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    #1

    [SOLVED] Problem with HAL...

    Hello,
    I have a problem with my Hardy. This was a fresh install, not an upgrade from 7.10.
    Sometimes the "Storage Media" folder correctly shows the mounted and unmounted devices, and I can double click to open/mount them.
    Sometimes instead, the "Storage Media" folder only shows some of the devices, and with "generic" names (like "Hard Disk", "DVD", or so instead of the label names). And if I double-click on any of the unmounted devices, I get the "Feature only available with HAL" error.
    Mounting from the CLI works.
    A reboot usually fixes the problem, but rebooting like this in Linux is ridiculous.
    The hald daemon is running.

    This doesn't happen always, but more or less 50% of the times; but once it happens, a reboot is needed to fix it.

    Any idea? I've seen other threads in the forum with the same problem, but all those users had upgraded their Gutsy to Hardy, and as a solution they suggested to reinstall a clean Hardy. Being that this is already a clean hardy, I don't want to just reinstall - I had too many "reinstall to fix the problem" issues in my Windows years...

    Thanks
    Cristian
    Tags: None
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    #2
    Re: Problem with HAL...

    In a session when you observe the problem, have you ever tried
    Code:
    sudo mount -a
    in the console?

    Are the devices that fail to show up USB devices only, or are internal drive partitions also not being mounted automatically?
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      #3
      Re: Problem with HAL...

      The "mount -a" command seems to work, but only mounts partitions that are in /etc/fstab, and excluding optical drives.
      If I insert a CD/DVD, I get no popup window asking me what I want to do.
      The same if I insert a USB memory card or pen drive.

      So, the problem is not only with USB, but also with optical devices, and any HD partitions that are not automatically mounted by /etc/fstab.
      If I insert a DVD, then go to the "Storage Media" window, and double-click on the DVD icon, I get the usual "Feature only available with HAL" error...
      If I mount the cd from the shell instead, it works. That is actually the only way to mount things when I'm in one of the "bad sessions"...

      Cristian
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        #4
        Re: Problem with HAL...

        Update (or rather, correction):
        a reboot is *not* required to fix the problem. Restarting X (ctrl+alt+backspace) seems to be enough. This should mean that it's not a problem with the kernel or something "low-level", but probably some kde module... right?
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          #5
          Re: Problem with HAL...

          I'm presently on a very simple Kubuntu 8.04 system -- one PATA drive with several partitions, and one optical drive. I opened Ksysguard to look at the process table. Here is what are running relative to HAL:

          hald
          hald-addon-acpi
          hald-addon-stor ( x5 - one process for each device -- the comment says "polling /dev/scd0 (every two seconds))
          hald-runner

          So, you should check and see if any of these are NOT running on your system - that might help narrow the problem.
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            #6
            Re: Problem with HAL...

            OK... I have a "bad session" right now.
            I have all those processes running (except that mine is "hald-addon-storage" instead of "hal-addon-stor") and I also have hald-addon-input.

            Right now, in my "Storage media" window, I have:

            DVD (scd0) Unmounted DVD
            DVD (scd1) Unmounted DVD
            Floppy (fd0) Unmounted Floppy
            Hard Disk (LABEL=Xplane) Unmounted Hard Disk
            Hard Disk (UUID=xxxxx) Unmounted Hard Disk
            Hard Disk (UUID=yyyyy) Unmounted Hard Disk
            Hard Disk (sda5) Mounted Hard Disk

            There's no mention here of my external USB HD (which in a good session appears as unmounted, and I can mount by double-click) and of my SD-card (as abova) and of several other partitions.

            If I doubleclick on the mounted hard disk, it is opened; if I click on any of the other, I get the error message.

            Cristian
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              #7
              Re: Problem with HAL...

              I had the exact same problem. Looking at /etc/rc2.d you will see S13kdm and S24hal, which means that kdm starts before hal. I think that is the root of the problem. Try this and let me know if it works for you

              cd /etc/rc2.d
              sudo mv S13kdm S99kdm
              ls -l S99kdm <--- Just to make sure that S99kdm still points to ../init.d/kdm

              This causes kdm to start last. It may add an extra 3 seconds to your boot time, but for me, it fixed the HAL issue.
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                #8
                Re: Problem with HAL...

                I tried the trick you gave me... At next reboot I'll check and report back.
                What annoys me is that it's not a consistent problem. Sometimes it's bad, sometimes it's OK. And I wonder what's different between the two cases...

                Cristian
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                  #9
                  Re: Problem with HAL...

                  Originally posted by Quaxo76

                  (except that mine is "hald-addon-storage" instead of "hal-addon-stor") and I also have hald-addon-input.
                  Meh, my bad -- that is correct, sorry. It's a daemon so it is hald :P

                  Fixed.
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                    #10
                    Re: Problem with HAL...

                    Worked for me too.
                    10x Corn Flake.

                    IMPORTANT:
                    My startup time was more than 10 seconds longer, so be patient.
                    I was about to restart it from the power button.
                    KDE will start eventually.

                    I switched from OpenSuSE 10.3, and I am very pleased.
                    Kubuntu Hardy rocks!
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                      #11
                      Re: Problem with HAL...

                      cd /etc/rc2.d
                      sudo mv S13kdm S99kdm
                      ls -l S99kdm <--- Just to make sure that S99kdm still points to ../init.d/kdm

                      Worked for me. Thank you.

                      Originally posted by Corn Flake
                      I had the exact same problem. Looking at /etc/rc2.d you will see S13kdm and S24hal, which means that kdm starts before hal. I think that is the root of the problem. Try this and let me know if it works for you

                      cd /etc/rc2.d
                      sudo mv S13kdm S99kdm
                      ls -l S99kdm <--- Just to make sure that S99kdm still points to ../init.d/kdm

                      This causes kdm to start last. It may add an extra 3 seconds to your boot time, but for me, it fixed the HAL issue.
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                        #12
                        Re: Problem with HAL...

                        Well... I've been checking at every reboot (I reboot only every 2-3 days) and since applying the "fix" I haven't had a single "bad session" anymore... so I suppose it worked for me too!
                        Thanks,
                        Cristian
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                          #13
                          Re: Problem with HAL...

                          Great stuff you lot

                          Quaxo76, could you do everyone a favour and edit the subject of your first post to include SOLVED so that others can benefit from this fix, too.

                          Many thanks.
                          Once your problem is solved please mark the topic of the first post as SOLVED so others know and can benefit from your experience! / FAQ
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