Ubuntu

slow computer, broken pipe, compiz crash

Asked by Joe Taraba

Ok. I'm probably doing this wrong, but here goes.
I want to close this thread with a response to the suggested fixes proposed by Manfred and Parsnip.

I uninstalled compiz, and the only program affected was "Dockey" which I use to put programs which are hard to find in "Dash". It still works but not as fancy.

I got lucky and found two matching 1Gig chips at a Portland outfit called "Free Geek." They have a retail thrift store which is super. I installed the RAM and ran "Memtest." All is well.

I also got a 330Gig HD to set up 3 different distros of Ubuntu/Linux. I will start a new thread on this.

Last "Broken Pipe" is still broke.

So thanks to all.

Joe Taraba
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I Need to quit trying to fix my problems, and ask you folks;

PROBLEM:

1. My puter is crashing frequently, and it is running very slow, my CPU is operating at 100% when browsing, and lastly I have a very crappy DSL connection (Frontier advertises 3 Meg,. When they check they admit 1.5K, my experience is is under 200K. & speed test sites show around 800K) This is an FYI as I don't know how much this may affect the primary problems.

2.Then I started seeing a message at startup just before the gnome desktop loaded:
“could not write bytes: broken pipe”

3.Then closely followed by this “compiz” bug and crash.

All three of these events occurred within a week of each other. I have no clue as to wether these events are related or which one to fix first.

I started researching the problem here at the Forums website, until my brain started going into orbit.

“A brief History of...Me.”

I started with Ubuntu and ver 10 and I was quite happy. Then I started with 12.04 aronnd Aug-Sep 2013. I have been unhappy since then. But I'm not a cry-baby.

MY SYSTEM:

UBUNTU
Release 12.04 (precise) 32-bit
Kernel Linux 3.13.0-32-generic
GNOME 3.4.2

HARDWARE
Memory: 1001.5 MiB
Processor: Intel® Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.60GHz × 2
System Status: Available disk space: 75.7 GiB

VIDEO CARD

taraba@HP-XP-Desktop:~$ /usr/lib/nux/unity_support_test -p
OpenGL vendor string: X.Org R300 Project
OpenGL renderer string: Gallium 0.4 on ATI RV350
OpenGL version string: 2.1 Mesa 10.1.3

and “yes” answers to 11 more questions.

I also ran the more lengthy:
taraba@HP-XP-Desktop:~$ sudo lshw -C display; lsb_release -a; uname -a; apt-cache policy compiz
*-display:0
       description: VGA compatible controller
       product: RV350 [Radeon 9550/9600/X1050 Series]
       vendor: Hynix Semiconductor (Hyundai Electronics)
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
       version: 00
       width: 32 bits
       clock: 66MHz
       capabilities: agp agp-3.0 pm vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
       configuration: driver=radeon latency=64 mingnt=8
       resources: irq:16 memory:e0000000-efffffff ioport:a800(size=256) memory:fe9f0000-fe9fffff memory:fe9c0000-fe9dffff --- [shortened. COMPLETE OUTPUT IF NEEDED.]

I hope I wasn't too verbose here,

Thanks Joe

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
Ubuntu Edit question
Assignee:
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Solved by:
Manfred Hampl
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
Joe Taraba (joetaraba) said : 		#1

Who sent me this email, and why? This reply has nothing to do with my problems. I have not altered my original post, and I am not having problems with passwords.Furthermore, I am not running any kind of server, and have no need to install OpenLDAP on my desktop PC.

joe

----------------------------------------
> To: <email address hidden>
> From: <email address hidden>
> Subject: Re: [Question #252784]: slow computer, broken pipe, compiz crash
> Date: Fri, 8 Aug 2014 00:22:48 +0000
>
> Your question #252784 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/252784
>
> Linked to bug: #252784
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/252784
> "ppolicy+smbk5pwd password modify"
>
> --
> You received this question notification because you asked the question.

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#2

Apparently someone (yourself?) has modified your Launchpad question document and indicated, that the question #252784 would be related to bug #252784. You have to be aware that the numbering of questions and bugs is completely independent (current number for questions is 250k, bugs is 1.35m), and so linking your question to the bug message with the same number most probably is complete nonsense.

Revision history for this message
Joe Taraba (joetaraba) said : 		#3

Manfred;

I have no idea how that number (I'm afraid to even refer to it!!) got appended to my question.
Your explanation my impress other geeks, but it is meaningless to me, and my questions are still unanswered.
However, if nobody reads my posted question, and prefers to quibble about some phantom (TO ME!!) number, then I'm wasting my time screwing around with ver 12.04. I liked ver 10 and that is what sold me on Ubuntu.

I could give a crap about competing with MSWindoz or M$$$AC.

As you didn't read my post I am 72 yrs old, and I was hoping to setup a simple easy to use Intranet for other seniors to us and wouldn't scare the sh**t out of them.

I could write a book on the failures of this OS, and the Ubuntu community.

Convince me that 12.04 was released premaaturly, and let's just say I'm a beta tester.

Thanks Joe

Revision history for this message
michael (yellupcm-gmail) said : 		#4

Joe, I will be 69 in 12days. I have 12.04 that has a broken pipe problem. Nothing has fixed it. I took Compiz off. 12.04 runs good now. I also have 14.04 in triple boot, on same computer, It runs better than 12.04. I would suggest a clean install of Ubuntu 14.04. This would stop any chance of bringing whatever problems from 12.04, if you upgrade from 12.04 to 14.04. Be sure to back up any thing that is important. I liked 10.10 the best, but everthing changes. From my experience, I have found Ubuntu 12.04 and 14.04 work better with more than 1001.5 MiB ram. Is there any way you could add more ram? I use lighter versions of (Ubuntu) Xubuntu on my older computer that has 1 GB ram, runs fine. As you can see, I can't answer your question above. I believe this work around will work.
I just reread your qustion, and the replies. Please check out Xubuntu, as it is simpler to use. (In my opinion)

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#5

I suggest you test your RAM using Memtest86+ from Grub.

Revision history for this message
Joe Taraba (joetaraba) said : 		#6

Ok thanks Michael, and Andrew;

On the memory issue I have 4 slots. So I have a 1 Gig stick, and 2 500 Meg sticks, simple logic dictates just add another 500 Meg stick for a total of 2 Gig. That works and that is the max for this puters BIOS or Motherboard (or both). But, if memory serves these buggers need to match.

Andrew suggested checking my memory (that'll be a challenge heehaw) with Memtest86+ from Grub.

I also have 4 more old XP puters hidden around with HD's big enough I think 30 gig is the smallest.

Ok that about takes up my weekend,

Joe

Revision history for this message
michael (yellupcm-gmail) said : 		#7

Can you give make and model of your computer, or make and model of motherboard? I will try to find out what restrictions it has on ram.

Revision history for this message
Joe Taraba (joetaraba) said : 		#8

Ok mike;

MY SYSTEM:
Compac Presaro
Product #DM175A
SN #MXM3410N4R`

HARDWARE
Memory: 1001.5 MiB
Processor: Intel® Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.60GHz × 2
System Status: Available disk space: 75.7 GiB

google search https://www.google.com/#q=computer+memory+upgrade+old+desktop
This is where I started to get the memory info

It's been awhile since I checked this out, and the stats I came up with were from Crucial, also here in East Portland, OR, actually Gresham and Eastwind Computer. He said he has boxes of memory and I have quite a few sticks my self.

On another note, in a terminal window I tried:

taraba@HP-XP-Desktop:/$ grub --help
The program 'grub' is currently not installed. You can install it by typing:
sudo apt-get install grub
taraba@HP-XP-Desktop:/$ sudo grub --help
[sudo] password for taraba:
sudo: grub: command not found

According "Ubuntu Software Manager" memtest86+ is installed, and here's another failure, DASH doesn't give you a clue where to find some program, just a nameless icon.

Time to eat
Sat 09 Aug 2014 08:20:49 PM PDT
joe

Revision history for this message
Best Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#9

I have removed the bugling from your question that apparently no one needs and no one wants.

Memtest and grub are no programs to run from the dash, but are deeply buried in the boot loader, to be used in a different way.

Grub is the boot loader - the very first program that allows you to select the operating systems (if you have installed more that one), and it usually has also an option to execute a memory test (not on your brain, but on the RAM chips of you computer of course)

see https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MemoryTest for instructions.

If the instructions do not work on your system, please do not hesitate to ask again.

Revision history for this message
Joe Taraba (joetaraba) said : 		#10

Ok Manfred,

I ran memtest86+, and as near as I can tell my RAM is ok. However, if there are some specific indicators you would like, let me know.

Joe