On Thursday 06 October 2011 22:32:50 Mag. Dr. Nikolaus Klepp wrote:
> Am Donnerstag, 6. Oktober 2011 schrieb Lisi:
> > Hello, all.
> >
> > This is a KDE problem, not a Trinity one, but I know of nowhere else that
> > would give me a sympathetic hearing.    ("KDE 3 is dead already.  Scrap
> > KDE 3 and go to KDE 4.")
> >
> > Bonkers is the best description I can come up with.  Applications that
> > were working fine are suddenly not.  (In particular Konqueror, but not
> > only Konqeror.)  Settings change randomly.  The latest, a few minutes
> > ago, was my desktop settings, which have disappeared and the same random
> > KDE one "set up" for all the desktops (4 - and until just now they all
> > had different backgrounds).  When I went to check what "configure
> > desktop" showed, I found that my screensaver had been turned off.
> >
> > The most benign reason I can come up with is that the CMOS battery needs
> > changing.  Something is obviously on the way out.  Motherboard also
> > springs to mind. :-(
> >
> > It could, of course, be software related.  I just can't think what!
> >
> > All other ideas and suggestions for solving this gratefully received.  If
> > the advice is bin the thing it will only echo my fears.  I built this box
> > about 8 years ago, so something crucial dying is not impossible.
> >
> > It would happen now. :-(  I am in the middle of something that is
> > important to me, and has a deadline of Monday, which I am not going to
> > meet.  I have had to give up driving because my eyesight has
> > deteriorated, I live in the country and my husband (i.e. my transport) is
> > away for the next 2 weeks.
> >
> > My, the gremlins are having fun. ;-(
>
> Look at the logs (/var/log/messages), if nothing's in it, run memtest.
> Could be a good idea to make a backup ...

Thanks, Nik.  Will run memtest overnight.  I'll look into logs in the morning.

Lisi