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Hello,
I am using Kubuntu 9.04 and I am using xfce instead of KDE, but I am still using KDE applications. My KDE is unusable the background is white and gray boxes (chess-like) and the KDE menu pops up at the top of the screen. I did not do anything about it and I just installed xfce.
I am usually running opera, and am running Apache, MySQL, PHP and I have joomla installed and running, these servers are for testing and purposes only. I also have compiz-fusion installed but I rarely use it.
This is an Acer extensa Laptop with 2.5 GB Ram and other usual specs
For about 2 weeks now my computer suddenly freezes with no reason at all, the mouse keeps moving smoothly but there is no response of any kind. The only solution to this is to power off the laptop by pressing on the power button for 5 seconds
Is there a way to find out the cause of this problem?
Thank you Crito,
I did not get anything by pressing ESC while booting Kubuntu, but there was a memtest option in grub menu, I used and no errors were reported.
Was that what you were asking for? if not how can I run memcheck?
That was it, sorry, brain fart. The video card on most laptops uses system RAM, so an error there can cause weird effects on your screen like what you described. Unfortunately, since that's not the problem, I'd have to guess the video card itself is fried and on its way out. On most laptops that's not a replaceable component.
Under *buntu, kde gives this 'chess-board' appearance
XFCE doesn't give this, nor does Windows
You are using kde 4.x (probably kde something like kde 4.2.2)
if this correct, this probably a kde 4.x problem, could just be an issue with the underlying X server which is being provoked into breaking by kde.
KDE 4.x is still a 'work in progress' and so there are several things to try
Try to upgrade to the latest version of kde available for your distro. In this case, look in synaptic for more recent versions of kdebase, particularly if you can get a version 4.3, or later (4.3.1 is appreciably better than 4.3.0)
turn off any flashy kde desktop effects. I'm not sure how you do this if you can't get into kde itself, but you may get the chance to get into the kde config dialogue if you upgrade your kde.
'Downgrade' to a kde 3.5.x version; this will be more stable and more complete, but isn't as flashy in appearance.
It could be an issue with a proprietary driver. The nVidia/ATI chipset drivers do seem to make kde 4 problems more likely. I can't say what exactly you do to cure this, but post your video card details and someone may be able to come up with the answer.
I think a kde4 problem is the likeliest, so try to eliminate those first.
Checker board patterns indicate a video card problem and most laptop cards nowadays are integrated into the southbridge chip, which is not replaceable.
It is odd you're not experiencing problems in Window though. Perhaps it's a driver problem then.
I think a kde4 problem is the likeliest, so try to eliminate those first.
Thank you very much salasi,
I really hope so, I have upgraded all the packages under upgradeable section in synaptic. and KDE worked as if nothing happened.
I can not tell you if the problem is solved right away because the computer freezes randomly, but I will write a post here as soon as anything happens
@crito
After reading your post this morning I told my brothers (~10 yrs) that I am going to take my PC back because I am about to sell my laptop.
Yes it can be the graphics card and yes it is not changeable and yes you can still be right about the dying Graphics card, but please do not assume it is the hardware from the first glance.
It freezed again twice in less than 30 minutes.
one time when I was opening "Notes" tab in Opera
The other when I was opening a picture in Gwenview
I have disabled all desktop effects from system settings > Desktop > Desktop Effects > Enable desktop effects (unchecked)
I will hope until it freezes again (and I hope it would never freeze).
Just a little question:
Could it be Opera, I have always been encountering problems with opera but I always ignore them because I have all what I need in one place and I never been comfortable using firefox (it has nothing to do with the "Notes" tab)
I forgot to tell you that My Graphics adapter is: Mobile Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 (GM965/GL960)
I really hope so, I have upgraded all the packages under upgradeable section in synaptic. and KDE worked as if nothing happened.
You mean that nothing has changed rather than there is nothing wrong?
Quote:
If I understand your question correctly:
Under *buntu, kde gives this 'chess-board' appearance
XFCE doesn't give this, nor does Windows
You are using kde 4.x (probably kde something like kde 4.2.2)
if this correct, this probably a kde 4.x problem, could just be an issue with the underlying X server which is being provoked into breaking by kde.
I was rather hoping that you would confirm or deny these guesses explicitly and state which version of kde you are using. I should have asked these as direct questions, I suppose.
Quote:
My Graphics adapter is: Mobile Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 (GM965/GL960)
That, under the circumstances is probably a good thing; the hardware is less impressive than some of the competing nVidia/ATI options, but the drivers are probably less buggy (buggy??...I probably should write 'with unexpected features capable of making the computing experience unexpectedly interesting').
Quote:
It freezed again twice in less than 30 minutes.
one time when I was opening "Notes" tab in Opera
The other when I was opening a picture in Gwenview
Is this repeatable? (that'll be Opera> Tools > Notes and opening the same picture in gwenview). Is this now under some version of kde?
Are there any relevant error messages in dmesg? You aren't running out of memory, are you? Have you tried running memtest to check the memory? Is there any reason to connect this problem (the freezing problem) with the chess board pattern problem that started this thread, or could it be something completely different?
You mean that nothing has changed rather than there is nothing wrong?
KDE chess-like desktop is fixed after the update but the computer continued to freeze
Quote:
I was rather hoping that you would confirm or deny these guesses explicitly and state which version of kde you are using. I should have asked these as direct questions, I suppose.
What you guessed was true, I did not think I have to confirm it. (sorry about that)
That chess like desktop is instead of the wallpaper, but other objects/widgets are either misplaced or not working, so this is a KDE related problem only. Xfce is running fine except for the freezes and no problems are found on windows.
Quote:
Is this repeatable? (that'll be Opera> Tools > Notes and opening the same picture in gwenview). Is this now under some version of kde?
No opening the Opera notes or Gwenview did not freeze the computer, although it did freeze again when I was opening a new tab in opera so I have just deleted Opera and I am using firefox and kmail instead
Quote:
Are there any relevant error messages in dmesg?
I did not find anything relevant in dmesg (I uploaded it just in case)
Quote:
Have you tried running memtest to check the memory?
I did try memtest(I started it from kubuntu grub menu) and it reported no errors
Quote:
Is there any reason to connect this problem (the freezing problem) with the chess board pattern problem that started this thread, or could it be something completely different?
I mentioned The chess like desktop as a background not as the main problem, I do not remember if the computer used to freeze before using Xfce
another thing worth mentioning: when there is an audio player running in the background (Amarok or Rhythembox) the song continues to play after the computer freezes
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