<Solved> Get Open Office locks up machine

[dickey601]

RE-installs end up the same. Partitions make little difference anymore. Much data already lost. What to do after complete new install/partitioning/formatting? Things are usually fine until I do long downloads like "get open office" or download distro iso's.

[dickey601]

Here is info after complete new install from live cd:

[root@localhost geezer]# df -h
Filesystem            Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda1              25G  2.6G   21G  12% /
/dev/sda5              49G  182M   48G   1% /home

[root@localhost geezer]# mount
/dev/sda1 on / type ext4 (rw,relatime)
none on /proc type proc (rw)
none on /dev/pts type devpts (rw)
/dev/sda5 on /home type ext4 (rw,relatime)
none on /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc type binfmt_misc (rw)

[root@localhost geezer]# fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1        3187    25599546   83  Linux
/dev/sda2            3188       10835    61432560    5  Extended
/dev/sda5            3188        9561    51199123+  83  Linux
/dev/sda6            9562       10835    10233373+  82  Linux swap / Solaris

I'll try to get open office and see what happens.

[Old-Polack]

Here is info after complete new install from live cd:

[root@localhost geezer]# df -h
Filesystem            Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda1              25G  2.6G   21G  12% /
/dev/sda5              49G  182M   48G   1% /home

[root@localhost geezer]# mount
/dev/sda1 on / type ext4 (rw,relatime)
none on /proc type proc (rw)
none on /dev/pts type devpts (rw)
/dev/sda5 on /home type ext4 (rw,relatime)
none on /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc type binfmt_misc (rw)

[root@localhost geezer]# fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1        3187    25599546   83  Linux
/dev/sda2            3188       10835    61432560    5  Extended
/dev/sda5            3188        9561    51199123+  83  Linux
/dev/sda6            9562       10835    10233373+  82  Linux swap / Solaris

I'll try to get open office and see what happens.

Why did you end the extended partition so far short of the end of the drive space? The extended partition is supposed to continue to the end of the drive, as it's the container for all of your logical partitions.

[dickey601]

All seems to be working OK for now. Only thing different from last couple of installs was a clearing of old partitions, re-size and format. We'll what happens next. Will try x-fering data files back into new /home partition. I used Grsync before and ended up with some ownership issues. Maybe all will go well this time. Will call this one solved. Can't spend anymore time on it anyhow.

Old-polack....
Don't know about primary and extended partitions. I thought I was just leaving the rest for possible future use.

[Old-Polack]

All seems to be working OK for now. Only thing different from last couple of installs was a clearing of old partitions, re-size and format. We'll what happens next. Will try x-fering data files back into new /home partition. I used Grsync before and ended up with some ownership issues. Maybe all will go well this time. Will call this one solved. Can't spend anymore time on it anyhow.

Old-polack....
Don't know about primary and extended partitions. I thought I was just leaving the rest for possible future use.

[root@littleboy ~]# fdisk -l /dev/sdc

Disk /dev/sdc: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdc1               1          39      313236   83  Linux
/dev/sdc2              40        1047     8096760   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdc3            1048        7127    48837600   83  Linux
/dev/sdc4            7128      121601   919512405    5  Extended
/dev/sdc5            7128       20500   107418591   83  Linux
/dev/sdc6           20501       33267   102550896   83  Linux
/dev/sdc7           33268       37158    31254426   83  Linux
/dev/sdc8           37159       41049    31254426   83  Linux
/dev/sdc9           41050       44940    31254426   83  Linux
/dev/sdc10          44941       48831    31254426   83  Linux
/dev/sdc11          48832       61886   104864256   83  Linux
/dev/sdc12          61887      101050   314584798+  83  Linux
/dev/sdc13         101051      104942    31262458+  83  Linux
/dev/sdc14         104943      108893    31736376   83  Linux
/dev/sdc15         108894      113071    33559753+  83  Linux
/dev/sdc16         113072      116988    31463271   83  Linux
/dev/sdc17         116989      121601    37053891   83  Linux

When I got this drive, I created the small boot partition at the beginning, then the swap partition, a / partition on sdc3, and the extended partition, sdc4, to fill the drive. The rest of the partitions have been added as needed, but the container to hold them has been in place from the first day.

[dickey601]

Just when it looked like things were OK, as I was leaving the forum I noticed clock in panel was way off; went to desktop and icons began disappearing when mouse waived across them and system seems a bit slower. This reply is from another machine and "problem child" is mis-behaving again. Tried to PCC and got error "Unable to run command specified. The file or folder file:///usr/share/applications/pclinuxos-drak.conf.desktop does not exist.
Other apps cannot be launched either. Any ideas.

[wedgetail]

Any possibility you can tell cpu temperature?  I assume the fan/cooling is running? W

[dickey601]

Any possibility you can tell cpu temperature?  I assume the fan/cooling is running? W

Yes. U can hear fan kicking in. I'll try to get applet to check temp (hopefully before total lock-up) Here's most recent info on disk.
[root@localhost ~]# df -h
Filesystem            Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda1              25G  3.5G   20G  16% /
/dev/sda5              49G  213M   48G   1% /home
[root@localhost ~]# mount
/dev/sda1 on / type ext4 (rw,relatime)
none on /proc type proc (rw)
none on /dev/pts type devpts (rw)
/dev/sda5 on /home type ext4 (rw,relatime)
none on /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc type binfmt_misc (rw)
[root@localhost ~]# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1        3187    25599546   83  Linux
/dev/sda2            3188       10835    61432560    5  Extended
/dev/sda5            3188        9561    51199123+  83  Linux
/dev/sda6            9562       10835    10233373+  82  Linux swap / Solaris

[wedgetail]

If the cpu cooling is ok the symptoms remind me of a problem I had many a moon ago.
Only when the use of memory went over a certain amount my applications started misbehaving, when ever I tried some testing on smaller programs unfortunately all was well.  Eventually I got around to checking with memtest86 or similar and found that high in the memory addresses there were bad spots.

I think on the LiveCD there is a memtest86 could be worth while testing your memory.  

Edit: Sorry but I have to get to bed, where I live it is well past midnight.

[dickey601]

I cannot get the cpu temp monitor applet to work. I'll try the memtest. Thanks

[dickey601]

If the cpu cooling is ok the symptoms remind me of a problem I had many a moon ago.
Only when the use of memory went over a certain amount my applications started misbehaving, when ever I tried some testing on smaller programs unfortunately all was well.  Eventually I got around to checking with memtest86 or similar and found that high in the memory addresses there were bad spots.

I think on the LiveCD there is a memtest86 could be worth while testing your memory.  

Edit: Sorry but I have to get to bed, where I live it is well past midnight.

That seems to match the behavior here but, I've done a memtest86 through 11 passes (I read where at least 7 are recommended) for over 8 hours and test indicates no errors. Right now it's in a 90 minute "Bit Fade Test" and still showing no errors. To me, this box is beginning to look like a good fishing weight. I really need to get something working here soon.

[wedgetail]

Patience, since there is nothing obvious it may be a hard slug. It would be very nice to know if it is hardware or software. I was hoping that the temperature and memory test would perhaps have given an idea.  

Did you put the pc together yourself from parts or did you buy assembled? I am wondering how comfortable you are rummaging around inside the pc?

Addition
Halo, halo, I just read a bit further back:

Will try x-fering data files back into new /home partition. I used Grsync before and ended up with some ownership issues. Maybe all will go well this time.

I read you had made a complete new re-install but now I read you re-installed your operating system and still using your /home/robert etc?

I have been down that road a couple of times and both it seemed to be ok until weeks later. Am I correct you are mixing old and new in your system?

If that is the case I suggest starting from new, ie get a totally new trial install from your LiveCD.  Leave what you have got and on the rest of your hard drive space you can install a temporary system to see if that will stay stable. Here you do not bother about having a separate partition for /home.  You just need one partition to install into and the existing swap file will hopefully be used. / and /home will be on the same partition.

Old-polack....
Don't know about primary and extended partitions. I thought I was just leaving the rest for possible future use.

You made this comment to old-polack and I think you may now run into the problem that old-polack was trying to save you from. You did not set up your drive for full storage use.  Anyway this problem can be re-opened if you want to try setting up a new test system.

[wedgetail]

dickey601
You made the comment about leaving empty space on the disk to be used later I have the impression that you did not understand the importance of what old-polack is trying to get accros, (you are not the only one, took me a long time as I thought like you) so I have listed your drive sda below

Code: [Select]

[root@localhost ~]# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1        3187    25599546   83  Linux
/dev/sda2            3188       10835    61432560    5  Extended
/dev/sda5            3188        9561    51199123+  83  Linux
/dev/sda6            9562       10835    10233373+  82  Linux swap / Solaris
Below I have listed mine, study this and I will come back a bit later and explain the difference.  Just now I have to take a break  

Code: [Select]

[root@localhost gert]# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x8a208a20

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1        4462    35840983+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2            4463        8110    29302560   83  Linux
/dev/sda3            8111       11758    29302560   83  Linux
/dev/sda4           11759       77537   528369817+   5  Extended
/dev/sda5           11759       75499   511999551    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6           75500       76008     4088511   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7           76009       77537    12281661   83  Linux
[root@localhost gert]#


[dickey601]

I'll have to do some studying on drive partitions. I don't quite understand it now........ Results after 11 hours of memtest86 reveal no errors. I have transfered only a few needed data files back into /home folder and removed the cover from machine. It seems to be working fine now. I don't know if temperature could have been an issue or not. I haven't found an app that monitors cpu temp. An applet in panel seems to do nothing. In answer to your question about the machine; it was bought new and complete about a year and a half ago from LinPC. (I try to support the community) At this point I have no answers for the problems but, I'll leave it unsolved for a while just in case more problems arise.
Thanks for all the responses!

[wedgetail]

Problems that go away like this drives you up the wall and makes it possible to stay plastered to the ceiling for an extended period.  
The PC should be good for a long time unless being abused.

1.. What applet was it you have found, I new them in 2009 but have not installed anything in 2010, I am busy trying to tweak actions to similar as I had it in 2009. You also ought to check that your pc did not come with some sort of motherboard program that monitors those vital parts like voltage, temp and speed

2.. With the cover off can you feel heat to any degree, what is your ambient temperature at a guess.

3.. Do you have any vibration shaking your case?

Are you comfortable poking around inside pc's or not?? If you are then consider following.

4.. Next time you remove power it may be worth just carefully removing the the memory sticks and re-seating them. Inspect them carefully to see if the latches are engaged properly. A poor connection in this area is absolute murder as it seems so intermittent.

5.. While you are running memtest86 you could also very gently tap the memory sticks towards each end, we have just had a spectacular result with one out of two memory sticks in an industrial pc. Would in a way work a bit like yours, at random just screw up totally, in this case running memtest86 a gentle tap and the system would reboot every time. (Was faulty memory after 6 months service)

If you are not confident going inside but would like to try ask for help, a bit more instructions would be prudent.

I will come back to the partitioning explanation above, that I started, others can benefit too.