Phoenix 2012-02 32bit new user issues

[temeraire]

Hi, everyone,

I've been using Linux without many issues for about seven years, almost exclusively a Debian-based and very stable KDE distro. It continues to serve me well. But I've just discovered and been testing PCLinuxOS (Phoenix), and I'm pleasantly surprised (and acknowledging that there's plenty to get used to.)

Xfce is lean, clean and quick. My mobile hooked up via bluetooth with four mouse clicks (never previously successful). A little research, and Conky worked beautifully and transparently. So far and overall, Phoenix is heading towards my #1 distro of choice.

But a couple of issues, the first of which also occurs under my current KDE distro and remains unresolved:

either at the point the desktop loads - the last possible moment - or within 30" after loading, the screen blanks (black.) Alt-PrtSc-k gets me another login session, then no problems.

No system information in either distro reveals an Nvidia GeForce 310M graphics chipset, except a couple of review sites, so I'm assuming that's what I've got. Tried sgfxi several times (not on Phoenix) to resolve the issue, but nothing ever works. All selections for graphics seem to default to the Intel 810 series installed.

So my question is, what loads at the last moment to screw the login and produce a black screen? It generally only occurs from a hard or soft boot, and not every time.

Other minor issues which have me stumped (not deal-breakers!):

how do I get thumbnails to enlarge on mouseover so that I can see them more clearly? At the moment I have to click them to open in a viewer;
why do desktop icons require two clicks to open when all others open on my previously-set single click?
Seamonkey - middle click used to open a bookmark in a new tab. In Phoenix it still does, but this time also showing an error message 'The URL is not valid and cannot be loaded.' I'm assuming that's because of the contents of the mouse buffer.

Any advice on the above would be most welcome. What info. would be best appended to help?

Many thanks

seadad. 

[GermanTux]

There is no way for thumbnails to enlarge with mouse-over that I am aware of. 

Do you have KDE installed alongside XFCE?  If so, it can cause serious problems, such as the one you mention. 

[temeraire]

Thanks for your response. This is the standard Phoenix 2012-02 32 bit install + updates + k3b/conky/banshee/LO etc.

No other desktop environment has been installed - standard setup. I was keen to keep it that way to give Xfce a good workout.

Cheers

[temeraire]

Thanks, Sproggy, but I've clearly missed something somewhere. My blank screen occurred before k3b was installed, and why would installing k3b give me a KDE desktop? It's a CD burner. There's no option for KDE at session login. And I can't see any KDE effects at all.

If k3b does install other KDE stuff, I'd like to know what, because that wasn't the object of running Xfce. KDE does seem to get everywhere...

Cheers

[djohnston]

If k3b does install other KDE stuff, I'd like to know what, because that wasn't the object of running Xfce. KDE does seem to get everywhere...

rpm -q k3b --requires | grep kde

kdebase4-runtime >= 4.3.1
libkde3support.so.4 
libkdecore.so.5 
libkdeui.so.5 

rpm -q k3b --requires | grep libk

libk3bdevice.so.6 
libk3blib.so.6 
libkcddb.so.4 
libkcmutils.so.4 
libkde3support.so.4 
libkdecore.so.5 
libkdeui.so.5 
libkemoticons.so.4 
libkfile.so.4 
libkidletime.so.4 
libkio.so.5 
libknotifyconfig.so.4 
libkparts.so.4 
libkprintutils.so.4 
libkpty.so.4 
libkutils.so.4 

[temeraire]

Thanks for that heads-up. I like K3b, but I may bin it and see if that takes out the KDE stuff. I'll test out Xfburn.

Cheers

[longtom]

I know I know - we shouldn't do that and Sproggy always knots his tail about it - but k3b and me have a long and loving relationship and I am not breaking it up.

Having said that - I never had to.  I have it running in LXDE, Phoenix, IceWM and before that in Gnome, without any hassles or problems or feelable penalty in performance.

It's probably my high powered Celeron 2.0Ghz with 1.3GB ram .... otherwise ther would be trouble I am sure!   

[temeraire]

Thanks, longtom (that's a very-long-handled paintbrush used on ships...  ). So my original problem still stands and nothing to do with K3b as it occurred before K3b was installed.

Although it's a PITA, I can live with it.

Cheers

[djohnston]

I have it running in LXDE, Phoenix, IceWM and before that in Gnome, without any hassles or problems or feelable penalty in performance.

LXDE and Openbox here. No problems, either.

No system information in either distro reveals an Nvidia GeForce 310M graphics chipset, except a couple of review sites, so I'm assuming that's what I've got.

temeraire,

Open PCC (Configure Youre Computer). Click Hardware in the left pane and Browse and configure hardware in the right pane. Click the triangle to the left of Videocard to see what you've got. Click the videocard name to see its properties in the right pane. The Module listed under the Misc section is the video driver in use. Does it match the actual videocard? If not, click the big Run config tool button and follow the prompts. The correct video driver should be selected by default.

[temeraire]

The instant I pasted this, I got a black screen, working mouse, and static cursor top left...

Code: [Select]

Identification
Vendor: ‎Intel Corporation

Description: ‎Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller

Media class: ‎VGA compatible controller

Connection
Bus: ‎PCI

PCI domain: ‎0

Bus PCI #: ‎0

PCI device #: ‎2

PCI function #: ‎0

PCI revision: ‎0x09

Vendor ID: ‎0x8086

Device ID: ‎0x2a42

Sub vendor ID: ‎0x144d

Sub device ID: ‎0xc06d

Misc
Module: ‎Card:Intel 810 and later
Running the config tool - checked that many times - has the Intel 810 series highlighted. Is that effectively the same as the 'Description' shown above?

Cheers

[djohnston]

No system information in either distro reveals an Nvidia GeForce 310M graphics chipset, except a couple of review sites, so I'm assuming that's what I've got.

Not sure why you would assume that since all the evidence shows you have Intel Mobile 4 graphics. Do you have an addon graphics card, as well as the onboard graphics?

As per the problems you're experiencing, please read this thread, as he has the same Intel Mobile 4 graphics as you.

[temeraire]

There were a couple of review sites, like this:

 http://www.digitalversus.com/laptop/samsung-r730-p7660/test.html

Same spec machine and indicating Nvidia graphics. Perhaps after all they were an alternative.

As for the thread to which linked - same symptoms.

[djohnston]

As for the thread to which linked - same symptoms.

That's why I posted it. Read his last post in the thread.