I just completed an install of Solaris 10 Sparc on my Ultra 2 last night. After a few minutes after logging in and playing around with the Java Desktop System, it stops responding. My open applications work fine and I can continue to launch a help window with the help button on the keyboard but the start button has stopped working as well as the desktop. This isn't a nightly build of Solaris either, it's the latest release.

I was just wondering if this was typical of the Java Desktop System. I have version 3, so I thought it would be fairly stable by now.

Also I was wondering if this has to do with my x server. I read that kdmconfig could be used to switch x servers but such a command does not exist (I tried as root and even ran a find on all my drives for it).

The only way I have been able to get out of the JDS when it freezes, is to run hit the stop-a combo and issue a reboot. Is there another way? (I tried ctr+alt+backspace, but I guess that's just an x-86 thing?)

Overall, Solaris 10 has been very disappointing so far, well at least the JDS. I was hoping for better quality from sun.

The JDS is quite stable - I am afraid I cannot tell you much about JDS, but it is stable and is widely used. You should not get any problems with JDS.

You should have your kdmconfig in /usr/openwin/bin - at least, this is where it is present in X86 version of Solaris.

I've had no problem with JDS on my Sparc boxen. JDS is Gnome, so it's pretty stable.

kdmconfig allows to switch between Xsun and Xorg on x86 hardware. On Sparc, this command is not there as Xorg is not released for Sparc.

Ctrl-alt-bs is indeed a default Xorg feature that is not in Xsun, but there is a way to activate it, see http://blogs.sun.com/roller/page/alanc/20040611

I have the exact same issue, I have an Ultra 2 with Solaris 10 and JDS3, and JDS becomes unusable after a short time, open apps continue to function, but nothing else works. I have a gig of swap and 512 RAM so memory shouldnt be an issue. please advise.

When it stops responding, telnet to that machine from another host, and run "prstat -a" to check the resource utilization (CPU, memory). "truss -p `pgrep Xsun (or Xorg)` may give you some clues. Also keep an eye on /var/adm/messages log (or dmesg precisely).

brenan, have you tried cde perhaps on your machine? Based on the age of the machine (ultra 2), I am wondering if you have 1 or 2 procs, plus how much memory. jds consumes more resources than cde and if you don't have at least 512mbs of ram, it runs very, very slow.

I agree with technopark, either use prstat or sdtprocess (prstat with a gui front end) before it starts locking and see about your resources. You can also try /usr/ucb/ps -auwx (does not refresh) and it gives you the breakdown of cpu and ram per process (by percentage). Of course, if you are running out of memory, stick to prstat.

I upgraded my machine to solaris express and it doesn't seem to have the locking problem anymore, but it has another one:
when I leave it running overnight, in the morning the monitor will not longer come on. I am able to telnet into the machine, and it seems to be running fine, prstat shows no unusual activity/resource use. I am not using xscreensaver or locking the screen, does solaris go into powersaving? and if so, how can I wake it?
I am afraid after a while the only way I can run the machine is through telnet/ssh, not good for a workstation. How can I 'wake' the monitor up?
specs: Sun Ultra Enterprise 2, dual 350 MHz Ultra-SparcIIs, 512 ram, solaris express 1/06

edit: it takes about 8 hours before it locks up rather than the few minutes it used to take. -- but it still locks up.
prstat shows nothing over 0.1% CPU, Xsun-0.1%, java-0.2% nothing else is using any more CPU than 0.1%.
vmstat:
616984 swap 127200 free (normal)

what is up w/this?

Sorry I have been unable to reply with an update for such a long time, I have been at school and this thread slipped my mind.

Anyways my machine specs are dual 300 Mhz procs with 768 MB ram and a gig of swap. I have checked the resources and they appear to be ok. If I launch JDS and it runs pretty snappy until it stops responding. CDE works fine so I am using that instead for the moment. I'll have to try patching the system some more, though none of sun's patches have fixed anything yet...

this happened to me in JDS3 on x64 system.

symptom: mouse can move over the screen but not able to click (left or right). the session is not locked and keyboard works fine. only mouse doesn't click.
this didn't occur to me in CDE.

workaround:
method 1: the keyboard seemed ok. use ctrl-esc to bring the menu and choose logout
method 2: ssh from another machine and kill the session

have no idea what the cause is.

I recommend that you use Solaris Express for SPARC instead of Solaris 10.
The latest release as of now is snv_35. Then install Vermillion build of
JDS (GNOME 2.14), which is very fast and stable as well.

Pay regular visits to OpenSolaris forums for latest news and release bits.
snv_35 is okay if you're not running a production server. At least the x86
release serves me well.

I have absolutely zero SPARC experience, so I advice against using JDS
altogether if you machine is more than a couple years old. Use XFCe or even
BlackBox from the Blastwave repository.

I'm starting to have JDS problems now. It seems like every Sun update that has come out recently makes it less stable (especially on 2005 Solaris base OS, not quite as bad on 1/06).