Optimizing your system

trusktr · 2010-02-24 11:42:44

Alright, so I've got my system up and running well (at least it seems to run well). My computer isn't the fastest.

That being said, site with Flash on them are very slow! I have an nVidia 6200 with the latest drivers, and the latest Flash Player, but it lags horribly sometimes.

Today it wasn't so bad, but yesterday, after a while the computer started to get really slow with the graphics! The after moving a window it'd take noticeably longer to refresh what was behind it, all youtube videos were stuttering, and basically the graphics and sound were lagging as if my computer was much older than it really is.

I have followed all the steps in the install guides word for word and got everything setup just perfect.

Is there more I need to do to optimize how my computer runs?
I didn't have this problem in Windows 7, which is where i'm coming from (and not returning, linux is awesome )

So my questions are: What might be wrong?
In general, what can be done to optimize my system (even if it didn't have this problem)?
And is it just the way Linux works, slower, on my machine?

NOTE: I couldn't run Adobe Premiere in Windows because it would say "Power PC Architecture is not supported).

quarkup · 2010-02-24 12:07:54

Hi.

Actually my flash runs nice but sometimes it get slow - I am using a oldie pentium-m also..
Running the flash applications from chromium or arora resolved everything. arora is a really great browser, flash never gets slow.

You should check these topics
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Flash
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Max … erformance

If you want to optimize your system using a more suitable and techie approach, consider to compile your kernel.

I can tell you more about my system for you to check the 'responsiveness' of it:
- I'm using a system with a pentium-m (1.73GHz), 2G Ram and a nvidia 6800 go and it's a 5 year old laptop
- I am using KDE 4.4 with the effects and all the stuff on without problems/slowdowns.
- This laptop is running those big 3d games without problems, for example: true combat elite (true-combat is in aur) and savage2.
It runs really fast.

I though of compiling the kernel as it will speed things up.
Hint: compile gcc first to make the kernel compilation faster if you are using an oldie cpu and/or use CCache ( http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fas … ache_HOWTO )

So, I have compiled my own version of the kernel and optimized it for pentium-m and also added the ZEN patchset.
That patchset improves overall performance, it includes for example the Con Kolivas BFS (notice it is a speed/performance patchset).

For example with the stock kernel Blender 3D rendered an image in about 4 minutes, not it does the same in about 30 seconds.

Also, you could try the aur/kernel26-zen package
After compiling/installing the kernel, install the aur/nvidia-all package so all different kernels you have (stock+custom) use the nvidia driver properly.

You got also some wiki topics on that matter:
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Kernels
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ker … _Patchsets

Last edited by quarkup (2010-02-24 14:40:51)

broch · 2010-02-24 17:24:41

hello,
maybe you could start from the beginning?
1) CPU
2) RAM
3) disk (ATA, SATA, SCSI) / speed
4) video card (you mentioned this already)
5) system arch (32-bit, 64-bit)
6) last system update
7) installed video driver (version/source)
8) graphical enironement (if any)
9) some more later

I would suggest to refrain from any optimization steps at least before you answer these questions. after that someone will definitely/probably be able help you to get your system running smoothly.

good luck

trusktr · 2010-02-24 21:57:17

Wow, that's great info quarkup!

Hey Broch, here's my system specs:

Motherboard: SiS-741 (Power PC architecture?)
CPU:
Model: AMD Athlon(tm) XP 2600+
physical id: 4
bus info: cpu@0
version: 6.8.1
slot: Socket A
size: 2083MHz
width: 32 bits
clock: 166MHz
-cache:0
description: L1 cache
physical id: 8
slot: Internal Cache
size: 128KiB
capacity: 128KiB
capabilities: synchronous internal write-back
-cache:1
description: L2 cache
physical id: 9
slot: External Cache
size: 256KiB
capacity: 256KiB
capabilities: synchronous external write-back
MEMORY:
size: 2GiB
-bank:0
description: DIMM
physical id: 0
slot: A0
size: 1GiB
-bank:1
description: DIMM
physical id: 1
slot: A1
size: 1GiB
Hard Disk:
description: ATA Disk
product: ST360012A
vendor: Seagate
physical id: 0
bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0
logical name: /dev/sda
version: 3.31
serial: 5KC014MC
size: 55GiB (60GB)
capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos
configuration: ansiversion=5 signature=87da62a7
Video Card:
description: VGA compatible controller
product: NV44A [GeForce 6200]
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
Memory: either 128 or 256 (I have to check!)
Video Driver:
NVIDIA 190.53 (The latest) via pacman -S nvidia
Arch System:
Kernel Linux 2.6.32-ARCH
Graphical Environment:
X.org Gnome 2.28.2 via pacman -S gnome
Last System Update:
I just installed Linux (Arch Linux) for the first time ever this last weekend
Including system updates via pacman -Syu

Anyone have input on my configuration? Should I commence with quarkups excellent advice?

From comparing my system to quarkups, it seems mine is a tid bit slower, but it shouldn't have as many difficulties as it's having!

broch · 2010-02-25 00:00:45

hi,
my understanding is that you encounter slowdowns only while watching flash? Or you do see these slowdowns once in a while irrelevant of user activity?
restart computer,
open terminal window and run
1)
$glxinfo | grep direct
post output
2)
$free -m
post output.
3)
Next in the same terminal windows run command:
$top -U username
where username is your login.

while top is running in terminal window, go to the page with flash enabled and make note which application uses a lot of CPU/memory.
run
$free -m
again
post output results

Anyone have input on my configuration? Should I commence with quarkups excellent advice?

depends which advice do you mean?
- re-compiling kernel will not do anything to alleviate your problem. In fact having custom kernel will not do much. I would suggest to resolve your problem then learn how to compile custom kernel, then learn how to make kernel slim and your desktop more responsible. This is (getting custom kernel) useful and fun though not related to your current issue with flash.
- flash related link will not help and it has more to do with privacy. It is very useful, but not with flash performance.

Last edited by broch (2010-02-25 00:05:15)

trusktr · 2010-02-25 13:36:51

Oh man, i did all that then copied (though i did) and moved to epiphany and pasted nothing. haha

Direct rendering is on
I have 2025 MB memory with only 574 used.

Then while visiting a website entirely in flash, the CPU was being used 40-55%-ish by chrome.
Afterwords, 650 mb of memory was taken.

Wow!... epiphany runs flash MUCH smoother. although the CPU went slightly higher up into the 60's.

I hadn't even given epiphany a chance yet! I guess I will have to use it since Chrome isn't polished Linux yet.
Any ideas on that? Have you used Chrome? What browser do you normally use? I had dove into Chrome because in windows it definitely the best browser, and that's where I came from. I have to say, no more windows for me though! Linux rocks!

So anyways, a while ago (when i first started the tests), i could move a Terminal or File Browser window smoothly in front of chrome. At this point, something has changed, and now as I move the window I can see a trail of emptyness that follows the window as the content behind it refreshes.

Let's see the results of the memory now:
hmmmmm... well, I'm not doing hardly anything at all except typing this and Epiphany is staying at about 45% CPU usage. The Flash site is open in another tab, but not visible.... Alright, i've closed it, and now epiphany is at 6%-ish.

I can move the windows visibly smoother without the site in the background. This should hardly be an issue tho. In windows, I hadn't had that problem.

Although the laggyness has receeded for now, it has tended to manifest itself even without flash running in the background. Sometimes, the computer will just stay slow. I'll keep track of the CPU usage with the top command to see what's up.

trusktr · 2010-02-25 13:46:57

But yeah, Right now, with no flash open, and the minimal windows, it's more laggy than it should be.

For example, go to esfootwear.com and you'll see a smooth little featured content slider.

On my system, it won't run smooth. It's to simple to not run smooth! I wonder what'ss causing the lag? right now i'm only using 4% CPU with epiphany. So right now my system is running at the fastest possible speed it can, and that slider is still lagging.

I have a feeling maybe it's my motherboard/CPU since Premiere Setup will stop me from installing due to "power pc architecture not being supported". Could that be it? hmmmmmmm

Man, there's so many peculiarities! I'm gunna make a screen cast soon as i get a chance

Last edited by trusktr (2010-02-25 14:09:49)

broch · 2010-02-25 14:36:00

Windows error may be related to PowerPC arch. I would call adobe and ask about your problem.

problem may be related to the software you are using. I don't have any issues with esfootwear.com slider
However I am using firefox/flash. I did customize firefox, but I doubt that this had any impact of flash.

When you run
free -m

take look at swap line.

Last edited by broch (2010-02-25 14:55:39)

trusktr · 2010-02-28 19:16:03

free -m show 258 of 258 free for the swap line. Epiphany is based on the same engine as firefox, so I imagine it should run almost the same, right?

flamelab · 2010-02-28 19:19:06

trusktr wrote:

free -m show 258 of 258 free for the swap line. Epiphany is based on the same engine as firefox, so I imagine it should run almost the same, right?

Νο, it's using Webkit, not Gecko

trusktr · 2010-02-28 19:46:54

oh i see! i will try out firefox and see what happens!

Arch Linux

#1 2010-02-24 11:42:44

Optimizing your system

#2 2010-02-24 12:07:54

Re: Optimizing your system

#3 2010-02-24 17:24:41

Re: Optimizing your system

#4 2010-02-24 21:57:17

Re: Optimizing your system

#5 2010-02-25 00:00:45

Re: Optimizing your system

#6 2010-02-25 13:36:51

Re: Optimizing your system

#7 2010-02-25 13:46:57

Re: Optimizing your system

#8 2010-02-25 14:36:00

Re: Optimizing your system

#9 2010-02-28 19:16:03

Re: Optimizing your system

#10 2010-02-28 19:19:06

Re: Optimizing your system

#11 2010-02-28 19:46:54

Re: Optimizing your system

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