Plz help with (all) desktop(s) crashing.

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Mechphisto

Plz help with (all) desktop(s) crashing.

Post by Mechphisto »

I have Linux Mint 13 64bit (MATE) on a Dell Optiplex 755 with an NVIDIA NVS 300 (512MB).

Ever since I installed Mint 13 (clean), after I do any number of things, the desktop will crash and I get dropped back out to the desktop login. Usually when I open Chromium, and always when I try to open the settings on my VirtualBox. And sometimes just at other random times. (But always with Chromium and VirtualBox settings.)

(Odd thing: after many days of giving up, I booted and installed all the pending updates, and it starts working fine. In fact, I went into the VB settings and turned on the 3D acceleration in my VB guest install, and all is good, until I have to reboot. And suddenly, it's all back to the way it was--crashing the desktop all the time.
In fact, I try to open my Windows XP VB and I get the error:
"The VM was configured to use 3D acceleration. However, the 3D support of the host is not working properly...."
and now I can't open VB because of that.)

I looked at the Additional Drivers, and I have tried:
NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (version current) [Recommended] and (post-release updates) [version current-updates]
and neither one seem to make any difference. I've even tried the the "version-experimental-310" and no difference.

So, I installed the newest KDE desktop... same thing. And XFCE... same thing. So it's desktop independent, driver related (I think), hardware certainly.

What can I do to investigate what's causing it to keep crashing? Where can I go from here? What can I try?
Any help would be appreciated! Thanks.
Mechphisto
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Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
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DrHu

Re: Plz help with (all) desktop(s) crashing.

Post by DrHu »

What exactly is that a VB
  • Edit--
    OK, I see windows VB (visual basic) which version is being used
    --you would probably have to look around for any issues specifically for windows VB under your VM: assuming you find any relief checking out the hard drivers (nvidia accelerated 64bit version), and remembering that 64bit versions of any drivers may or may not be as reliable as the 32bit versions, since they were developed later and make more use of the system RAM
    • You could always try the 32bit nvidia driver version for your card: can your VM of choice run under a 64bit OS as a guest OS; that is, can the 64bit VM support a 64bit windows OS guest ??
    --I understand VM (virtual Machine) such as Virtualbox or VmWare, but not VB
    • And how about some system specs, eg the amount of system RAM for a 64bit OS that you installed
      --the device name won't be enough infor, since they often can have min-->max RAM installed

Code: Select all

inxi -F
--OS detected data for the running system
OK, so here is a beta release set from Nvidia for that device type
http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux-disp ... river.html
http://www.phoronix.com/forums/forumdis ... IDIA-Linux
--that driver type forum..

Also pick one desktop and work through any desktop issues, I'll probably suggest xfce, since it will likely have fewer integration/compatibility issues (being smaller and with less desktop tools being included, than either Gnome, Gnome forks (mate/cinnamon) or kde))
Mechphisto

Re: Plz help with (all) desktop(s) crashing.

Post by Mechphisto »

Holyhannah! Learning that inxi command was certainly worth the price of admission -- thanks! :)
liam@op755 ~ $ inxi -F
System: Host: op755 Kernel: 3.2.0-23-generic x86_64 (64 bit) Desktop: N/A Distro: Linux Mint 13 Maya
Machine: System: Dell product: OptiPlex 755
Mobo: Dell model: 0DR845 Bios: Dell version: A21 date: 12/07/2011
CPU: Dual core Intel Core2 Duo CPU E6550 (-MCP-) cache: 4096 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 ssse3 vmx)
Clock Speeds: 1: 2327.550 MHz 2: 2327.550 MHz
Graphics: Card: NVIDIA GT218 [NVS 300] X.Org: 1.11.3 driver: nvidia Resolution: 1920x1080@60.0hz
GLX Renderer: N/A GLX Version: N/A
Audio: Card-1: NVIDIA High Definition Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel Sound: ALSA ver: 1.0.24
Card-2: Intel 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel
Network: Card: Intel 82566DM-2 Gigabit Network Connection driver: e1000e
IF: eth0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: 00:1e:4f:9b:3f:92
Drives: HDD Total Size: 244.7GB (8.5% used) 1: /dev/sda WDC_WD800JD 80.0GB
2: /dev/sdb HDS722516VLSA80 164.7GB
Partition: ID: / size: 152G used: 20G (14%) fs: ext4 ID: /boot size: 110M used: 38M (37%) fs: ext3
ID: swap-1 size: 2.00GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap
Sensors: Error: You do not have the sensors app installed.
Info: Processes: 140 Uptime: 30 min Memory: 321.7/3826.3MB Client: Shell inxi: 1.7.33
It's not a VB issue, so I don't want to get too focused on that... Virtual Box just happens to be a trigger for a problem that's larger than it.

32bit video drivers? Oh! Had no idea I could do that. Sounds promising... I'll give that a try.
Thanks for the reply!
Mechphisto

Re: Plz help with (all) desktop(s) crashing.

Post by Mechphisto »

Ah nuts:
liam@op755 ~/Downloads $ sudo ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86-304.30.run -f

ERROR: this .run file is intended for the
Linux-x86 platform, but you appear to be
running on Linux-x86_64. Aborting installation.
Mechphisto

Re: Plz help with (all) desktop(s) crashing.

Post by Mechphisto »

So, I wonder if all this can be solved by installing the 32bit version of Mint?
Would running the 32bit OS on a 64bit system cause any issues?
Mechphisto

Re: Plz help with (all) desktop(s) crashing.

Post by Mechphisto »

Well, I went ahead and clean installed Mint 14.1 32bit and everything's working fine.
Wish I could say the fix was in the 14.1 and the new kernel or mdm or drivers, or if it was the 32bit instead of 64. In any case, all's well and that's good enough.
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