or rather, when certain Windows software sends things ... "out of range"!
Recently, my youngest wanted to play an old favourite game of theirs, Petz5:
(Just to add this was on a different Linux distribution!) Petz5 didn't cause the issue - see end of thread! Petz5 was working hunky dory after I had copied everything off the CD into Wines C:/Program files (x386), gave all .exe files permissions to run as executables and installed the game without a glitch.
I could not access GRUB as the distro had set the timeout to zero, options hidden, and boot time 0. I tried to restore using Timeshift but it made no difference.
So the first thing I had to do was edit GRUB. Having logged into the Desktop Session facing "out of range" the only way forward was to use Ctrl+ Alt+ F1 through F6 should give you access to TTY termnal login. Login with user credentials, followed by normal login password. Next:
sudo nano /etc/default/grub
This opens the GRUB configuration - I had to change the timeout from 0 to 10, and change options from "hidden" to "shown". There was another setting that I also changed to 10 - can't remember the line. To write out the amended file you then press Ctrl+ O, then Ctrl+ X to exit. For the GRUB to be changed you have to reboot the machine.
I booted into recovery mode and tried to do 'fsck' but sdb2 (/) was locked so I could not run it. I dropped to root terminal and tried to
umount /dev/sdb2
- but still some issue. I then typed
startx
this got me to the desktop but I had forgotten I was still as root and so the desktop I saw was root and not user! LOL!
I then opened a Konsole (Terminal as it is Plasma KDE) and entered:
sudo timeshift --restore
I then chose the correct image I wanted (20.03.2022) and got it restored. User desktop back in place! Phew! But not everything is yet over! Resolution stuck at 1024x768!
Solution? Something I don't like to do but had to use Driver Manager to install most up-to-date nvidia Driver, 510. Rebooted and now I can change display to correct size!
And the offending piece of Software? U.B. Funkey! Remember these?
https://www.walmart.com/ip/U-B-Funkeys-Starter-Kit-Scratch-Twinx/7780031?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=949
The software was 2007 - I tried installing Windows XP in Virtual Box, but because most VM Software looks to native hardware, Windows XP did not have the USB drivers for this rig! [Asus MAXIMUS VIII Ranger] LOL! Which led to the installation of Wine 7.0 stable then the disaster! The game began to work (music that plays when starts was correct, display turned black in what I thought was about to launch the game but instead created "out of range" - Be careful what you do with Wine! Or rather be careful which apps you use with Wine! LOL!