[SOLVED] OpenOffice crashes X Server

[Don]

Re: Sponteneous Reboots

Here's another example from just now.

2010-08-04 12:33:46 745 kdm[743] X server for display :0 terminated unexpectedly
2010-08-04 12:33:46 745 acpid client 13812[0:0] has disconnected
2010-08-04 12:33:46 745 acpid client connected from 14588[0:0]
2010-08-04 12:33:46 745 acpid 1 client rule loaded
2010-08-04 12:33:47 745 kdm_greet[14590] Cannot load /usr/share/kde4/apps/kdm/faces/.default.face: No such file or directory
2010-08-04 12:33:58 745 anacron[14739] Anacron 2.3 started on 2010-08-04
2010-08-04 12:33:58 745 anacron[14739] Normal exit (0 jobs run)
2010-08-04 12:33:58 745 kernel [514720.583940] CPU0 attaching NULL sched-domain.
2010-08-04 12:33:58 745 kernel [514720.583947] CPU1 attaching NULL sched-domain.
2010-08-04 12:33:58 745 kernel [514720.604138] CPU0 attaching sched-domain:
2010-08-04 12:33:58 745 kernel [514720.604144] domain 0: span 0-1 level CPU
2010-08-04 12:33:58 745 kernel [514720.604149] groups: 0 1
2010-08-04 12:33:58 745 kernel [514720.604159] CPU1 attaching sched-domain:
2010-08-04 12:33:58 745 kernel [514720.604162] domain 0: span 0-1 level CPU
2010-08-04 12:33:58 745 kernel [514720.604167] groups: 1 0

Am I correct in reading this to say that it's not the whole system that's rebooting but is instead the X server? That seems to me to be a whole different problem from the one I thought initially.

[Snowhog]

Re: Sponteneous Reboots

Am I correct in reading this to say that it's not the whole system that's rebooting but is instead the X server? That seems to me to be a whole different problem from the one I thought initially.

Well, you should know that answer to that question. If you are getting a 'reboot' then your PC does a shutdown and reboot, just as if you started your PC after you turned it off. If only the x-server is being restarted, then you would find yourself back at the KDM login screen. Which is it?

[Don]

Re: Sponteneous Reboots

You're right, Snowhog; I should have known the answer sooner (but I'm a little slow). It's not a reboot; it's "only" an X server restart. Sorry to have wasted folks' time on the wrong question, and I apologize. Any clues about what makes X server do that?

[oshunluvr]

Re: Sponteneous Reboots

Well at least it makes more sense! I was pulling hair trying to figure out how OO was rebooting your computer

Couple of ways to begin trouble shooting:

Create a new user account, log in as the new user and launch OO, type away and see what happens;

No X crash : it's your users settings, delete them and you're good to go.

Yes X crash : not your settings, remove OO and add-ons if any. Reinstall and try again.


P.s. Do the forum a small service and edit your first post and change the title to "OpenOffice crashes X" or something similar. This may draw in someone who has direct knowledge of your issues.

[Don]

Re: OpenOffice crashes X Server

I took oshunluvr's advice and created a new user. It did have an X crash, so the problem is apparently with the OO installation. As soon as I get a bit of time, I'll reinstall it and report back. Thanks to all for the help.

[oshunluvr]

Re: OpenOffice crashes X Server

What video card do you have and how's it set-up? i.e. what driver and are you using an xorg.conf file?

[Don]

Re: OpenOffice crashes X Server

oshunlvr, the card is an ATI Radion X1300 PCIE X16 256Mb. Here is the part of the lscpi file that I think shows the drivers:

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV516 [Radeon X1300/X1550 Series]
01:00.1 Display controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV516 [Radeon X1300/X1550 Series] (Secondary)

I will search for a later driver, but since ATI hasn't made this card for a while, I'm skeptical of being able to find one.

[askrieger]

Re: OpenOffice crashes X Server

Are you using the (closed source) proprietary "fglrx" video driver or the (open source) "radeon" driver? Which ever one you are using, switch to the other and see if that improves the situation.

However, I tend to agree that you should probably take a look at Oo.o before doing a complete reinstall, I would fool around with the settings for "writer". Are you doing something "weird", (where "weird" is defined as not the default option)? I'd check just about everything under Tools>Customize and Tools>Options just for starters.

[Don]

Re: OpenOffice crashes X Server

Al,
Thank you. When I get back to the office, I'll check on the driver . . . but only if you tell me how to do it! I'm still new enough to Kubuntu that I don't know where everything is.
Don

[askrieger]

Re: OpenOffice crashes X Server

To determine the identity of your graphics driver:
Start your package manager (e.g. Synaptic) search on "Radeon". The top item in alphabetical order will be fglrx. If it is installed, you are using it (since it is NOT installed by default) unless you deliberately deactivated it. I believe that it will be activated automagically.

To verify that this is the case, or to determine which drivers you have without starting your package manager:
Left click on the K icon on your panel (or your Lancelot "grail cup") or press Alt-F2, then type "jockey". Something called "Hardware Drivers" will appear. Left click on it. A box will appear. It may or may not say "Proprietary drivers are being used to make this computer work properly". It will then give you a choice of drivers that you can use.

Having said all that, I'd STILL check all the options in Oo.o before fooling around with the display drivers. You can always switch to Koffice without losing your work (I've been told that the formats are compatible), but messing up your graphics driver will ruin your whole day.

[mhumm2]

Re: OpenOffice crashes X Server

2010-08-04 08:17:01  745  CRON[13521]  (root) CMD (  cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.hourly)
2010-08-04 09:17:01  745  CRON[13525]  (root) CMD (  cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.hourly)
2010-08-04 10:17:01  745  CRON[13703]  (root) CMD (  cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.hourly)
2010-08-04 11:17:01  745  CRON[13788]  (root) CMD (  cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.hourly)
2010-08-04 11:26:14  745  kdm[743]  X server for display :0 terminated unexpectedly
2010-08-04 11:26:14  745  acpid  client 11619[0:0] has disconnected
2010-08-04 11:26:14  745  acpid  client connected from 13812[0:0]
2010-08-04 11:26:14  745  acpid  1 client rule loaded

These are almost exactly the same lines I had before an X server restart. Do the CRON lines look good to you guys? What exactly is CRON doing and what is (root) CMD for?

[skunk]

Re: OpenOffice crashes X Server

Do the CRON lines look good to you guys? What exactly is CRON doing and what is (root) CMD for?

Every hour cron wakes up and executes all the commands in /etc/cron.hourly as root. Its perfectly normal.

[Don]

Re: OpenOffice crashes X Server

Al, preliminary indications are that it was something in the OOo settings (though I don't know what). I created a new user profile, and so far the phenomenon has not recurred, so it may well be that my initial user profile for OOo was corrupted. I still need to work on it longer to be more certain, but at this point it looks good. I'll change the label to add "Tentatively Solved."

[Don]

Re: [SOLVED] OpenOffice crashes X Server

Having now worked for seven consecutive hours on the same project in which I experienced the difficulty, it seems safe to conclude that the problem was caused by a corrupted user file in OpenOffice Writer. I only hope that Murphy's Law is not listening.
My fervent thanks to all who took time to offer advice and solutions. Without you it would only have taken me ten to twelve years to figure it out. Apart from the technology advantages of Linux, the way the Linux community works is a powerful reason to use this OS.

[Snowhog]

Re: [SOLVED] OpenOffice crashes X Server

Apart from the technology advantages of Linux, the way the Linux community works is a powerful reason to use this OS.