• Registered: 2009-02-16
  • Posts: 5

Topic: Excessive swapping with the "Pictures" screensaver

I have a P3 800 MHz Intel laptop with 256 MB RAM. I was running but switched to CB, as I like it's potential. However, now, the laptop, when the display is off (power management) I can hear the constant swap access, even when the display is off. This stops when I change the scresnsaver to "blank screen."

Is there a way to change its settings so that I don't have such constant read-write activity? If a picture per 60 seconds would reduce the activity, I would be fine with that. Is this possible?

  • Registered: 2009-02-16
  • Posts: 5

Re: Excessive swapping with the "Pictures" screensaver

I figured out the fix -- I reinstalled Puppy linux. I suppose my system is too below the minimum requirements.

  • kBang
  • #! Die-hard
  • Offline
  • From: Calera, AL, USA
  • Registered: 2009-01-06
  • Posts: 774

Re: Excessive swapping with the "Pictures" screensaver

Sorry I didn't notice your post previously, but your system should be able to handle #!.  My rig is ancient, P3 866mhz 512mb, 128mb graphics card.  It runs #! very well, but I don't think the extra 256mb is the difference, nor 66mhz faster CPU.

If you are hearing your HD crunching then that would be virtual memory, meaning your ram isn't up to whatever you are doing.  I would recommend disabling gnome-screensaver and just turning off the monitor when not in use.

What exactly did you mean about a picture per 60 seconds?  Screensaver?  I would just shut that off...

Puppy Linux is a good distro, as is Slitaz, TinyMe, etc.  If you just can't get #! working with your computer.  sad

I view KDE like I view snow. It looks fun and marvelous, it's fun to play in, but after a while I just want someone to take it all away.
  • Registered: 2009-02-16
  • Posts: 5

Re: Excessive swapping with the "Pictures" screensaver

kBang wrote:

... I would recommend disabling gnome-screensaver and just turning off the monitor when not in use.

I would bet that the difference between 256 and 512 MB RAM is significant. I didn't try disabling the screensaver -- being in our kitchen, I needed the energy controls to be somewhat automatic. I did switch to the simplest "blank screen" but the different was in degrees, not enough to stop the disk spinning.

kBang wrote:

Puppy Linux is a good distro, as is Slitaz, TinyMe, etc.  If you just can't get #! working with your computer.  sad

I hope I didn't sound too turdy about the matter -- Crunchbang is a super distro and in some ways I like it better than its mothership, ubuntu. Puppy has its own critics (particularly it's open root account) But that's the beauty of old hardware -- you get it for free (or nearly so) and can have fun checking out different distros.

  • fabsh
  • #1 Linux Outlaw
  • Offline
  • From: Bonn, Germany
  • Registered: 2008-11-25
  • Posts: 118

Re: Excessive swapping with the "Pictures" screensaver

Neither CrunchBang nor Ubuntu have an "open root account". If you mean the fact that root has the same password as the first user by default, that can hardly be called open. You can't even log in as root either.

Sixgun Productions

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  • Registered: 2009-02-16
  • Posts: 5

Re: Excessive swapping with the "Pictures" screensaver

fabsh wrote:

Neither CrunchBang nor Ubuntu have an "open root account". If you mean the fact that root has the same password as the first user by default, that can hardly be called open. You can't even log in as root either.

Please re-read what I wrote -- PUPPY has an open root account (no password) not CB/Ubuntu.