# Improve performance on a netbook?



## N00b-un-2 (Apr 10, 2012)

I'm new to FreeBSD but as my handle infers I'm a Linux user (one who is fed up with all of the bad decisions being made by my former favorite OS).  I decided to give installing FreeBSD on my netbook a shot and I'm happy to say that after spending all day fixing error after error, I've gotten a fully function install running on my Asus EEEPC 1015PE.

Obviously, it's a netbook so I am not expecting it to be blazing fast.  But I can't figure out why performance is so bad!  It makes my bloated Windows 7 install look like a speed demon.  The weird part is that I'm only using about 7% of my RAM (140MB out of 2 GB) and Zero swap, but my CPU is pegged at 100% all the time! (roughly 10% on the first thread and 90% on the second thread).  It's a 1.66Ghz Atom N450 (which is hyperthreaded).

Also, the computer is generating a massive amount of heat, which is to be expected when the CPU is pegged.  I don't have any hidden processes eating up CPU cycles that I'm not aware of, it's just a standard FreeBSD 9 install running Gnome 2.32

I didn't do anything crazy during the install, but I'm assuming that there is just some sort of optimization that can be done for Atom architecture, or some kernel flag that I'm missing.  

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## wblock@ (Apr 10, 2012)

It actually should work pretty well, there's a special ACPI module for Asus netbooks (acpi_asus(4)).  Of course, that has to be enabled.  Then there's powerd(8) and lots of settings for power saving: http://wiki.freebsd.org/TuningPowerConsumption


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## N00b-un-2 (Apr 10, 2012)

the problem is not the CPU throttling, it's a matter of something using all of my CPU power.  watching the output of "top" indicates that both XORG and Firefox frequently use more than 150%, now how is that possible?  Since I haven't invested much into this particular system, I'm going to try going with FreeBSD 8.x since FreeBSD 8 is more bleeding edge


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## wblock@ (Apr 10, 2012)

I've got FreeBSD 9 on an Acer D250 right here.  It works pretty well, and doesn't busy-wait in xorg.


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## N00b-un-2 (Apr 10, 2012)

Figured something out just now!  Turned off compositing in Metacity and magically my CPU cycles drop down to a reasonable 1-5%.  That sucks... I really like using Avant Window Navigator.  I'm going to give Compiz a shot now, but I'm not going to hold my breath.


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## N00b-un-2 (Apr 10, 2012)

*Gma 3150*

Apparently the issue is a lack of driver support for several later model GMA chipsets.  that's kind of surprising since I've owned my netbook for well over a year and the GMA3150 isn't exactly new.  Looks like I can build a testing version of the driver.  Metacity compositing results in massive CPU usage, and Compiz refuses to enable.  Maybe I'll take a crack at building http://wiki.freebsd.org/Intel_GPU


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