Debian freezing

I agree that it is more of a generic Linux question--but I have gotten more useful answers here. I will update the other thread with details from the past couple of days though, thanks for reminding me.

Both the on board graphics and a Matrox G550 card (in a plain pci slot) do the same thing.

Steve

This is all there was in syslog:

Sep 15 09:44:21 steve-cnc rsyslogd: [origin software="rsyslogd" swVersion="5.8.11" x-pid="2124" x-info="www.rsyslog.com"] rsyslogd was HUPed
Sep 15 09:44:25 steve-cnc anacron[3189]: Job `cron.daily' terminated
Sep 15 09:44:25 steve-cnc anacron[3189]: Normal exit (1 job run)
Sep 15 10:17:01 steve-cnc /USR/SBIN/CRON[3875]: (root) CMD ( cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.hourly)
Sep 15 10:20:55 steve-cnc avahi-daemon[2718]: Invalid response packet from host fe80::217:f2ff:fe08:5c1f.

9:44 is about when I logged in, 10:20 is about when it crashed (I looked at syslog at 11:15). Unfortunately, I don't know what to make of it. It looks like avahi-daemon can be disabled, but I haven't done this yet.

Steve

Andy and ArcEye get the prize. Andy for recommending ssh, telling me the machine was still alive. ArcEye for mentioning it might be the monitor. Thanks to all for helping.

There is no problem with the keyboard (I could not test the mouse with the monitor blank). I was able to create a new directory from the local keyboard and verify it via the ssh connection.

I then power cycled the monitor--my desktop appeared. The final problem was the monitor itself going to sleep.
This isn't to say that I did not have a usb problem, maybe yes, maybe no. I did not go back and undo the usbcore.autosuspend=-1.

Much thanks to all.

Steve

PS: I was wondering why, if it was the monitor, the laptop didn't have the same issue--both use a Samsung Syncmaster 204B. I just went back out to the shop and after just a few minutes, the monitor was off again. I power cycled it and just got a flash of my desktop, then off.
The real problem is not a smart monitor, it is a decade old monitor with tired electrolytic caps. People even sell kits of the caps to replace the cheap ones the monitor was built with. I did replace the caps, but just the ones that were bulging. I'll open it up and replace the rest.

This explains why there is a time constant for the problem to occur (looking like thermal) and why the machine has to be off for awhile before it works again. The caps have to recover, or whatever it is they do.