[SOLVED] PCLOS 2010 KDE LiveCD fails on Compaq Deskpro EN Small Form Factor P866

[GeraldF]

I have several old Compaq Deskpro EN Small Form Factor P866 computers. Both exhibit the problem described below. Both have run previous PCLinuxOS versions without problems.
What happens:
Booting from PCLOS 2010 KDE CD, LiveCD option. Boot proceeds normally to point where KDE desktop shows text describing guest and root IDs and passwords. Then, desktop shortcut icons (for install, etc.) appear on desktop -- everything looks normal. A split second later,  KDE appears to crash and a "Welcome to localhost" logon screen appears. Logon either repeats KDE crash cycle or locks computer.

Booting from PCLOS 2010 Gnome CD, LiveCD option, runs without problem.

Suggestions?

[horusfalcon]

Um... those are PIII 866 Mhz machines?  How much RAM are they running?  Let's keep it short:

Copied from the PCLOS 2010 KDE4 download page at:  http://pclinuxos.com/?page_id=180
{My comments added in braces.}

Hardware requirements
Processor

Modern Intel or AMD processor.  {Note that while the PIII is a capable processor, it is hardly considered "Modern" anymore...  P4 or Pentium-D mobile would be needed at minimum, I would think... if those are single CPU machines, the 866 is gonna be painfully slow.  My old Gateway Pentium-D 1.6 GHz machine with a gig of RAM could run KDE4 "acceptably" if that meant "not quite up to speed".}

Memory & storage

RAM : 512 MB minimum, 1 GB recommended.  {Yup, RAM's a biggie for KDE4.  Try one of the lighter respins like LXDE and see if it runs...}

Hard disk : 3 GB minimum, 10 GB or more recommended if you plan to install additional software from our repository.  {Those ENs have a big/fast enough drive?}

Video card

nVidia, ATI, Intel, SiS, Matrox, VIA.  {Probably several others, too... have to try it and see.  You'll want at least an AGP or PCIe card for good performance.}

3D desktop support requires a 3D instructions set compatible card.  {And How!  Trying to run 3D on a non-supported card is a good way to crash a session.  Don't enable 3D for root until after you know it works for another user - that way you have a hole left to climb out of if things go wrong.}

Sound card

Any Sound Blaster, AC97 or HDA compatible card.

Other

CD/DVD drive required

{Hope that helps you out...  Good luck getting these boxen running.}

Tags:  {PCLOS ALL ALL LiveCD}

[GeraldF]

Thank you for your reply. I agree that RAM is likely the issue. I knew this was an old computer, but I was unaware that KDE 4 required so much RAM. Previous PCLOS KDE distributions ran fine on this hardware.
These computers have 512MB (the maximum allowed). So, it looks like PCLOS 2010 KDE is no longer an option on these vintage machines. As you suggested, I'll take a look at LXDE.

[pags]

Thank you for your reply. I agree that RAM is likely the issue. I knew this was an old computer, but I was unaware that KDE 4 required so much RAM. Previous PCLOS KDE distributions ran fine on this hardware.
These computers have 512MB (the maximum allowed). So, it looks like PCLOS 2010 KDE is no longer an option on these vintage machines. As you suggested, I'll take a look at LXDE.

Once installed, you may be able to install KDE and run it with acceptable results.  You'll have swap setup, and you wno't be taxing your RAM the way the LiveCD does, competing with the DE...you would have to test and determine for yourself if you consider that functional
 

[GeraldF]

Reply to pags:
I think I understand your reply. So, PCLOS can be installed without doing the install via LiveCD? Is this via the command line? Is the process easy or difficult? Can you document the steps for a novice?
Thanks.

[pags]

Reply to pags:
I think I understand your reply. So, PCLOS can be installed without doing the install via LiveCD? Is this via the command line? Is the process easy or difficult? Can you document the steps for a novice?
Thanks.

Actually, what I meant was to install from the LiveCD version of one of the lighter DEs (such as LXDE ot XFCE).  After it is installed and updated, then try installing KDE (look for "task-kde4*" in Synaptic).

KDE should run OK in 512 Mb (but, the final assessment is up to you  ), but may have trouble from the KDE LiveCD, because KDE needs memory, the LiveCD is using memory for it's (union) file system(s), and the isn't usually any swap space setup or available from LiveCD...

Hope that clarifies it for you...

[horusfalcon]

Pags is quite right, and I had smooth forgotten about that option (installing a lighter respin first and then adding KDE4.  Once you see the difference LXDE or XFCE makes on your system, though,  I doubt you'll want to give up that speed (unless you need a KDE app that isn't well-behaved in another DE.)

Good Hunting,
D

Tags:  {PCLOS 2010 KDE-4 LXDE XFCE}