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Ubuntu 12.4 LTS lack of stability

mack

1:24 pm on Dec 16, 2012 (gmt 0)

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Is anyone else noticing a progressively less stable OS with the LTS offering of Ubuntu 12.4?

I have generally stuck with LTS (Long term support) distributions of Ubuntu, but I may need to upgrade away from 12.4 sooner rather than later.

I don't have anything on this machine that hasn't come from the Ubuntu software centre, and still as software updates are applied I find the system becoming less and less stable.

Its worth pointing out I do run the KDE desktop environment. I have been running a mix of Ubuntu (Gnome) and KDE since 9.04 and until now I have had no issues.

My reason for running Ubuntu then installing KDE is simply that the release of Ubuntu generally contains a lot more in the way of tools as opposed to a vanilla install of Kubuntu.

Currently I am seeing a number of system crashes when using multiple apps or sometimes even multiple windows. Even opening a file browser and then opening a file can be enough to trigger a kernel panic and throw the system back to console.

Mack.

dstiles

10:40 pm on Dec 16, 2012 (gmt 0)

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As noted elsewhere in this forum, I gave up on ubuntu 12 within a short time of installation. I installed Mint 13 Maya (14 is now available but I haven't upgraded yet). I run only a few KDE apps, not the full KDE desktop. I use the Mate desktop, a fork of gnome (which itself has been discontinued).

Mint has underlying ubuntu code but a different desktop so anything ubuntu should run on Mint.

As to stability - it's been running without reboot now for 32 days; last reboot was due to a software kernel update. From that point of view, Mint seems less in need of reboots: I've rebooted my two ubuntu Lucid machines at least twice within that period due to OS kernel updates. Odd since the Mint core is ubuntu. :)

Have to say, system crashes on Lucid are rare and Mint not at all, so far.

mack

10:54 pm on Dec 16, 2012 (gmt 0)

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Up until recently I didn't have any force re-boots, although I do turn the machine off when not in use.

Its almost as if Ubuntu have slipped up when it comes to maintaining the software tree. A few times I have installed something (from the software centre) only to find it can't run because a dependency hasn't been installed or configured correctly. More or less defeats the point of an LTS release.

Been having a bit of a look around for details on Mate desktop.. Looks quite promising! :)

Mack.

dstiles

10:24 pm on Dec 17, 2012 (gmt 0)

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There are a couple of other desktops for Mint as well, including the (to me) OTT one adopted by ubuntu 12.

Mate (at least on Maya) is the one promoted as being more stable, which is why I chose it. Doubtless cinnamon will be good one day but for now I'll pass. :)

Hoople

11:45 pm on Dec 17, 2012 (gmt 0)

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I have been using Ubuntu since release 7.x and switched to the light version (Lubuntu) at version 10. or so. Now I am on Lbuntu 12.10 (quantal).

With 12.04 LTS I also had some random crashing issues (Mostly in Firefox & Thunderbird). After doing a force upgrade away from 12.04 LTS to 12.10 via sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade the crashes stopped.

A few week after that change the crashes are gone still with no new 'pain' points from the 12.04 to 12.10 upgrade.

mack

8:34 pm on Dec 18, 2012 (gmt 0)

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I think I will do as you did and upgrade to 12.10 also going to cut back on some rarely (once in a blue moon) used applications.

Funny you mention Thunderbird as a potential problem source. I only installed that around about three months ago, and that kinda ties into the time frame of when my problems started.

Did you continue to run thunderbird after you updated?

Mack.

Hoople

9:15 pm on Dec 18, 2012 (gmt 0)

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Did you continue to run thunderbird after you updated?

Yes, no crashes since upgrading - 4 days since last reboot (I had been rebooting daily).

dstiles

10:39 pm on Dec 18, 2012 (gmt 0)

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I've always used thunderbird and firefox on linux, if that helps. Also used on Windows since they first appeared "on the market". No apparent failures of thunderbird at all, firefox occasionally in the past, seemingly restricted to the occasional version in use.

graeme_p

9:37 am on Dec 20, 2012 (gmt 0)

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I have experienced a number of Compiz crashes (and Unity 2D is unusably slow).

I have also run into problems with packages.

Perhaps its time to look at another distribution? Anyone tried Fedora recently? What about Debian Stable with backports.

dstiles

9:22 pm on Dec 20, 2012 (gmt 0)

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As noted, I've been running Mint for a couplke of months now with no problems. Based on ubuntu 12 but it works and, by default, is non-compiz-mentis. :)

graeme_p

7:37 am on Dec 24, 2012 (gmt 0)

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My problems with packages have been solved! Everything installed without issue.

I switched from the fastest mirror (an option in the repo settings GUI) back to "Main server"

mack

12:14 pm on Dec 24, 2012 (gmt 0)

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Upgrading to 12.10 as we speak

Backup - check
connectivity - check
Need a drink - check

I will follow your advice regarding update server :)

Mack.

mack

3:21 pm on Dec 24, 2012 (gmt 0)

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Ok upgrade has went well, crashing issue seems to have been addressed. One issue I hit was with my apache2.conf usually with an upgrade it gives you the option to keep or replace files that have been modified. Not in this case.

Thankfully I had a backup, so a quick cp command sorted that.

Mack.