odd kde crash --> screensaver

[Guest]

Okay, Dell laptop, Radeon mobility 1400 video, kde 3.5.9. Using fglrx driver. All was working just fine. Then, I upgraded the RAM on the laptop from 2GB to 4GB. Did memory tests before firing up Kubuntu, everything passed. Boot, and all seems well UNTIL X starts. Then the computer slowed down to a c-r-a-w-l. I would suggest that it was running at about 0.01 of it's normal speed. On an inspired hunch, I switched the driver in xorg.conf to vesa, and, although I couldn't get the acceleration and resolution I wanted, the computer was back to its old self, speed-wise. So, I tried installing the latest fglrx from ati.amd com. Now I have the acceleration and resolution, but some really odd crashes. When I either run google earth, OR allow the screen saver to start (I'm using the Euphoria screensaver), kde shuts down and I'm back to the login screen. Now I could live without google earth, and I'd switch screen savers to a non-GL one (which I assume would at least bandaid the problem), but I can't change the screensaver! Because as soon as I get to the screensaver screen, a preview of Euphoria comes up, and, apparently, crashes kde, and I'm right back to the login screen.

So... can someone tell me which file I can adjust to "manually" change or remove the screensaver? And beyond that, any ideas where I should look to see what's actually going on?

Nick.

[Snowhog]

Re: odd kde crash --> screensaver

Is your machine a 32- or 64-bit CPU? There is a limit on the amount of installed RAM Linux can see and utilize on a 32-bit platform, even though the BIOS can see all of it. Even in the 64-bit CPU's, if you aren't using the Server Kernel, you will have RAM limits.

This is an older post on the LinuxQuestions.org, but it explains the issue:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...howing-300277/

[Guest]

Re: odd kde crash --> screensaver

Well, Linux is seeing most of the 4GB, if I understand this output correctly. But are you suggesting that some software is trying to access memory that Linux can't? Interesting... maybe go back to 2GB... In any case, this is a 32 bit processor, as far as I know. Lessee... Intel Colre 2 CPU T7400.

njc@excelsior:~$ free
       total    used    free   shared  buffers   cached
Mem:    3375260   473000  2902260     0   17120   287216
-/+ buffers/cache:   168664  3206596
Swap:   8000328     0  8000328
njc@excelsior:~$