program launcher going wild
 

Greetings all;

For the 2nd time I am going to have to reboot.

If I have a copy of firefox running, a click on an html link in an email
will hand the request off to firefox just fine.

But if firefox is not running, then whatever is in charge of handling such
link clicks tries to start at leasy 100 copies of konqueror, so I wind up
with a machine whose lower info bar has buttons from processes trying to
run lined up to as little as 1/8" wide, which it will do for 2-3 minutes
and then it will try to kill them all, which it will do for perhaps 5
seconds, but will eventually start fireing of another 100 or so copies,
none of which ever actually open a screen.

as root, killall konqueror, or killall neopmukservices is powerless to stop
it.

htop shows the cpu on a quad core phenom being pushed to as high as 90% on
all 4 cores, but the only way to stop it is to close down kmail cleanly and
reboot. Then spend 20 minutes getting all the other stuff I run here
started again.

I can run konqueror from a shell, which gets a bunch of mewling about stuff
in the shell I start it from, looks like this:

kbuildsycoca4 running...
kbuildsycoca4(1667) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry Categories
in "/usr/share/applications/freecad.desktop" is not compliant with XDG
standard (missing trailing semicolon).
kbuildsycoca4(1667) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry MimeType in
"/usr/share/applications/freecad.desktop" is not compliant with XDG
standard (missing trailing semicolon).
kbuildsycoca4(1667) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry Categories
in "/usr/share/applications/fmit.desktop" is not compliant with XDG
standard (missing trailing semicolon).
kbuildsycoca4(1667) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry Categories
in "/usr/share/applications/avidemux-gtk.desktop" is not compliant with XDG
standard (missing trailing semicolon).
kbuildsycoca4(1667) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry MimeType in
"/usr/share/applications/avidemux-gtk.desktop" is not compliant with XDG
standard (missing trailing semicolon).
kbuildsycoca4(1667) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry Categories
in "/usr/share/applications/projectx.desktop" is not compliant with XDG
standard (missing trailing semicolon).
kbuildsycoca4(1667) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry Categories
in "/usr/share/applications/gcalctool.desktop" is not compliant with XDG
standard (missing trailing semicolon).
kbuildsycoca4(1667) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry MimeType in
"/usr/share/applications/Kino.desktop" is not compliant with XDG standard
(missing trailing semicolon).
kbuildsycoca4(1667) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry Categories
in "/usr/share/applications/screensavers/antspotlight.desktop" is not
compliant with XDG standard (missing trailing semicolon).
kbuildsycoca4(1667) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry Categories
in "/usr/share/applications/screensavers/glschool.desktop" is not compliant
with XDG standard (missing trailing semicolon).
kbuildsycoca4(1667) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry Categories
in "/usr/share/applications/screensavers/fuzzyflakes.desktop" is not
compliant with XDG standard (missing trailing semicolon).
kbuildsycoca4(1667) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry Categories
in "/usr/share/applications/screensavers/glblur.desktop" is not compliant
with XDG standard (missing trailing semicolon).
kbuildsycoca4(1667) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry Categories
in "/usr/share/applications/screensavers/gltext.desktop" is not compliant
with XDG standard (missing trailing semicolon).
kbuildsycoca4(1667) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry Categories
in "/usr/share/applications/screensavers/glmatrix.desktop" is not compliant
with XDG standard (missing trailing semicolon).
kbuildsycoca4(1667) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry Categories
in "/usr/share/applications/screensavers/glslideshow.desktop" is not
compliant with XDG standard (missing trailing semicolon).
kbuildsycoca4(1667) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry Categories
in "/usr/share/applications/screensavers/hypertorus.desktop" is not
compliant with XDG standard (missing trailing semicolon).
kbuildsycoca4(1667) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry Categories
in "/usr/share/applications/screensavers/fiberlamp.desktop" is not
compliant with XDG standard (missing trailing semicolon).
kbuildsycoca4(1667) KConfigGroup::readXdgListEntry: List entry Categories
in "/usr/share/applications/screensavers/glcells.desktop" is not compliant
with XDG standard (missing trailing semicolon).

Which because it complains about the missing semicolon, seems to be just
the smoke from the fire as I have checked some of those files its
complaining about, and about half of them do have the trailing semicolon.

Not an impressive or efficient way to run a train, so can anyone tell me
how to kill this runaway program launcher without killing the system?

Thanks all.

Cheers, Gene
--
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
My web page: <http://coyoteden.dyndns-free.com:85/gene> is up!
The Army needs leaders the way a foot needs a big toe.
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program launcher going wild
 

On 29 June 2012 08:40, Gene Heskett <gheskett@wdtv.com> wrote:
> Greetings all;
>
> For the 2nd time I am going to have to reboot.
>
> If I have a copy of firefox running, a click on an html link in an email
> will hand the request off to firefox just fine.
>
> But if firefox is not running, then whatever is in charge of handling such
> link clicks tries to start at leasy 100 copies of konqueror, so I wind up
> with a machine whose lower info bar has buttons from processes trying to
> run lined up to as little as 1/8" wide, which it will do for 2-3 minutes
> and then it will try to kill them all, which it will do for perhaps 5
> seconds, but will eventually start fireing of another 100 or so copies,
> none of which ever actually open a screen.

You have not said which version of Ubuntu you are running, but
assuming it is 12.04 then in System Settings > Details > Default
Applications make sure you have Firefox as the default web app.

Colin

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program launcher going wild
 

On Friday 29 June 2012 04:23:59 Colin Law did opine:

> On 29 June 2012 08:40, Gene Heskett <gheskett@wdtv.com> wrote:
> > Greetings all;
> >
> > For the 2nd time I am going to have to reboot.
> >
> > If I have a copy of firefox running, a click on an html link in an
> > email will hand the request off to firefox just fine.
> >
> > But if firefox is not running, then whatever is in charge of handling
> > such link clicks tries to start at leasy 100 copies of konqueror, so
> > I wind up with a machine whose lower info bar has buttons from
> > processes trying to run lined up to as little as 1/8" wide, which it
> > will do for 2-3 minutes and then it will try to kill them all, which
> > it will do for perhaps 5 seconds, but will eventually start fireing
> > of another 100 or so copies, none of which ever actually open a
> > screen.
>
> You have not said which version of Ubuntu you are running, but
> assuming it is 12.04 then in System Settings > Details > Default
> Applications make sure you have Firefox as the default web app.
>
> Colin

Sorry, 10.04-4 32 bit on a 64 bit box. This is so all my boxes are running
the same install, and 2 of the other boxes are frozen on 10.04 LTS because
that is the kernel 2.6.32-122-rtai we have with rtai support for realtime
machine (lathes, milling machines etc) control.

That option doesn't seem to be in the list of pulldowns, so I've no clue
where to adjust that on 10.04-4. System->Preferred Applications however is
set for firefox. I think that is the same thing.

Cheers, Gene
--
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
My web page: <http://coyoteden.dyndns-free.com:85/gene> is up!
A banker is a fellow who lends you his umbrella when the sun is shining
and wants it back the minute it begins to rain.
-- Mark Twain

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program launcher going wild
 

On Friday 29 June 2012 13:20:12 Gene Heskett did opine:

> On Friday 29 June 2012 04:23:59 Colin Law did opine:
> > On 29 June 2012 08:40, Gene Heskett <gheskett@wdtv.com> wrote:
> > > Greetings all;
> > >
> > > For the 2nd time I am going to have to reboot.
> > >
> > > If I have a copy of firefox running, a click on an html link in an
> > > email will hand the request off to firefox just fine.
> > >
> > > But if firefox is not running, then whatever is in charge of
> > > handling such link clicks tries to start at leasy 100 copies of
> > > konqueror, so I wind up with a machine whose lower info bar has
> > > buttons from processes trying to run lined up to as little as 1/8"
> > > wide, which it will do for 2-3 minutes and then it will try to kill
> > > them all, which it will do for perhaps 5 seconds, but will
> > > eventually start fireing of another 100 or so copies, none of which
> > > ever actually open a screen.
> >
> > You have not said which version of Ubuntu you are running, but
> > assuming it is 12.04 then in System Settings > Details > Default
> > Applications make sure you have Firefox as the default web app.
> >
> > Colin
>
> Sorry, 10.04-4 32 bit on a 64 bit box. This is so all my boxes are
> running the same install, and 2 of the other boxes are frozen on 10.04
> LTS because that is the kernel 2.6.32-122-rtai we have with rtai
> support for realtime machine (lathes, milling machines etc) control.
>
> That option doesn't seem to be in the list of pulldowns, so I've no clue
> where to adjust that on 10.04-4. System->Preferred Applications however
> is set for firefox. I think that is the same thing.
>
> Cheers, Gene

A more kerosene on the fire PS:

Its done that 4 more times since I posted the above, and each time I
reboot, things change. Once I even got the default users gui setup which I
was unable to change. No keyboard response to even open a terminal screen.

When I reboot, long before the login screen appears, I get an error
advisory popup, center screen, that says it "Could not update
/var/lib/gdm/.ICEauthority"

If I sit and wait long enough I will finally get the big Xservers X mouse
pointer so I can click on the close button. Eventually.

The instant I close that, it is replaced by another error window advising
me that "There is a problem with the config server -
(/var/lib/libgconf2-4/gconf-sanity-check exited with status 256)

But if I re-execute that file right now, it gives a null return ANAICT.

Also, while on this reboot I did get some (not all, only that set I
normally keep in workspace 5 of 10) of my terminal screens restored, it
took several minutes after the boot was (theoretically) completed before
those screens had a cursor, so I was either typing blind, or searching thru
the shell cli history to find the command I normally run in that
terminal/tab and re-execute it.

FWIW, memtest86 was run a full cycle earlier this morning, no errors.

This is turning into a right PIMA folks, what can I do?

Thanks all.

Cheers, Gene
--
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
My web page: <http://coyoteden.dyndns-free.com:85/gene> is up!
Most people feel that everyone is entitled to their opinion.

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program launcher going wild
 

On Friday 29 June 2012 16:07:29 Gene Heskett did opine:

> On Friday 29 June 2012 13:20:12 Gene Heskett did opine:
> > On Friday 29 June 2012 04:23:59 Colin Law did opine:
> > > On 29 June 2012 08:40, Gene Heskett <gheskett@wdtv.com> wrote:
> > > > Greetings all;
> > > >
> > > > For the 2nd time I am going to have to reboot.
> > > >
> > > > If I have a copy of firefox running, a click on an html link in an
> > > > email will hand the request off to firefox just fine.
> > > >
> > > > But if firefox is not running, then whatever is in charge of
> > > > handling such link clicks tries to start at leasy 100 copies of
> > > > konqueror, so I wind up with a machine whose lower info bar has
> > > > buttons from processes trying to run lined up to as little as 1/8"
> > > > wide, which it will do for 2-3 minutes and then it will try to
> > > > kill them all, which it will do for perhaps 5 seconds, but will
> > > > eventually start fireing of another 100 or so copies, none of
> > > > which ever actually open a screen.
> > >
> > > You have not said which version of Ubuntu you are running, but
> > > assuming it is 12.04 then in System Settings > Details > Default
> > > Applications make sure you have Firefox as the default web app.
> > >
> > > Colin
> >
> > Sorry, 10.04-4 32 bit on a 64 bit box. This is so all my boxes are
> > running the same install, and 2 of the other boxes are frozen on 10.04
> > LTS because that is the kernel 2.6.32-122-rtai we have with rtai
> > support for realtime machine (lathes, milling machines etc) control.
> >
> > That option doesn't seem to be in the list of pulldowns, so I've no
> > clue where to adjust that on 10.04-4. System->Preferred Applications
> > however is set for firefox. I think that is the same thing.
> >
> > Cheers, Gene
>
> A more kerosene on the fire PS:
>
> Its done that 4 more times since I posted the above, and each time I
> reboot, things change. Once I even got the default users gui setup
> which I was unable to change. No keyboard response to even open a
> terminal screen.
>
> When I reboot, long before the login screen appears, I get an error
> advisory popup, center screen, that says it "Could not update
> /var/lib/gdm/.ICEauthority"
>
> If I sit and wait long enough I will finally get the big Xservers X
> mouse pointer so I can click on the close button. Eventually.
>
> The instant I close that, it is replaced by another error window
> advising me that "There is a problem with the config server -
> (/var/lib/libgconf2-4/gconf-sanity-check exited with status 256)
>
> But if I re-execute that file right now, it gives a null return ANAICT.
>
> Also, while on this reboot I did get some (not all, only that set I
> normally keep in workspace 5 of 10) of my terminal screens restored, it
> took several minutes after the boot was (theoretically) completed before
> those screens had a cursor, so I was either typing blind, or searching
> thru the shell cli history to find the command I normally run in that
> terminal/tab and re-execute it.
>
> FWIW, memtest86 was run a full cycle earlier this morning, no errors.
>
> This is turning into a right PIMA folks, what can I do?
>
> Thanks all.
>
> Cheers, Gene

I found a kill switch!

"killall kfmclient", as root, from any handy shell. That stopped the
launching of new konqueror's and in 30 seconds or so the taskbar at the
bottom of the screen was all cleaned up. konqueror itself never showed up,
but seems to run ok from a cli.

However!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If I pull the menu down, goto internet, and try to
run konqueror from there, I get a big error window that if copy/paste
works, tells me this:

The requested operation could not be completed
File or Folder Does Not Exist
Details of the Request:
URL: file:///usr/share/doc/HTML/index.html
Protocol: file
Date and Time: Friday 29 June 2012 16:12
Additional Information: /usr/share/doc/HTML/index.html
Description:
The specified file or folder /usr/share/doc/HTML/index.html does not exist.
Possible Causes:
You may have encountered a bug in the program.
Possible Solutions:
Update your software to the latest version. Your distribution should
provide tools to update your software.
Contact your appropriate computer support system, whether the system
administrator, or technical support group for further assistance.

Now, /usr/share/doc/HTML does NOT exist and I didn't delete it.

Now what folks?

launchpad to file a bug? No clue how that works, I am a ubuntu newbie in
that regard.

Cheers, Gene
--
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
My web page: <http://coyoteden.dyndns-free.com:85/gene> is up!
Real Men don't make backups. They upload it via ftp and let the world
mirror
it.
-- Linus Torvalds

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program launcher going wild
 

On 29 June 2012 18:43, Gene Heskett <gheskett@wdtv.com> wrote:
> On Friday 29 June 2012 13:20:12 Gene Heskett did opine:
> ...
> Its done that 4 more times since I posted the above, and each time I
> reboot, things change. *Once I even got the default users gui setup which I
> was unable to change. *No keyboard response to even open a terminal screen.

Have you tried running memtest from the boot options for a few hours.
I wonder whether you have a hardware problem.

Colin

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program launcher going wild
 

On 29 June 2012 21:46, Colin Law <clanlaw@googlemail.com> wrote:
>
> Have you tried running memtest from the boot options for a few hours.
> I wonder whether you have a hardware problem.

As Gene said,

> FWIW, memtest86 was run a full cycle earlier this morning, no errors.

Then again, a flaky piece of ram is exceptionally unlikely to be
producing the issues being experienced here.



--
Steve

When one person suffers from a delusion it is insanity. When many
people suffer from a delusion it is called religion.

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program launcher going wild
 

On 29 June 2012 21:57, Steve Flynn <anothermindbomb@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 29 June 2012 21:46, Colin Law <clanlaw@googlemail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Have you tried running memtest from the boot options for a few hours.
>> I wonder whether you have a hardware problem.
>
> As Gene said,
>
>> FWIW, memtest86 was run a full cycle earlier this morning, no errors.

Good point.

>
> Then again, a flaky piece of ram is exceptionally unlikely to be
> producing the issues being experienced here.

Exceptionally unusual symptoms may demand exceptionally unlikely
causes, but I think you are correct.

Colin

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program launcher going wild
 

On 29/06/2012 17:43, Gene Heskett wrote:

A more kerosene on the fire PS:

Its done that 4 more times since I posted the above, and each time I
reboot, things change. Once I even got the default users gui setup which I
was unable to change. No keyboard response to even open a terminal screen.

When I reboot, long before the login screen appears, I get an error
advisory popup, center screen, that says it "Could not update
/var/lib/gdm/.ICEauthority"

If I sit and wait long enough I will finally get the big Xservers X mouse
pointer so I can click on the close button. Eventually.

The instant I close that, it is replaced by another error window advising
me that "There is a problem with the config server -
(/var/lib/libgconf2-4/gconf-sanity-check exited with status 256)

But if I re-execute that file right now, it gives a null return ANAICT.
I had something similar once when I had a mounting problem. Don't
remember what exactly, /home wasn't mounted or was mounted read-only.

This may be a long shot, but could you show your /etc/fstab?
And when you have login problems again, press CTRL+ALT+F1 to drop into a
text-based terminal. You *should* be able to login.

Then do "mount" to see what was mounted where and how.

I know, it's a long shot. It's like the proverbial lupus in House MD.
They still have to test for it, just to rule it out.




Also, while on this reboot I did get some (not all, only that set I
normally keep in workspace 5 of 10) of my terminal screens restored, it
took several minutes after the boot was (theoretically) completed before
those screens had a cursor, so I was either typing blind, or searching thru
the shell cli history to find the command I normally run in that
terminal/tab and re-execute it.

FWIW, memtest86 was run a full cycle earlier this morning, no errors.

This is turning into a right PIMA folks, what can I do?

Thanks all.

Cheers, Gene




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program launcher going wild
 

On 29/06/2012 20:19, Gene Heskett wrote:

I found a kill switch!

"killall kfmclient", as root, from any handy shell. That stopped the
launching of new konqueror's and in 30 seconds or so the taskbar at the
bottom of the screen was all cleaned up. konqueror itself never showed up,
but seems to run ok from a cli.

However!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If I pull the menu down, goto internet, and try to
run konqueror from there, I get a big error window that if copy/paste
works, tells me this:

The requested operation could not be completed
File or Folder Does Not Exist
Details of the Request:
URL: file:///usr/share/doc/HTML/index.html
Protocol: file
Date and Time: Friday 29 June 2012 16:12
Additional Information: /usr/share/doc/HTML/index.html
Description:
The specified file or folder /usr/share/doc/HTML/index.html does not exist.
Possible Causes:
You may have encountered a bug in the program.
Possible Solutions:
Update your software to the latest version. Your distribution should
provide tools to update your software.
Contact your appropriate computer support system, whether the system
administrator, or technical support group for further assistance.

Now, /usr/share/doc/HTML does NOT exist and I didn't delete it.
In a previous message you told that you have several machines, all
configured the same.
Check on those machines if the directory /usr/share/doc/HTML/ should
exist. Start at the lowest level:

ls /
ls /usr
ls /usr/share
ls /usr/share/doc
ls /usr/share/doc/HTML/

Also check your mount points with "mount".



Now what folks?

launchpad to file a bug? No clue how that works, I am a ubuntu newbie in
that regard.

Cheers, Gene




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