please help - newly built system, SuSE crashes

[phsieh2005]

Dear SuSE experts:

I have built several SuSE linux/Windows dual boot systems. This past few days, I built a new system:

AMD X2 6000+ CPU
ASUS M2N-E SLI motherboard
4 gb OZ2 DDR2 - 800 mHz
nVidia Quadro PCI-E graphics card
On-board GiB ethernet + PCI Intel Pro/1000 PI NIC

Everything is fine in MS windows XP (also updated all the drivers, bios under MS windows).

When I tried to installed SuSE 10.1 64 bit OS, I got an error, something like cannot generate catalog. So, no luck installing SuSE 10.1.

I moved on to use SuSE 10.2 64 bit OS. Installation was successful. But, the system started to crash, sometimes few minutes after logged onto the user account. (no problem booting up to SuSE log on windows).

It will be appreciated if someone can lend some help.

phsieh2005
phsieh2005@yahoo.com

[valemon]

Try installing the 32-bit version. Check here why

[phsieh2005]

Hi, valemon,

Thanks for the reply! I will try the 32 bit version. But, the purpose of this computer is to do scientific computation, which the software was compiled under native 64 bit SuSE OS with optimization. Also, I have 4 GB of RAM. Can 32 bit OS uses all 4 gb of ram?

phsieh2005

[devils casper]

if you are not having any problem in Windows, then it could be Graphics Card problem in SuSe. which Graphics Card do you have?

[gogalthorp]

I believe 3 gig is the limit unless you compile a special kernel then you can have 4 gig. But since you have a real need of 64 bit I'd see why the system is crashing. BTW is it a complete crash or only the GUI? Can you get to a console with a ctrl-alt-f1? Which GUI KDE or gnome?

[phsieh2005]

Hi,

Graphics card: NVidia Quadro FX3450.

My guess is the ASUS motherboard because I have another workstation (made by Dell) that has the same graphics card. It has no problem with SuSE 10.2 64 bit.

I am using KDE. When the system crashed, I got frozen screen. I will see if I can get to a console using Ctrl-Alt-F1 or Ctrl-Alt-Backspace later.

I am trying to install the graphics driver from NVidia too (it looks like this cannot be done in X-windows).

phsieh2005

[gogalthorp]

I'm not at all sure this is a graphics problem. Is it just the mouse that locks? ie is the keyboard still active. I have periodic lockups of the mouse (Logitech Wireless) but resting it clears the problem (buttons on the bottom)

You should not attempt to install the NVIDIA driver till you clear up the lockup.

Here is the NVIDIA instructions I recommend following the second method. The first seems to have mixed results.

It is recommended to use YaST for installation of the NVIDIA
driver. There are several reasons for this. First, it's
simple. Second, and this is the most important one, you won't need to
recompile the nvidia kernel module after a kernel update.

Update your Kernel via YOU (YaST Online Update). Use

YaST -> Software -> Change installation Source -> Add

Protocol: HTTP
Server Name: : download.nvidia.com
Directory on Server: /opensuse/10.2

to add the NVIDIA ftp server as additional installation source.
Now use

YaST -> Software -> Install and Delete Software

to install the NVIDIA driver. Select the following packages:

x11-video-nvidia
nvidia-gfx-kmp-"kernel-flavor"

"kernel-flavor" depends on your installed kernel. Check with
"uname -r" for installed default/smp/bigsmp kernel. Use "sax2 -r"
for X.Org configuration.

People who aren't afraid of recompiling the nvidia kernel module or
even reinstalling the nvidia driver each time the kernel has been
updated and want or need to use the latest and greatest nvidia driver
can use the following steps 1-3. The others should use the
instructions above using YaST and skip the steps below.

1) Kernel sources must be installed and configured. Usually this means
installing the 'kernel-source', 'make' and 'gcc' packages with YaST2.

2) Use the nvidia installer for 1.0-9746.

sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-9746-pkg1.run -q

3) Configure X.Org with

sax2 -r -m 0=nvidia (0 is a digit, not a letter!)

NOTE: There is no need to try to enable 3D support. It's already
enabled, when the nvidia driver is running.

IMPORTANT: You need to recompile and install the nvidia kernel module
after each kernel update.

sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-9746-pkg1.run -K

[phsieh2005]

Hi, gogalthorp,

Thanks a lot for the direction.

I ran a "memory test" that came with SuSE and got several errors within 30 minutes. I have 2 pairs of DDR2-800 (total of 4 GB) OCZ Platinum Revision 2. These guys have heat spreader on both sides. When I install all 4 DIMMS, they were touching each other. It is not clear to me whether this causes the problem.

I then tested only 1 pair at a time. First pair ran memory test for 3 hours. I stopped the test because I do not know how long it takes to finish. But, no error. Second pair, I got a couple errors within 40 minutes. One thing puzzles me is that, they memory test said that the memory is 201 MHz, hence, DDR400. Is this correct? Is the memory test came with SuSE good for any type of memory? Is there any other memory test software I can try?

I wonder why Win XP (32 bit) has no problem.

I still need to try out whether I only lost mouse or the whole system crached.

Thanks a lot!

phsieh2005

[gogalthorp]

What does the BIOS say the memory is?

It looks like you have some bad memory. This would certainly cause the problem. Linux uses all the memory it can for caches etc. so if the problem was in high memory Windows may not see it until you did had some serious memory usage.

[phsieh2005]

Hi, gogalthorp,

Thanks! I set all memory stuffs in bios to automatic. So, it should be handled automatically by the motherboard.

It does looked like I got one pair of bad memory. I changed to a pair of known good memory and so far I have not gotten any problem yet.

phsieh2005