Notable MINT 13 issues NOT in Mint 12

[amerkflack]

Hi all, first time poster.

I am here to post a few problems I am experiecing after blowing away my Mint12 install and installed Mint13.

Everything went well during install. Listed below are a few things I noticed and I was wondering if there are planned fixes for these issues/is anyone else experiencing this. These are issues that did NOT appear/happen in Mint12.

1) When I boot my Sony Vaio VGN-NW270F, after BIOS splash screen, I wait at a black screen for roughly 10-15 seconds (M12, 5-10 seconds) followed by a GREEN background screen w/ a message saying that " /dev/sda1/....something or other is "not currently ready...please wait " After about 15-20 seconds, it brings me to the newer login screen. I then log in fine (albeit slower than 12, perhaps because I added encryption to /home/ ?)

2) I notice, now, when I access my movie files, or when I am navigating throughout the OS, in my terminal I see process "totem-video-thu" always on TOP at 99% CPU utilization. Sometimes 110-130%. This causes my laptop to CRANK and go "weeeeeeeee" and start to get enormously hot.It eventually goes away, but it the mean time it slows the heck out of my PC and my productivity is halted greatly.

3) Also, whenever I access the file system or /home/ I see the 'flush-encryptfs' process pop up and crank at 100% holding steady. This is not just me seeing it pop up and go away, it stays open cranking the CPU.

During Install, I did set it to enrypt home folder. I am now annoyed I did, as this is becoming an issue as I play movies that reside in home folder.

Also, copying documents from external drive to /home/ cranks CPU. I understand, I know, it's encrypting the documents/videos when its being placed and decrypting. But, I don't have THAT old hardware that would cause the CPU to hold steady for 2-4 minutes.

Lastly 4) I noticed that when I open up more than 3 programs, the task bar fills up and then actually COVERS the "menu" button not allowing to be clicked on. So, imagine the MENU on the far left. Open up one, or two apps (say, Firefox and terminal) no problem, I can still click MENU. Open a few more, and then icon/logos of the apps in the task bar start to go OVER/COVER menu and its not longer 100% visible. Trying to click on it, only re-opens the app COVERING it. If you close it, and MENU is visible again, it's ok.

Anyone having these issues? The most annoying and pressing issues I'd like resolved is the "totem-video-thu" process that is ALWAYS open and ALWAYS cranks my CPU and the MENU issue not being clickable once 2-3 apps open up in task bar.

I have screen shots if anyone needs. Also, here is a PASTEBIN of my complete system. So, you can see what specs I have on my system.

http://pastebin.com/GcruPk6k

Any ideas?

I will just wipe this and go back to 12 if this is not resolved. A quick google shows I am not the only one who has had some form a of problem w/ this process eating away mem and CPU?

Thanks!

Jeff-

[sagirfahmid3]

Better yet, go with Debian Squeeze if Mint 13 is such a pain in the @$$. I ditched all the Ubuntus and Mints for Debian and I'm LOVING it. Not only does it still use the epic Gnome 2.xx, it also is much more efficient and responsive than the *buntus at utilizing resources.

The ONLY issue I had with Debian was installing my Nvidia graphics drivers (since Debian doesn't have Jockey like Mints and Ubuntus do). You must install graphics drivers manually, but it's easy enough (especially the second time around). You can post up a topic and pretty much get it solved within 15 mins.

FYI, all the Ubuntus and Mints are based off of Debian, so everything in Debian is pretty much the same: same old Synaptic, same old apt-get...It's nice.
Here's Debian's site: http://www.debian.org/CD/http-ftp/#stable
The idle RAM usage in Debian Gnome is around 120-140MB (compared to around 200MB in Ubuntus and Mints).
And this is the distro I use, Crunchbang (65MB idle RAM usage--also based off Debian): http://crunchbanglinux.org/

[lunatico]

I haven't noticed the issues you mention but I have noticed a few other issues that I didn't have on 12. I'm a bit disappointed with 13 to be honest.

Some of the issues I've had:
1. The infamous freeze, the GUI will freeze and only the mouse pointer will work. It looks like it's Cinnamon that hangs but not sure yet. Only a Ctrl+Alt+Backspace would get you back to login screen.
2. See once, my panel started acting funny, went into add/remove applets and the applets I had installed weren't there, logged out and back in and the panel was on it's original state, without all the customization I have done. Did a reboot and panel was back to how it should be.
3. Printing problems with a Canon PIXMA iP6000D that was working just fine on 12 and now it prints funny, unreadable.

It seems to me like it was a bit early to release Mint 13.

[zerozero]

Better yet, go with Debian Squeeze [...]

although i can understand the urge to spread the debian word, isn't not nice to offer as a support answer in the mint forum this reply.

[amerkflack]

Thanks everyone so far for the responses.

Lunatico: I have absolutely had the GUI freeze! Happens all the time. I am not sure how I forgot that! I thought it was the plugin-containe plugin? I watch the Decorah Eagles LIVE and it uses flash. Its a live cam thing that at any time, 22K will be watching it. I'll walk away and BOOM, it locks up. CTL ALT F2 gets me to a black screen momentarily, but then a littany of :

i/o error reading /sda/ sector 2343566
i/o error reading /sda/ sector 2343566
i/o error reading /sda/ sector 2343566
i/o error reading /sda/ sector 2343566 ......

I have run diags. Nothing wrong w/ disk. I have run exhaustive tests to be sure. No bad sectors. I suspected (I dont know) it had something to do w/ the Encryption? Seems as tho as I stated, it takes up an enormous amount of CPU just to run the OS in general moving through APP and small doc files. Seems like a lot of pain on the SYS for some easy apps, no?

Update: I tried NOT using Cinnamon and same issues all around. PLugin-Containe ALWAYS cranks my CPU to at at LEAST60 -71% holding steady when watching YOUTUBE, Decorah Eagles (not all at same time, just one at a time) etc... and THIS is a huge problem. It cranks my fan on my laptop, heats it up ... makes a WEEEE sound (I need to prolly do some maint. on the fan) but... the flash portion w/ Mint 12-13 seems really bad.