[SOLVED]LMDE Freezing!

[limotux]

That's really embarrassing!

For the first time in more than 10 years with linux, my LMDE freezes randomly.

My install was working fine but about 3 days ago it started freezing frequently and nothing works other than switching it off through power button!

My current repos:

Code: Select all

## deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ debian main upstream import
## deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian wheezy main contrib non-free
## deb http://security.debian.org/ wheezy/updates main contrib non-free
## deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org/ wheezy main non-free

deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ debian main upstream import
deb http://debian.linuxmint.com/latest testing main contrib non-free
deb http://debian.linuxmint.com/latest/security testing/updates main contrib non-free
deb http://debian.linuxmint.com/latest/multimedia testing main non-free

# Added to install xvidcap
deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org stable main non-free

# Google software repository
deb http://dl.google.com/linux/deb/ stable non-free main

Though I have tried some other repos earlier.

I have searched the web and the forum and I believe it is not only me.
What's going wrong? What can I do to get my LMDE as stable as before?

[Oscar799]

Moved here by moderator

[limotux]

That's really embarrassing!

For the first time in more than 10 years with linux, my LMDE freezes randomly.

My install was working fine but about 3 days ago it started freezing frequently and nothing works other than switching it off through power button!

My current repos:

Code: Select all

## deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ debian main upstream import
## deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian wheezy main contrib non-free
## deb http://security.debian.org/ wheezy/updates main contrib non-free
## deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org/ wheezy main non-free

deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ debian main upstream import
deb http://debian.linuxmint.com/latest testing main contrib non-free
deb http://debian.linuxmint.com/latest/security testing/updates main contrib non-free
deb http://debian.linuxmint.com/latest/multimedia testing main non-free

# Added to install xvidcap
deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org stable main non-free

# Google software repository
deb http://dl.google.com/linux/deb/ stable non-free main

Though I have tried some other repos earlier.

I have searched the web and the forum and I believe it is not only me.
What's going wrong? What can I do to get my LMDE as stable as before?

Bump!

[crborga]

I believe the debian multimedia repo conflicts with the Mint multimedia repo. I suggest using that repository as a source by adding deb-src instead of deb and reinstall all the dependencies of Xvidcap. If your still having issues try backporting your package using the debian multimedia repo as a source using the commands below.

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get build-dep xvidcap
apt-get -b source xvidcap
sudo dpkg -i *.deb

Might be easier to just re-install and copy your home folder somewhere like a external drive so you can restore your settings

[limotux]

Thanks crborga, this seems logical as the multimedia repo is from stable while other repos (including multimedia) are from testing

So, my source.list now is as follows:

Code: Select all

## deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ debian main upstream import
## deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian wheezy main contrib non-free
## deb http://security.debian.org/ wheezy/updates main contrib non-free
## deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org/ wheezy main non-free

deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ debian main upstream import
deb http://debian.linuxmint.com/latest testing main contrib non-free
deb http://debian.linuxmint.com/latest/security testing/updates main contrib non-free
deb http://debian.linuxmint.com/latest/multimedia testing main non-free


# Google software repository
deb http://dl.google.com/linux/deb/ stable non-free main

Currently running synaptec and updating. Is that enough? Would I need toissue any commands to fix any broken packages?
edit: no updates found! will check the commands in your post.

[limotux]

hmmm... I don't have xvidcap installed.
Do I really need to install it? I'm using synaptec.

[zerozero]

[...]
My install was working fine but about 3 days ago it started freezing frequently [...]

first thing we have to do is recap *exactly* what happened in this period;
the system doesn't go kabum out of the blue, every little thing you did counts:
- software you installed/uninstalled
- tweaks you made;
- updates (what? any removals? addictions?)

[limotux]

Thanks zerozero, you always come to rescue.
Well... all what happened was just playing arround with sources.list, changed repos...updated... etc.
After crashes started I installed chromium browser, as I thought it might be the firefox somehow... I noticed that mostly the problem comes when the screen locks after being idle for some time... but still it freezes completely even while I'm working. Maybe virtualbox that I updated few days ago and running it most of the time.

I'm afraid changing repos back and forth caused this problem as I used squeeze, wheezy... testing... I have tried what was discussed here http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=197&t=79533

I know I'm a naughty boy!
I'm sorry!

But what can be done to correct this

edit: attached is my dpkg.log which I believe reflects all the history (sorry, can't upload. extension not allowed.

[limotux]

removed the latest virtualbox-4.1_4.1.16-78094~Debian~squeeze_i386.deb
and re-installed the previous virtualbox-4.1_4.1.14-77440~Debian~squeeze_i386.deb

Will see what happens and let you know.

[zerozero]

I know I'm a naughty boy!
I'm sorry!

no worry, it's all part of the learning curve

But what can be done to correct this

edit: attached is my dpkg.log which I believe reflects all the history (sorry, can't upload. extension not allowed.

you can try http://pastebin.com/
we might look at that history.log but one thing i know already for sure: those back and forth with the repos caused some kind of mismatch

[xircon]

Hmmmm - where you running Chromium when this problem occurred? I reported this problem a while back - all chromium based browsers (Chrome, Chromium and Iron) were sending my machine into the same state as yours - totally unresponsive and high disk usage.

I am running the 21.0.1145.0 dev version of google-chrome, this is running fine at the moment (fingers crossed!).

May I suggest you make a keyboard short cut to xkill (I use alt-3).

Cheers

Steve

[limotux]

Hi,

Thanks guys for your contributions.
Would you please allow me 24 hours from now and I'll get back to you with a surprise! Just want to be sure.

I'm trying to repeat the crash again with no success.!

What I think is that the mouse was dying for several days and causing this trouble till it finally died completely. Now working with a new mouse and no problem!
Strange?!

edit: just crashed while was trying to install linux mint 13 on virtual box! it happened several times before.
edit 2: for the past 24 hours I only had one crash using google chrome watching some videos online, haven't used virtualbox since yesterdays crash.. (is it flash/chromium/ virtualbox or LinuxMint 13 virtualmachine?... something else?)... will keep trying to figure out.

[limotux]

edit 2: for the past 24 hours I only had one crash using google chrome watching some videos online, haven't used virtualbox since yesterdays crash.. (is it flash/chromium/ virtualbox or LinuxMint 13 virtualmachine?... something else?)... will keep trying to figure out.

[xircon]

Just a thought - have you enabled pae/nx in virtualbox?

[limotux]

Just a thought - have you enabled pae/nx in virtualbox?

mmm... I'm not sure. I'll keep trying today and see how things go. So, I guess you are suspicious about virtualbox settings... I'll see tomorrow, just want not to use it today to be sure.

[limotux]

zerozero, sorry for the delay in replying to your post. I was just trying to figure out something by myself.
Well, regarding your post:

we might look at that history.log but one thing i know already for sure: those back and forth with the repos caused some kind of mismatch

If you may allow me to discuss this assumption with you, my humble understanding, I never used sid, incoming, unstable, or backports repos
Just the repos shown above, squeeze, wheezy... I mean I never used any unstable repos, very unstable or risky repos I mean.
So I assume (and may be wrong) no matter what repos I used, that shouldn't break the system this way as whatever happens will only install latest version from the relatively stable repos.
It might be all in virtualbox or the specific virtual machine inside. Am I right?

[limotux]

Well.,. Thanks guys for your support.
Thanks zerozero for your kind attempt to help.
Actually I prefered to save you the trouble of trying to help fix the mess I caused, so I made a fresh install to LMDE 201204.

It wasnt a problem because I use an external usb hard disk to keep my data, and always in sync using conduit synchronizer.

But, this might lead me to ask couple questions:
1- is there an easy way to use the live cd/dvd to make it detect and fix the already installed system?
2- why cant we have other options to use repos in a more convenient and safer way, like checkboxes in synaptec to chose the group of repos that can be used... Something that makes it easier for noobs or the non experienced
3- just my personal taste, I prefer a trully rolling release to update packs

I beieve no 1 above is so important, I remember I saw it in some distro but cant remember it now.