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Thread: How can I reliably kill / restart XBMC in a way my mom can use?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Beans
    239
    Distro
    Ubuntu

    How can I reliably kill / restart XBMC in a way my mom can use?

    I have a laptop running Ubuntu and XBMC for my parents can use. Occasionally, XBMC will freeze and they have no way of restarting XBMC. The desktop is unresponsive.

    If this was on Windows, my parents would hit `ctrl-alt-del`, kill XBMC, and reopen it. If this was me, I'd drop into shell and run `pkill xbmc`.

    I need a method my parents can use on Ubuntu. Restarting the laptop every time XBMC freezes is not an option.

    I tried running `xkill`, but it complained that it can't grab cursor. I rebound Task Monitor to `ctrl-alt-del`, but it doesn't work when the system is locked up.

    I'm open to any suggestions.

  2. #2
    ibjsb4 is offline Ubuntu addict and loving it
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Beans
    4,987

    Re: How can I reliably kill / restart XBMC in a way my mom can use?

    You say the desktop is unresponsive, but sounds like not totally. Could you in terminal ..

    Code:
    killall xbmc && xbmc
    That assumes that xbmc is the proper command to start it. And if the mouse will still work, turn that command into a button in the panel.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Chicago, IL
    Beans
    18
    Distro
    Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron

    Re: How can I reliably kill / restart XBMC in a way my mom can use?

    I had the same issue in Xubuntu. I found my answer here: https://sites.google.com/site/easyli.../first-xubuntu (<--- solution credit goes to this author. His instructions pasted below for ease of use)

    I think that this should work in Ubuntu just the same.

    In a terminal enter:
    Code:
    gksudo leafpad /etc/default/keyboard
    Find the line:
    XKBOPTIONS=""

    Change that line to this:
    XKBOPTIONS="terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp"

    Save the modified file and close it.

    Reboot your computer.

    After logging in again, you can test it: Ctrl+Alt+Backspace should reboot only the desktop and throw you back into the login window.

    For me if XBMC hangs - now I can kill it by hitting Ctrl+Alt and Backspace. Log back in and it brings me back to my desktop.

    Good luck!

    Frank

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