How to Get rid of the Invisible “gjs” window in Ubuntu 22.04 GNOME 42

Last updated: May 20, 2022 — 5 Comments

Got an invisible app window called “gjs” in Ubuntu 22.04 desktop? Here’s how to kill it without log out the current session.

GJS, stands for Gnome JavaScript, it’s part of Gnome-shell use as JavaScript programming environment. In Ubuntu, the default Desktop Icons NG (DING) extension use gjs, which could cause the issue sometimes.

When the issue happens, you’ll see an app icon called “gjs” in the dock, but no app window visible. You can not close it by the context menu option. And, it’s annoying that other applications are not reachable via mouse clicks until switch focus via Alt+Tab keyboard shortcut.

Invisible gjs in overview

Until GNOME or maybe the extension developers fixed the issue, user may manually kill the process to get rid of it.

Kill the process via system monitor

Firstly, press Super / Windows key on keyboard to open ‘Activities’ overview, search for and open “System Monitor” app:

When it opens, scroll down and find out the process. There are usually multiple gjs processes. Move mouse pointer over one of them will display a tooltip about it.

It’s safe to kill the process by clicking to highlight and then hitting “End Process” button. The invisible “gjs” window should disappear immediately if you killed the correct one. And, the process will start again automatically.

Kill the process via Linux command:

For those familiar with Linux command, simply open terminal and run command to find out the process:

ps ax |grep gjs

Then, kill process by using the pid:

sudo kill -9 PID_HERE

In Howtos Gnome

Ji m

Twitter

I'm a freelance blogger who started using Ubuntu in 2007 and wishes to share my experiences and some useful tips with Ubuntu beginners and lovers. Please comment to let me know if the tutorial is outdated! And, notify me if you find any typo/grammar/language mistakes. English is not my native language. Contact me via ubuntuhandbook1@gmail.com Buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/ubuntuhandbook1

5 responses to How to Get rid of the Invisible “gjs” window in Ubuntu 22.04 GNOME 42

Donski May 20, 2022 at 6:19 pm

That was what i needed so bad, it was very annoying!
Thank you Ji m!

Reply
test November 29, 2023 at 7:13 am

This is temporary solution. What if it keeps happening?!

Reply
jorge4llright December 25, 2023 at 9:02 pm

the extension still showing up, doesnt work for me

Hello everyone, i tried to remove, disable this gjs ding@rastersoft extension adn this is what i got. Maybe is related with the BadWindow (invalid Window parameter) Major opcode of failed request: 21

Looking forward to heard from you.

a@a-a:~$ ls /usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/
apps-menu@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com native-window-placement@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com user-theme@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com
auto-move-windows@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com places-menu@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com window-list@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com
ding@rastersoft.com screenshot-window-sizer@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com windowsNavigator@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com
drive-menu@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com ubuntu-appindicators@ubuntu.com workspace-indicator@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com
launch-new-instance@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com ubuntu-dock@ubuntu.com
a@a-a:~$ sudo apt-file search /usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/ding@rastersoft.com/ding.js
gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons-ng: /usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/ding@rastersoft.com/ding.js
a@a-a:~$ ps ax | grep gjs
7253 ? Sl 0:00 /usr/bin/gjs /usr/share/gnome-shell/org.gnome.Shell.Notifications
7864 ? Sl 0:00 /usr/bin/gjs /usr/share/gnome-shell/org.gnome.ScreenSaver
480152 ? Sl 0:02 gjs /usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/ding@rastersoft.com/ding.js -E -P /usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/ding@rastersoft.com -M 0 -D 0:0:1920:1080:1:27:0:0:0:0
535987 pts/1 S+ 0:00 grep –color=auto gjs
a@a-a:~$ sudo kill -9 480152
a@a-a:~$ ps ax | grep gjs
7253 ? Sl 0:00 /usr/bin/gjs /usr/share/gnome-shell/org.gnome.Shell.Notifications
7864 ? Sl 0:00 /usr/bin/gjs /usr/share/gnome-shell/org.gnome.ScreenSaver
538602 ? Sl 0:00 gjs /usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/ding@rastersoft.com/ding.js -E -P /usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/ding@rastersoft.com -M 0 -D 0:0:1920:1080:1:27:0:70:0:0
540162 pts/1 S+ 0:00 grep –color=auto gjs
a@a-a:~$ sudo kill -9 538602
a@a-a:~$ sudo systemctl disable gnome-extensions.ding.js
a@a-a:~$ sudo systemctl disable gnome-extensions.ding.js
Failed to disable unit: Unit file gnome-extensions.ding.js.service does not exist.
a@a-a:~$ sudo systemctl disable ding.js
Failed to disable unit: Unit file ding.js.service does not exist.
a@a-a:~$ sudo gnome-extensions disable ding@rastersoft.com
a@a-a:~$ ps ax | grep gjs
7253 ? Sl 0:00 /usr/bin/gjs /usr/share/gnome-shell/org.gnome.Shell.Notifications
7864 ? Sl 0:00 /usr/bin/gjs /usr/share/gnome-shell/org.gnome.ScreenSaver
540817 ? Sl 0:00 gjs /usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/ding@rastersoft.com/ding.js -E -P /usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/ding@rastersoft.com -M 0 -D 0:0:1920:1080:1:27:0:70:0:0
546872 pts/1 S+ 0:00 grep –color=auto gjs
a@a-a:~$ sudo kill 540817
a@a-a:~$ ps ax | grep gjs
7253 ? Sl 0:00 /usr/bin/gjs /usr/share/gnome-shell/org.gnome.Shell.Notifications
7864 ? Sl 0:00 /usr/bin/gjs /usr/share/gnome-shell/org.gnome.ScreenSaver
547042 ? Sl 0:00 gjs /usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/ding@rastersoft.com/ding.js -E -P /usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/ding@rastersoft.com -M 0 -D 0:0:1920:1080:1:27:0:70:0:0
547057 ? Sl 0:00 /usr/bin/gjs /usr/libexec/org.gnome.NautilusPreviewer
547199 pts/1 S+ 0:00 grep –color=auto gjs

a@a-a:~$ sudo ls /usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/
apps-menu@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com places-menu@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com window-list@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com
auto-move-windows@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com screenshot-window-sizer@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com windowsNavigator@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com
drive-menu@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com ubuntu-appindicators@ubuntu.com workspace-indicator@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com
launch-new-instance@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com ubuntu-dock@ubuntu.com
native-window-placement@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com user-theme@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com
a@a-a:~$ sudo systemctl disable blueman-mechanism.service
Removed /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/blueman-mechanism.service.
^[[Aa@a-a:~$ sudo systemctl disable blueman-mechanism
a@a-a:~$ sudo systemctl disable bluemon.service
bluemon.service is not a native service, redirecting to systemd-sysv-install.
Executing: /lib/systemd/systemd-sysv-install disable bluemon
a@a-a:~$ sudo systemctl disable bluemon
bluemon.service is not a native service, redirecting to systemd-sysv-install.
Executing: /lib/systemd/systemd-sysv-install disable bluemon
a@a-a:~$ sudo systemctl disable bluetooth\x2c.service
Failed to disable unit: Unit file bluetoothx2c.service does not exist.
a@a-a:~$ sudo systemctl disable bluetooth\x2c
Failed to disable unit: Unit file bluetoothx2c.service does not exist.
a@a-a:~$ sudo systemctl disable bluetooth
Synchronizing state of bluetooth.service with SysV service script with /lib/systemd/systemd-sysv-install.
Executing: /lib/systemd/systemd-sysv-install disable bluetooth
Removed /etc/systemd/system/bluetooth.target.wants/bluetooth.service.
Removed /etc/systemd/system/dbus-org.bluez.service.
a@a-a:~$ sudo systemctl disable bluetooth.service
Synchronizing state of bluetooth.service with SysV service script with /lib/systemd/systemd-sysv-install.
Executing: /lib/systemd/systemd-sysv-install disable bluetooth
a@a-a:~$ systemctl is-enabled systemd-oomd
disabled
a@a-a:~$ systemctl mask systemd-oomd
Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/systemd-oomd.service → /dev/null.
a@a-a:~$ systemctl is-enabled systemd-oomd
masked
a@a-a:~$ journalctl -fo cat /usr/bin/gnome-shell
Can’t update stage views actor [:0x562a187e2c20] is on because it needs an allocation.
Can’t update stage views actor [:0x562a1a4f13d0] is on because it needs an allocation.
Can’t update stage views actor [:0x562a1b6e8890] is on because it needs an allocation.
Can’t update stage views actor [:0x562a1ebc1fb0] is on because it needs an allocation.
Can’t update stage views actor [:0x562a1a9ee690] is on because it needs an allocation.
Can’t update stage views actor [:0x562a1a11e770] is on because it needs an allocation.
Can’t update stage views actor [:0x562a1b3cdc10] is on because it needs an allocation.
Can’t update stage views actor [:0x562a187e2c20] is on because it needs an allocation.
Window manager warning: Buggy client sent a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW message with a timestamp of 0 for 0x220085a
Window manager warning: Buggy client sent a _NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW message with a timestamp of 0 for 0x2200bd7
Can’t update stage views actor [:0x562a1a4f13d0] is on because it needs an allocation.
Can’t update stage views actor [:0x562a1b6e8890] is on because it needs an allocation.
Can’t update stage views actor [:0x562a1ebc1fb0] is on because it needs an allocation.
Can’t update stage views actor [:0x562a1a9ee690] is on because it needs an allocation.
Can’t update stage views actor [:0x562a1a11e770] is on because it needs an allocation.
Can’t update stage views actor [:0x562a1b3cdc10] is on because it needs an allocation.
Can’t update stage views actor [:0x562a187e2c20] is on because it needs an allocation.
Can

Reply
improve linux February 13, 2024 at 7:47 pm

/usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/ding@rastersoft.com/app/ding.js

viewing this file: cat /usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/ding@rastersoft.com/app/ding.js | grep ‘remote’
” if (commandLine.get_is_remote()) { ”

and other unusual code for shell script off a new Ubuntu 23 install from USA

HAVE TO TREAD VERY CAREFULLY ON USA networks, unable to confirm or deny if unnecessary or backdoor

Reply
Improve linux February 13, 2024 at 7:48 pm

also the kill pid command for gjs sys process knocks out OR turns off the screen on my sys
Ubuntu has to improve security of useres

Reply