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Mouse freezes ever so often [Solved, work around]

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26 Jan 2017 10:34 - 03 Feb 2017 11:31 #86695 by Patrik T
Mouse freezes ever so often [Solved, work around] was created by Patrik T
Hello
I just started using LinuxCNC. I am using it on an Emco Unimat PC. It works well with a home made A,B,index spindle encoder and PID/PWM controlled DC spindle.

But the computer freezes on me all the time. Sometimes I can work for more than an hour, but more often than not it has to be restarted within a few minutes. I got help making a clean install, about a month ago, from this source:
linuxcnc.org/docs/html/getting-started/getting-linuxcnc.html
The problem occurred first right after the clean install so I did not have time to mess up any settings.

The freeze manifests itself by, a few seconds of total freeze, and after that the computer works again, but the mouse cursor does not move. I can use the mouse, but I have no cursor to tell where I am, I have to look at the buttons changing to their hoovering color.

I have Googled some, but I am too much Linux noob. The freeze can happen whenever. Sometimes after I leave it for a few minutes I get back to it frozen. Sometimes It freezes when I move the mouse.

This is the inxi -F all output
System:    Host: Linux-CNC Kernel: 3.4-9-rtai-686-pae i686 (32 bit)
           Desktop: Xfce 4.8.3 Distro: Debian GNU/Linux 7 (wheezy)
Machine:   Device: desktop System: Hewlett-Packard product: HP Compaq dc7700p Small Form Factor
           Mobo: Hewlett-Packard model: 0A54h
           BIOS: Hewlett-Packard v: 786E1 v02.10 date: 04/13/2007
Battery    Using dmidecode: you must be root to run dmidecode
CPU:       Dual core Intel Core2 6300 (-MCP-) cache: 2048 KB 
           clock speeds: max: 1861 MHz 1: 1861 MHz 2: 1861 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel 82Q963/Q965 Integrated Graphics Controller
           Display Server: X.Org 1.12.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1280x1024@60.0hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel 965Q x86/MMX/SSE2
           GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 8.0.5
Audio:     Card Intel 82801H (ICH8 Family) HD Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: 1.0.25
Network:   Card: Intel 82566DM Gigabit Network Connection driver: e1000e
           IF: eth0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full
           mac: 00:1b:78:87:7d:92
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 80.0GB (8.5% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: Hitachi_HDS72168 size: 80.0GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 71G used: 3.4G (6%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 3.29GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 48.0C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 118 Uptime: 1 min Memory: 104.5/3526.1MB
           Client: Shell (bash) inxi: 2.3.6 
cnc@Linux-CNC:~$

I have a microsoft USB mouse, I have tried an ACER USB mouse with no change in freeze frequency.

May I ask you where to look, how can I trouble shoot the Linux system.

Best regards, Patrik
Last edit: 03 Feb 2017 11:31 by Patrik T. Reason: Grammar

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26 Jan 2017 11:02 #86697 by tommylight
Replied by tommylight on topic Mouse freezes ever so often
Most probably AC interference, or a bad power supply, or fluctuations in power line.
If using parallel port, you have to use shielded cable for the encoder, that is where the interference can mess things up.

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26 Jan 2017 13:14 #86706 by Patrik T
Replied by Patrik T on topic Mouse freezes ever so often
Thank you. This happened in two separate buildings with no machinery connected. When frozen the ctrl+alt+F1 combo freezes the screen totally but does not give me a virtual console. Ctrl+alt+F7 takes me back to where only the mouse is frozen. Re-plugging the mouse does not help either.

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26 Jan 2017 13:25 #86707 by andypugh
Replied by andypugh on topic Mouse freezes ever so often
If the "logical" mouse pointer moves, but the "physical" pointer doesn't, then it sounds like a graphics problem of some sort.

Google suggests that this might not be a LinuxCNC problem:
www.google.co.uk/search?q=Intel+82Q963%2...fe=strict&gws_rd=ssl

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26 Jan 2017 15:46 #86716 by cncnoob1979
Replied by cncnoob1979 on topic Mouse freezes ever so often
Patrik,

I had similar issues as you. It turned out to be my Intel video card driver. The i915 driver compiled with the kernel with 3.9.4 RTAI was not compatible with my INTEL HD Graphics. You could try to build your own kernel using PREEMPT kernel. There is a how to here. forum.linuxcnc.org/9-installing-linuxcnc...h-rip-install-or-deb

Or you could try troubleshooting the system to fix the issue. For me moving to another distribution was the easiest. I moved to Linux mint. 17.3 and then to 18.1, I really like this distro the best.

Its not difficult if you would like to try this route. I would recommend installing the kernel as a .deb. It is much simpler :)

Just an option if you have issues trying to fix the freezes. Mine would come at random and was really noticeable when running a program watching gremlin. You could see that the graphics would completely freeze. Making you think it was a mouse issue, but in truth it was the graphics hanging.

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27 Jan 2017 13:19 #86777 by Patrik T
Replied by Patrik T on topic Mouse freezes ever so often
Thank you. I buy it is a graphics driver issue. Do I really have to build my own kernel, or reinstall with another distro, to fix a driver issue. I don't even fully understand all the words I just wrote :)

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27 Jan 2017 14:00 #86781 by cncnoob1979
Replied by cncnoob1979 on topic Mouse freezes ever so often
No you don't really have to. It's less time than troubleshooting in my opinion.

I would research troubleshooting framebuffer issues in wheezy and you will have to insert modules and blacklist others - I would think.

See what you can find on the net for wheezy graphics issues for your chipset.

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03 Feb 2017 11:29 - 03 Feb 2017 11:32 #87203 by Patrik T
Replied by Patrik T on topic Mouse freezes ever so often
I installed Ubuntu, no improvement. Reinstalled Debian because my Ubuntu password did not work.
Tried eight different ways to force the computer to use the Vesa driver. Finally succeeded with:

patrik@debian:~$ sudo nano /etc/default/grub
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="lapic quiet rootdelay=5 idle=poll nomodeset grub_gfxmode=1280x1024x24"
patrik@debian:~$ sudo update-grub

Computer hasn't frozen in over 20 minutes now :) Latency seems good. I am actually posting this from the Linux computer, unthinkable with the Intel driver.
Thanks for your help.
Last edit: 03 Feb 2017 11:32 by Patrik T.

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03 Feb 2017 16:24 #87222 by cncnoob1979
Replied by cncnoob1979 on topic Mouse freezes ever so often
Glad to hear you got it going!

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