Announcement

**lmilano** · Dec 09, 2008, 09:39 PM

Re: Laptop crashing -- help!?

Maybe you have hardware problems?

Ideas:

* unplug and remove the battery, leave it like this a few minutes, sometimes it;s some electric oddity
* check the BIOS setup, if you see anything funny-- see if you can monitor the temperature
* boot into the memory-check option, and let it run, see if the memory went bad
* boot from a live cd, let it run, see if it freezes, maybe the disk could be bad?
* try the latest Kubuntu if possible

**HavocXphere** · Dec 10, 2008, 03:40 AM

Re: Laptop crashing -- help!?

Yeah lmilano is probably right: hardware.

It could also be a heat issue. Let the memory test run for a long time (6hours)...sometimes it takes hours before an error shows up (even though it went through all of the RAM 5x already).

I don't think its the harddrive...cause the liveCD doesn't touch the harddrive.

It's unlikely to be a kubuntu/software issue since the LiveCD works fine.

AMD athlons are know to run a bit on the hot side. Its also possible that you got so dust/gunk into the fan and/or heatsink. If the BIOS provides temperature measurements, then post them here. (AFTER the laptop has run for 1h+, not after a cold boot).

In short, I'd say either heat or RAM. Both of which are very fixable, but might cost a bit.

**musta ruhtinas** · Dec 10, 2008, 04:00 AM

Re: Laptop crashing -- help!?

Originally posted by HavocXphere

In short, I'd say either heat or RAM. Both of which are very fixable, but might cost a bit.

+1
I'd go for the memory test. Since you have continuous hdd activity it may well be due to writing into swap.

**KnitChick** · Dec 10, 2008, 01:59 PM

Re: Laptop crashing -- help!?

Originally posted by lmilano

Maybe you have hardware problems?

Ideas:

* unplug and remove the battery, leave it like this a few minutes, sometimes it;s some electric oddity
* check the BIOS setup, if you see anything funny-- see if you can monitor the temperature
* boot into the memory-check option, and let it run, see if the memory went bad
* boot from a live cd, let it run, see if it freezes, maybe the disk could be bad?
* try the latest Kubuntu if possible

I did try the memory check, it went through one full pass, but maybe I'll try running it longer. I did request a new live CD, with the latest version of Kubuntu, because I can never get my desktop to burn those correctly. I looked in the BIOS and nothing seemed wrong, at least to me. But I could easily miss something.

Originally posted by HavocXphere

Yeah lmilano is probably right: hardware.

It could also be a heat issue. Let the memory test run for a long time (6hours)...sometimes it takes hours before an error shows up (even though it went through all of the RAM 5x already).

I don't think its the harddrive...cause the liveCD doesn't touch the harddrive.

It's unlikely to be a kubuntu/software issue since the LiveCD works fine.

AMD athlons are know to run a bit on the hot side. Its also possible that you got so dust/gunk into the fan and/or heatsink. If the BIOS provides temperature measurements, then post them here. (AFTER the laptop has run for 1h+, not after a cold boot).

In short, I'd say either heat or RAM. Both of which are very fixable, but might cost a bit.

I was thinking I might have to pull things apart and play dust bunny homicide again, but I did just do that not too long ago (maybe a month ago) when I was having issues that my friend finally figured out was a faulty battery, so I really doubt there could be any dust bunnies by the processor so soon (I really thoroughly cleared every bit of dust from that fan).

I'll try running the memory test a bit longer tonight, and I'll see if the BIOS gives temperatures but I doubt it. I don't recall ever seeing that in there.

Just out of curiosity, what would be involved in fixing it if it's the heat issue? I don't have a lot of money right now (hence why I'm so desperate to keep this bugger running) but if I can get it running cooler that would be a very good thing! It's always run very hot.

Thanks for the suggestions, I'm gonna try those when I get home tonight!!!

**HavocXphere** · Dec 11, 2008, 03:06 AM

Re: Laptop crashing -- help!?

Originally posted by KnitChick

Just out of curiosity, what would be involved in fixing it if it's the heat issue?

Kind depends on what exactly is overheating. Either way, chances are that you won't be able to DIY it yourself...its easy to make mistakes with laptops & heating because the margin for error is so much smaller than on a desktop.

**The Liquidator** · Dec 11, 2008, 05:10 AM

Re: Laptop crashing -- help!?

You could install gkrellm which would enable you to monitor the temperature.

Also, you might try booting with no acpi as a few years ago I had many fun and games with that - it didn't get on too well with the laptop I had at the time (duron processor) and it would cause very similar problems to those you are having - freezes and overheating. That might be worth a try.

Ian

**lmilano** · Dec 11, 2008, 07:11 AM

Re: Laptop crashing -- help!?

That's right, you could run a hardware monitor, gkrellm, or ksensors (my favorite, KDE flavored).

Laptops are tricky. The simplest cause of over-heating could be if it uses a fan and it is either dead or disconnected (like if you unplugged it by accident when you pulled it apart for the battery replacement, I assume it was an internal battery??). Laptop fans don't constantly run, they should turn themselves on/off as needed. Another cause of heating could be the CPU cooler gone bad, etc. If the BIOS allows you, underclocking could help.

The memory check is best left running overnight.

Hope we fix this bugger!

**RevNomad** · Jan 26, 2009, 09:56 PM

Re: Laptop crashing -- help!?

I have much the same problem. It began today after installing Intrepid. Now I installed Intrepid because I screwed up my previous install. Surprisingly Intrepid worked very well until the system began dropping to the command line which mentions something about battery monitor then restarts KDM which brings me to the login screen.

I tried looking for the Dell laptop utilities but they are not in Intrepid's repository. 'Course they may not help.

Suggestions?
NTP

**The Liquidator** · Jan 27, 2009, 03:43 AM

Re: Laptop crashing -- help!?

The package is called i8kutils, not exactly obvious. It's in the repository. Just installed on my dell 630m but can't see exactly what it does. However, it is a kernel module so presumably I need a reboot.

Battery monitor is, however, different I think. the common packages are kpowersave (which I use) or guidance-power-manager which is the default. I find the former much better.

I'm not sure from your post as to whether you are able to actually login via kdm or whether trying to do so takes you to the command line. Can you please expand?

**Detonate** · Jan 27, 2009, 07:31 AM

Re: Laptop crashing -- help!?

Just for reference, when the fan went out on my HP laptop, the symptom for overheating is the computer will suddenly shutdown. No lock up or anything like that, it just shuts down, turns itself off. I think the fan was about $40 including shipping from HP. It was a good customer servie experience.

**RevNomad** · Jan 27, 2009, 07:59 AM

Re: Laptop crashing -- help!?

Originally posted by The Liquidator

The package is called i8kutils, not exactly obvious. It's in the repository. Just installed on my dell 630m but can't see exactly what it does. However, it is a kernel module so presumably I need a reboot.

Battery monitor is, however, different I think. the common packages are kpowersave (which I use) or guidance-power-manager which is the default. I find the former much better.

I'm not sure from your post as to whether you are able to actually login via kdm or whether trying to do so takes you to the command line. Can you please expand?

Certainly, sorry for the confusion, I'm typing fast since I never know when the thing is going to crash. I now doubt it is a temperature issue. KDE drops completely to the command line. The system says it is checking battery state, then that it is resetting power management [?] (going from memory there) then restarts KDE leaving me at the login screen.

NTP

BTW i8kutils is not showing in the Intrepid repositories. Which repositories are you using?

**The Liquidator** · Jan 27, 2009, 08:29 AM

Re: Laptop crashing -- help!?

universe/utils, but I'm not sure that this is your problem. I cannot make any recommendation that you install i8kutils as I am unable to actually detect it doing anything for me.

I wonder whether there is a problem with the power management from within kde. For example it should be consistently monitoring battery state, to enable it to respond to events like battery power levels, inactive periods etc. Is it forcing a logout?

What I can tell you is that on my laptop the combination of kpowersave and powerdevil works superbly. If you are using guidance-power manager you might try uninstalling it and changing to that combination. It might not work, but I can't see it doing any harm either.

**RevNomad** · Jan 27, 2009, 10:56 AM

Re: Laptop crashing -- help!?

Hmmm, I enabled the universe and multiverse repositories but still did not find it.

I'll try your suggestion. I have exited from Guidance but the crashes continue. I had considered removing it entirely, so will try that.

Could this be a KDE4 problem?
NTP

Although it is too early for celebration the situation "might" be resolved. About 150 updates came through today. The system crashed twice during the update process but has not crashed since.
NTP

**RevNomad** · Jan 28, 2009, 01:19 PM

Re: Laptop crashing -- help!?

The last round of updates have, apparently, resolved this issue. Some other issues have developed, or perhaps were masked by this one.

KDE frequently reports the monitor has having changed. The screen also flickers from time to time.

Thanks for your help.

NTP

Announcement

Laptop crashing -- help!?

Laptop crashing -- help!?

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment