More random freezes...

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

Hi all!

I was recently given a laptop from a friend with a half-installed windows OS on the hard disk. I formatted the computer & installed openSUSE 12.1 (Gnome-flavored) from a DVD, and set up a single partition (eg. /).

Ever since installation, though, I noticed the system was kind of laggy (and hadn’t been so much when running Linux off a USB). Still, I thought “Maybe it’s the amount of memory,” (the computer has 1.25 GB RAM), and is just having problems. I then set up a new, 2GB swap file at “/swap”.

Everything seemed to be okay, so I drug out the old Ethernet cable to try to get the Broadcom wireless drivers. However, when I started using Firefox for a few minutes, the computer would freeze completely. After manually restarting the computer, I was able to get my drivers downloaded and the wireless running, but then later, more freezes. The freezes came more often, some when Firefox isn’t open, or immediately after the close of a window, for example after closing the terminal, so it seems rather sporadic. It still seems like some memory problem, because the freeze happens after some “action” being performed.

One big detail (hopefully):
My symptoms are similar to those described on the form here: http://forums.opensuse.org/forums/english/get-technical-help-here/install-boot-login/468612-opensuse-12-1-random-freezes.html
But there is one difference… Occasionally, when the computer freezes, the screen will turn to white & pink alternating lines.
I haven’t reported a bug yet because I feel I don’t have enough information yet, and I would like to see if anyone here could help me first. Also, I am not currently at the computer, but I will try to give more detail when I am able to.

Thanks to everyone in advance

#2

On 02/14/2012 06:36 PM, cdustybk wrote:
> I formatted the computer& installed
> openSUSE 12.1 (Gnome-flavored) from a DVD, and set up a single partition
> (eg. /).

why did you set up a single partition?

please show us the terminal input and output from


df -hlT
cat /proc/partitions
cat /etc/fstab
mount
sudo /sbin/fdisk -l
sudo cat /boot/grub/menu.lst

copy/paste the input and output back to this thread using the
instructions here: http://goo.gl/i3wnr

I then set up a new, 2GB swap file at “/swap”.

did you do that with a partitioner?

It still seems like some memory problem,
because the freeze happens after some “action” being performed.

before you installed did you make certain the install disk was perfect,
this way: http://tinyurl.com/3qde66h ?

and, since you suspect a “memory problem” did you also (after checking
the disk) select “Memory Test” and let it run over night?

what were the results of both of those tests?

Occasionally,
when the computer freezes, the screen will turn to white& pink
alternating lines.

tell us more about the laptop (so far you have told us nothing)
brand/model
cpu Ghz
RAM
video graphic chip
video driver installed

do you get a different acting symptom if, at the first green boot screen
you type into the Boot Options line


nomodeset

> I haven’t reported a bug yet because I feel I don’t have enough
> information yet, and I would like to see if anyone here could help me
> first.

yes, please wait until we find out if there is a bug, or just a faulty
install…or whatever…

> Also, I am not currently at the com8puter, but I will try to give
> more detail when I am able to.

yep, we are gonna need more info.

–
DD http://tinyurl.com/DD-Caveat
Read what Distro Watch writes: http://tinyurl.com/SUSEonDW

#3

Pink and white lines? Looks like a video chip is going berserk. But, since lots of laptops have videochips that use shared memory, and you’ve already seen crashes most likely related to memory, I suggest you install and run memtest386. After installing you’ll have an extra line in GRUB to start it. Let it run for at least 24 hours. If any error is reported, replace the RAM.

#4

Sorry it has taken so long to reply. Between work, school, and driving the only free time I get is between 12 am and 6 am.

I don’t have any solid evidence, but I believe the problem lies in a faulty hard disk.
Reason: I attempted to boot the other night to troubleshoot, but got a system disk error before the system loaded. However, after restarting the computer a couple more times, without changing any settings whatsoever, the system came up. Weird. (Or does someone say it is something else?)

My reasoning for the crash and the pink-and-white-lines instances (which only happened maybe twice) is perhaps when the swap space was needed to be used (eg. Firefox with many tabs, or Terminal doing some heavy lifting), the disk “freaked out” and caused the system to crash.

Would someone give their opinion? Is my reasoning legitimate, or am I way off the mark? I’m green when it comes to this stuff, and any feedback would be great.

I will run memory tests to make sure it is not (or is) the memory acting up too, although it will be tomorrow before I can do that.

Again, thanks for the feedback!

#5

@DenverD

I will also reply to your post, hopefully tomorrow, when I have all the information together. Thank you!