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    Beware processing huge image files! blow your kdm

    I was thinking about saying beware the Bandersnatch!
    But I didn't! lol

    I'll keep this simple:

    If one is trying to process a huge file, such as an image, determine AHEAD of time, the size of the resultant file...

    AND THE intermediate processing...

    And compare that to your available virtual memory(on the hard drive) and actual memory.

    Or, you may lock up the computer and lose the kdm display manager.

    Case in point:

    I had to provide a scanned image, and thought that the more detail, pixels, the better.

    So I scanned at the highest resolution, using GIMP and xsane and an HP Officejet 6600.

    It did that.

    But then it had to create the image, a jpeg, from the scanned information.

    Basically a "transitioning" situation in which the original image was there and the new image was being processed so.... a dynamic two images for one.

    I got three warnings by the system that it was getting really low on memory.

    The last one said...oops.... you have zero memory available.

    The computer just stopped.

    So, I manually shut down ....and upon reboot the kdm didn't do anything.

    I got the image that is on the desktop and that was it.

    Several reboots, and still nothing.

    Knoppix to the rescue! I hooked up the external, storage, hard drive and used Knoppix to move the few new and unsaved, externally, files from the Kubuntu installation to the external hard drive.

    I also DELETED a gigabyte of stuff, images, to free up space.

    I then shut down, and the system automatically came up in repair mode, I had it check for unused files, and "clean up".

    Upon then going to "normal boot"... the system appeared, however, the display was the "generic Ubuntu driver"

    BUT the important thing was that it was working!

    The video driver icon was in the lower panel, I used it to choose the appropriate driver, after it did it's thing, I restarted and all is back to normal.

    BEWARE the size of a huge file that you are processing, it will actually be a dynamic changing of the original file to the new file and if you get warnings....

    stop.

    and figure out another way or reduce the size of the output file.

    just a thought.

    And...to the Kubuntu devs.........Kubuntu is a remarkably robust OS...it just was never really designed to handle this persons level of incompetence!

    woodsmoke
    Last edited by woodsmoke; Jun 12, 2014, 08:15 PM.

    #2
    What is the size of the HD and the swap file?

    Was the jpg fragment the one that equaled 1GB?
    "A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.”
    – John F. Kennedy, February 26, 1962.

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      #3
      I've had near that issue before on scanning at large resolutions. I've never found one that would function differently from that but that seems to be the only way those tools work when scanning. I actually switch to my XP install on most scans .

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        #4
        I'm curious also. What are your system specs (ram installed, partitions size including swap...etc.)?


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          #5
          You guys know the old woodsmoker, I always run what usta be a boss machine, and now it is old hat.

          2 gb ram, AMD 64 about a gig of loose space on a 40 gig hd. A "guided" install. whatever is stock for a Kubu install.

          Total free swap 1023 Mib
          Free swap available 639 Mib

          It was all my fault, I just didn't pay attention.

          This is just a warning to "help the new folks" who may not be particularly aware of the possibility of a problem.

          The real problem.......is that GIMP and xsane are so GOOD! lol one just gets used to it doing the thing!

          lol again, totally my problem.

          woodsmoke
          Last edited by woodsmoke; Jun 15, 2014, 05:18 PM.

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            #6
            ! GB left out of 40GB of disk space!!!

            That HD is 95% full! When that occurs an EXT4 system will have a lot of fragmentation, and performance will drop. Also, there are two write algorithms in EXT4, one which overwrites the file and one which creates a newfile and after the newfile is made the old file is deleted, and newfile is renamed to file. The former can result in loss of the file being written if it is interrupted or something times out. If the file is new but is interrupted before the write is complete the file will be lost. Time to get a bigger HD!
            "A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.”
            – John F. Kennedy, February 26, 1962.

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              #7
              Possible guess: the /var/tmp has become so large that it's filled your drive. Log out of KDE, switch to a TTY, and delete everything there:
              Code:
              sudo rm -rfv /var/tmp/*
              Now log back in. The first login might take longer than usual.

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                #8
                GG....ummmm yeah! lol..... as I said ...all my fault...fortunately it was 99.91 percent backed up, I just hadn't cleared stuff out! ....and I'm just an old style Linux type...I KNOW....I can't code it... but, smaller is better and ....I got a bunch of drives off the beltways when an 80 gig was considered a monster....and prolly won't be "upgrading" them very soon.......however............. I have been considering getting an Intel "I" series and using an SSD drive and onboard video....and an external hd of course for backup...don't know...but this mobo will be going south at least at SOME time down the road...it's what....six years now..?

                SR....

                GREAT bit of information for us non-coder types that don't do all that CLI stuff! lol...

                You should make that simple line with a very descriptive title a sticky!

                woodthanksfortherepliessmoke

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