Linux Format forums

jase · Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 6:38 pm Posts: 93

I am running Ubuntu 11.10. PC Spec: 2.80GHz Intel Celeron, 512mb DDR. Runs fine until I log into Twitter. After a couple of minutes the screen goes black, then comes back. After which the PC runs at a snails pace. If I don't use Twitter it's fine. It's as if Twitter is processor hogging. I have to turn off and back on again for it to run fine. However if I log back into Twitter I get the black screen and slow speed again. Any ideas please?

Bruno · Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 10:53 am Post subject:

Hi Jase, are you using twitter through a web browser or a twitter client? It could be that you are running out of memory and if your system RAM is shared with your graphics chip, that could be why you are seeing a black screen. How much swap space do you have? You could benefit from more if you don't have a great deal. If you know your way around the terminal, "top" will show you how much your processor is occupied and how much memory is in use, which might be useful to see even before you start using twitter.

jase · Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 6:38 pm Posts: 93

Hi Bruno,

I'm using web version.

I looked at "top" and from memory (pardon the pun), the only processor hungry items seemed to be XORG (don't know what that is) and Ubuntu One Sync (which I don't use).

If I use Twitter web on my Aspire One netbook it's fine.

lok1950 · Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 3:47 pm Post subject:

Xorg is your GUI background process that actually handles your desktop and it is very memory hungry and it will always be running,you might see if you can disable Ubuntu One Sync to free some RAM and as Bruno mentioned increasing the amount of swap space you have.

Enjoy the Choice Smile

jase · Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 6:38 pm Posts: 93

Thanks chaps.

I only have Ubuntu installed so not dual booting, so not sure what you mean by swap space Embarassed

lok1950 · Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 8:21 pm Post subject:

The swap space is a separate partition on your hard drive where low priority processes are swapped out of RAM to the HD thereby giving you more free RAM for the current memory hog Wink

you might consider a lighter weight desk top environment such as Xfce which is Xbuntu.It is available thru the Ubuntu software center or synaptic if you have that installed.It should run better than the standard Ubuntu DE on your rig with the low amount of RAM you have 512Mb is kinda low for current mainstream desktops such as Unity,Gnome and KDE.

Enjoy the Choice Smile