Complete window "burns" into desktop

[Hollywood]

Hi,
I have had a minor issue with FreeFileSync on many versions of FFS and Windows, and several different computers over the years.

Sometimes after it does a sync, the Completed Successfully window seems to etch itself onto the Windows desktop. Not the whole window, but most of the border. You can see other computer stuff (photos, programs) through the middle, but the border blocks (overlays) relevant content of the current screen or window.

A desktop "refresh" does not clear the leftover window, only a reboot seems to clear it. I can't duplicate it, but it's happened at least 10-15 times over the (maybe 10 or more) years.

Like I said, it did this over several years and with different versions of FFS and Windows and different computers.

Anyone else experience this? Is this a known issue with or without a fix?

Thanks!

[xCSxXenon]

This sounds like a monitor or Windows issue.
What GPU do you have and what version of Windows are you running?

[therube]

Video card driver update, perhaps?

[Hollywood]

It just happened again. This time when minimizing FFS, not closing it. I haven't got any notifications of replies here, but I thought I'd check back. Thanks for the suggestions, but as I said, it's happened on several computers over probably 10 years and they didn't all have the same version of Windows or drivers.

I have a screen shot from today, but this forum will not let me paste it in this post.

Thanks.

[Plerry]

> ... but this forum will not let me paste it in this post.

It does!
Below the Quick Reply window click "Editor & preview".
Then (left below the Preview button) you see an Options and an Attachments tab.
Click the Attachment tab and via Add Files add your image.
After uploading, you can select to Place Inline or just leave it as attachment.

[Hollywood]

Thanks for the instructions! And my notifications went to spam. Anyway you can see the attachment now, you can see a blank window with a top border and thin line frame. It is transparent and it is from FFS. I can only get rid of it by rebooting.

Thanks again!

[xCSxXenon]

Definitely a Windows/video issue. Most likely there is some software installed or adjustment you make to every Windows OS you use that is leading to this

[therube]

On my end, while a sync is in progress, Paused or not, I/O or not, if I (on Windows) "Show Desktop" (Winkey+M), I can catch a momentary ghost, but that's the extent of it.

If I actually minimize the FFS window itself, there is no ghosting at all.

Maybe Windows "Aero" (theme) is playing into it?
(I do not use Aero. Likewise I keep virtually all "Visual Effects" disabled; animations, fades, styles....)
.

FreeFileSync MOMENTARY ghost.png (91.93 KiB) Viewed 6378 times

[Hollywood]

@therube sounds similar. I don't know exactly the reason it happens, but it only happens (sometimes) with FFS. Your example might help track down why. Thanks for your reply.

[therube]

Let me note that that (FFS) "status" dialog box ("Completed successfully", or whatever it may say at a particular time) does seem to have a (somewhat) material impact or "screen resources".

Such that, even after a scan has been run, so long as the status dialog box is open, & so long as the FFS window itself is in a not-minimized state (actually I only looked with FFS in a maximized state), there is a residual impact on "screen resources" (i.e., a lag).

If you actually minimize the FFS window (with or without the status dialog box open), or if you dismiss the status dialog box (Close), that impact is gone.

So it's like there is "communication" (RPC) to the dialog box, & even when nothing more is actually happening, that "dialog" remains open, impacting "screen resources".

[Hollywood]

@therube , Are you one of the FFS programmers? I am not versed in programming or if stuff gets too technical, but is there something I should do or do differently, or should the program get a tweak as this has been experienced, OR should I just live with it?

As I stated in my original post, FreeFileSync is a great program and this is a minor issue. I just wanted to share my experience.

Thanks for your reply and explanation.

[therube]

(Nope. Just a user, & just noting what I see.)

[Hollywood]

(Nope. Just a user, & just noting what I see.)

You seem very knowledgeable. Thanks for your input!

[papi_fr]

Hi guys,
I'm having exactly the same trouble as Hollywood described. It happens every time when FSS is running for a long while and windows entering in save screen. For short run, it seems to work properly.
The only way to remove that ghost is to reboot.

[4jb]

Sorry for the necro here, but I wanted to add that I also have this same issue with long running tasks. I am running Windows 11 currently and 13.4 Donation Edition. Would be really nice to figure out the source of this. As others have mentioned, the only fix is to fully reboot which is pretty excessive.

If anyone finds any other tricks, please do share with the class.

Cheers!

[papi_fr]

Hi guys,
The only "solution" I found is to minimize the window during the program execution. As the window is not displayed, there is no ghost staying on screen. I can follow the program execution with the hard disks spin sound :-) !

[szymas]

Can you not create a service task so that it never appears at all? Maybe I am missing something. https://freefilesync.org/manual.php?topic=rts-as-service

[Hollywood]

I also have this same issue with long running tasks. I am running Windows 11 currently and 13.4 Donation Edition. Would be really nice to figure out the source of this. As others have mentioned, the only fix is to fully reboot which is pretty excessive.

If anyone finds any other tricks, please do share with the class.

Cheers!

This has been happening for many years. I moved almost 8 years ago and remember it happening at my old house.
Also I had i7 towers with premium components, but about 2 years ago I switched to i9 mini computers with factory drivers. Same issues. I don't have any other programs that do this.

FreeFileSync is otherwise a best in class program.

[papi_fr]

Hi guys,
Today I used FFS to make a backup. Like usually, I minimized the windows to avoid this sad situation of the burning window. The backup ran during approx. 10 hours, but this morning, I restored the window size to close the program, and the burning window stay on !!!
The trick of minimizing the running task window is not a solution.

[papi_fr]

Next time, I will try to use FFS into the W11 sandbox to see if the burning window appears and can be deleted by closing the sandbox.

[xCSxXenon]

This must be the result of some graphics driver/hardware issue, based on my experiences
What are your system specs and what graphics driver version are you guys using?

[papi_fr]

This must be the result of some graphics driver/hardware issue, based on my experiences
What are your system specs and what graphics driver version are you guys using?

Yes, it sounds logic, but it's the only one application who is doing such issue, and it was happening too on my previous computer with a fully different hardware and OS version, and this computer was 10 years old.

For me it sounds more a library issue in FreeFileSync or a graphic object created too many time which overflows a critical limit, and then, is not deleted when the program is closed.

[Hollywood]

This must be the result of some graphics driver/hardware issue, based on my experiences
What are your system specs and what graphics driver version are you guys using?

It's been happening to me for at least 10 years and I have had many different computers over the years, and it has always been my habit to use the latest version of Windows as the computers have become somewhat of a hobby. Between me and the other users that posted, it does not appear to be computer specific, although FFS runs on other platforms and I think I only see this reported on Windows versions.