Computer keeps freezing at random times with three different distros

[ScottyK]

OK, this one has me stumped, and because it's across three different distros, I'm posting it here.

I'm building a Linux box for the kids with leftover components.
Motherboard - MSI RS482M2-IL
RAM - 1.5GB (2x 256MB, 2x 512 MB)
Video - GeForce 7200GS 256MB DDR2 64-Bit
Hard Drive (2) IDE 75GB and IDE 200 GB

Because it's going to be a dual boot for their games, I loaded XP first. After reinstalling XP (because of the #@!$ malware that hit as soon as I started updating), I grabbed all the drivers it needed.

Next turned my attention to the Linux side. Grabbed Kubuntu 11.04 (32-bit) and loaded. Once it was up and running, grabbed all the updated packages. Reboot. Then installed the latest video driver for the card.

Reboot, then can't get into the OS. After typing in username/pass, I'll get 4 out of the 5 icons, then it would just hang. Every reboot of the computer (after doing the REISUB trick) resulted in the exact same thing. Tried to see if there were any updated video drivers via the command line, but none.

Son mentioned he wanted to try Mint, so figured why not. Wiped 11.04 and installed Mint 11. Updates and updated video drivers worked, and upon reboot computer was running.

Except after that would get random lockups. The screen would just freeze, and loose all connections. REISUB wouldn't work, so had to do a manual reboot. This would happen several times, most I could get was 20 minutes before a lockup.

Wondered if the video card was too old for the current kernel (just a hunch), so grabbed an older Kubuntu distro (10.10). Format, reinstall, update drivers, done.

Except I'm right back at the same problem, random lockups of the computer.

I thought it was a bad video card, but under Windows XP with the latest driver downloaded from Nvidia, it runs for days without a problem.

Suggestions? Did I happen to find the one video card incompatible with Kubuntu?

It still has 10.10 on there, so I can copy/paste anything if needed (providing the computer doesn't lockup)

[dibl]

Re: Computer keeps freezing at random times with three different distros

That random freezing, in multiple OS environments, is a classic sign of hardware issues. I would cast my first suspicion on the PSU. Do you have another one that you could swap in?

[ScottyK]

Re: Computer keeps freezing at random times with three different distros

I've got another one at work I could swap out Tuesday.

The one in this computer with the problem is a standard ANTEC 380W continuous power supply. It was in another computer that ran as a file server for months without a problem.

edit - The boy has been playing Warsow (1st person shooter) game for the past 2 hours without any problems. Stumped!

[woodsmoke]

Re: Computer keeps freezing at random times with three different distros

possibly physical problem with memory also
woodsmoke

[bubblecruntz]

Re: Computer keeps freezing at random times with three different distros

you mentioned 2 hdd's i assume one is running your xp and the other is for the linux (flavor) so it could also be a bad drive or jsut some bad sectors on it. but only a guess

[ScottyK]

Re: Computer keeps freezing at random times with three different distros

The memory sticks are old, and the hard drives are VERY old, so it's possible that they are starting to fail. Can replace all for under $100 easy from Newegg.

[ardvark71]

Re: Computer keeps freezing at random times with three different distros

I thought it was a bad video card, but under Windows XP with the latest driver downloaded from Nvidia, it runs for days without a problem.

Hi....

If it wasn't for this comment, I would be inclined to think it's a hardware issue as well. Because of it, I'm thinking it's a Linux issue. Could you give us the readout from:

lspci

Also, you might want to run memtest86 on the memory and Maxtor's hard drive utility before paying out money to swap out parts. For the hard drive utility, scroll down to the section that says, "Maxtor PowerMax v4.23" and just click to download the .iso file. I'm assuming you're using IDE drives.

Regards...

[ClusterFlux]

Re: Computer keeps freezing at random times with three different distros

The hard drive is the common piece of hardware amongst your Linux installs, so why not try running linux from the CD only, and see how long it runs. This would give you an indication of whether or not the hard drive is truly to blame. In my experience though, a bad drive doesn't cause a freeze like you describe, and if the drive was bad, I would think you would have problems getting the OS to install to it. It seems like you have done multiple installs without problems, so I would be surprised if it's the drive.

Although a bad power supply can cause lock ups you should have the same issues with Windows, and you said it runs for days under Windows (a feat in itself :P ).

You also mentioned it locks up after you update, and seems based on what you have said, it locks up after you update the video driver. You might try running it without updating the video driver, to see if you still have lock ups. You might also try to limit your updates to 1 thing at a time (new to Linux, assuming this is possible) and then run it for a while to see if it is related to a specific update.

[bubblecruntz]

Re: Computer keeps freezing at random times with three different distros

The only reason i say hard drive is because the windows xp run fine as he said. and since both OS's use all the hardware inside the box except the drives as they are on different ones. That's why it leads me to think the drive he is putting Linux on is possibly beginning to fail. If it was Ram wouldn't the ram effect both os's?

[buckeyered80]

Re: Computer keeps freezing at random times with three different distros

I agree with bubble, if Linux is on a separate hard drive, you may want to find a good hard drive scanner and test it. You can find a few free ones on-line to be downloaded and burned to a boot CD. In my experience as a PC tech, freezes are usually caused by memory or hard drive.

[ScottyK]

Re: Computer keeps freezing at random times with three different distros

Yesterday I posted that my boy had been playing for several hours without a problem, so this morning I went in to see what I did.

I noticed that I dropped from the latest version of the graphics driver (276) to something like 145. There was also a 96 version, but went with the 145.

Still OK so far. Maybe it was the latest video drivers that the distros were choking on?

[ardvark71]

Re: Computer keeps freezing at random times with three different distros

Maybe it was the latest video drivers that the distros were choking on?

Hi...

It's quite possible but I'm glad it's working well for you now.

Regards...