Input method (hardware problem?)

[Thomas Blasejewicz]

(2014/09/15 18:35), Colin Law wrote:
> On 15 September 2014 10:08, Thomas Blasejewicz <thomas at s7.dion.ne.jp> wrote:
>> Good afternoon
>> I am not sure, I am allowed to ask this kind of question here, but the
>> Mint community does not seem to have a mailing list
>> and their forum is very slow/inactive so that getting answers there may
>> take 10 years.
>> Since Mint seems to be based on Ubuntu, I thought, I might be permitted
>> a little sacrilege.
>>
>> I installed Mint 17, Cinamon 32-bit (1x) / 64-bit (1x) versions on two
>> different computers.
>> Since I had trouble with the 64-bit version, I made a clean installation
>> of the 32-bit version on that computer too.
>> All these installations erased everything on the PC and newly installed
>> Mint 17.
>>
>>
>> Problem:
>> System installed -> Updates downloaded + installed
>> Languages downloaded + installed (Japanese and German in addition to
>> English)
>> added a German (querty) KB layout
>> -> installed Ibus-anthy
>> -> Logout -> Login
>> Keyboard Input Method -> add Japanese -> Anthy
>> -> added a key for switching input methods
>> -> after initially using a different setting, chose "Use same KB layout
>> for all windows"
>> (which seemed to help at first)
>>
>> Now, initially I DO HAVE and can switch between the language applets for
>> Japanese / German;
>> BUT ... when I just touch the applet for switching between Japanese
>> alphanumeric/character input ...
>> the language applet for Japanese / German DISAPPEARS
>> AND
>> the keyboard layout I set up earlier also is replaced by a generic
>> layout while its Name is still displayed as "German".
>> That prevents switching between keyboard layouts and sometimes (always?)
>> the switching between input methods.
>>
>> The PC (Mouse computer, CPU 2.4 GH, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD, something I got
>> from my son) also frequently becomes
>> "unresponsive" while trying to setup things like keyboard, input method
>> etc., NOT running any other software.
>> Unresponsive means, it will not react to mouse clicking, while the mouse
>> pointer still moves around, or keystrokes.
>> This "recovers" after several minutes.
>> Whereas the system never "recovers" once it has been "suspended".
>>
>> My son (who was running Windows 7 64-bit on it) told me, that the
>> computer sometimes gets very slow (unresponsive)
>> and thus suspected possible hardware problems.
>> Before installing Mint I ran an integrity and MEM test. Neither showed
>> any errors.
> How much RAM have you got?  The slow down could be due to swapping to
> disk.  The indicator is that when it goes slow the disk light flickers
> continuously.
>
> Colin
>
Well, as I wrote, there are 4 GB of RAM, 500 GB HDD (almost empty, since 
this is a new installation and I did not add anything yet.
RAM: here too, the computer is performing ONLY the setup actions under 
preferences.
So, I believe excessive use can be ruled out.