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I've got a netbook which works with KDE surprisingly good. However, sometimes happen that some program runs so slowly that the system completely stops responding (for example when I start some complicated task in gimp). In this situation the only way out is to press a ctrl+alt+backspace combination. This is not the way it should be because it kills all other programs I've used that moment.

I propose to make some kind of KDE daemon that runs with the highest possible priority. After pressing defined key combination it would pause all processes running on top of X-server and then run ksysguard so there be a possibility to kill problematic process (such as these gimp).

In the meantime you can press ctrl+alt+f1 to bring up a command prompt and login from there.

TheBlackCat wrote:In the meantime you can press ctrl+alt+f1 to bring up a command prompt and login from there.

You're wrong. I'm talking about situation when the WHOLE SYSTEM is not responding! (Not the single process). It would take years to login and kill that process.

I totally agree, it's a really good idea, you've got my vote : +1

david.

b00rt00s wrote:

TheBlackCat wrote:In the meantime you can press ctrl+alt+f1 to bring up a command prompt and login from there.

You're wrong. I'm talking about situation when the WHOLE SYSTEM is not responding! (Not the single process). It would take years to login and kill that process.

If you can ctrl+backspace to kill X and return to the login screen then you can use ctrl+alt+f1 to switch to a virtual terminal (no gui so it won't take years because it isn't starting KDM and launching a new KDE session), login, and look up and kill the offending process(es). If you can't use ctrl+alt+f1 to switch to a virtual terminal then you are pretty much hosed (alt+SysReq+REISUB or power button).

OTOH, I do like the idea of having KSysguard suspending all cpu-hogging processes when it launches, allowing the user to quickly and easily pick which processes to resume and which to kill.

airdrik wrote:
If you can ctrl+backspace to kill X and return to the login screen then you can use ctrl+alt+f1 to switch to a virtual terminal (no gui so it won't take years because it isn't starting KDM and launching a new KDE session)

I can't agree with You. ctrl+alt+backspace kills all processes running on top of X-server including the problematic one. It takes sometimes two or more minutes though. After killing those processes system starts back responding and there is no problem to login. When you use a ctrl+alt+f1 combination no process is killed or suspended so login is completely impossible.

I think, that using nice level is better idea. Program handling ctrl+esc combination should have higher priority and process manager should have higher priority too.

This is something that first needs to be supported in the kernel. Doing it manually is possible, but potentially dangerous.

As for hoggyness of certain programs - it is usual that the problem is in memory leaks thus invoking constant swapping and bringing the system to its knees.

Normal, cpu-intensive programs don't usually make the system unusable.

For the programs that hog memory, there is a rather simple cure 'ulimit -d 1000000 -v 1000000' - if the process passes a specified memory limit, it gets killed by the system. I'm using this for iceweasel (firefox).

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p.s. voted +1

ivan wrote:This is something that first needs to be supported in the kernel. Doing it manually is possible, but potentially dangerous.

Well Linux OS (that Linux kernel is) already supports it, question is just if this kind program would be given a higest and wisest priority in configs?

Like right now if one application hangs the GUI, then just Ctrl+Alt+Esc to get a XKill up and kill the app. The XKill has higest priority by default if I have understanded correctly.

Of course it does not work if hanging application is in other virtual desktop or other activity and Plasma is hanging.

Thanks for every one comments really nice to know about this i hope this information will work for in future i did not know the short keys.
Subliminal