnome shell tries to lock the screen:

zorin-appindicator@zorinos.com
zorin-taskbar@zorinos.com

Any known issues with these extensions? Any known workarounds?

Thanks,
GW

You could try it with that:

Also, go into your extensions, and make sure Zorin Menu is toggled to ON please.


I installed Zorin OS 18 Pro from scratch. I have enabled Zorin Menu now. In the meantime I have been testing Wayland rather than X11 and the error has not occurred yet.

1 Like

As a couple of apps do not work (properly) under Wayland like Anydesk (does not work) and Ksnip (black screen on capture) I am testing X11 now but with the Zorin Menu extension enabled.

Nope, error is back. ChatGPT's analysis of the 'journalctl --no-pager -b' error log:

I think you’re seeing a GNOME Shell crash caused (or at least triggered) by shell extensions, with the first interesting error being a bug in the Zorin AppIndicator/Taskbar extensions, and the later BadWindow being the actual crash.

Let’s split what’s going on.


1. The first error at 09:55:23

TypeError: SettingsManager.getDefault() is null
 Stack trace:
   getDefaultGSettings@...zorin-appindicator@zorinos.com/settingsManager.js:54:28
   _updateIconSize@...zorin-appindicator@zorinos.com/appIndicator.js:1558:42
   _updateWhenFullyReady@...appIndicator.js:1013:18
   async*_init/<@...appIndicator.js:966:22
   disable/<@...zorin-taskbar@zorinos.com/panelManager.js:344:20
   disable@...zorin-taskbar@zorinos.com/panelManager.js:319:20
   disable@...zorin-taskbar@zorinos.com/extension.js:132:26
   _callExtensionDisable@...extensionSystem.js:220:32
   ...
   activate@...screenShield.js:661:34
   lock@...screenShield.js:728:14

What this tells us:

  • The Zorin taskbar extension is being disabled, likely because the session mode changes (e.g. going to the lock screen).
  • During its disable path, it calls into the zorin-appindicator extension’s SettingsManager.getDefault().
  • That function returns null, and the code assumes it’s a valid object, so you get a TypeError.

So:

  • This is definitely a bug in the Zorin extensions’ JS code – they should handle the case where SettingsManager isn’t available.
  • It happens specifically when extensions are being disabled/enabled as the session mode changes (lock screen, login, etc.).
  • On its own, this kind of JS error doesn’t always crash GNOME Shell, but it can leave the extension in a broken state and increase the chance of the shell getting into trouble later.

2. x11gestures losing connection

Immediately after:

[x11gestures@joseexposito.github.io] Connection with Touchégg daemon lost: null
[x11gestures@joseexposito.github.io] Connection manually closed, not reconnecting to the daemon

That just says: the x11gestures extension lost its Touchégg connection and decided not to reconnect. Not ideal, but not fatal on its own. It does show that multiple extensions are actively doing things around the same time.


3. The actual GNOME Shell crash at 12:54:57

Later:

Received an X Window System error.
This probably reflects a bug in the program.
The error was 'BadWindow (invalid Window parameter)'.
  (Details: serial 3579807 error_code 3 request_code 7 (core protocol) minor_code 0)
...
kernel: traps: gnome-shell[67377] trap int3 ... in libglib-2.0.so.0...

This is GNOME Shell itself dying with an X11 BadWindow error.

Important bits around that time:

  • All these extensions are active again:

    [x11gestures@joseexposito.github.io] Extension enabled
    [x11gestures@joseexposito.github.io] Connecting to Touchégg daemon
    [tilingshell] [extension] extension is enabled
    Launching DING process (Desktop Icons NG)
    

So at the moment of the crash you have several third-party extensions running:

  • zorin-appindicator
  • zorin-taskbar
  • x11gestures
  • tilingshell
  • DING (desktop icons)

GNOME Shell + lots of extensions is… let’s say “adventurous.” Any one of them mis-handling an X11 window can lead to:

  • GNOME trying to operate on a window that’s already destroyed → BadWindow.

The MUTTER_SYNC hint in the log is standard: it’s telling you how to get a meaningful backtrace if you wanted to debug GNOME Shell itself, but in practice the usual cause in real life is an extension misbehaving.


4. So what do I think?

In short:

  • The TypeError (SettingsManager.getDefault() is null) is a bug in the Zorin AppIndicator / Taskbar extension code, triggered on session mode changes (e.g. locking/unlocking).
  • The BadWindow crash later is very likely caused by one of your extensions, possibly in combination: Zorin extensions, x11gestures, tilingshell, DING.
  • Your core system (systemd, cron, sysstat, fwupd, NetworkManager) is just happily doing its thing in the background; nothing there suggests a system-level fault.

If we were debugging like devs, the first suspects would be:

  1. zorin-appindicator + zorin-taskbar
  2. x11gestures / Touchégg
  3. tilingshell / DING

5. What I’d try next (practical steps)

Since you actually want your desktop not to explode :blush::

  1. Check extension compatibility

    • Make sure all those extensions are meant for GNOME 46 (Zorin 18 is on 46). Old versions against new GNOME often cause exactly this.
  2. Temporarily disable the Zorin extras

    • From the GNOME Extensions app (or gnome-extensions CLI):

      • Disable zorin-appindicator@zorinos.com
      • Disable zorin-taskbar@zorinos.com
    • Log out / log in, then see if:

      • the SettingsManager.getDefault() is null error disappears
      • and whether your random “session cannot recover” crashes stop.
  3. If crashes continue, test a “clean” shell

    • Disable all third-party extensions:

      • x11gestures
      • tilingshell
      • DING
    • Run for a while. If GNOME Shell is now stable:

      • Re-enable extensions one by one (or in small groups) until the crashes reappear.
      • The last one you turned on is the prime suspect.
  4. If you really want to dig deeper

    • Run GNOME Shell from a TTY with MUTTER_SYNC=1 and attach gdb to get a full backtrace, but honestly with this extension zoo you’ll probably find the culprit by just toggling them.

TL;DR

  • That TypeError is clearly a Zorin extension bug, not a hardware or kernel issue.
  • The BadWindow crash is almost certainly caused by one of your GNOME extensions, with the Zorin ones and x11gestures being top suspects.
  • Best next move: run without Zorin extensions (and possibly other third-party ones) for a bit and see if the crashes vanish.
1 Like

I disabled the Zorin AppIndicator extension, but the error just occurred again. I think the culprit is the Zorin Taskbar extension: if I disable it I get the same 'desktop' (meaning just the little horizontal black bar at the top left) as I am getting after the error and logging out/logging back in again.

The error has not occurred again since I disabled the Zorin AppIndicator and enabled the Zorin Menu.

2 Likes

Hallucinations aside, this also helped me with my frequent crashes - disabling the AppIndicator, that is.

2 Likes

I have the same crash occuring constantly. Sometimes right after first login, sometimes when the computer gets back from sleep. I turned off zorin-appindicators for now, and I'm full of hope that it will resolve those crashes...

sty 16 08:55:46 michau-zorin gnome-shell[6315]: [tilingshell] [TilingManager 0] Work area for monitor 0: 2560 0 3840x2092
sty 16 08:55:46 michau-zorin gnome-shell[6315]: [tilingshell] [TilingManager 1] Work area for monitor 1: 0 0 2560x1372
sty 16 08:55:46 michau-zorin gnome-shell[6315]: [tilingshell] [extension] extension is enabled
sty 16 08:55:46 michau-zorin gnome-shell[6315]: Object .Gjs_zorin-appindicator_zorinos_com_appIndicator_AppIndicatorsIconActor (0x61c46beffa40), has been already disposed — impossible to access it. This might be caused by the object having been destroye>
                                                == Stack trace for context 0x61c46530ddd0 ==
                                                #0   7fff1a5e76b0 b   file:///usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/zorin-appindicator@zorinos.com/appIndicator.js:988 (183eb9beb5b0 @ 41)
                                                #1   7fff1a5e7760 b   file:///usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/zorin-appindicator@zorinos.com/appIndicator.js:1002 (183eb9beb5b0 @ 312)
                                                #2   7fff1a5e77f0 b   self-hosted:852 (2ab07ca7e0 @ 15)
                                                #3   61c4653d59d8 i   resource:///org/gnome/shell/ui/init.js:21 (28fd9c670bf0 @ 48)
sty 16 08:55:46 michau-zorin gnome-shell[6315]: Object .Gjs_zorin-appindicator_zorinos_com_appIndicator_AppIndicatorsIconActor (0x61c46beffa40), has been already disposed — impossible to connect to any signal on it. This might be caused by the object ha>
                                                == Stack trace for context 0x61c46530ddd0 ==
                                                #0   7fff1a5e6560 b   resource:///org/gnome/gjs/modules/core/overrides/GObject.js:719 (28fd9c69f420 @ 36)
                                                #1   7fff1a5e6630 b   file:///usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/zorin-appindicator@zorinos.com/promiseUtils.js:145 (183eb9becce0 @ 23)
                                                #2   7fff1a5e6d80 b   file:///usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/zorin-appindicator@zorinos.com/promiseUtils.js:149 (183eb9becc90 @ 97)
                                                #3   7fff1a5e74d0 b   file:///usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/zorin-appindicator@zorinos.com/promiseUtils.js:40 (183eb9bec790 @ 299)
                                                #4   7fff1a5e75b0 b   file:///usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/zorin-appindicator@zorinos.com/promiseUtils.js:142 (183eb9becc40 @ 349)
                                                #5   7fff1a5e76b0 b   file:///usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/zorin-appindicator@zorinos.com/appIndicator.js:989 (183eb9beb5b0 @ 103)
                                                #6   7fff1a5e7760 b   file:///usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/zorin-appindicator@zorinos.com/appIndicator.js:1002 (183eb9beb5b0 @ 312)
                                                #7   7fff1a5e77f0 b   self-hosted:852 (2ab07ca7e0 @ 15)
                                                #8   61c4653d59d8 i   resource:///org/gnome/shell/ui/init.js:21 (28fd9c670bf0 @ 48)
sty 16 08:55:46 michau-zorin gnome-shell[6315]: Object .Gjs_zorin-appindicator_zorinos_com_appIndicator_AppIndicatorsIconActor (0x61c46beffa40), has been already disposed — impossible to connect to any signal on it. This might be caused by the object ha>
                                                == Stack trace for context 0x61c46530ddd0 ==
                                                #0   7fff1a5e6560 b   resource:///org/gnome/gjs/modules/core/overrides/GObject.js:719 (28fd9c69f420 @ 36)
                                                #1   7fff1a5e6630 b   file:///usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/zorin-appindicator@zorinos.com/promiseUtils.js:145 (183eb9becce0 @ 23)
                                                #2   7fff1a5e6d80 b   file:///usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/zorin-appindicator@zorinos.com/promiseUtils.js:159 (183eb9becc90 @ 232)
                                                #3   7fff1a5e74d0 b   file:///usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/zorin-appindicator@zorinos.com/promiseUtils.js:40 (183eb9bec790 @ 299)
                                                #4   7fff1a5e75b0 b   file:///usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/zorin-appindicator@zorinos.com/promiseUtils.js:142 (183eb9becc40 @ 349)
                                                #5   7fff1a5e76b0 b   file:///usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/zorin-appindicator@zorinos.com/appIndicator.js:989 (183eb9beb5b0 @ 103)
                                                #6   7fff1a5e7760 b   file:///usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/zorin-appindicator@zorinos.com/appIndicator.js:1002 (183eb9beb5b0 @ 312)
                                                #7   7fff1a5e77f0 b   self-hosted:852 (2ab07ca7e0 @ 15)
                                                #8   61c4653d59d8 i   resource:///org/gnome/shell/ui/init.js:21 (28fd9c670bf0 @ 48)
1 Like

Just a side comment. This is the problem with Gnome. As has been stated elsewhere, Gnome devs don't want users to modify their desktop. They have become the MS of GNU/Linux indicating you should use what we think you should have and not you. They have called print-disabled users complaining about the adoption of Wayland as "concerned trolls". I am surprised Zorin has not moved away from Canonical and Gnome to Debian and other DEs that are more stable. Linux Mint made the sensible move to introduce LMDE, which means I was able to install KDE Plasma.

If this should solve it for You, You could replace the Extension with AppIndicator and KStatusNotifierItem Support - GNOME Shell Extensions