My screen frequently stops completely refreshing. I can make it resume refreshing by un-maximizing/re-maximize a window or by switching workspace (the un-/re-maximizing works every time. Switching workspace sometimes has to be done a couple of times).

The immediate impression is that the system is frozen: there is apparently no reaction to anything I do but interestingly window title bar will change, if I switch application with (i.e alt+tab or browse through folders)

I saw an identical issue in ubuntu 10.04, though a lot less frequent, I never saw this in ubuntu 12.04 (which I have been using the last 4-5 months). After switching to Xubuntu I'm seeing this again and more frequently.

The specific reason I'm not sure this is a bug: I installed gnome-control-center which dragged in tons of packages. This was while trying to fix dual-screen setup. I believe the issue surfaced after this. I later meticulously removed every package from this batch (purge) in the hope that every setting would also be removed. But the issue has persisted.

Another issue happened at the same time, it may be totally unrelated but it feels as if it is the same basic issue: the screen resolution of the greeter became less than the expected 1680x1050 and often after login there's just a blank and totally unresponsive wallpaper without panel so I have to force reboot. When the login is successful it's very clear that it works hard to determine the correct resolution which is achieved after a few blink to black screens.

My questions:

1) Is this a settings issue or a bug? 2) How do I begin to research the issue - could I perhaps some way reset xubuntu/xfce to default. 3) If this is a bug where would be the most appropriate place report this?

System: Thinkpad T500 ati radeon HD 3650

$ fglrxinfo
display: :0.0  screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650
OpenGL version string: 3.3.11627 Compatibility Profile Context

$ uname -a
Linux srvname 3.2.0-32-generic #51-Ubuntu SMP Wed Sep 26 21:33:09 UTC 2012 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

xfce 4.10

Compiz 0.9.7.8