Freezing after five minutes of starting

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#1

Ok, I have openSUSE 11.3 on my laptop that runs fine, no problems.

I’ve installed it on my desktop and when the OS has loaded, the KDE desktop comes up and then within less than 5 minutes, often within less than two minutes, the whole screen has frozen, with no movement from the mouse, keyboard, any loading symbols will stop spinning / bouncing and the only way to get the computer back is to press the reset on the tower.

Here’s what I’ve tried so far -
nomodeset - the mouse was jerky and slow, and then it froze a little later.

following the guide at SDB: configuring graphics cards - up to and including step 5.
My graphics card is an Asus EAH4350 with Radeon HD, I have tried drivers, Radeon, Radeon HD, ATI and even fbdev, it still froze.

RAM Test - all fine, no errors.

I also tried a live CD of Kubuntu - Froze.
Live CD of 11.4 32 Bit - Froze.
Live CD of 11.3 XFCE - didn’t load.
Live CD of a smaller linux distro - TinyMe Acorn - works fine.

Some info,
Graphics Card - Asus EAH 4350 Radeon HD
Motherboard - Foxconn P9657AA
Processor - Intel Core 2 Duo.
RAM - 2gb

The computer is from September 2006, so not super modern, but less than five years old, I would expect the OS to work.

If anyone has any other ideas, I can try, I would really appreciate it.
I would like to find out if this is a hardware problem, or something I need to fix within the operating system.
Many thanks.

#2

On 2011-05-29 14:36, eds19 wrote:
> If anyone has any other ideas, I can try, I would really appreciate
> it.

Boot to text mode, leave it running. Do some heavy task, like compiling the
kernel. If it doesn’t crash, it is related to graphics mode, video driver
perhaps.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)

#3

On 05/29/2011 03:08 PM, Carlos E. R. wrote:
> Boot to text mode, leave it running. Do some heavy task, like compiling the
> kernel. If it doesn’t crash, it is related to graphics mode, video driver
> perhaps.

if it does crash i’d guess failing power supply or overheating the
CPU…when was the last time you opened up the case and shoveled out the
chicken bones and feathers?

–
dd CAVEAT: http://is.gd/bpoMD
[NNTP via openSUSE 11.4 [2.6.37.6-0.5] + KDE 4.6.0 + Thunderbird 3.1.10]
Dual booting with Sluggish Loser7 on Acer Aspire One D255

#4

OK, so it froze again in text mode.

It’s not overheating, because I know how to clean out the inside, and it was done very recently.

I guess I could replace the PSU, but then eventually you end up replacing all the parts, just bit by bit.

So I think it might be better to get a new desktop, but it would have been nice to have found some use for this old one, and extend it’s life a bit. Especially as it was pricy when I first got it.

So how do you buy a computer (in the uk) that you know is suitable with Linux?

#5

On 05/29/2011 07:36 PM, eds19 wrote:
>
> OK, so it froze again in text mode.
>
> It’s not overheating, because I know how to clean out the inside, and
> it was done very recently.

ok here is the thing, do you have a way to monitor the CPU heat? i ask
because your would not be the first (no in the first thousand) of six
year old boxes in which the thermal paste between the CPU and heatsink
had gotten old and only worked partially…that can cause strange
problems, most often the machine shuts down without warning, but
sometimes it do other stuff…

next, most box makers buy the cheapest PSU they can find which will last
to the end of the warranty period…and, i bet your box has run several
years past that period…now, i do not know for sure if a new PSU will
fix your problem, but i can tell you that what you describe can be
caused by a weak/failing power supply

so, you decide…

> So how do you buy a computer (in the uk) that you know is suitable with
> Linux?

i’m not in the uk so i can’t answer except to say in my experience the
best way to be sure is to buy it preloaded with linux…the other way is
to do a lot of research…

–
dd CAVEAT: http://is.gd/bpoMD
[NNTP via openSUSE 11.4 [2.6.37.6-0.5] + KDE 4.6.0 + Thunderbird 3.1.10]
Dual booting with Sluggish Loser7 on Acer Aspire One D255

#6

I can check the temperature in Bios,
and I have some thermal paste, as I refurbish laptops and I use it then on the heat sink.

I guess I can be doing that while I’m researching for a new desktop, and if it fixes it then great, if not I can try a different PSU.

Like I said, even if I have to use this desktop as a spare, or give it away to someone - it would be nice to keep it working.
Back to work I think.

Thanks.

#7

On 05/30/2011 11:36 AM, eds19 wrote:
>
> Back to work I think.

let us know how you get on with this project…

–
dd CAVEAT: http://is.gd/bpoMD
[NNTP via openSUSE 11.4 [2.6.37.6-0.5] + KDE 4.6.0 + Thunderbird 3.1.10]
Dual booting with Sluggish Loser7 on Acer Aspire One D255

#8

Well I changed the thermal paste, and I checked a different PSU and it was neither.

Apparently, it is the motherboard, which is incompatible with Linux! I don’t think Foxconn motherboards work well with Linux. I’ll avoid them in the future.

I got the sytem working again, with my original Windows XP CD, so I’m going to use and then look at building my own system from new components some time next year, I think.

So good news (it’s working), bad news (not exactly how I would have wanted), good news (i learnt something about how my computer works).

#9

On 06/12/2011 11:36 AM, eds19 wrote:
>
> Apparently, it is the motherboard, which is incompatible with Linux! I
> don’t think Foxconn motherboards work well with Linux. I’ll avoid them
> in the future.

ah yes, i see that now, lots of grumblings

http://www.google.com/search?q=foxconn+motherboard+linux

well, if they tie their anchor to the Redmond Ship, they will down with
that boat!

–
dd CAVEAT: http://is.gd/bpoMD
via NNTP openSUSE 11.4 [2.6.37.6-0.5] + KDE 4.6.0 + Thunderbird 3.1.10
Acer Aspire One D255, 1.66 GHz Atom, 1 GB RAM, Intel Pineview graphics

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