Orbiter freezing up after initial install

[archived]

Hi,

I have just done a hybrid install on a machine that I have setup and are getting problems when it starts up.

It seems to go fine for a while and starts X Windows, but it then freezes up and the mouse and keyboard become unresponsive.

I can still get a SSH terminal into the machine and all I can gather from the logs is that the DCERouter seems to keep restarting - but I can't find any error messages as to why it is restarting.

I assume that there is a hardware conflict of some form but I am unsure of how to track it down.

The hardware is as follows;
Intel socket 370 motherboard with Celeron CPU
512MB Ram
200GB IDE HD plus 2 X 36GB SCSI HD (with Adaptec Controller)
SB Live 5.1 Sound card
Leadtek Winfast DTV1000 T digital TV card (with remote control)
Logitech wireless KB and mouse

Any ideas on where to start looking for the problems.

Thanks
Darren

[archived]

I have tried a re-install and got a bit further.

It looks like the DCERouter is running fine now.

However, it still starts to load up X Windows and the mouse and keyboard work fine for a while and before it can display anything the mouse and keyboard will freeze up and become unusable.

Remotely logging into the machine work fine and I installed a windows Orbiter and it can connect to the room fine and even start media etc on the hybrid core.

I can't find anything obvious in the log files.

Does anyone have any ideas where to look for what the problem might be.

I thought it was driver problems - but it works fine for a little while, so it must be something that the orbiter tries to load.

Anyone?  

Thanks
Darren

[archived]

Looks like I am the only one updating my own problem.. but anyway.

I think the problem was related to the Logitech bluetooth keyboard and mouse. My guess is that when the bluetooth dongle device kicked in using the logitech mouse/kb hub it then upset the working mouse and kb.

I have added a normal mouse and kb for the moment and removed the bluetooth dongle device that was automatically created. That seems to get around the freezing problem but I don't really have a solution as I want to use the wireless mouse and kb on that machine and also want it to have the bluetooth dongle device.

Has anyone else any experience using wireless mouse and kb (bluetooth) as well as the bluetooth dongle device?

Regards
Darren

[archived]

There are quite a few theories that come to my mind right now, none that is easily diagonosable.

Start setting: bluetooth dongle, wireless keyboard and mouse. You don't specify if the wireless kit receiver connects via PS/2 or USB, nor if the receiver is RF or IR.
Status: doesn't work after bluetooth dongle starts

End setting: bluetooth dongle removed, keyboard and mouse replaced with wire versions.
Status: works

Middle setting that you didn't do: bluetooth dongle removed, wireless keyboard and mouse attached.
Status: yet to find out

My theory nr. 1: if the wireless kit uses RF to communicate, it could be interfering with the bluetooth dongle, thus none will work because they can't talk to anything. If it uses IR, RF interference is not possible and this theory fails.

I have no theory nr. 2 right now.

Can you please try the "Middle setting" I described above and see how it behaves? Thanks.

[archived]

Hi,

The wireless mouse and keyboard are logitech ones that work using RF (bluetooth). A bluetooth hub that also acts as a mouse cradle and charger plugs into both usb and the keyboard ps/2 connector.

I assume that there is definately a conflict but am unsure as to how to track it down and even whether it can actually work.

Regards
Darren

[archived]

Hmm... Then it may be a driver issue. When the hub gets initialized as a bluetooth dongle, it may be locking up. What is the exact model of the kit?

[archived]

Logitech DiNovo Media Desktop

[archived]

Looks like I am the only one updating my own problem.. but anyway.

I think the problem was related to the Logitech bluetooth keyboard and mouse. My guess is that when the bluetooth dongle device kicked in using the logitech mouse/kb hub it then upset the working mouse and kb.

I have added a normal mouse and kb for the moment and removed the bluetooth dongle device that was automatically created. That seems to get around the freezing problem but I don't really have a solution as I want to use the wireless mouse and kb on that machine and also want it to have the bluetooth dongle device.

Has anyone else any experience using wireless mouse and kb (bluetooth) as well as the bluetooth dongle device?

Regards
Darren

Hi Darren,

We have experience of using both Microsoft and Logitech wireless keyboard/mouse combos with a blurtooth dongle. However neither the Microsoft or Logitech keyboard/mouse combos are bluetooth based though they are wireless.

Using a single bluetooth solution for keyboard/mouse/dongle (ie user ID) would be a nice approach though. I'll monitor your progress here!

Best of luck.

Andrew

[archived]

Hi Andrew,

Finally bit the bullet and put a new machine into the mix.

I now have a dedicated Core and the previous Hybrid now is a diskless MD. Still have the same requirement - but the diskless MD is the one with the Bluetooth gear on it. Still in early stages but it is not freezing the Orbiter anymore however I am still losing the keyboard at some stage in start up.
I have both a PS2 mouse and the Bluetooth mouse plugged in and both seem to work OK.  Still need more time to get a chance to examine the keyboard issue.

My ideal scenario would be for each MD to be fitted with some form of bluetooth dongle or hub and dynamic pairing with the keyboard, keypad and/or mouse whenever I enter that room with it. Realise this might require a bit of work (or may not even be possible) but it would be nice.
But that may be a bit off yet.

Thanks for your interest

Darren

ps: eveything works so much easier and with fewer problems with a dedicated core - wish I had done it from the start.

[archived]

Hi Andrew,

Finally bit the bullet and put a new machine into the mix.

I now have a dedicated Core and the previous Hybrid now is a diskless MD. Still have the same requirement - but the diskless MD is the one with the Bluetooth gear on it. Still in early stages but it is not freezing the Orbiter anymore however I am still losing the keyboard at some stage in start up.
I have both a PS2 mouse and the Bluetooth mouse plugged in and both seem to work OK.  Still need more time to get a chance to examine the keyboard issue.

My ideal scenario would be for each MD to be fitted with some form of bluetooth dongle or hub and dynamic pairing with the keyboard, keypad and/or mouse whenever I enter that room with it. Realise this might require a bit of work (or may not even be possible) but it would be nice.
But that may be a bit off yet.

Thanks for your interest

Darren

ps: eveything works so much easier and with fewer problems with a dedicated core - wish I had done it from the start.

Hi Darren,

Yes I agree with you about the pros n cons of using a Hybrid verses a dedicated core. We have both and in general the dedicated cores seem to have fewer niggling problems!

I like your idea of using the Bluetooth mouse/keyboard as the identity token that triggers your presence to the MD. I can't see that there can be any real 'deal stoppers' in implimenting this. One of the problems we have been struggling with is that Bluetooth seems to have much more range in 'the real world' than most hardware suppliers own up to in their tech specs. Which means unless you have a very large home (most European homes are considerably smaller than US ones) you will see considerable Bluetooth range overlap which causes much confusion when trying to identify where a user is and what should activate!

What dongle/hub etc are you using at present?

Andrew