Login manager will not let me log in - machine thrashing
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I have a newly reinstalled Etch plus KDE in a dual core desktop. After
the installation was finished I was able to reboot and log in using kdm.
The next morning, when I turned on the computer, I only got as far as
the kdm login manager. When I entered my user ID and password there is
effectively no response. After a few minutes garbage appeared on the
monitor. As after about 30 seconds the HDD light became continuously
on; I consequently suspected that the machine ended up thrashing.
Later I discovered that I could open my user and root from a virtual
terminal. So to test my suspicion I opened root in F1, went back to F7
and entered my user ID and password and immediately went back to F1.
There I opened top. In about 15 seconds the memory filled up, all 2GB
of it, and then in another 15 seconds or so the swap space also filled
up -- again all 2GB of it. Top does not indicate any untoward use of
memory; only about 40 KB seem to be in use by applications.
- From that point on the computer did not seem capable of doing anything:
it will not open my user and the F1 terminal will no longer accept
commands. In due course garbage appeared not only on the F7 terminal
but on the F1 one as well.
Usually to get out of this impasse I have to except push the reset
button. On occasion however, when logged in as root in a terminal, halt
will work but *very* slowly. Early in the halt process the message "out
of memory" appears.
If I do not try to open my user from the the kdm login manager I seem to
be able to use the terminal mode more or less normally either as my user
or root.
I would dearly like to know what is happening, why it is happening and
what can be done to stop it.
Regards, Ken Heard
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