[PLUG] So now the desktop computer is locking up

[Larry Brigman]

On Sat, Mar 23, 2013 at 11:13 AM, Dale Snell <ddsnell at frontier.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 23 Mar 2013 10:06:12 -0700
> John Jason Jordan <johnxj at comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> On Sat, 23 Mar 2013 09:42:35 -0700
>> Dale Snell <ddsnell at frontier.com> dijo:
>>
>> Once I rebooted I looked at /var/log/messages, but found nothing that
>> looked related. However, now that you mention it, I agree that it
>> sounds a lot like X quit working.
>
> Is there anything in $HOME/.xsessions-errors?  I rather doubt that
> there is, but there might be.
>
>> I don't think it was the DVD player because I left the audio running
>> for 15 minutes before giving up and rebooting. I don't think VLC
>> caches that much audio, so it must have been still reading the drive.
>> But that is just my WAG.
>
> Hah!  Yeah, I don't think that VLC caches that much audio either.
> A few seconds, maybe, but no more.  VLC is also one of the most
> stable AV players I've used.  I was afraid you were using
> something like Totem (*shudder*).
>
>> I have heard of logging into a computer via SSH many times, but have
>> never learned how to do it. My laptop is sitting next to the desktop
>> and both are on the home ethernet, so I assume it is possible.
>>
>> In the past I have had occasions where using SSH might have been
>> helpful. Learning how to use SSH might be a good education topic for a
>> Clinic.
>
> Not a bad idea.  The main thing is getting a set of keys on each
> machine, and then exchanging the public keys.  I always have to
> read through the man pages to get that set up correctly.  After
> that, using ssh is quite easy.  "ssh user at remote-host" will log
> you in to your account on "remote-host".  As I recall, there is
> also a way to start a remote X session via ssh.  I've never tried
> it, though, so I don't have any pointers.

True, you can use ssh but on a local network the names of the machines
will probably not be shared so you will need to either add it to the hosts file
or create a name entry in the router where it can point to the machine
by name.  Otherwise you will need to use the IP address.
Here are the clues needed to generate the keys and copy them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ssh-keygen
http://linux.die.net/man/1/ssh-copy-id

>> I tried Ctrl-Alt-Del, which brings up either a logout window or a task
>> manager in some distros. I also tried Ctrl-Alt-F1 and -F2 in the hopes
>> of getting to a command line, but neither worked. From past experience
>> the former worked on Ubuntu distros and the latter worked on my Fedora
>> laptop. I didn't go higher on the function keys.
>
> I used F4 simply because that key is out of the way of the usual
> F1, F2, F7 keys that X11 is started from.  Another key combo you
> could try is <ctrl><alt><backspace> to kill and restart X11.
> Sometimes that key chord is inhibited, and sometimes is isn't.
> Depends on the distro and the release.  Check your keyboard layout
> preferences to be sure it's enabled.  (I've had to use that one
> more than once!)
>
>> If this happens again I will exert more effort to get to a command
>> line and try restarting X.
>
> Best of luck.  Finding the cause of intermittent problems like
> this can be hard.  Very satisfying when you do, though.  :-)
>
> --Dale
>
> --
> "Rules of combat older than contact with other races.  Did not
> mention aliens.  Rules' change... caught up in committee.  Not come
> through yet."  --Green Drazi Leader, "Babylon 5"
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