Mouse Freeze problem on Dell Dimensions E521 (solved)

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canbyte · #1 Post by **canbyte** » Fri 02 Mar 2012, 06:05

Seems to lock up maybe 5 minutes after activity starts, mostly browsing. Mouse freezes. On newer puppies I can reboot using F12 key to bring up main menu but otherwise just have to turn off the machine. Restarting X server has no effect.

PC details hopefully visible in the sig section, originally I was using 4.2.1 to 'preserve' the use of the old Compaq and would now like to start using Puppy on the newer Dell the same way - boot from CD, swap file and .sfs on stick.

Any thoughts how to diagnose/ fix this problem?
Thanks in advance.

Edit: Forgot to mention - my setup includes left handed wheel mouse, Dvorak keyboard

Edit. All Puppy, Pussy and all Linux OS affected. See last post by Bigpup - hardware needed. No soft solution possible.

Note - Beneficial Byproduct - how to navigate using keyboard only. Some suggestions but could be improved.

Barkin · #2 Post by **Barkin** » Fri 02 Mar 2012, 06:26

canbyte wrote:Seems to lock up maybe 5 minutes after activity starts, mostly browsing.

Puppies can require a specially compiled version of the Firefox browser ...
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?p=606087#606087

Otherwise if you encounter a website which uses Adobe flash* everything freezes.

[ * or is it javascript ? ]

canbyte · #3 Post by **canbyte** » Fri 02 Mar 2012, 18:37

Thanks Barkin, but at the moment I'm trying to focus on 5.3.1 which uses default Seamonkey. It did note on startup that it was old version and did I want to upgrade. I said no because I had no idea if simply cliking would work on puppy or how to install from scratch. How easy is it to upgrade Seamonkey?

Maybe I should ask before continuing if 5.3.1 is the best puppy to be running on this machine or if I should be using something else. I would really like to try the easiest/ best fit. I read that 5.3.1 is for slackware and 5.2.8 is for ubuntu but what does a newbie care about these? I can't imagine using linux apps as all I do is browse and write - taxes and spreadsheeting is done on Windoze. But thoughts welcome - Puppy can be a handful at times!

Jim1911 · #4 Post by **Jim1911** » Fri 02 Mar 2012, 18:55

canbyte wrote:Thanks Barkin, but at the moment I'm trying to focus on 5.3.1 which uses default Seamonkey. It did note on startup that it was old version and did I want to upgrade. I said no because I had no idea if simply cliking would work on puppy or how to install from scratch. How easy is it to upgrade Seamonkey?

Maybe I should ask before continuing if 5.3.1 is the best puppy to be running on this machine or if I should be using something else. I would really like to try the easiest/ best fit. I read that 5.3.1 is for slackware and 5.2.8 is for ubuntu but what does a newbie care about these? I can't imagine using linux apps as all I do is browse and write - taxes and spreadsheeting is done on Windoze. But thoughts welcome - Puppy can be a handful at times!

Lucid Puppy 5.2.8 is very stable and has what you need. http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 253#554253 It should work well on a CD or optionally a usb flash drive if your Dell bios supports booting from usb.

bigpup · #5 Post by **bigpup** » Fri 02 Mar 2012, 19:22

boot from CD, swap file and .sfs on stick.

Where is the save file located? What size?
How big is this swap file?
What size is the USB flash drive?
How many tabs open in browser, when freezing happens?
Are you watching any videos?

canbyte · #6 Post by **canbyte** » Fri 02 Mar 2012, 20:35

Sorry - post deleted (dublicate). I'll try the 5.2.8, Thanks for the suggestion)

Edit - 5.2.8 just crashed as per other versions, plus I see that Iron browser doesn't seem to be able to import bookmarks - serious issue for me. Will it really not import a standard html bookmark file?

Per Bigpup's questions, there were only two tabs open at the time, Puppy opening page plus the Iron setup page.

The USB drive is a 2G divided into 2 partitions with about 700 mb for the swap file and 1.2 mb for the Vfat partition that contains the _save file. The save file is the 560mb standard - in this case I used the ext3 (?) for the fail safe altenative.

TIA

bigpup · #7 Post by **bigpup** » Fri 02 Mar 2012, 22:54

Some possible causes that have to be asked.
Usb flash drive is working OK?
USB drive is a freshly formatted and clean(no other old files), before using for 528?
Computer Ram good?
("memtest86" can be used to check condition, download from internet)
Made save file before installing programs?

canbyte · #8 Post by **canbyte** » Fri 02 Mar 2012, 23:50

Hi Bigpup
The flash drive is old and holds my other save files (421, 431) so I'll have to wait till I get a new flash drive this weekend. Somehow though I doubt it could account for the problem since (and will retry) crashes in ram only and with no flash drive (no interference).

Re Q. Made save file before installing programs?, I did do a reboot right after setting keyboard and LH mouse, making a _save file in the process so yes, it was before installing the Iron program. Is that what you mean? Thanks.

Edit - I just tried 5.2.8 pfix=ram. Set LH mouse, Dvorak keybd. Started Geany. Crashed after only a few minutes of mousing around various menus. Never got to the browser although somehow, the browser install menu came up. Also noticed that the F12 key no longer brings up the Menu so the only shutdown is with the main power button. THere was still some cursor control, tab key and F4 did something. Wish Puppy had a ctrl-alt-delete routine to abort whatever is running. Sigh.

So, after restarting with USB stick in place, I opened Geany and crashed it within seconds. Was in the menu so was able to exit but got no further. Again, F12 does nothing. Hmm. Hope someone has an idea.

Barkin · #9 Post by **Barkin** » Sat 03 Mar 2012, 00:56

canbyte wrote:... Wish Puppy had a ctrl-alt-delete routine to abort whatever is running.

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=76322

bigpup · #10 Post by **bigpup** » Sat 03 Mar 2012, 05:25

Bad flash drive was just an idea. If you have other save files on it that work OK with (421, 431). It is probably OK.

If you boot with pfix=ram
Make no changes to mouse or keyboard or anything.
Just open and use programs you have with basic Puppy528.
What happens?

Are you using the latest version of Lucid 528.004?
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=70855

canbyte · #11 Post by **canbyte** » Sat 03 Mar 2012, 06:31

Hi Bigpup, thanks for hanging around!
Starting with pfix=ram, I forgot not to change anything, changed the time and it hung before I was able to close that window.
After restarting in same way, I changed nothing, moused around, opened Geany, typed a few characters, minimized the window then it hung.

Prior, I had even got desperate enough to try running Pussy. It lasted a bit longer, ran a few things but eventually froze so maybe there's something in a Dell that isn't being addressed. I've heard that Dell's stuff is proprietary so....... ??? Well, I'm sure someone else would have found such a problem by now. Arrrg...

bigpup · #12 Post by **bigpup** » Sun 04 Mar 2012, 00:01

Something to eliminate so you know what does work.

This is really looking like a classic example of what will happen if a section of memory is going bad.
I would run Memtest86 and see if it finds anything.
Memtest86 is a self booting program, you can download, and put on a bootable CD or USB drive.
It does a very good job of checking condition of memory.
http://www.memtest86.com/download.html

Some boot options that may help:

puppy acpi=off

canbyte · #13 Post by **canbyte** » Sun 04 Mar 2012, 05:33

Hi Bigpup - all's well on the memory front. That was a cool little program you suggested and thankfully it gave me a pass. Unfortunately it looks like I cooked the optical drive on the older Compaq which will make it difficult to burn any more iso disks unless I can get rid of the crashing (or download something for XP).

I seem to recall that the acpi by default is off so I tried a run with it on with no better results. This problem is driving me crazy. Just found this old post with a few suggestions for old kernels - an indication that others have the problem, & with the exact same PC. Seemed like a dead end though.

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 8d2d61bbc9

I wondered if the mouse was moving too fast or reversing too fast, hardly seems possible but there is definitely some kind of conflict. Does Linux use all those IRC and other settings that I seems to recall from my windoz days? I wonder if something can be changed in bios?

bigpup · #14 Post by **bigpup** » Sun 04 Mar 2012, 08:56

Looking in bios is a good idea.
May find setting wrong.
Not sure about Dell, but most bios have a setting that will be something like, reset to default settings. That is the first thing to do, when troubleshooting bios issues.
Is this a USB mouse?
If yes. Try a different USB port.
Same for keyboard if USB.

A long shot, but could be issue with video driver.
Lucid Puppy 528 tries to pick the best driver at initial boot and auto set for use.
Sometimes it does get it wrong. Especially on older hardware.
The vesa driver is the one that has support for all video cards. It is default driver so something works. All video cards support it.

Boot with option puppy pfix=nox.
At prompt type xorgwizard.
Run xorgwizard.
Choose vesa driver.
Finish xorgwizard.
Type xwin at prompt to finish booting.

canbyte · #15 Post by **canbyte** » Sun 04 Mar 2012, 17:50

Hi Bigpup
Thanks for those hopeful suggestions. I'm trying the front USB ports which are ok for XP. I'm reluctant to reset the bios to default since the XP has been running ok and I can't risk anything now we are entering Tax season - already way behind

Really i shouldn't be fooling around on this stuff but, well, you know how engaging a Puppy is!!

When I tried to load commands at the # prompt, all I got was

-sh: xorg wizard: command not found

same for xorg, vesa

is there a path name it needs?

I'll be out for the day but will check in later or tomorrow.

Thanks

mill0001 · #16 Post by **mill0001** » Sun 04 Mar 2012, 18:06

At the prompt type just this: xorgwizard. That is the command to bring up the wizard, then you can choose vesa driver.

postfs1 · #17 Post by **postfs1** » Sun 04 Mar 2012, 18:15

canbyte wrote:... - all's well on the memory front. That was a cool little program you suggested and thankfully it gave me a pass.
...

All tests must be executed.

canbyte wrote:Any thoughts how to diagnose/ fix this problem?

There are other versions of Linux OS, which can boot completely into operative memory:

1)http://sourceforge.net/projects/partedmagic/

An information about web-page: © 2012 Geeknet, Inc.

2)http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php

For my PC the good version is "0.4.6"

bigpup · #18 Post by **bigpup** » Sun 04 Mar 2012, 19:11

I'm trying the front USB ports which are ok for XP.

A long shot, but the front USB ports are not the main USB ports on a computer. Try using a different port on the back of computer.

As stated by mill0001.
Just type xorgwizard (one word) at the prompt.

canbyte · #19 Post by **canbyte** » Mon 05 Mar 2012, 05:42

Much better - but not perfect. This is my second attempt to post a message using Puppy before freezeup. The Vesa setup definitely works better though.

I'm not sure what happened before when typing xorgwizard didn't work as suggested. I got various error messages (no such file or directory) and even discovered how to repeat old commands (up arrow) so am sure that when it did 'go thru', it was entered exactly as before. Puppy devs may want to run a reliability check on that but anyway, now we can figure out if stability has improved to the point Puppy can once again become my main day-browser and thus my XP preservation system.

Hmm. Just froze again so I guess that means the problem still exists. I was able to post and continue (edit) composing message using tab key to navigate (it was using the mouse to see who said what above). Now I can't see that info so I'll just make notes from my ram.

I did move the mouse to another slot so thanks for the tip about the rear USB slots .

I didn't really understand about the gparted link however looking thru the first link, I noticed the following link which seems to contain links to a number of other linux os systems. Was this the intention? Cool! Seems there are quite a few alternatives to try if Puppy can't get trained, although my trial of Pussy didn't get too far and it will be sooo sad to give up on Puppy. There's gotta be a solution, especially given the other Dell E521s experiencing the same thing. I've got my fingers crossed and hoping for more ideas.
http://sourceforge.net/directory/syste ... y-updated/

Hmm. Interesting again - no movement possible during Pup_save operation. While I see the need for the saving concept, often I feel it gets in the way during this kind of debugging. Like if there is a problem why bother saving it??? Anyway, time to post and see what y'all suggest.

bigpup · #20 Post by **bigpup** » Mon 05 Mar 2012, 06:10

OK. If vesa driver helped,
What resolution are you using?
Is it one that is definitely supported by your monitor?
What about refresh rate?

To change resolution and refresh rate:
At prompt type xorgwizard (twice)
select Vesa.
Set resolution.
Select test.
Select test X now.
After test results - select OK.
Select tweak.
Select tweak_xorg.conf
Select tweak_refresh
Scroll up or down ( some selections you will not see without scrolling)
High-lite desired refresh
Select OK
Select test X now.
If you select one that your hardware will not support, it will stall for a few sec. and fall back to last good setting.
Finish xorgwizard
At prompt type xwin

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Mouse Freeze problem on Dell Dimensions E521 (solved)

Mouse Freeze problem on Dell Dimensions E521 (solved)

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