Hello,
OpenSUSE 11.2, 64bit, KDE, ATI x1650 card (driver not installed) … was running fine for months. In last week desktop is turning OFF by it self, or when rebooting PC, desktop is not turning ON. Web and Mail server are all working normal. It’s just X that it fails, also on reboots hardware is making strange beeps … and then aging desktop works sometimes and turns OFF again …
Any solution to it?
Hi!
Looks like hardware problem, more related to memory’s faults.
Try to unplug and insert memory modules again.Perhaps it will help.
Also, beep codes: Computer Post / Beep codes
Thanks for a quick reply. Yes, I have tried that yesterday, it helped for one day … now I’m wondering if I should get new RAM :\
Did you try memtest program?
It should be in boot menu on openSUSE install dvd.
No I haven’t, but thank you for pointing me to the right direction.
I have checked all possible things that were to check. All looks fine, however I’m still getting “1-long + 3-short beeps” it looks this is not memory (ram) problem, could it be kernel, or something else in OS? Or could it be a HDD?
1-long + 3-short beeps? Is that not a video problem? I note this example google search result:
1 Long, then 3 Short Beeps: Video error
1 Long, then 3 Short Beeps: Video error
Explanation: The BIOS is unable to access the video system in order to write any error messages to the screen.
Diagnosis: This is usually caused by a problem with the video card, or the memory on the video card. It can also be a motherboard issue.
Recommendation:
* Troubleshoot the video card. * If the video card is not at fault, troubleshoot the motherboard.
i find this… 1 Long, then 3 Short Beeps: Video error.
Did you try to reset bios too?
Yes, it might be a video card problem, one minute desktop screen works fine, the second minute goes blank? Also it reboots, once in every couple of times, to full working screen. Sounds like a video card problem?
If you have any other video card, even an old pci, try to replace your current video card, it will help isolate the problem.
Oldcpu is right: 1long + 3short is the videocard. Replace it.
Right now I don’t have extra video card at hand, I’ll try to replace it asap. But what I did was … removed video card, and turned on PC, again there was 1-long + 3-short beeps … is this indicating that there is no video card present? … also couple of seconds after 1-long + 3-short beeps there was another 1-long beep which is always present at reboots …
During POST (Power on self test) the little program in the BIOS that starts the computer doing it’s thing checks the state of video, keyboard, memory, caches, boot devices. If there is found any serious hardware problem it provides audible beeps (providing the internal speaker works 
). Short answer: yes it’s telling you that you don’t have a display device. Another sequence of beeps 8 short space 8 short says memory failure, and one continuous long is cpu burning up &/or stuck ppi to pc speaker.
Since there is a need for a new graphic card, can someone please advice if I should choose ATI or NVIDIA this time (I’m not a gamer ;)), which one is better to work with openSUSE in term of video drivers, performance…
Tell us about your PC. What size power supply (in watts) ? How old is this power supply ? Does your motherboard have a PCI-e slot ?
What is more important in terms of function? (list them in priority) … Linux compatible? MS-Windows compatible? Games ? Special desktop effects/3D ? Playback of HD videos? Dependant on the age of your PC it may not be possible to get all 3. And the power supply and PCI-e slot availability plays a significant factor here.
Motherboard is P5W DH Deluxe (PCI-E compliant), PC power supply is 400W. Card needs to be compatible with Linux OS.
I’m not a gamer, so I don’t need high-end graphic card. I need it just for daily computer use (internet surfing), also special desktop effects/3D would be a nice touch.
I was thinking to go with:
However, if I’m not mistaken openSUSE 11.2 already ships with some type “out of the box” graphic card driver, so there is no need to setup graphic card driver, unless if you want to have special desktop effects/3D, am I right?
IMHO at the moment NVIDIA has the best driver support. They had some issues but AFAIK that’s been fixed. Also some hardware rumours, haven’t dived in.
I agree with Knurpht, that currently nVidia provide superior graphic card driver support than ATI.
IMHO this is just more than Linux comaptibility … if MS-Windows is an OS that you use, say 50% of the time, then ATI is a much more viable option. This is especially true if you wish to play back High Definition Videos.
The reason being to play HD videos in MS-Windows, one needs to have an ATI card that is AVIVO compatible, or a nVidia card that is Pure Video compatible. In MS-Windows both AVIVO (ATI) and Pure Video (nVidia) will off load the decoding of HD Videos to the graphic cards GPU, allowing smooth playback in MS-Windows selected media players.
There is NO Linux equivalent to the ATI AVIVO, hence an ATI graphic card driver in Linux will NOT allow offload of the video decoding to the ATI graphic card’s GPU. However there IS a Linux equivalent to nVidia Pure Video called VDPAU, and with a proprietary nVidia driver one can offload the video decoding to the nVidia graphic card. Hence nVidia cards will allow smooth HD video playback in Linux, but ATI cards will not.
Hence if Linux is more important than MS-Windows, and if you wish to playback HD Videos, then IMHO you should be looking at nVidia.
My only reason now adays for not choosing nVidia is that they have a horrible quality reputation. However in a desktop that is not so important, as one can easily slap in a replacement. For a Laptop computer, I would give ATI serious consideration.
Currently Intel graphics have major kernel/driver problems, and my recommendation would be to avoid Intel graphics until that situation clarifies.
wrt your power supply, pay the extra $ to get a card from a local store, where the store will let you return the card if your power supply is not large enough to support the card. Consider those extra pennies insurance against an inappropriate purchase.
I went with “Sapphire ATI Radeon HD5450, 512 MB, PCI-E”, now the desktop is back on . However, I’m wondering if I should install some drivers for it (1-click install).
On openSUSE website there are several for openSUSE 11.2:
“Opensource ATI”:
and “Proprietary ATI”:
I’m a bit confused which of above to choose to work with above mentioned graphic card? :\
Here is some basic graphic card theory to help you understand any recommendation …
openSUSE Graphic Card Practical Theory Guide for Users - openSUSE Forums