Computer Hangs / Locks Up

[Gordon Larsen]

>>>
>>>>1) The entire system locks up after I select "logout"
>>>
>>>>2) The entire system locks up when I try to use
>>>>Mozilla
>>>
>>>Hmm...  Lock ups in stable releases are very often symptoms of
>>>hardware problems.  Boot the installer CD with `memtest' (sp?) and see
>>>whether it reports any problems.
>>>
>>>--
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Hmmm, that's interesting.  I have exactly the same symptoms with
>my machine.
>> Memtest86 runs 100% for days.  I've tried different processors,
>memory, disk
>> and cdrom drives, video cards, keyboards, mice..not much is
>left.  This only
>> seems to be a problem under Gnome though, it doesn't happen with
>> KDE...except that when trying to set up the proxy settings for
>> Mozilla...then it hangs as soon as I touch the keyboard.  I have
>a four year
>> old DFI MB with a VIA686A chipset and have tried it with both a Duron 800
>> and a Duron 1300 with the same results.  I've also tried virtually every
>> combination of BIOS setting I can imagine.  Nothing appears in
>the logs, and
>> the only way to escape is to reset or restart the PC, after
>which the disks
>> need recovery.
>>
>> Any ideas?
>
>I had a similar symptom when I ran dhclient to get an ip address when I
>had one of the problematic 3 com cards that used to work properly.
>
>KDE is not so touchy with a properly working ethernet connection.
>Mozilla and GNOME really get a bit touchy when the connection is not as
>it should be.
>
>I would try to not enable your nic during boot. Then once booted up, try
>to log into GNOME. I was able to do so, with the similar problem to yours.
>
>Then try to launch mozilla and see if it works on your machine, not an
>internet site. If you can do this, bugzilla the NIC with the make/model
>information.
>
>
>If you start GNOME, then get an IP from dhclient or whatever means, you
>probably won't be able to logout of GNOME. Mozilla probably wil start,
>but not allow you to type anything into the location bar.
>
>I submitted bugs during tests for Fedora on these sort of symptoms.
>
>Also, instead of letting the machine die totally, which will ask for a
>disk check, try poweroff or as root telinit 6.
>
>I have a problem related to reiserfs with the 2.6 kernels and use the
>telinit 6 to shut down. It works alright, even with big problems. You
>still might need to hit the powerswitch to reboot, but it will shut down
>most processes.
>
>Jim
>
>
Thanks for the hints though my symptoms sound different.  I've tried your
suggestion of not enabling the nic during boot, though the PC has a static
IP.  I've also tried three different nic's with the same result.  I don't
have any choice about turning off the power, as the machine hangs
completely, no response to Ctrl-Alt-F1, Ctl-Alt-Del or any Alt-SysRq
functions.  Even the mouse pointer stops.  Seems wierd.  Windoze XP and 2K
both worked fine on this machine.

Gordon Larsen
ve6gel at shaw.ca