Kubuntu 8.10 64-bit running slow on my new laptop

[betwixt]

Hi, i'm new to linux.

Just installed 32-bit kubuntu 8.04 on my pc (p4 2.8GHz, 512MB ram, 128MB geforce 5200, some old hard drive 80GB). And it works very well. Tough i havent installed nvida drivers for it.

But then i also wanted to put kubuntu to my new laptop (2.5 GHz dual core 2 intel 45nm technologie, 4GB ram, Nvidia Geforce 9600GT 512MB, 320GB hard drive).

After i had installed Kubuntu 8.10 64-bit to my laptop i noticed that it was running a lot slower than the kubuntu on my old pc. I mean the menus and windows opened after some delay compared to my old pc. And if i would select some text in browser and then klick to the side of the selected text, there would be a delay before text gets unselected. Changing processor behaviour from dynamic to performance didnt make any difference.

Then i installed also Kubuntu 8.04 32-bit to my laptop. It is running better than the 8.10 64-bit, but i still feel my old pc is working faster.

What could be the problem and how to solve this?
Might i have some drivers missing? Because i only installed graphics driver with envyng to my laptop manually. Do i need to install intel 45nm chipset driver? Or some more drivers to get my 64-bit kubuntu running better?

I have been spending many evenings on trying to figure out how to get kubuntu running on my laptop well, but i could use some help. I would appreciate if anybody could point out some good general-purpose tutorials about installing drivers to kubuntu - i mean like a list of drivers what i need (some utility maybe to check if i have everything working, like in windows device manager that shows all devices and the ones that dont have proper driver have a question mark).

With kubuntu 8.04 i have yet now found how to install wifi driver, the 8.10 installed it automatically.

[betwixt]

Re: Kubuntu 8.10 64-bit running slow on my new laptop

So many views, but unfortunately no replies.
Ill try to make it more clear.

When i'm using 64-bit kubuntu and for example, when i type a letter in browsers address bar, then the letter will acutally appear about quarter of a second later after i typed. And when i switch between browsers or some other programs tabs, there is also similar latency. With 32-bit kubuntu, the latency is still there, but not so much.

I have only installed graphics drivers so far. I have relatively new laptop.

Could the problem be that i have some drivers missing? If yes, then where can i get them if they exists?
If they dont exist, is it possible me to make them? If yes then is there any tutorial out there about writing drivers for linux?

[betwixt]

Re: Kubuntu 8.10 64-bit running slow on my new laptop

ok, deleted both kubuntus and just installed ubuntu 8.10 32-bit and it seems to be working alright.

[dibl]

Re: Kubuntu 8.10 64-bit running slow on my new laptop

So many issues get attributed to "64-bit" -- but so few are actually relevant. I like to periodically check the 64-bit forum on Ubuntu Forums, just to see what percent of the posts have anything to do with the architecture -- typically it is 2 or 3 out of the 20 posts per page -- a 10% rate of relevance. I think it is just that people are sensitized to "64-bit", so immediately after installing it, anything unusual that they perceive is attributed to "64-bit".

I would never challenge the accuracy of your observation -- I'm sure that's exactly what you can see and measure on your system. But it makes zero sense to think that the architecture of the OS would have some relationship to the latency of the keystrokes on the keyboard. There should be zero difference between 32-bit and 64-bit on something like that. It is more likely some issue with the browser that was written for a 32-bit OS and then recompiled for 64-bit architecture. I haven't seen it, but as I say I wouldn't challenge your observation.

Your curiosity about the video driver is probably more relevant to the issue you're seeing. I have the same graphics chip -- an EVGA nVidia 9600GT. The characters appear in Firefox as fast my fat fingers can hit the keys.

What driver are you using now?

[betwixt]

Re: Kubuntu 8.10 64-bit running slow on my new laptop

Thank You for the reply, but u misunderstood me a little.

I didnt want to show that i feel that its all bad because of 64bit OS. I know the basic difference between 32 and 64bit architecture. And i understand what u were trying to say, but...

Both, 32bit and 64bit Kubuntus ran bad on my laptop. Both had noticable latency with windows opening closing, switching between tabs, typing text in textboxes etc. But the 32bit Kubuntu ran fine on my old pc. Thats what i meant. I mean, something just wasnt working right. I dont get these issues with Ubuntu 8.10 32bit. Altough opening some simple utility with freshly installed Ubuntu takes longer than freshly installed WinXP.

But i like linux very much, easy to install programs, just have to write install apt get program, and install goes very fast. And almost everything is open source, so i could make changes.

I got the video driver issue solved with both 32 and 64bit, it wasnt very difficult. I think it was version 177 or 173.
On WindowsXP max reso ran with 60 Hz but with Kubuntu and Ubuntu it shows that at resolution 1680x1050, frequency is 50Hz.

Next time i install kubuntu, i will make a video about the latency, so u can see if its just me or there really is bigger latency than in your system.

[dibl]

Re: Kubuntu 8.10 64-bit running slow on my new laptop

I recommend you give the new 180.22 Nivida driver a try. It seems to have solved quite a few issues with the new X.org and KDE 4 that are in Kubuntu 8.10.

On the refresh issue, yes, I've noticed that the Linux Nvidia drivers seem to want to use the 50Hz rate on my SyncMaster 1100 too. Or so it says. But I don't notice the "beating" that gives me a headache, so I'm not so certain that it is reporting the frequency accurately. In general, the graphics card OEMs put more resources into development of their Windows drivers, because it's such a bigger market. So it shouldn't come as a shock that those drivers might be superior, in multiple ways.

[betwixt]

Re: Kubuntu 8.10 64-bit running slow on my new laptop

I had just deleted all my partitions and reinstalled Kubuntu 8.10 Interpid Ibex 64-bit and i was about to say that it works fine now and no such problems anymore as i said before and that im going to install the nvidia 180.22 driver now, i was following the tutorial on nvidia page http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux_d...64_180.22.html. And typed (a bit wrong, linuxx with 2 x)"sh NVIDIA-Linuxx-x86_64-180.22-pkg2.run" into the console and then my OS totally froze and the ventilator kept running full speed.

I had to power off my pc. Didnt have any ideas what else to do. Reason could have been that i dont have any swap partition, do i need swap and if yes then how much? I already have 4GB ram, isnt that enough?

Now ill attempt to do it again.

[Snowhog]

Re: Kubuntu 8.10 64-bit running slow on my new laptop

When ever you experience a "system lockup" you should attempt the HOWTO: Unlock A Supposedly-Locked Up System before resorting to using the power button.

[betwixt]

Re: Kubuntu 8.10 64-bit running slow on my new laptop

Tx for the quick reply, i think i got the nvidia driver installed now.

I see under your replies, there is: "Hardy 8.04 KDE 3.5.10 w/Compiz (ROCK SOLID!)" why is it ROCK SOLID and which do you use more Hardy or Interpid and why?

And can i install compiz to my 64-bit system and make it work properly? I think i tried once before, but had some issues like when i chose some effects at the manager (checking the checkboxes) then my system got very very slow and the checkboxes got check after like 1 minute or so.

Ok, i have about 230 updates available at adept atm, ill go ahead and do them.

[dibl]

Re: Kubuntu 8.10 64-bit running slow on my new laptop

can i install compiz to my 64-bit system and make it work properly?

Yes -- just select the compiz packages in Adept or Synaptic. Don't omit "Compiz Config Settings Manager". I use the Emerald Window decorator too, but it has some liabilities -- I would recommend you try to be happy with Kwin first.

[betwixt]

Re: Kubuntu 8.10 64-bit running slow on my new laptop

I installed all available updates. Was that the "right" thing to do?

Kubuntu told me to restart itself after installing updates. After choosing restart from Kmenu, Kubuntu started to restart, but it got stuck in command line, with last line: AUDIT: Sun Jan 18 00:03:03 2009:7141X: client 32 rejected from local host (ui d=0 gid=0 pid=1491).
and then i was able to type commands, i think i typed sudo reboot and it rebooted.

After reboot to new kernel 2.6.27-9 - genreric, there was some flickering between screens and then i was sent to command line, not to login window. TFrom what i know so far i restarted the kdm, but it didnt get me out of command line. Then i tried to reboot by with skinny elephants, but alt+sysreq didnt do anything. Then i power offed, my laptop again, then the kubuntu logo came up and my pc shut down. I was able to boot properly from old kernel.

I quess there was a simple way out of the command line and into the GUI?

[dibl]

Re: Kubuntu 8.10 64-bit running slow on my new laptop

I installed all available updates. Was that the "right" thing to do?

Generally, yes. When you gain more experience, you may want to check the forum for any problems caused by updates first, then update your system, watching for any known trouble-causers. But normally there aren't any.

Kubuntu told me to restart itself after installing updates. After choosing restart from Kmenu, Kubuntu started to restart, but it got stuck in command line, with last line: AUDIT: Sun Jan 18 00:03:03 2009:7141X: client 32 rejected from local host (ui d=0 gid=0 pid=1491).

That's an odd one -- I've never seen such a thing. One thing you need to do is be very, very patient before declaring "stuck" or "frozen" -- sometimes processes just take awhile to finish their business.

and then i was able to type commands, i think i typed sudo reboot and it rebooted.

sudo shutdown now -r

is a good way to do it from the command line.

After reboot to new kernel 2.6.27-9 - genreric, there was some flickering between screens and then i was sent to command line, not to login window. TFrom what i know so far i restarted the kdm, but it didnt get me out of command line. Then i tried to reboot by with skinny elephants, but alt+sysreq didnt do anything. Then i power offed, my laptop again, then the kubuntu logo came up and my pc shut down. I was able to boot properly from old kernel.

I quess there was a simple way out of the command line and into the GUI?

This is normal if you have installed a proprietary video driver. I've lost track of whether you succeeded in that, or not. It's good to have EnvyNG installed -- if you do, when the new kernel tosses you to the command line, you simply enter

sudo envyng -t

and it installs a new driver for you, and you get back to the GUI pretty fast.

It's extremely unusual that Alt-SysRq R S E I U B does not restart the system -- the only time it doesn't work is if you keyboard is disconnected (logically, I mean, not physically). Again, patience is a great help with Linux, sometimes.

[betwixt]

Re: Kubuntu 8.10 64-bit running slow on my new laptop

Again, tx for the quick reply.

1.I think i succeeded in installing the driver, altough there were some issues answering yes/no. Dont remember what they were. 1 question was about installing 32bit OpenGL libaries for compability i answered yes. Dont remember the second one, but it had something to do with that this driver was not right for my system and it had to "remake" or compile itself or something like that, dont remember the right word.
NB! At the list of graphics cards that 180.22 supports, there wasnt 9600GT.

2.And the REISUB, do i have to hold alt+sysreq or just hold them down for one moment at once, and what will then happen, does anything happen? For me nothign happens. My laptop has fewer keys so Del and SysReq are the same i have to hold a special Fn button to access SysRq.

3.Oh and yeah, i think what i actully did was that i typed shutdown not reboot. I didnt know if such command existed so i just went for it and when i saw there is such command then second time i typed shutdown 1, but 1 minute was too long for me so tried shutdown 0.1, but that was not proper usage.

4.Then i typed "man shutdown" to see how to use it. But then i coulnt get out of man xD. Ctrl+c didnt work, then i tried some more combinations i could think off, but eventually powered down my pc again xD. It kept asking for log file, whatever i inserted it couldnt write.

5.But i still feel i get some variations in performance of Kubuntu, it feels like sometimes the letters appear a little slower and when i scroll this reply window atm then some letter move faster up and down then others. And windows dot maximise and minimize with same smoothness all the time. But yet nothing major anymore.

[Snowhog]

Re: Kubuntu 8.10 64-bit running slow on my new laptop

2.And the REISUB, do i have to hold alt+sysreq or just hold them down for one moment at once, and what will then happen, does anything happen? For me nothign happens. My laptop has fewer keys so Del and SysReq are the same i have to hold a special Fn button to access SysRq.

You press and hold the Alt+SysReq keys, and then, one at a time, press the other keys. In your case, you probably have to press all three keys (and hold) - Fn+Alt+SysReq. With an active desktop, just give it a try. If it works, you will simply end up performing a system shutdown and reboot.

[betwixt]

Re: Kubuntu 8.10 64-bit running slow on my new laptop

Unfortunately i can not make it work, have tried many times.

How can i minimize all windows at once, like window+d in windows?

Oh and i start to like Kubuntu more and more, just installed apache2 and php5 in 30, very cool.

Snowhog can you please answer my question: Which you like more Hardy Heron or Interpid Ibex?
I like the look of Interpid more, but i have heard that Hardy performs better becouse Hardy uses more resources than Interpid. Does Hardy perform better?

What can i use to monitor memory usage, framerate etc?