Dapper Slow- Possibly kernel problem

[johnfw7]

I have recently completed a clean install of Dapper 6.0.6

Every transaction, loading or operating, is extremely slow compared with other Linux releases.

I have 1 G of memory

I had a similar speed problem with Mandriva in which the kernel was optimised for a lower memory size.

They provided alternative 1GB and 4GB kernels.
The 1GB when substituted produced excellent results.

I wonder if the problem is similar here.

Are there optimised kernels for Dapper or alternatively can a memory parameter be attached to the command line and if so hqw?

johnfw

[askrieger]

Re: Dapper Slow- Possibly kernel problem

I would have thought that 1GB of memory would have been more than enough to run Kubuntu as speedily as your CPU would allow. In fact, my P4 backup box has ONLY 1GB and it is not noticeably slower than my AMD64 box with 2GB of memory. I'm sure that a benchmark would show the difference, but it's irrelevant in daily use.

Therefore, I'm inclined to believe that you have another problem. If I were you, I'd run top to see if there's some process that's taking up an inordinate amount of CPU time or memory (a memory hog can force time-consuming swapping). I'd also wonder whether you left enough swap space. Even a 1GB system uses swap at times. Other than that I don't know what to suggest other than to reiterate that Kubuntu ought to be speeding along as fast as any other Linux distro.

[devlin]

Re: Dapper Slow- Possibly kernel problem

I too have noticed Kubuntu running slow on my machine compaired to Debian on my other machine.

My Kubuntu (Dapper install) is running on a Celeron 1.7Ghz w/ 768mb RAM.

My Debian (Sarge install) is running on a Celeron 800mhz w/ 512mb RAM.

[askrieger]

Re: Dapper Slow- Possibly kernel problem

Your Kubuntu system should appear as fast as your Debian system, if not faster. The only difference I can think of is the fact Kubuntu Dapper starts from Sid as it was in Novemnber 2005. That's significantly newer than Sarge. Personally, I've never seen any program get smaller as a function of time. So you can expect system requirements to increase with time. That said, I reiterate that Kubuntu is not bloatware (like another OS we all know) and it ought to work well on your hardware.

Again, I suggest checking top or ksysguard (I prefer top) for memory leakers and cpu hogs. I've noticed that the Sun Java package misbehaves occasionally.

[suplero]

Re: Dapper Slow- Possibly kernel problem

I just installed kubuntu on an amd 64 system with 1gb of ram, and it was also running very slowly.

I ran top and it showed kde as the memory hog with 80% of the memory used, and the swap partition (also 1gb) was using 600+ MB as well. This was immediately after installing, and with nothing running.

It took about 1 minute to change the clock setting, on the desktop and when starting any application, the mouse hangs as it starts up.

specs:

amd64, 3500+
1gb ram
nv GeForce 7300

installed kubuntu 6.06.1 386 version onto a 10gb ibm hd

I also installed ubuntu 6.06 amd 64 bit version on this same system and it runs much faster.

Still not as fast as my semprom 3100+ system that I put ubuntu 5.10 x86 on. I was hoping the x86 version on the amd64 system would be faster, but it isn't.

Since the 64 bit version wasn't that fast, I went back to the x86 version, but that is horribly slow.

Any help would be appreciated.

[askrieger]

Re: Dapper Slow- Possibly kernel problem

The only thing I can suggest is to read this HowTo. I'd also like to reiterate what I said above, Top (from the konsole) and Ksysguard (from the GUI) will tell you what's taking up your cpu time and memory. The answer SHOULD be nothing. Modern PCs are vastly overpowered for the tasks that most users put them to. If you find some program hogging resources, it's probably misbehaving.

@suplero: KDE is not one of my top 25 processes on an AMD64-3800 w/ 2GB, although there are some KDE components in the top 10. I'm not sure I Have a process named KDE. There's something wrong on your box, but I don't know what. Can you provide more details?

@devlin: Please run top or ksysguard and report the amount of time and memory taken by the FIVE (no more, please) most active processes.

@johnfw: I still have no more to say than to suggest the optimizations in the above reference (and the sites that it references).

Once again, if your machine is slow in ordinary use, there's something wrong.

[Gezzer]

Re: Dapper Slow- Possibly kernel problem

it also maybe an idea to try the kernel install for your type of CPU ...
686 for Intel
K7 for AMD
SMP for duel core

[suplero]

Re: Dapper Slow- Possibly kernel problem

Sorry, the full name is   kdesktop

I rebooted and it works much faster now.

on the initial boot it it stopped for long time at the KDE splash screen on the second step - I can't remember the name but it is the one before peripherals - and after booting it was still doing something.

The second boot, this all went away.  It flew through all of the KDE splash options, and kdesktop is nowhere to be seen on TOP.

No idea what caused it, or what fixed it.

thanks