Author Topic: CPU usage at idle  (Read 934 times)

ageilers

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CPU usage at idle
« on: May 20, 2010, 06:58:21 PM »
I have an IBM X31 that I just installed 2010.1 KDE. I am noticing it to be a bit slow. When I checked the System Activity monitor, X is using between 10-40% CPU at idle with no apps open. I have a T23 that works fine. Any ideas on what to check?

Intel Pentium M (Banias) 1.4 CPU
ATI Radeon Mobility M6 LY
1GB PC2100 RAM
80GB 2.5" PATA HDD
Cisco Aironet Wireless 802.11b

Kernel 2.6.32.12-bfs kernel
Full KDE 4.4.3 Desktop.
« Last Edit: May 20, 2010, 08:31:47 PM by ageilers »

Offline T6

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Re: CPU usage at idle
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2010, 08:13:11 PM »
more info please

kernel used, video card on that machine, ram on that machine, cpu on that machine

 what app do you have running and desktop you have loaded

the more info you can give, the easier is for us to help you
"If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe."

Carl Sagan

ageilers

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Re: CPU usage at idle
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2010, 08:42:27 PM »
Updated stats in initial post. The thing is, I don't have any apps running except the activity monitor and I watch the CPU cycle from 8% to 34% for the X process. Every thing works, albeit a little slow. Scrolling a web page is a bit painful.

Offline T6

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Re: CPU usage at idle
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2010, 08:53:27 PM »
that sound like you have the wrong video driver selected for that ati video card or 3d effects running

i am not sure if you can use ati driver in

pcc/hardware/setup the graphical server/graphic card/vendor/ati/radeon X1950 and earlier or just the firepro

i don't remember what driver was used on another post with that video card

are you using kde desktop effects or compiz fusion? 

that video card could be very limited in amount of ram, less than 64ms, 32 perhaps?

not enough to do any effects, disable them if any enabled
"If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe."

Carl Sagan

ageilers

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Re: CPU usage at idle
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2010, 09:37:40 PM »
Removed Compiz, now X bounces between 3% and 40% CPU.

Ati driver used:

Code: [Select]
Section "Device"
    Identifier "device1"
    VendorName "ATI Technologies Inc"
    BoardName "ATI Radeon X1950 and earlier"
    Driver "ati"
    Option "DPMS"
EndSection


ageilers

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Re: CPU usage at idle
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2010, 05:29:45 PM »
OK, just discovered Drake3d to turn off Compiz. But Still having issue with X. I am going to reinstall with Phoenix to see if it does the same thing.

Offline T6

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Re: CPU usage at idle
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2010, 06:50:00 PM »
was it on?

you never said if you had kde desktop effects enabled

also you never tried to run the command top to see what apps were running at the moment
"If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe."

Carl Sagan