Determining best Linux long term

Originally Posted by 1John2:22-23 Can anyone tell me how to drag and drop an image file using whatever combination of file manager and window manager of antix 22?

I'll try one more time; you're having a hardware issue. Antix isn't going to fix it, and it *STILL* will get updates. So far, in the four pages of this thread, you have yet to provide ANY information that would lead one to believe it's related to system updates. The fact your system just freezes and doesn't save any settings is proof of this.

You have been asked about your video hardware, which you have not answered or even acknowledged. The fact that you have a i7 CPU with 16GB of RAM is PLENTY of resources to run pretty much any distro of Linux. Video can often cause freezes in X. And saying that the update process 'constantly interrupting whatever I'm working on' is plain false. Your system may ask you if you want to update, and that's it.

Again, you claim to have been using Linux only for eight years, but know NOTHING about any commands?? You claim to only need three programs, all of which are available on Windows. And since you also claim to not want a 'doctorate in C++' (seeming to indicate you're not interested in LEARNING anything about Linux), why bother?? Load Windows, use your three programs and be done.

Originally Posted by rokytnji We still use roxfm in antiX also.

I tested a couple other distros and antiX is the most reasonable so far. I went to check out your link but again have no sound. Unmuted everything in alsamixer and set all levels to 100% and changed my sound card from HDMI (not connected) to the one that is connected and the test sound works but no sound in youtube or anywhere else from what I can tell...I had it right before but am not sure how I got there.

Originally Posted by TB0ne I'll try one more time; you're having a hardware issue. Antix isn't going to fix it, and it *STILL* will get updates. So far, in the four pages of this thread, you have yet to provide ANY information that would lead one to believe it's related to system updates. The fact your system just freezes and doesn't save any settings is proof of this. You have been asked about your video hardware, which you have not answered or even acknowledged. The fact that you have a i7 CPU with 16GB of RAM is PLENTY of resources to run pretty much any distro of Linux. Video can often cause freezes in X. And saying that the update process 'constantly interrupting whatever I'm working on' is plain false. Your system may ask you if you want to update, and that's it. Again, you claim to have been using Linux only for eight years, but know NOTHING about any commands?? You claim to only need three programs, all of which are available on Windows. And since you also claim to not want a 'doctorate in C++' (seeming to indicate you're not interested in LEARNING anything about Linux), why bother?? Load Windows, use your three programs and be done.

I haven't had any freezes since changing distros - not one. Whether that's indicative of anything or not, you know better than I do, most likely...

I do not know how to show you or anyone here the video hardware I have or how to test it. Memory has been asked about but again, I do not know how to test that and have not insofar as I'm aware been given directions on how to do so. If you wanted to be helpful, you could clearly explain HOW I can test/check. Does this help? Do YOU want to help?

$ lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 4th Gen Core Processor DRAM Controller (rev 06)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 06)
00:03.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio Controller (rev 06)
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family USB xHCI (rev 04)
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 (rev 04)
00:16.3 Serial controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family KT Controller (rev 04)
00:19.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation Ethernet Connection I217-LM (rev 04)
00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family USB EHCI #2 (rev 04)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset High Definition Audio Controller (rev 04)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #1 (rev d4)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #4 (rev d4)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family USB EHCI #1 (rev 04)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation Q87 Express LPC Controller (rev 04)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family 6-port SATA Controller 1 [AHCI mode] (rev 04)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller (rev 04)
02:00.0 PCI bridge: Integrated Technology Express, Inc. IT8893E PCIe to PCI Bridge (rev 41)

If the system asks for an update or stops working after multiple years, that's preferable to me rather than having to update repeatedly - but this was covered long ago on page 1, if I'm not mistaken.

I've been using Linux for several years. I found distros that worked after having muddled through the inherent issues pre-existing in order to get them to work. I have spent a fair amount of time investigating how to make changes and use the terminal, and I have a rudimentary understanding only. It seems like there is a lot to know, and my guess is that like with almost anything, there's 60%-95% of the 100% I really don't need to know because it's not relevant to my interest in this context. I'm simply looking to get my PC to perform well.

On the sound issue. Look in antiX package installer for pulse audio. Give it try. You can always uninstall it later.

Originally Posted by rokytnji On the sound issue. Look in antiX package installer for pulse audio. Give it try. You can always uninstall it later.

I went ahead and installed pulse audio but still no sound. Not sure how to test there or get it to work either?

Couldn't figure out much to do within pulse audio but when I went back into alsa mixer I found speakers muted (columns that I'd not seen previous to the pulse audio install) and unmuted, raised to 100 and still no sound.

But messing around further in both applications, I have no sound in Firefox but do have sound in VLC coming from both my PC tower and my external speaker, which is a little odd.

Originally Posted by 1John2:22-23 I do not know how to show you or anyone here the video hardware I have or how to test it. Memory has been asked about but again, I do not know how to test that and have not insofar as I'm aware been given directions on how to do so. If you wanted to be helpful, you could clearly explain HOW I can test/check. Does this help? Do YOU want to help?

A quick way to check your memory is to check the file /proc/meminfo. The /proc directory is a set of windows into your kernel disguised as a collection of files. For instance

head -3 proc/meminfo

will print the first three lines of this file, which will tell you the total and available memory.

The best way to identify your graphics is to use lspci and pipe the results into grep to pick up the VGA line:

/sbin/lspci -v|grep VGA

Originally Posted by 1John2:22-23 I haven't had any freezes since changing distros - not one. Whether that's indicative of anything or not, you know better than I do, most likely...I do not know how to show you or anyone here the video hardware I have or how to test it. Memory has been asked about but again, I do not know how to test that and have not insofar as I'm aware been given directions on how to do so. If you wanted to be helpful, you could clearly explain HOW I can test/check. Does this help? Do YOU want to help?

I want to help those who demonstrate the willingness to learn, and based on your comments it seems you don't. Again, very hard to believe you know the CPU, memory, etc., but can't tell us the brand/model of the computer, which you can tell just by looking at it and the label(s) on it.

A VERY brief Internet search for things like, "how to run a memory test in linux", or "check what video is in use on linux", pulls up results with exact commands that tell you how to do these things. This:
https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/linux-...ard-installed/

...has the exact command, "lspci | grep -i --color 'vga\|3d\|2d'". Since you've installed antix, the memtester program may (or may not) be available, but can be run from any other live distro USB boot. Also, just plain ignoring things you're being told isn't conducive to you getting help, and getting snotty about "do YOU want to help?" (after ignoring questions asked several times), is plain rude.

If the system asks for an update or stops working after multiple years, that's preferable to me rather than having to update repeatedly - but this was covered long ago on page 1, if I'm not mistaken.

Yes, and you ignored the answer; ANY SYSTEM WILL GET UPDATES NUMEROUS TIMES A YEAR. Your problems aren't from the updates, but from hardware. Antix uses LESS MEMORY...which is probably why it's been ok so far. You haven't loaded the system to the point where it will freeze. Again, you're using lightweight desktop environment with a lighter kernel...none of which will stress video output or system RAM. You JUST NOW got audio working again.

I've been using Linux for several years. I found distros that worked after having muddled through the inherent issues pre-existing in order to get them to work. I have spent a fair amount of time investigating how to make changes and use the terminal, and I have a rudimentary understanding only. It seems like there is a lot to know, and my guess is that like with almost anything, there's 60%-95% of the 100% I really don't need to know because it's not relevant to my interest in this context. I'm simply looking to get my PC to perform well.

And you won't without actually learning things or listening to those who do know. Your comments indicate you don't want to learn, and you claim to only want 3 programs...since you have to 'muddle through' things, etc., etc., why not use Windows??? It would seem logical that when someone asks, "what do I check?", and they get told to look at the system logs, they would probably either look up how to do so, but you did not. You were given a link that was looked up for you, and ignored what it said, even going so far as to say you put "/var/log" into a search box (???).

You are blaming updates for your issues; that is plain wrong. You are claiming that such updates interrupt you multiple times a day; that is not true. Everything you've posted about things just plain freezing indicate hardware problems. You may sidestep them right now, but you WILL get them shortly, when you get your system running again. Got full LibreOffice running again?? YouTube in full-screen/good frame rates? GIMP doing well?? Got all your Firefox plugins going?? Stress out your system again and see if it freezes.

You really should be using Windows; do as you want, of course, but you are blaming the wrong things for your issues, and are ignoring what many here have told you. Why ask if you're going to ignore the advice you're given??

Originally Posted by hazel A quick way to check your memory is to check the file /proc/meminfo. The /proc directory is a set of windows into your kernel disguised as a collection of files. For instance head -3 proc/meminfo will print the first three lines of this file, which will tell you the total and available memory. The best way to identify your graphics is to use lspci and pipe the results into grep to pick up the VGA line: /sbin/lspci -v|grep VGA

Thanks for the reply!

I tried out Debian stable and got locked out of the login screen using the correct password/logon and could not figure out how to get past that despite having read something about successive function keys and whatnot...so back at antiX it is.

Here’s what I get from those commands:

$ /proc/meminfo
bash: /proc/meminfo: Permission denied

$ head -3 proc/meminfo
head: cannot open 'proc/meminfo' for reading: No such file or directory

$ /sbin/lspci -v|grep VGA
bash: /sbin/lspci: No such file or directory

Did I miss something? Or is it different for antiX than for other linux?


Here's additional info using command centre that may be relevant.

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0412] (rev 06) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
	DeviceName:  Onboard IGD
	Subsystem: Lenovo Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller [17aa:3097]
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 31
	Memory at f7800000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4M]
	Memory at e0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
	I/O ports at f000 [size=64]
	Expansion ROM at 000c0000 [virtual] [disabled] [size=128K]
	Capabilities: <access denied>
	Kernel driver in use: i915
	Kernel modules: i915

00:03.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio Controller [8086:0c0c] (rev 06)

And this:

Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics vendor: Lenovo
    driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen5.75 ports: active: HDMI-A-2 empty: DP-1, DP-2, HDMI-A-1, VGA-1
    bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:0412
  Display: server: X.Org v: 1.20.11 driver: X: loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa
    gpu: i915 display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 96
  Monitor-1: HDMI-A-2 mapped: HDMI-2 model: Dell S2340M res: 1920x1080 dpi: 96 diag: 584mm (23")
  OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics 4600 (HSW GT2) v: 4.5 Mesa 20.3.5 compat-v: 3.0
    direct render: Yes

Is any of this helpful?

Originally Posted by 1John2:22-23 Here’s what I get from those commands: $ /proc/meminfo bash: /proc/meminfo: Permission denied $ head -3 proc/meminfo head: cannot open 'proc/meminfo' for reading: No such file or directory

You mistyped. The first example didn't work because /proc/meminfo isn't a command; it's what's technically called an argument, the name of the file that you want the command "head" to work on. The second attempt failed because you forgot the opening /. This tells the system to look for the proc directory in the toplevel directory of the system. Instead it looked in your home directory (the default location for user-specified files) and failed to find it there.

$ /sbin/lspci -v|grep VGA bash: /sbin/lspci: No such file or directory Did I miss something? Or is it different for antiX than for other linux?

Yes, it may be. On my Slackware system lspci is in /sbin but other distros put it elsewhere. In any case your following output suggests that you found it eventually. That's good. Now people who know more about graphics than I do can see what you are using and give you a hand with any driver problems.

Originally Posted by hazel You mistyped. The first example didn't work because /proc/meminfo isn't a command; it's what's technically called an argument, the name of the file that you want the command "head" to work on. The second attempt failed because you forgot the opening /. This tells the system to look for the proc directory in the toplevel directory of the system. Instead it looked in your home directory (the default location for user-specified files) and failed to find it there. Yes, it may be. On my Slackware system lspci is in /sbin but other distros put it elsewhere. In any case your following output suggests that you found it eventually. That's good. Now people who know more about graphics than I do can see what you are using and give you a hand with any driver problems.

I thought I copied the, "CODE", entry you'd previously provided verbatim? Not sure I understand; I went ahead and went with the below and didn't get anywhere.

$ /proc/meminfo
bash: /proc/meminfo: Permission denied

I believe the best help for me is to tell me exactly what commands to enter and exactly what those will do and the purpose for using them. If any information is left out it's confusing and no real learning takes place.