[Solved]T weaking KDe for Less Powerful Computers

[AS]

Same result from cold start.

I really think there is an hardware issue with your DVD unit.
However, assuming I'm wrong and that something is broken at software level in your KDE installation, you could try to boot XFCE-Phoenix, and retry from there.

Boot Xfce
log in as root
open a terminal and type again
md5sum /dev/sr0

AS

Got the same result there.    So you are probably right and something is wrong with the DVD unit.

Careful here please: it could be either a DVD drive fault, a ribbon cable fault, up to a motherboard fault ... or simply some connection coupling fault. No way to diagnose it from remote.

Would this mean that if I made a CD from an iso downloaded from the PCLinuxOS site and burned to disk.......that I could not install from it?  (just trying to understand)

CD uses a different data density and as far as I know a different laser pointer inside the unit, this may or may not work, however based on past reports I think it would not work.

I guess I could still install from the USB? (just trying to understand)

Possibly yes, you need to check your BIOS settings, or, if you can provide the exact brand/model of PC, we can search for you.

So this is the end of the making of a Remaster thing.  And we can go back a few pages and see where we left off.

For those of you who live close by, I am having a GARAGE SALE today.  Special offer on 49 unused DVD-R.   

Yes, of course, possible choices:
1) you forget about CD/DVD and switch to USB sticks
2) you replace your CD/DVD unit and expand your RAM, greatly suggested 
3) You replace the whole computer. 

AS

[Just17]

I guess I could still install from the USB? (just trying to understand)

Yes.

You have a live environment set up on your USB drive and it is simply a matter of using the newly generated remaster ISO when doing a LiveUSB install again. (Maybe need to ensure you have sufficient space ....  but if not the LiveUSB utility will tell you so.)

You would then be able to boot your remaster from your USB HDD.

[AS]

You have a live environment set up on your USB drive

Do you have some additional details about  ?  I didn't knew about she had that device.

[Just17]

You have a live environment set up on your USB drive

Do you have some additional details about  ?  I didn't knew about she had that device.

meme has an external HDD ...  USB connected ....  on which she has a partition which holds one or more Live installs.
She can add her remastered files to that partition and use it to boot her remaster.

As it is a USB connected device she can use the LiveUSB creator utility to add her remaster, in addition to whatever versions she already has there.

regards.

[ms_meme]

Yes, of course, possible choices:
1) you forget about CD/DVD and switch to USB sticks
2) you replace your CD/DVD unit and expand your RAM, greatly suggested 
3) You replace the whole computer. 

AS

I don't think replacing the CD/DVD unit is possible.  It is simple beyond me.  Finding RAM is again beyond me.  And with the computer going on to 7+ years .... trying to fix it up seems not practical.  Although I know you all could fix it up like new in an hour or so.  But I simply do not have the know how or any computer friends that have the know how.  (and since I have been using Linux, nobody wants to be my friend any more.  )

Replacing the whole computer would be ideal. But I don't see that happening too soon unless I "accidentally" snip a cable or something.  Then if I got a new computer without an OS on it, I wouldn't know how to find you all. 

SO, let me see if I understand about the USB.  Yes, I have that with these iso's.

1. KDE 2011  It goes so far but will not get past the desk top.

2. XFCE     I installed  that to my other partition from the USB.  That is where/why I was asking about the boot menu.  It is mixed up and we were about to fix it when the idea of a ms_meme iso arose.
as, you asked if I had access to the forum through other means and that is when I posted a few pages back that I was posting from the USB version of XFCE.  And I noted that FF choked up on me and I had to shut down manually.

3. LX??   

You have a live environment set up on your USB drive

Do you have some additional details about  ?  I didn't knew about she had that device.

meme has an external HDD ...  USB connected ....  on which she has a partition which holds one or more Live installs.
She can add her remastered files to that partition and use it to boot her remaster.

As it is a USB connected device she can use the LiveUSB creator utility to add her remaster, in addition to whatever versions she already has there.

regards.

I think I should/could delete the KDE 2011 as it doesn't work anyway.  Then I think I would have room for the ms_meme ISO.   

[AS]

I think I should/could delete the KDE 2011 as it doesn't work anyway.  Then I think I would have room for the ms_meme ISO.   

Reinstalling ms_meme.iso on and USB hard disk doesn't change anything, you are experiencing problems because of the low RAM.

You would end up having a duplicate of your current installation with exactly the same problems and additionally some slowdown because USB is slower than the currently installed hard disk.

The remastered DVD, if correctly burned, could be used to reinstall your system on a different hardware, anyway is (should be) a backup of your current system, unfortunately is not a verified DVD.

If someone have some better idea ... please let us know about.

AS

[Just17]

The 2011 ISO does not work because of the kernel issue?
If it does not boot from USB then the files relating to it can be deleted.

You can try running the LiveUSB creater utility before deleting the 2011 files .....  it will give an error if there is not sufficient space.
If that happens then you can delete the files and run it again.

Overall meme I believe you are hitting memory problems ....  and the only way out of that - that I am aware of - is to increase the fitted memory.

So my opinion is that you need to either increase the memory, or revert to a much 'lighter' desktop environment .....  LXDE, Xfce or Openbox.

You may find that with one of those installed to your existing KDE installation, and selecting the lighter DE at log in, would allow you to use the PC without the 'freezes' you are experiencing.
All your apps would still be available, but you would need to be aware of the memory limitations and not run many at the same time, or have many web pages open together.

Essentially you are between a rock and a hard place .....  either the hardware changes or you change your DE, or accept the limitations and problems you are experiencing.

Not easy choices, any of them, unfortunately 

[ms_meme]

Let's back up a wee bit.

Before starting this thread it had already been established/confirmed that memory was the problem.
The first few pages produced ideas and tweaks that may help reduce some of the extras that hopefully lead to a wee better experience.
I had explained to as that I really wasn't liking FXCE that much and really wanted to use Dolphin. (Although sometimes I am really not sure what comes with Dolphin and what is KDE.....I just like the previewing, the double screens, the info that it gives about the files/folders etc.  And I don't see any of that in FXCE  .... or at least any that I have been able to manipulate)

So it was decided to just do what we could to ease the load in KDE.  And probably all has been done that can be done.

After the thread rested for a bit... as I was not in the forum ...and before we continued with any more tweaks, I mentioned that my boot menu was off and needed fixed/arranging.  When I installed FXCE it got off and I had always intended to get it rearranged......but it got way laid somehow.

Then it was suggested to make the remaster.   Sounded so good.  And we got started on that.....which led us right back to the problem of low memory.

So while it can be said 1000 times that I have no memory, 1000 times is not going to produce any more memory.

I have put a solved to this thread and simply won't mention it any more.  I have no more energy to spend on it. 

The only thing I hope can be done is getting the boot menu in order and even that matters not.

[Hootiegibbon]

ms_meme,

I have been watching this thread with interest, and agree that its the RAM that is the bottleneck.

There is a workround, which while easy should solve the issue for you

in summary so far, you wish to use KDE applications, although the KDE environment is too heavy for your machine.

the workround,

Install a nice easy to use window manager and keep the applications in use

I would suggest that IceWM would be a good choice, the alternative is to use one of the other releases and add in the apps you like , although I would not suggest using the new Phoenix and adding KDE apps - as this can cause (documented) configuration issues

If anything i have mentioned appeals to you then I have no problem in walking you through how to do this..

Jase
 

[AS]

I have put a solved to this thread and simply won't mention it any more.  I have no more energy to spend on it.  

The only thing I hope can be done is getting the boot menu in order and even that matters not.

I'm afraid for the spent energy, the whole idea about the remastered DVD was because if something would have gone wrong while changing the boot menu you would remain without a working system at all, not even able to boot in windows.

Considering the (however low) risk, to have a remastered system which can work as emergency system, was a mandatory step in my view, although the result was not that one expected.

The simultaneous issues around RAM and CD/DVD unit are becoming a real problem.

AS

[Just17]

...

The simultaneous issues around RAM and CD/DVD unit are becoming a real problem.

AS

I have wondered if they are related .....  lack of available memory causing problems with reading the media ....

[AS]

...

The simultaneous issues around RAM and CD/DVD unit are becoming a real problem.

AS

I have wondered if they are related .....  lack of available memory causing problems with reading the media ....

I think no, I made some test in VBox using as low as 400 Mb RAM, I don't think they are related, although in VBox the controller is emulated and not real. Mostly I have seen the ms_meme drive working upon cold reboot, not working a little later. I'm also thinking about the unit working a little better in windows because of a probably better power management and less heating ...
There was also dmesg report(s) about the DVD ata channel looking good immediately after reboot, but with errors after some hours ...

EDIT: also, cpufreq-info show that ms_meme PC is always running at maximum speed ..., another thing that was lost along the way. 

[Crow]

Nooooo!!!   I've been following this thread hoping to learn while others do the hard job    well, is not like it sounds 

Seriously, I will try some of the things I've read.

Thank you   

[ms_meme]

ms_meme,


If anything i have mentioned appeals to you then I have no problem in walking you through how to do this..

Jase
 

Thank you Hootiegibbon.  Everyone here has always been more than willing to help me.  I always get 100%.  I think I probably can work with what I have now.

as and just18 have been giving me 200% and I want them to know how very much I always appreciate it and thank them for trying to perform the impossible. And I am sorry if I seemed ungrateful.  Surely don't mean to be.  Perhaps I was trying to do too much.

[Just17]

meme ....  do I recall that you installed a task package for one of the other DEs in your main KDE install?

If so I cannot recall what the results were when you logged in using an alternate DE in your main install .... 

I have a couple installed here, and sometimes log in using LXDE or another.
The response on the Desktop is very noticeable.

It may be a solution for you .....  your apps will be available but less memory used for the DE.